Interview by Madeleine Ringer
British-Brazilian actress, Quelin Sepulveda, knows how to embody a role. It’s part of her nature to channel her work through both the emotional and physical connection to her character; there is an instinctiveness to her movements.
Known for her time in Good Omens, Sepulveda takes it up a notch in pace with her latest venture, HAVOC, as Mia, the resilient, street-smart girlfriend of the estranged son of a politician. Gareth Evans gives us a different kind of love story; the kind which doesn’t fold in on itself when faced with crime, corruption, and bullets.
You just starred in HAVOC, an all-guns-blazing, Gareth Evans film, which rocketed to #1 on Netflix - and it truly did earn its name! What was the audition process like?
It was actually quite straightforward. I received the audition, taped two scenes, and sent them off. A couple of weeks later, I heard they liked my tape, and not long after that, I was called in for an action test. It was at a community centre, where I spent the day with Jude Poyer and his amazing stunt team. They taught me a few choreographed sequences, which we put on tape. I'd never done an action test before, but it was fun - I used to do a lot of dance growing up, so learning and performing choreography was right up my street. And that was it! About a month later, they offered me the role.
Acting alongside a cast of Tom Hardy, Forest Whitaker, and Timothy Olyphant, it seems every moment in the film is action-packed. Off-screen, was it just as wild or did people need a more relaxed environment?
It was a really fun set. Between takes, we'd just hang out and chat about plays, films, past projects, food, music - you name it. Everyone in the team's quite different, so conversations were always interesting, and it just flowed. That said, there were plenty of high-energy moments too - I actually tried Brazilian jiu-jitsu for the first time during a lunch break with Tom and a few of the stunt guys. That was loads of fun!
During our night shoots, we all got completely hooked on Wordscapes - an obsession started by yours truly! We just went with the flow, depending on the vibe of the day.
In three words, how would you describe your character, Mia, and her relationship with her boyfriend Charlie (Justin Cornwell), who also happens to be the estranged son of corrupt politician, Lawrence Beaumont, played by Forest Whitaker.
Ride or die.
If you could play anyone else in HAVOC, who would it be?
Probably Walker - give me those action sequences.
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