Dare to be different! How Gwendoline Christie, Star Wars’ first villain, found success when she possessed her singularity

You’ll never get a real job if you’re too big. That’s what she had to hear for most of her acting career, until a breakthrough on Game of Thrones . She does not like to reveal her age, no one lets her forget her size. Gwendoline Christie stands at 6’3” and doesn’t let her height limit her.

Brienne von Tarth played by Christie in Game of Thrones since the second season was boring, intimidating and powerfully conditioned yet unconventional, she represents a character driven by an unshakable sense of moral good. Challenging stereotypes and rising above women’s prejudices, Gwendoline Christie now has privileged access to the kind of work in Hollywood most people only dream of playing Captain Phasma in the globally loved Star Wars franchise. Her authenticity even helped her play this pivotal role since it was originally written by a male actor.

Access to the inaccessible….

The path to success is never clear, easy or straight forward, but your sense of belief is to get you there better. Gwendoline made sure never to be left unemployed as an actor and found any work she could get in the theater. However, overcoming the screen landing obstacles required more than usual toughness. Support from mentors, actor Simon Callow and director Terry Gilliam, and exposure to the UK alternative music scene and fashion industry kept her going even when there was nowhere else to go. That and the constant must be known for more than just being a great person! The long wait was worth it and Christie speaks openly about all the things that fueled her journey.

The limitations imposed by circumstances are a test. You clear it when you rise above it.

From the age of seven, Christie was obsessed with rhythmic gymnastics. Her rapidly growing body did not support her love of discipline and refused to adjust to the rigorous routines. At eleven, a spinal injury ended her indulgence because she was doing what she loved to do. Luckily, her keen interest in reading continued to stimulate her imagination and helped her move on.

Just go for what you want with absolute determination.

With reading preferences as eclectic as Freud,Shakespeare and Vogue, the idea of ​​getting lost in acting became the next choice for her career. After growing up as an actress in the countryside of southern England with no family background, she prepared for her career at the Drama Center London. Gwendoline devoted 12 hours a day, 7 days a week to classical literature and drama. But beyond that, she faced a constant barrage of brutal criticism for being too tall to be attractive and far too dumb to be a successful actor. Christie claims she was only prepared to face the rejection that was to come afterward.

In the pre-internet era, when Gwendoline was just starting out, her sense of rich imagination, which was a direct result of extensive reading and film watching, didn’t let her believe that there was no room for diversity in her industry.

Your body should be ready for the tough talk and your mind should be open to change.

When a friend suggested checking out Game of Thrones Christie started her homework by reading all of George RR Martin’s books. Once identifying with the character of Breanne , she gave up her love of chocolates and cocktails and lounge on the couch to get in the best shape of her life. As much as she fantasized about her long blonde hair, she cut it off and began dressing androgynously before showing up to do a private reading.

Gwendoline also hired Phil Learney, a London-based strength and conditioning coach who works with a group called Ultimate Performance to create a customized strength-training and conditioning plan to shed a rock of fat while gaining the same amount of muscle. In addition to lifting weights four times a week, Christie took several horseback riding lessons and spent months practicing fight choreography with 30 pounds of armor.

The agony of losing her beautiful locks and the pain of difficult training paid off as she became the new symbol of uncompromising strength and her roles in the. Won Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 and Star Wars: Episode VII, The Force Awakens . Everything is expected to appear in Episode VIII, which will be released in 2017. In 2015, Christie hopes this is just the beginning of Hollywood breaking new ground to defy conventional thinking through her work.