Girls on Film: Natalia — Alice May Porter

Today on my blog I'm introducing a new series called, as you can probably guess by the title, 'Girls on Film', where I interview girls/women in my life about themselves. I have so many amazing female friends in my life and I thought this series would be an amazing way to celebrate them. I personally love reading posts getting to know random people with a series of (slightly invasive?) questions and I hope you enjoy it too. I also wanted to do something more with my love of film photography so with these interviews will be photos of the girls in question taken on my film camera. The first interview is with one of my closest and longest friends, Natalia. We actually did this interview well over a month ago (maybe even 2 months ago) so apologies for the lateness. The photos I initially shot of her were lost in a roll of film that came back empty so there has been some delays. But without any further delays, here is the interview...

A: What are you currently up to in life?

N: I'm off to a Sports Ball tonight, which I'm looking forward to! I study Drama & English Literature (at university)...yeah.

A: I obviously already knew these things so I didn't really need to ask them but... (laughs). Do you have any plans over summer?

N: Just chilling (laughs), I'm going on holiday in July for a week to Spain, near Gibraltar. We're not going on holiday this year (with family) because we're going to America next year.

A: Where?

N: Well, either that or we're going to Bali because it's my Dad's 50th next year! So Bali or America but we're not going on holiday this year because of that. We're leaning more towards Bali but (if we went to America) we'd go to like the West Coast, because we really want to go to California and stuff.

A: Amazing! Where do you feel most yourself and/or what's your favourite thing to do?

N:I prefer being at home and I come home from UNI quite a lot. You can't talk about things at UNI that you can talk about at home.

A: Yeah if I'm ever explaining anything to friends at UNI I have to provide back stories to everything. Ok, so if you were guaranteed survival and were given basic needs, what 5 things would you take to a desert island?

N: My dog, to keep me company. I'd want to take my phone but only to listen to music. I'm not sure what else...

A: Well think of it as if you're going to be on your own for the rest of your life... if you were going to take one book?

N: The Girl on The Train, I love that book. The book's so good, it blows your head off more than the film. You're shocked and then shocked again and then have to retract the first experience of being shocked.... I'd also take a bottle of wine! And a speaker, can I have a speaker? That's it, I'm done!

A: So what was that? Your phone, your dog...

N: Phone, dog, speaker, wine and the book.

A: Who or what inspires you the most?

N: Probably my dad. My mum does too actually! But my dad ever since he was was 14, when he'd work, he'd get up at like 4 in the morning to do jobs since he was 12, because they didn't have enough money or anything so he's built it up for himself. And he works really hard now, I barely ever see him because he works away so much. He's always in Scotland or in Lincolnshire he's never at home, he has to get up at 4 in the morning every single day and he just plods on with it. And I don't think I could do that.

A: Me neither, especially for his whole life!

N: I know! But both of my parents are really inspirational to me.

A: Where do you hope to be and what do you hope to be doing in 10/15 years time? So, what I mean is when you're 'settled'?

N: So I'd be 35!! That's not okay. My mum had had me and Ben by then.

A: But on HQ (trivia) last night it says the average age that people get married is 35, so people are doing it a lot later now.

N: People are waiting till their older now aren't they. When my mum and dad got married my mum was 21!

A: That was the norm though!

N: She met my dad when he was 19 and they got engaged 6 months later (laughs).

A: But if someone met someone when they were 27 and they got married to them when they were 29, that wouldn't be unusual! The norm has just changed!

N: 35... I would want to be married by then, I don't know if I would have had kids by then. I feel like I'd be about to be settling...

A: Where do you think you'll be?

N: Down south, London.

A: Like city centre?

N: Yeah, hopefully acting on the stage. But I'd probably do another job first to save money because acting isn't a solid job.

A: What would be your dream show to be in?

N: Anything on the West End, I'd love to be in Wicked! And only because it's amazing... West Side Story.

A: Yes that would be the best one! Especially if you were one of the Puerto Rican girls, that would be so much fun! What about kids, do you want them?

N: I want 3. But I feel like I'll have one and be like... NO MORE (laughs).

A: Okay I just have one more question, what are you reading or watching or listening to at the moment?

N: Hell's Kitchen! Me and Joe are obsessed with watching Hell Kitchen, it's hilarious. I've been watching baking shows, I have no interest in baking. Nailed It, Great British Bake Off, just started that yesterday, Hell's Kitchen. Nailed It is hilarious because it's people who can't cook or bake for their lives and they make awful cakes and compare them to really extravagant, professional ones!

A: Oh that's amazing, I'd love that! Are you listening to anything good or anyone knew at the moment?

N: Avelino.

A: Oooh... I'm just checking that it's recording because I don't think I'll remember that name (laughs). Are you reading anything? I was only going to ask for one out of the three but I'm just gonna go ahead and ask them all...

N: Not leisurely, but I'm reading The Lonely Londoners (by Sam Selvon) for my course about race in the 1950s.

A: Oooh, is it good?

N: Yeah! It's good!

A: Anyway Nat I'll let you go because I know you need to!

The conversation then inevitably continued for 5 minutes before she left but it's nothing that's relevant to this post! But I hope you've enjoyed this post as there are more 'Girls on Film' posts to come! I actually interviewed my friend Ellie at the same time as interviewing Nat so expect to see that very soon. I'd love to hear your feedback on this series and be sure to let me know of any more questions you'd like me to ask in future! Do you want it to be more personal, more about a specific topic? Let me know in the comments or via social media! Thanks for reading and you can follow Nat @nattiewilliams on Instagram.