Interviewing actress Christabel Clark

1-. How was your childhood?

Gosh that's a big question! I'm not sure that any actor would probably have what's considered a ‘normal’ childhood- there’s often reasons why we want to spend the rest of our lives playing pretend! I come from a single parent-low income household so that meant for me wanting to be an actor was a bigger risk than it might have been for some. 

2. - From what age did you decide to be an actress and how did you know you had the skills to go on TV?

Acting was something I knew I wanted to do from the age of six. My dad was in an amateur dramatic opera Society and rather than leave me at home when he went to rehearsals he would take me along with him so I got taken in by all the ladies in the chorus. I was this funny gorky six-year-old amongst all these middle-aged ladies performing Gilbert and Sullivan. I thought it was the best thing ever and I never wanted it to stop. 

 I'm not sure anyone knows they have skills.I spend most of my life waiting for people to discover I don't have any at all! But I do think skills are things that can be learned and always improved upon, I’m learning all the time. 

3. - Did your parents support you in the decision you made to be an actress?

Yes, I mean they never told me not to do it although my mum had big worries about the instability of it as a career and the ups

 and downs it has emotionally. Ultimately though she just wanted me to be happy and she sees that acting does that for me.

4. - What was your first appearance on the screen?

I honestly can’t really reme

mber! It may have been a project local to me when I was still at school and I think I was part of the background extras. I have vague memories of spending a fun day dancing in a warehouse and later seeing the screening of it but it had taken them a long time to finish the project so I watched it back as an 18 year old and was looking at my kid self- that was fun! 

5. - What was the role you liked the most?

It's too hard to pick! I normally say the one I'm working on right now because I do tend to become completely obsessed with whatever character I'm working on. I get to the point where I empathise with them and understand them so much that their traits and habits almost become my own- until I move on to the next role!

6.- What do you think led you to fame?

I wouldn't describe myself as famous and wouldn't say it's something I covet either. I've always just wanted to do the best job I can and work with other people who care equally as much about the job they're doing. 

7-. What types of characters you would like to interpret?

Any really! I do enjoy a challenge and it can be great fun to play someone very different from yourself. It can also be great to play characters similar to you and explore that. Finally enough I can't say I've ever really been typecast I've been lucky enough to play a very broad selection of characters. I have played a lot of Vikings though- and I do enjoy that!

8-. What actresses and actors do you feel comfortable working with?

Anyone who enjoys collaboration and a laugh.

9-. In what other genres of art would you like to participate? (Works of theater, music,among others)

When I was a teenager I played guitar a lot and I had a heavy metal band. Sometimes I think about the alternative life I could have led touring the roads with a band and rocking out. That might be a fun thing to do someday. 

10.- Do you have any anecdotes that have marked you in your life and as a person?

Lots probably, silly things often happen to me! I've done lots of things to make acting work for me in the early days that maybe other people wouldn't. In the first three years I lived in probably 30 different places, some of them were garages, sheds, annexes , spare rooms, even a stable. You're going to wonder why I moved so much but mainly it was either to go somewhere even cheaper or to follow some work so that I could support myself while breaking into acting which is difficult to make a living from and can be for a long time. I lived in places very far out of London. I even lived in what turned out to be an illegal squat and me and my cat had to exit very quickly in order to avoid the bailiffs! The closest place I could take her to safely was my mum's house three hours away so we got on a train but before that I had rehearsal I couldn't miss so she came with me and had great fun being petted by everyone in the room. I'm not sure we got much rehearsing done that day! Another time I was cycling to rehearsal and I saw a horse loose in front of me on the path. I knew there was a main road coming up so I tried to get to the horse to take it somewhere safe but it was scared of me and galloped away. I cycled after it and we carried on this way for several miles- me slowly gaining on the horse and the horse still going at a full gallop. Eventually I managed to overtake the horse and head it off just before we got to the road. It was very dramatic! It then galloped back in the opposite direction and I chased it again. Eventually it got tired and stopped to eat the grass I was able to catch it by tying my jumper around its head. After a while it's owner appeared and took it safely home. It was quite a fun morning to know I could out bike a galloping horse! 

11.- What has been your greatest achievement?

That’s hard to say! I don’t feel I’ve done anything worthy of that title yet so I’m gonna say my greatest achievement is yet to come. 

12.- What projects will you make next and which ones do you have in mind?

At the moment I have a feature film and a series in development. I've written them and will be working creatively on both sides of the camera so I'm excited to get the ball rolling on those.

13.- Would you like to make a movie in Spain?

Absolutely! My next project will shoot in Italy so I've been learning Italian for the last few months because I don't like to turn up somewhere expecting everyone to speak English. If I make a movie in Spain I'll have to add that to my Duolingo list! 

14.- you like spanish cinema?

Of course! I love cinema from all over, particularly love stories from countries other than mainstream USA and UK. One of the amazing things about film is being able to share stories across the globe and learn more about cultures beyond those of our own direct vicinity. The Spanish industry is great, I just wish I could watch in the original language with no subtitles- I’ll get going on that Duolingo!