BY CLARA SEELY-KATZ

English actress FREYA ALLAN plays the role of Princess Cirilla aka Ciri of Cintra in the Netflix series THE WITCHER, a fantasy drama adapted by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich from The Witcher book series by Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski.

Allan's character Ciri appears together alongside the Witcher in season 2, in training to become a fighter. In 2021, Allan was cast in the lead role of the upcoming horror film Baghead, alongside Ruby Barker.

FREYA may be young but she is no stranger to the industry. She is a creative at heart and would naturally be doing creative things all the time. She feels liks she's been training to be a director since she was young and that if she's not acting, she would want to write and produce as well.  

In this exclusive interview, THE WITCHER star dishes on playing her character Ciri, the challenges she faced while creating during the pandemic, her love for acting, playing multi-dimensional characters, and why she would want to be a travel book.

How are you? How has your past year been?

Currently quite tired, as I just got back from filming a movie in Berlin! But overall, this year has been great; I've been fortunate to work during covid and wrap up "The Witcher 2", which was a very exhausting shoot, especially towards the end, but ultimately a lot of fun. Then I had a few months where I just got to live life a bit, be a typical teenager and hang out with my friends. It's really important that I have the chance to actually experience life a bit as Freya. Otherwise, you end up with nothing to put into the characters you play and no way of relating to their experiences, if that makes sense. I just finished shooting the movie "Baghead," my first feature film, that ended up offering so many challenges for me, which I love. Also, just getting to experience Berlin was insane. People really go wild here, and I met some people who will hopefully be friends for life.

How was your experience during COVID-19? Do you think that you had any 

significant changes in how you feel about life?

I was very lucky in terms of the fact that after the first major lockdown, I was able to go straight back to work. But I definitely think at the time it really made me appreciate everything; my family, my friends, my work, but as is with humans, we very quickly forget the past and get wrapped back into the quick pace of life. I really try to make a conscious effort to enjoy the present. I'm definitely someone who sometimes worries about the future too much. I also think Covid really drums in that this life is yours, and you can do whatever you want with it.

If you could be cast in any existing movie franchise, what would it be and why?

The Hunger Games, because I love the books and the movies and think it would be so fun to shoot. Suzanne Collins creates such interesting characters, and then as an add-on, there's also all the action stuff that I love!

In the future, are you looking to take more roles in movies or television?

I would love to do more movies. However, for me, it's more about the role and the script, and the people behind the project. If I'm passionate about all three, I don't care whether it's a movie or a tv show.

Would you ever want to get into different parts of the industry? Like being a writer or director?

Directing, absolutely. I think I was in training to be a director from the age of about three. I was a very bossy child and would always direct my friends when we were playing make-believe, to the extent of me telling them they are not allowed to use the word 'pretend' because our pet unicorn is real! I also think working as an actor has made me realize how important it is for a director to understand actors. So I would love to direct as someone who knows what it's like to be an actor, someone who gets where they are coming from. At some point, yes, I'd also love to write and produce.

Do you have a favorite project that you worked on?

I don't think I have one. Each project has presented different challenges, and there have always been highs and lows. Still, so far, I've come out of all of them with nostalgia towards the project. It's also the people you meet. They play such a pivotal role in you enjoying or not enjoying a project, and I've worked with some lovely people.

If you weren’t acting or working in the world of TV/film, what would you be doing instead?

I actually have no idea, I got into this industry when I was 14, so I can't really imagine anything else. When I was five, I wanted to illustrate and write children's books and get up every morning to make one, so maybe that! I also loved dance, who knows, but it most likely would have involved something creative.

Recently you starred alongside other amazing women in the film "Gunpowder Milkshake." What was the process like for getting that role?

It was very quick. I went in and did an audition and then was offered the role pretty

 much.

That movie is very much all about female empowerment and bonding. What does female representation behind and in front of the camera mean to you?

I think I just want to work with good creators, and so if the best person for the job happens to be a woman, then I think that is great. We are telling stories, and I think in the past, it has been very apparent that stories have been told through a male lens, with female characters that are merely there to aid a man's story and that are flat and one-dimensional. Whereas now we are seeing female characters that are rich and multidimensional, which by the way, does not mean they always have to be 'strong.' To clarify, though, I'm by no means saying that men cannot produce these characters. Still, women in all walks of life should be given equal opportunity and consideration for a job.

Which of the previous characters you've played do you think you relate the most to and why?

I definitely think I have Ciri’s spirit, and I think because I have played over some time no and from quite a young age, I think I feel sort of intertwined with her at this point.

If you could live and work anywhere in the world, where would you live and why?

A beach with white sand and clear water, don't mind where, but that would be the dream.

If you were a book, what book would you be and why?

A travel book because then I would get to see the world.