Nathalie Emmanuel swapped acting for activism Wednesday during a special appearance at the annual Cannes Lion International Festival of Creativity on the French Riviera.
The actress, best known for her starring roles in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks and HBO fantasy series Game Of Thrones, attended the four-day film and marketing event as a celebrity speaker.
Emmanuel, 35, took part in a 30-minute discussion on the impact of global warming and dramatic climate change on brands and businesses over the next twenty-six years.
Organized by the United Nations Development Program and The Weather Company, the event took place at the Théâtre Claude Debussy at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès de Cannes.
Taking to the stage at the event, Emmanuel looked typically chic in a loose-fitting white summer dress and black strappy heels.
Nathalie Emmanuel swapped acting for activism Wednesday during a special appearance at the annual Cannes Lion International Festival of Creativity on the French Riviera.
Emmanuel participated in a 30-minute discussion on the impact of global warming and dramatic climate change on brands and businesses over the next twenty-six years.
The actress was performing in the south of France just weeks after her latest film, Megalopolis, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, came under fire from critics at the annual Cannes Film Festival.
Despite its mixed response, the film, which features a star-studded cast including Adam Driver and Shia LaBeouf, is confirmation of Emmanuel’s transition from a little-known teen soap opera star to a Hollywood actress.
The British star previously admitted she was on the verge of quitting acting when she landed her role as slave performer Missandei in Game Of Thrones.
Emmanuel had been in the acting wilderness since ending her four-year role as Sasha Valentine on the Channel 4 soap in 2010 and was working in Hollister as a shop assistant.
Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused and Life In Film podcasts in 2022, he described the emotional moment when he was told about his role on the HBO show.
She said: ‘Game Of Thrones was a turning point for me. I had gone shopping and was walking towards my apartment.
When I walked into my building I got a call from my agent and he said, “Nathalie, you got it.”
“I had just auditioned for a high-paying ad and thought, ‘Oh, great, I don’t have to worry about bills for a month. “When should I come to London?”
Taking to the stage at the event, Emmanuel looked typically chic in a loose-fitting white summer dress and black strappy heels.
Organized by the United Nations Development Program and The Weather Company, the event took place at the Théâtre Claude Debussy at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès de Cannes.
“She said, ‘You mean Belfast, you’ve got Game of Thrones.'”
‘I left all my shopping, broke jars, cried. She had tears of joy, it was amazing and she rekindled something in me.”
The star said she had considered going back to school after struggling to cope with her “soul-destroying” retail job, but the HBO drama ignited her passion for acting once again.
She recalled, “At the time I had been thinking about going back to school because I felt like no one wanted to hire me and I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to do this retail job without hours of work.”
‘I’m not learning anything and more than anything I’m managing my behavior with rude customers. “It was destructive to the soul.”
She added: ‘I was a fan of the show. I pestered my agent for a while to get an audition, but I didn’t really think that was possible.
“It’s been widely talked about not casting people of color in regular lead roles, so when the opportunity came up I thought, ‘This is mine!'”
“But then I realized I really had to do it. He was so excited and terrified.”
The actress appeared in the south of France just weeks after her latest film, Megalopolis, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, came under fire from critics at the annual Cannes Film Festival.