Katherine Langford’s Character in Netflix’s Cursed Couldn’t Be Further From Hannah Baker

When I sat down with Langford back in 2019 on the London set of Cursed, her peaceful self-confidence as well as passion for her personality, Nimue, made it simple to see why she was selected for the duty.

Creators Tom Wheeler(Puss In Boots as well as Empire )as well as Frank Miller(Sin City)explained that she joined early, and also although they knew she had “wonderful acting chops,”they really did not know she was such a badass until she tipped totally right into Nimue’s boots.

“Every time we see her she’s covered in blood,” Wheeler told POPSUGAR. “Throw her in the mud for three days in this mosquito as well as leech-plagued swamp to kill all the crooks and she’s still so respectful. It’s simply wonderful to really feel, also early on, that she weds beautifully to Frank’s globe– she suits well with this collection of personalities as an effective women.”

If you’re a fan of 13 Reasons Why, Knives Out, or teen rom-coms like Love, Simon, then you’re most likely familiar with the name Katherine Langford. When she debuted as the Hannah Baker in the 2017 premiere of Netflix’s breakout dramatization 13 Reasons Why, Langford instantly cemented her location in the show business, and she hasn’t reduced considering that.

Now, she’s tipping outside the Hannah Baker-shaped box as well as handling a new difficulty– in Netflix’s latest YA dream collection, Cursed. Based upon Arthurian legend, Langford plays Nimue, a teen with a strange and wonderful present as well as who’s destined to end up being the Lady of the Lake. The series grabs when the Red Paladins attack her village, killing everyone she’s ever before known, including her mom. But prior to her mommy dies, she jobs Nimue with providing an old sword to Merlin and also along the road, she meets a young mercenary, Arthur (Devon Terrell). Needless to say, this is simply the start of a rather spectacular (as well as heroic) adventure.

POPSUGAR: What you can tell us about Nimue and also how she matches the story of Cursed!.

Katherine Langford: Nimue has a truly impressive trip. On one hand, she’s undergoing this trip of fantastic personal loss, of individual growth, and afterwards also the higher challenge of overcoming hardship. One of the greatest points I understood with Nimue is, for me, in this series and also the story, she represents courage. She’s an actually enthusiastic sign as well as additionally a fascinating heroine, both in this world of Arthurian legend yet additionally, currently it’s fairly prompt as well as fascinating to see a heroine’s journey instead of seeing a hero’s trip– and also how that differs, and exactly how it’s similar, in addition to the obstacles she encounters.

PS: How acquainted were you with Nimue beforehand and also when you first obtained the script?

KL: It’s funny, I’ve constantly been a kind of secret lover of fantasy, and also sci-fi, as well as additionally Frank Miller. So when I review the manuscript at first from Tom Wheeler, it was something that I moved in the direction of equally as a viewers– it was truly unique. Distinct in the way it was composed as well as likewise from the eyes whereby this tale is being told because you’ve heard the story 100 times, these Arthurian legends with various elements of the story each time The female personalities as well as functions within those Arthurian legends are commonly glazed over, or not actually talked around. Then, when I went to look up Nimue, I ‘d become aware of the Lady of the Lake as well as I would certainly seen beautiful artwork of the Lady of the personality however the lake herself, I recognized extremely little about. There wasn’t a horrible great deal of info around about her.

PS: How do you think it boosts the story to be told from the female viewpoint rather than the male viewpoint, which it has typically been distinguished?

As a lady, and as a woman, you mature never ever believing, or never even assuming, that you can be in a placement of power. That you can be a king.

KL: That’s an actually great question. I believe it was just one of the very first conversations I had with the Zetna Fuentes that executive produces, as well as likewise routes the initial two episodes (she’s previously routed episodes of Grey’s Anatomy and Pretty Little Liars). We had a conversation regarding Nimue as a person, but additionally in the role as a heroine. These hero tales are typically distinguished the male point of view– or from a guy or a boy’s viewpoint. What was interesting was crafting that story and checking out it as a woman who’s being portrayed as a heroine. What makes it modern as well as suitable to currently, is that you’re reaching see the obstacles that she particularly would deal with as a lady. Rather than simply inserting a woman into a hero story. We asked ourselves ‘What’s her very own individual trip?’ ‘What are the misfortunes that she faces?’ ‘What are things that get her down?’ as well as ‘What are the important things that she can make use of?’

