In conversation withEssence, Nathalie got real about being a Black, mixed actor in the UK — and the limited opportunities she's had because of it.
"The British industry hasn’t always embraced us," she said. "So many Black, mixed people like myself have come out to America because the opportunities just weren’t here for us. Unfortunately, what’s happened is a lot of Black talent has been lost to the States."
"It's not like...we haven't been calling for this for many years, it was just falling on dead ears," she continued. "I think, frankly, that the US has so much more opportunity for people of all kinds of backgrounds."
"I kind of just took a risk, like, 'I guess I’m going to try [and make it in the States],' and I feel really proud of that," she continued. "The fact that the universe has decided, 'Nathalie, this is going to happen.' It’s surreal. I pinch myself regularly."
Nathalie also said she's seen the benefit of representation in real time. "It’s always really heartwarming when someone comes up to me and they say my daughter hated her hair, she hated her skin, she hated these things about herself, and she saw you and now she loves herself," she said.
"It literally makes me want to cry because I was that little girl, so the fact that I can be that for someone else is lovely."
