23rd April 2009
Q&A with Kimberley Nixon
From Sweet & Innocent to Sex,
Drugs and Rock & Roll
At the tender age of just 23,
Kimberley Nixon (Acting, 2007) is busy conquering stage, television
and film. During her final year at RWCMD she was snapped up by the
BBC to star in the blockbuster drama, Cranford, alongside
the likes of Dame Judi Dench OBE and Sir Michael Gambon CBE. In the
two short years since her graduation she has travelled the globe
from Belfast to LA, taking the silver screen by storm with feature
films Wild Child, Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, Easy
Virtue and Cherrybomb.
What made you choose the Royal Welsh
College?
I’ve always been really passionate about
acting and when it came to deciding if it should be my job I
thought, I need to give it a go. When I visited the College I got a
buzz from it. I felt like it would really suit me and when I was
offered a place I jumped at the chance!
You were in your final year of your
degree when the BBC offered you the part of Sophy Hutton in
Cranford. How did that feel?
I auditioned about six or seven times for
Cranford but didn’t hear anything for ages. They finally
called when I was in Milan touring with the RWCMD. It felt amazing
when I found out I had the part, but I was also quite sad. I knew
that I would have to leave College before all my friends and I
didn’t get to go to graduation. Everyone in my year was so pleased,
though, to think that it could happen.
What was it like to work with such
highly respected and internationally recognised
actors?
It was amazing and terrifying! It was such a
relief when I realised that they were just human beings like me;
they forget lines too!
You then went on to play the lead role
in Girl with a Pearl Earring at the Haymarket Theatre. How
did you get this part?
I did just one 10 minute audition. The
director had to choose the cast quickly so he went on instinct and
offered me the part. Professional theatre auditions are exactly
like the ones we did at the College so I’d had some really good
practice.
You’ve also been in three major
Hollywood films and have just finished filming Cherrybomb
with Rupert Grint of Harry Potter fame. Everything has
happened within just two years! Has this been a shock?
Yes! It’s all happened really quickly. It is
quite good in hindsight because I haven’t really had time to
process it all. I’ve just had to get on with it. If it had happened
more slowly I think it would have freaked me out a bit more!
I’ve had to learn a lot in a short space of
time, the technical aspects of filming, but my training at RWCMD
really helped to prepare me from a discipline point of view. The
need for complete dedication and routine of long hours were drummed
into me at College so when I started working those things came
naturally to me.
Your latest project is quite a
contrast to your previous roles. You’ve gone from playing the sweet
innocent girl-next-door to sexy siren in the seriously gritty
Cherrybomb. Which kind of role do you prefer?
I love them both! After I had done the demur
period pieces it was nice to do Cherrybomb and to be able
to break out and be the most unlike me that I could!
Cherrybomb was great fun but quite challenging because the
character is nothing like me. So I really had to dig inside, pull
it out and be brave!
Do you think your training helped to
keep you grounded?
Absolutely. We were taught that the work is
more important than you, the moment you forget this is the moment
you stop doing your job well. It’s really true.
RWCMD has a reputation for producing
fully formed professionals. Have you noticed other people
struggling in comparison?
I do notice that there is a difference between
people who have been trained and those that haven’t. People often
tell me that RWCMD graduates are some of the best people they have
worked with; the most professional, the most efficient.
What are your ambitions for the
future?
Just to keep working. Even though I’ve been
really lucky so far I know that it might not continue, it’s not
written in stone; I might never work again or I might go on to
bigger things. There’s always that worry – of what will be
next.
What do your RWCMD course mates think
about your success?
They have been great, really supportive. I was
on Richard and Judy a couple of weeks ago and everyone
watched it and sent me messages! If I hear of other people from my
course doing well I feel really proud too.
Cherrybomb premiered at the
Berlin International Film Festival on 8th February ‘09
and is currently doing the festival rounds. Kimberley is now
preparing to begin work on two further film projects in Germany and
the US. Watch this space!