Ania Chalotra Interview: ‘The Witcher’ Actress Opens Up About Video Game Title ‘Unknown 9: Awakening’

After imprinting herself on the world consciousness as a fairy sorceress, Yennefer of Vengerberg, The Witcher On Netflix, Anya Chalotra takes videogames a step further, Unknown 9: Awakening In which he plays the lead character, Harun. “I was given the opportunity and I took it because I’ve always wanted to do motion capture,” says a chat Ania in a video call from London.

Aaron is determined, passionate and extremely loyal, says the British actor. “He has incredible supernatural powers. He starts the game knowing, spiritually and internally, that he has something, but doesn’t know how to access that power. He’s able to channel his powers by knowing what he’s capable of and what his powers can do. Finished the game.

Having no control over Haruna’s looks, the 28-year-old says, “My input is that she is based on my likeness. It has always been a collaboration. I had no say in what she was wearing, or what was in her hair, or her back story. Haruna’s story and the entire universe behind her already existed and gave a solid foundation to the video game.”

a day in the life

A day in the life of playing a videogame character, Anya says, starts with wearing a onesie. “Then I have dots all over my body and my hair is tied in a hat that matches the color of my dress. I have these Velcro strips that stick to everything. I have a camera in my head (laughs), and I step into the ‘volume,’ which is where all the magic happens.”

It’s like doing theatre, Anya explains. “You are instructed to find the best version of the truth in a scene. You take a lot with everyone else in the volume to get there.”

sensitive area

Volume, says Anya, is a sensitive space. “There are cameras everywhere, picking up all your points. Sometimes we have to stop to adjust the camera because we’re a bit off and it’s going to take a long time because it’s so sensitive.”

While Anya speaks the lines in volume, and it is picked up in sound while shooting, she also did additional recording in a booth. Describing herself as a gamer, Anya refuses to pick a favorite game. “Oh, no! I can not answer this question! It has to be Unknown 9!”

change lane

Anya Chaltra as Haruna in ‘Ajaana 9: Jagran’

Yennefer, after playing a character in a series of video games, Anya switched sides by playing a video game character. “The roles are completely different. The only thing that is similar is that both are iconic characters. I hope Harun becomes an iconic character,” Anya says in an aside.

Yennefer and Aaron are completely different people, Anya says. “Yennefer doesn’t necessarily have the weight that Haruna has behind her. Yennefer is not in the family that Aaron is rooted to. I want to see them in a match. I want to see them get together and fight. I wonder who will win. I would like to see it that I play myself!

Insisting she can’t choose her role, Anya says modestly, “I’m not there yet.” She qualifies with, “I choose my roles especially since I played Yennefer and became known around the world for playing this role. What matters is what I do in between The Witcher season, because I, without being a method actor, got into Yennefer’s mind. It’s important that my spirit is challenged, otherwise I can’t grow.”

the way forward

The Witcher Liam Hemsworth has been in the news forever since he took over the role of Geralt of Rivia from Henry Cavill. “I’m filming the fourth season right now, and it’s going to be a never-ending learning experience for Yennefer He is constantly testing himself. She’s figuring out how to be a better leader and mother, taking the good and the bad of what Tisaya (Yennefer’s mentor, played by Maya Buring) has to offer.”

Anya auditioned three times for the role of Yennefer. “They offered me this role and trusted me to play it.” The script was the first port to research the role. “The words written by these incredible writers are my guide, and then I trust my instincts. I asked loads of questions. I don’t answer questions because everyone else in the scene has to figure it out with me. You have to explore the many angles of why a scene is written the way it is, which you only get to know when you’re doing it with people.”

laugh out loud

After making his stage debut with Much ado about nothing at Shakespeare’s Globe, and on television with an adaptation by Agatha Christie ABC MurdersAnya says she wants to try her hand at horror and comedy “I think I’m pretty funny,” she says with a smile. “I’ve always been the family fool. I take myself way too seriously, probably because I’ve always been the idiot in the family. So maybe when I’m a little more secure in myself, I’ll do a little comedy (laughs).”

Having done theatre, shows, a video game and a podcast, Anya says the stage is her greatest love. “In theatre, you enter a space and find the best way to tell a story. You’re with actors with no makeup, nothing. Everyone is equal, nothing is hidden. You have to fill in the text and explore it. And that’s all.”

Bollywood Calling

Anya Chaltra as Haruna in ‘Ajaana 9: Jagran’

Having watched many Hindi films growing up, Anya says, “I have many favorite films. They all probably got Shah Rukh Khan (laughs) you cannot kill Sometimes happy sometimes wheat. It’s a classic and I danced to every song Yes, noi love Kal ho na ho, Bir-Zara… I know all the films of that period and danced to every song in my bedroom.

Open to working in Bollywood, Anya said she would be honored to act in a Hindi film and added, “But you know, when you’re taking me, you’re also taking 35 of my cousins.”laughs) If Bollywood takes me, then the family is coming!

Bollywood movie Anya evokes nostalgia. “That’s how I grew up. This is who I am. Well, if I really think about it, there are a lot of things in movies that are problematic. I haven’t watched a Bollywood movie in a long time now and I wonder how things have changed. When I was young, it was the dance, it was what the women wore and the colors. Movies connect me to me Buas (Aunt). I am half-Indian, my mother is white, so Bollywood was a way for my father to enter the family. Just the soundtrack of that film makes me feel so much!”

Saree devotee Anya says, “You can’t beat the elegance of a saree. I always used to look at me Buas And my mother wore a saree, and they looked gorgeous. I thought ‘maybe one day I can wear a saree’ and my father said, ‘You can’t wear a saree until you get married.’ I wore a saree for the first time at my sister’s wedding.”

Anya is excited about visiting India in November with her father and brother. “I can’t wait. I love Indian food, especially Chickpeas. Told the family I wanted to Chole For breakfast, lunch and dinner! (laughs)

Unknown 9: Awakening Released on October 18.