The trailer for ‘The Woman King‘ had the whole world talking. With a strong cast including Viola Davis and Thuso Mbedu, we’re at the edge of our seats waiting for its release come mid-September!
South Africans can’t wait to see how Thuso takes on the character of Nawi, and the SA starlet has let the world in on all she had to do to prepare for her warrior role, her “most demanding role” to date as she shared in an interview with Shape.
Nawi is one of the new recruits to the Agojie, an all-female group of warriors. The mission of this group of ladies is clear: protect the African Kingdom of Dahomey. Viola Davis’ role is that of Nanisca, the general of the warriors.
Nawi’s role required strength, speed and a passion sparked through fearlessness (especially when it came to heights, a fear Thuso had to overcome).
Thuso shares that she started getting ready for the role physically with a personal trainer, as per Shape. These she recalls, were intense workouts that were vital in her preparing her own stunts.
Thuso expressed that because of her character’s size, she had to rely on speed “more than anything.” Cue running, which was described a personal challenge for the actress. However, she pushed through it knowing that it was something she had to do to get the role perfect.
Then came weapon training, a key factor in the film.
Separate from all these physical activities, Mbedu also focused on training her mind. To her, it’s all about the challenge, as being daring off-set allows one to be fearless for when the cameras come on. But, without having your mental health stenghtened, being fearless can seem like a massive mountain.
@Shape/Instagram
Her best self-care activity? Napping!
“Napping is self-care for me. I put naps in my schedule because otherwise, everything feels overwhelming, and then I’m unproductive,” she shared.
You heard it from Thuso, to be strong, it’s all about self-care, pushing yourself and taking a few naps.
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Featured image: Instagram
