Bafta rising star nominee Naomi Ackie on secretive projects with Zoë Kravitz and Robert Pattinson: ‘It’s wild’-Aisha Nozari-Entertainment – Metro

Naomi Ackie is one of Britain’s most exciting talents (Credit: REUTERS)

This is Naomi Ackie’s year. On Tuesday, she was announced as a nominee for 2023’s Bafta rising star award (alongside Sheila Atim, Daryl McCormack, Emma Mackey and Aimee Lou Wood) and it’s not even been a full month since I Wanna Dance with Somebody – the Whitney Houston biopic she stars in – hit cinemas.

Needless to say, the woman is on fire. What’s more, over the next 14 months she’ll appear in two of the most anticipated films in recent memory: Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut, Pussy Island, and Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17, which also stars the likes of Robert Pattinson, Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette. No biggie.

Metro.co.uk had the absolute pleasure of catching up with 31-year-old Ackie straight after she was announced as one of this year’s Bafta rising star nominees, and she touched upon everything from her upcoming projects to the best advice she’s ever been given. 

Movie buffs will be dying to hear more about Ackie’s turn in Pussy Island, the exact plot of which has been kept largely under wraps. 

Here’s what we know so far: Ackie will star as cocktail waitress Frida, who’s whisked off by tech mogul Slater King (played by Channing Tatum) to his own personal private island. 

What happens next is billed as being jam-packed with danger and debauchery, a sentiment fully echoed by Ackie, who said of the project: ‘It is the wildest film and the response is going to be varied and wild, because that’s what the intention is.’

Ackie with her fellow nominees Sheila Atim and Daryl McCormack (Credits: REUTERS)

Over the next 14 months, Ackie will appear in two of the most anticipated films in recent memory (Credits: REUTERS)

Then there’s the mysterious Mickey 17, the teaser for which sent the internet into overdrive upon its release last month. 

Directed by Parasite’s Bong Joon-ho, the film is based on Edward Ashton’s dystopian sci-fi novel and stars Pattinson, who was seen laying in a futuristic blue body chamber in December’s 30-second teaser trailer.

We’ll have to wait a while to wrap our eyeballs around the flick, as it doesn’t hit cinemas until March 2024, but when asked about the films and what it’s like working with such big names, Ackie offered up some interesting thoughts. 

‘It’s weird the first day meeting them,’ she said of working with Kravitz and Pattinson, adding: ‘And then you’re like, “oh wait, you’re someone I really respect”, so you just get over it.’

The London-born actor will star in Zoe Kravitz’s directorial debut, Pussy Island (Picture: Steve Granitz/WireImage)

Ackie will also share the screen with Robert Pattinson in an upcoming movie (Picture: Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

Ackie and Pattinson will star in Bong Joon-ho’s mysterious Mickey 17 (Picture: Warner Bros)

The London-born star went on: ‘It’s huge in terms of, for me, the privilege of being able to work with such talented people in different stages of their career.’

Touching on Kravitz specifically, Ackie shared: ‘Zoe, with her debut, I’m so excited for people to see this film.

‘And then obviously working with Rob and Mark Ruffalo – I feel very, very lucky. [But] you put it on a shelf and get on with the work.’

The conversation then turned to a poignant moment at the Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody premiere that Ackie said changed her perspective on the industry she’s currently taking by storm.

‘[Actor] Clarke Peters, who plays my dad in Whitney, told me the most beautiful thing at the premiere. 

Of her nomination, Ackie said she’s ‘grateful’ and ‘joyful’ (Credits: REUTERS)

Ackie starred as Whitney Houston in director Kasi Lemmons’ biopic (Picture: Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock)

‘I was freaking out a little bit, he held my hand and he said, “remember, the story is the star”.’

Ackie elaborated: ‘Really that’s the most important thing. The stories that we’re telling change people, create discussion, inspire people, all of that kind of stuff. 

‘We are just a conduit for that. And so even when I’m working with these incredible people, the story is always the star.’

She then noted: ‘You’re not putting yourself on a pedestal or other people on a pedestal. You’re putting the story where it needs to be for the time it needs to be there, and then you can say, “okay, I release you, do your thing, grow on your own,” and you get to go and live your life”.

Ackie has been racking up rave reviews for her portrayal of Houston in the Kasi Lemmons-directed biopic, and given the noise around Austin Butler’s perceived inability to shake Elvis’ Memphis drawl after playing him in Baz Luhrmann’s Oscar-tipped film, we were intrigued to know whether there were traits of Houston’s that Ackie struggled to shake. 

‘I am a big believer [that] as part of my practise as an actor, I leave everything on set,’ she explained.

‘I think it’s safer for your mental health and [the] separation of self from character. So, no. I said goodbye to Whitney.

‘I believe that as soon as [a project is] done, you say thank you to the universe, you put the project to the side, you take a quick break, and then you move on.’

Of course, we couldn’t let Ackie go without asking her how she feels about being nominated for Bafta’s prestigious rising star award – an accolade awarded to the likes of James McAvoy, Kristen Stewart, Tom Holland and Daniel Kaluuya in the past. 

‘You think about moments like this when you’re a child. You think about the end result, but not necessarily how you’ll feel when it happens,’ she candidly shared.

‘It’s really lovely to be in a space where I feel celebratory, yes. Joyful. Yes. Grateful. But also, quite level headed. It’s amazing.’

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The star wisely concluded: ‘I’m personally in a place of power with my creativity. It’s recognition, yes, but also confirmation I’m going in the right direction.’

Voting for the EE Rising Star Award is now open at ee.co.uk/BAFTA and the winner will be announced at the EE BAFTA Film Awards on Sunday February 19 on BBC One.

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