“Collaboration makes me really happy,” Thomasin McKenzie tells us. “I just finished a production and the relationship I had with the director and the entire crew and cast was so joyful and loving and collaborative. That made me so happy because it’s what I love the most.”
We’re meeting the New Zealand actress in London as she prepares to promote her lead role in the upcoming Edgar Wright thriller, Last Night in Soho – so where more fitting for our interview and shoot than that same energetic London neighbourhood? After effortlessly waltzing her way through a series of photos at the Parisian restaurant Brasserie Zédel, we’re now comfortably ensconced in the luxury of the Hotel Café Royal, one of Soho’s longest-established mainstays.
McKenzie is arguably best-known for her supporting roles in the award-winning Jojo Rabbit and the action-packed True History of the Kelly Gang, as well as her breakout appearance in in Debra Granik’s 2018 drama Leave No Trace, for which she received much critical acclaim. It’s her quietly captivating, chameleon-like qualities as an actor which allows for her to take on such varying roles with an ease that belies her 21 years.
“The best career advice I’ve ever received is a piece of advice from my mum,” she explains. “It was life advice, but now I take it as career advice, and that is to be like water in a stream – flowing freely and easily past obstacles or ‘rocks’ – and just not being too taken aback or stopped in your tracks by things, but being able to move around them and continue on with your life.”
That concept of fluidity and flexibility is clearly something that appeals to McKenzie, who describes her idea of self-care as “stillness, and not feeling the pressure of time”, and says that her ideal superpower would be “the ability to transform into absolutely anything”.
“With that power, you basically have all the powers,” she points out. “You could be a bird, you could be a fish, you could be a chameleon, you could be an elf. I could live out my dream of being a fairy.”
So, with Last Night in Soho garnering huge levels of press and attention ahead of its release, putting her firmly on the map as an in-demand leading lady, what would advice would she give her younger self, who was just starting out as an emerging teenage actress?
“Just not to care so much, and to be gentler on myself,” she says, thoughtfully. “Because life is joyful and not everything is such a big deal. You’ll survive.”
Watch our full video interview with McKenzie above, in which she reveals what makes her happiest, her unusual party trick, the most luxurious purchases she’s ever made, and the job that changed her life.
Thomasin McKenzie talks about new Kiwi film exploring ‘heavy subject matters’
A new Kiwi film is exploring “heavy subject matters” which are significant to New Zealand, actress Thomasin McKenzie says.
The film, The Justice of Bunny King, which has just hit cinemas, follows the story of mum-of-two Bunny King who has a sketchy past, but fundamentally is a decent human being just desperate to get her babies back from foster care.
Issues of housing and child abuse are among the heavy topics explored in the film.
New Zealand actress McKenzie, who plays Tonyah, this morning told Breakfast she got the script in 2018 and was excited to work alongside the female-led crew.
She also said her connection to producer Emma Slade, who produced her parents film The Changover, encouraged her to get on board with this project.
“It’s just such a strong female team which is still quite rare, it’s still quite rare to be completely surrounded by females on set so I really wanted to be a part of supporting that,” the 21-year-old explained.
But she also felt a connection to the story itself.
“It touches on the housing crisis in New Zealand, on child abuse. It’s got really heavy subject matters but there’s such levity to it at the same time,” McKenzie said.
“Essie Davis, who played the lead Bunny, she brought such life, a joy for life and a passion and desire.
“She does everything in the name of love and that relationship between Bunny and my character Tonyah was so strong, they were really there for each other and I really loved reading that and I really wanted to be a part of creating or bringing that to life.”
McKenzie, who is back in New Zealand now after recently celebrating her 21st birthday in managed isolation, said it would just be a holiday at home, though, to catch up with friends and family.
The actress is here for one month before heading away to various film festivals promoting another film she stars in, Last Night in Soho, which is directed by Edgar Wright.
