Chloe Thomas (Our Daily Bread)
Hi, Nadia! It’s a pleasure to meet you. You are in processes of building an acting portfolio. Tell us about some of the projects you participated in.
Hi! I am, indeed. Well, I’ve just finished studying HNC acting and the whole year has been a challenge for me. I did my first ever Physical Theatre Show (based on Antonin Artaud) called Our Daily Bread and that was such an amazing project to be a part of. Prior to that, I did two shows at Oldham Theatre Workshop – the first was a devised piece inspired by Grimm’s Fairy tales, Too Good To Be True, where I played a frog-killing Princess and the second was a Musical called Romeus and Juliet, where I played V, a feisty tattoo artist.
Before that, I lived in down south in Essex, where I did numerous workshops learning various skills (such as improvisation, stage combat and Shakespeare) and I also was a part of London Bubble Young Theatre Makers, where I did a Forum Theatre show called Pieces and I played a rather horrible mother. All of my roles have been different in terms of the types of characters I play and the type of theatre I do.
Acting is your passion. What inspired it?
I’ve been performing in talent shows and school plays since I was about 4/5 years old. However, when I was 11 years old, I watched Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone in the cinema and just remember being so immersed and mesmerized by what I saw. A few weeks later, I found an open casting online which I applied to. Shortly after that, I received a letter stating that I missed the deadline for auditions – but none of that matter. It was the fact they wrote back and it was at that moment that I realized I could do this for a career. I could make these amazing stories and characters come to life.
Since then, I had been so inspired and motivated to make acting my career – I used to spend all my lunchtimes at School in the library, reading plays and researching How To Be An Actress. It has always been my passion and my dream.
What has been your most memorable role to date?
Without a doubt, it would be Our Daily Bread, which I performed at The Manchester College. It was a physical theatre show where I played numerous characters. I had to learn choreography and push myself to new physical limits (I actually damaged the tendon on my shoulder in rehearsals, but I didn’t let that stop me performing).
The actual subject matter of this piece was a hybrid of modern day politics and past events (such as, World War 2 & Concentration Camps). It pushed me to fully let go and be in character, which was both liberating and terrifying. Sometimes I fully let go, that I found myself in tears without really knowing when the tears started, but unable to stop. The role both pushed me as a performer, both physically and mentally.
What type of acting roles interest you the most?
I tend to always play Sociopathic roles or really Sassy, feisty characters – which is interesting, as I’m such an introvert in real life (but that’s always the case!) But those kind of roles I enjoy playing the most, as it’s a way to express feelings you would never express in real life
If you could choose a role you would like to play, what would it be?
I would love to play a strong female character in either a Thriller or Horror – I’ve been told by numerous people that they can imagine me in that kind of genre.
I’d also like to play a really manipulative, evil character – I do tend to always go for the really evil roles, so it’d be great to play a very unsympathetic one.
You mentioned that you struggle with anxiety and depression. Has acting provided you with an outlet to overcome it?
I’ve had anxiety since I was 15-years old and first struggled with depression, when I was 17. Throughout all of those times, acting was the one thing that allowed me to escape those feelings of panic and isolation. It was quite confusing at times, as I would go to workshops and feel so panicky and scared, without understanding why.
The most difficult thing with anxiety and depression, is trying to explain how you feel to someone who doesn’t understand. You can’t put it into words and you can’t explain why you’re happy one minute and crying the next. It’s a very dark place to be in and can feel so lonely, but I managed to overcome it eventually. It took so long, but I was lucky enough to have the help of my family and lucky to use acting as an outlet. I did try everything (Therapy, Tablets) but none of that worked and I sort of had an epiphany that I’m the one who can get myself out of this (it’s so much easier to say, then do), so I tried my best to focus my energy of positive aspects and used my hobbies (such as Running) to help get rid of the panicky feeling I’d often get.
You have also experienced homelessness. We know this can be a challenge, when pursuing a career. Tell us about some of the challenges you’ve faced, and how you overcame them to fulfill your dreams.
Well, I’ve been homeless two times in total. My parents marriage broke down when I was 16 and I eventually ended up living with my mum in a studio flat (I have no contact with my Father). We shortly got evicted and ended up staying in a run-down motel, where we struggled to pay the money, had all our possessions in a storage unit and even got hassle from some other people at the motel. After a month there, we were lucky enough to move into a one-bedroom flat.
