British beauty and Mandela: A Long Walk to Freedom star Naomie Harris covers the February issue “Red” magazine. Inside the pages, Harris, 37, discusses the difficulties she faced while playing Winnie Mandela and how her co-star Idris Elba coached her through it.
On her role as Winnie Mandela:
“It meant inhabiting places I try never to go, like revenge, hatred and rage. I don’t hate anyone, and I’m not a vengeful person, but I found it difficult to switch off. Even after I stopped filming, it took me a while to shake her.'”
On understanding both sides of her character:
“She is the most complex woman I have ever played. Too many, she is a saint, she’s Mother Africa, you know? To others, she is completely vilified. The pressure of all those expectations, especially filming in South Africa, was a lot. I definitely understand why she became the woman she did. In the same situation, I don’t know how I would react.’
On working with Idris Elba:
“The first thing Idris said to me was, “Whoa, what have we done? It’s terrifying, isn’t it?” It really put me at ease. We held each other’s hands through the whole process.”
For more of her interview, click here. And hit the flip for photos from Harris’ fashion photo spread with ‘Red’ magazine below. – ruthie hawkins/@ruubabie