One of the things that we have lately been firing is her concept that as a lady, and as a girl, you grow up never believing, or never ever even assuming, that you could be in a position of power. You never ever assume you could be a king. When Nimue initially gets the sword, it does not cross her mind. One intriguing thing– as well as I believe it’s a credit scores to Tom Wheeler– is that within this series, all the males seek power, yet usually when they’re provided it, they damage or misuse it. Whereas all the females in the collection, they don’t look for power, yet they in some way are considered that power and that obligation. I think it’s since they do not seek it, they concern power because they’re all-natural leaders, as well as have pure intentions.

PS: We’ve seen photos of you holding up the sword as Nimue. Just how was it to represent this personality in a brand-new light, and then lastly seeing her hold the sword?

KL: It really felt really excellent. I’m thankful you asked, since it was interesting. I grew up watching individuals like Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider, Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games, and those sort of role models as well as characters were so motivating to me. To be able to see this style (as well as this certain tale) told through the eyes of someone that I can connect to, or other ladies or women can associate with, is truly unique.

I showed up 3 weeks prior to we started shooting to discover just how to ride steeds and sword battle. And as we were choosing the sword, they were passing me various swords to see how they would certainly fit. They would certainly claim ‘this is Russell Crowe’s from Gladiator,’ ‘this is Timothée Chalamet’s from The King,’ ‘this is Chris Pine’s from Outlaw King,’ so after that to be able to be and have a sword like, ‘this’s Katherine Langford’s’– it’s like, right here are all these impressive actors that played these incredibly effective roles, and also to be able to hold a sword and also know that there’s currently a female that’s in this very same world, that now there’s a women existence within this globe that people are going to have the ability to watch, it’s extremely inspiring, it suggests a whole lot to me.

PS: We got the impression from speaking with Frank as well as Tom that you’re covered in blood or mud for most of the collection. You’re in swamps, covered in vines, as well as possessing a sword too. It seems like the process of shooting Nimue is quite physical as well as emotional.

KL: This is the very first time I have ever before shot something set in a duration, or in the center Ages. It’s likewise the very first function I’ve ever before had that’s called for physical parts: stunts, horse riding, sword fighting, running through things as they’re being set on fire. It’s been really challenging, however additionally really amazing. That was something I spoke about with Frank and also Tom before the series started. We have an unbelievable stunt group with Steve Dent– they just do incredible job– yet I truly intended to ensure that, to the best of my capability, I had the ability to do everything Nimue was being asked to do.

PS: Is there any kind of component of Nimue that you could associate with personally, or you assume that young women will relate to?

KL: Short solution: yes. I think the unbelievable feature of Nimue is that you talk about superheroes, role models, as well as heroines, and people at work films– yet at the end of the day, for me, the most incredible point regarding her is that she just extremely human. I’m stating that without trying to be saying, however Nimue overcomes a lot adversity while still having heart as well as without being a superhuman. She’s much like any type of one of us needing to handle so much personal loss at the beginning of the series yet then actually bring the weight of the world on her shoulders toward completion of it.

At the start, what you see is a woman that really feels troubled. I relate to that … She likewise does not understand fairly where she belongs.

At the beginning, what you see is a girl that really feels restless. I understand that. I relocated 39 times in 2015, and also I’ve been type of living on the road for 3 years. She additionally does not understand quite where she belongs. It’s feeling like there is something within her that she hasn’t located yet– however she knows exists, she’s seeking it. Basically, the collection is definitely a trip that I believe a lot of us can empathise with, as well as I would like to claim that I’m as endure as her, however I assume playing her has made me a little extra endure and also assertive.

PS: We’ve been told that a lot of motifs in Cursed pertain to 2020, whether that’s the political system, or climate problems. Can you speak about a few of the messages that go through Cursed as well as exactly how you have translated the real world in a different way due to that.

KL: The trendy aspect of Cursed is that you have that mix of fantasy, as well as it has aspects of the ethereal, however after that it’s additionally based in humanity, which is what makes it relatable and relevant to audiences now.

A lot of the issues and also adversities the personalities experience in this collection, like, religious oppression, fascism of minorities, wreaking havoc on the environment, they are all things that we can connect with. Having the ability to view that with Cursed you kind of realise that they’re managing very similar things to what we are now. I think that’s possibly what’s mosting likely to resonate with target markets. Yes, this is an old tale, yes it may be fantasy, but it’s likewise so based in humankind that it still feels human, and current, as well as pertinent.

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