A year later and we ended up getting evicted again. We tried to offer the landlord the money that we owed, but it was no use and we ended up back in a bed and breakfast. We spoke to the manager and they allowed us to have a discounted rate, whilst we tried to find a place to call our own. During this time, my mum and I both worked. However, after six months of being there I started to get really depressed and to a very low point in my life. That was when I joined London Bubble Young Theatre Makers – again, using acting as an escape. Things started to look up, until the place we were staying got a new manager and they demanded that we leave within the space of two hours.
From there, we ended up staying in the living room of an old neighbor and eventually, our car. It was a new low for us, having to get washed in a supermarket toilet and struggling to get 30p, to buy a loaf of bread to eat. Even though we were at this point in our life, we still somehow found the good in our situation. I would try and find the positives in our current living situation, by saying at least we’re healthy and we have Bella with us (our Labrador). However, it go to a point of seeing no way out, that we ended up having to move up to Manchester to live with my Aunts (my mum’s sister). I ended up moving from somewhere I lived for all my life, to a new area to call my home, all within the space of six hours.
The hardest part was telling London Bubble – I spoke to them and let them know of my situation and they were so supportive and offered to help. The main thing that stuck out for me, was when I received a text saying that I am very talented and can have a career in acting – and that they hope I’ll carry on pursuing it, once I’m settled in a new home.
We stayed at my aunt’s for a few weeks, and then found a two bedroom house. Since then, we haven’t looked back. It did take us a while to get settled and for me to get back into acting, but I now look at all the positives and appreciate all the small things in life. My past has inspired me to take every opportunity, because I’m fully aware of how quickly and unexpectedly things can change.
Do you have any upcoming projects that we haven’t mentioned?
I currently have several modeling shoots coming up very soon, which I’m very excited about. I view modeling as another format of acting, it’s like playing a different character and the camera is the audience.
I’m auditioning for several projects, including some touring theatre pieces and short films. I’m in the process of writing my very first novel, which I am so excited about! And on a non-performance topic, I’m in the early stages of opening up my own Vegan Home Bakery, which would be open from Autumn 2017 for home deliveries.
What do you like to do to relax between auditioning?
I’ve started doing some modeling and writing, alongside acting – and I’m really enjoying both aspects. I recently did a Shoot, which ended up on Tyra Banks Beauty Range Instagram Page (viewed by a few thousand people) which was an absolutely amazing experience (I had an awesome Make Up Artist – Hebe Waggett)
As well as that, I love reading – I’m such an avid reader and have so many books on my wish list. I also love keeping fit by running, walking my Labrador (Bella) and doing yoga – I’m actually training for the Manchester Half Marathon at the moment. I’ve also started to learn how to knit, which is surprisingly fun! I also love cooking vegan dishes and desserts, as well as being with family.
How do you manage to keep a very positive outlook on life?
I’ve used all my negative experiences in life and found the good parts in them – Everything I’ve been through has made me a stronger person.
I’m a very in-the-present kind of person, in which I don’t focus on the past or the future, but like to take things as they go and live each day to the maximum. I always strive to be the better version of myself and never set myself long term goals, but short achievable goals. I tend to look upon it like I don’t ever want to feel settled, but keep on pushing and striving to do more. My work ethic is crazy, and that helps me to be positive, because I know that I’m working so hard and so much for something I love.
Do you have a special message for those, who are experiencing anxiety and depression?
I would say that anxiety is something which will never go away. I’ve spent so much of my time trying to figure out how to live without it, that I didn’t realize that I could’ve saved myself all the grief by figuring out how to live with it.
To anyone that has anxiety, I would suggest trying to find something (whether this be a hobby, sport etc) that helps you and use that as your anchor. Most of all – don’t be ashamed. There is such a negative stigma on Mental Health, that it feels nerve-wrecking to be honest about it – whereas in fact, it should be the norm.
With depression, that is a lot more tricky. For me, it felt so isolating and scary, but I eventually found myself again through running and acting.
I would say that whatever your passion is, whatever your dream is . . . use that. Use your passion to power through and keep a hold of it throughout the darkest moments you’d ever experience. But most of all, never ever feel ashamed or like you can’t speak about it. Even when it may feel like you are so alone, there is someone out there to listen to you and help you.
Complete this sentence, if I had an opportunity to do anything I want, I would do ___________.
Anything I’d want – or at least try to! You never know until you try and if you fail, get up and try again.
I’m acting, writing, modeling and opening up my own business – at times it feels crazy and like there is so much pressure, but all of these things are my passion and what I love to do.
Connect with Nadia:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NadiaWatsonxo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nadiawatsonxo
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