Photo: Courtesy of Narrative PR
You may know Nicola Peltz from your Instagram feed—she likely stops you in your tracks. But what you may not know is that Peltz first gained notoriety on the theater circuit at the start of her career. Acting is her first love. With her new film, The Obituary of Tunde Johnson, Peltz propels off our phones and onto the big screen once again. Amidst her packed schedule for her TIFF premiere, we met up in a little corner at the Four Seasons to get to know her a little bit better. There was a quick interlude for a Youtube-fueled lesson in Pogs before we talked about Pokemon cards, hockey, and the one sushi item she will never try again. A whole lot more fact-finding questions ahead.
Photo: Courtesy of Narrative PRWas acting always in the cards for you?
“I have six brothers and a sister. I grew up playing ice hockey, and my dad really wanted me to focus on playing ice hockey, he thought it was so cool. I was center-right and right wing.”
I’m gonna pretend I know what that is:
“[Laughs] Then, when I was 11 years old, I asked my mom if I could try acting—it started because I loved my drama class. My parents were very against it [at first]. They didn’t get it. We lived an hour away from Manhattan, and I convinced my mom to bring me to one manager. She was like, ‘Listen, if they take you, great. If they don’t, do not bring it up to me until you’re 18 years old.’ So I begged the woman to take me. I think she just felt so bad for me that she took me on as a client. My first audition, I ended up booking, and it was a play at the Manhattan Theatre Club called Blackbird.”
Do you think you’d ever go back to theater?
“I cannot dance or sing to save my life [laughs] so I could only do just theater. But yeah, I loved it so much.”
Who would you love to work with?
“Jim Mangold. Girl, Interrupted was also a reason why I wanted to become an actress. I was obsessed with that movie at a young age.”
“I have six brothers and a sister. I grew up playing ice hockey, and my dad really wanted me to focus on playing ice hockey, he thought it was so cool. I was center-right and right wing.”
I’m gonna pretend I know what that is:
“[Laughs] Then, when I was 11 years old, I asked my mom if I could try acting—it started because I loved my drama class. My parents were very against it [at first]. They didn’t get it. We lived an hour away from Manhattan, and I convinced my mom to bring me to one manager. She was like, ‘Listen, if they take you, great. If they don’t, do not bring it up to me until you’re 18 years old.’ So I begged the woman to take me. I think she just felt so bad for me that she took me on as a client. My first audition, I ended up booking, and it was a play at the Manhattan Theatre Club called Blackbird.”
Do you think you’d ever go back to theater?
“I cannot dance or sing to save my life [laughs] so I could only do just theater. But yeah, I loved it so much.”
Who would you love to work with?
“Jim Mangold. Girl, Interrupted was also a reason why I wanted to become an actress. I was obsessed with that movie at a young age.”
Photo: Courtesy of Narrative PRDo you have anyone that’s really inspired you or been a mentor to you?
“For my career, I’d say my acting coach, Nancy Banks. She’s like my aunt, she’s part of my family now. I’ve worked with her since I was 15 [years old]. She’s been like my acting fairy godmother.”
Has there been a piece of advice she’s given you that’s stuck with you?
“She gives me advice on everything, thank god. She always says ‘stay in the moment.’”
Do you have any rituals for getting into character?
“Nancy has always asked me to journal for my characters. If it’s a tough audition or if I do book a job, she’ll give me a scenario, and then I’ll create a backstory [for my character]. So when I get on set, I know everything about my character.”
You have such a public image on social media. How do you decide between what to share and what to keep private?
“You know, I really don’t think about it too much. You can’t let that be your validation, that’s when it gets really unhealthy. But if you use it to keep in contact with friends or family so you can see what they’re doing when they post or use it to connect with your fans, that’s the beautiful [thing] about it.”
“For my career, I’d say my acting coach, Nancy Banks. She’s like my aunt, she’s part of my family now. I’ve worked with her since I was 15 [years old]. She’s been like my acting fairy godmother.”
Has there been a piece of advice she’s given you that’s stuck with you?
“She gives me advice on everything, thank god. She always says ‘stay in the moment.’”
Do you have any rituals for getting into character?
“Nancy has always asked me to journal for my characters. If it’s a tough audition or if I do book a job, she’ll give me a scenario, and then I’ll create a backstory [for my character]. So when I get on set, I know everything about my character.”
You have such a public image on social media. How do you decide between what to share and what to keep private?
“You know, I really don’t think about it too much. You can’t let that be your validation, that’s when it gets really unhealthy. But if you use it to keep in contact with friends or family so you can see what they’re doing when they post or use it to connect with your fans, that’s the beautiful [thing] about it.”
Photo: Courtesy of Narrative PRWhat’s the first thing you do in the morning?
“Check my phone.”
What does your perfect Sunday entail?
“Staying in bed, watching a movie, and eating blueberry pancakes.”
What can be found on you at all times?
“Chapstick and my phone.”
Is there a fun fact that nobody would know about you, that you can share?
“I don’t think very many people know that I love to write.”
What was your first job ever?
“The play at the Manhattan Theatre Club.”
“Check my phone.”
What does your perfect Sunday entail?
“Staying in bed, watching a movie, and eating blueberry pancakes.”
What can be found on you at all times?
“Chapstick and my phone.”
Is there a fun fact that nobody would know about you, that you can share?
“I don’t think very many people know that I love to write.”
What was your first job ever?
“The play at the Manhattan Theatre Club.”
Photo: Courtesy of Narrative PRWhat is one thing you’ll never do again?
“My best friend made me try some scary thing at a sushi restaurant. I think it was Unagi. I will never try it again.”
What is something you collect?
“Crystals. I used to collect crystals growing up with my brother. Also key chains. I can’t act like this is a long 10-year collection—it started two weeks ago. I told my friends every time they went to a random place to get me a key chain. My collection is like, three [laughs].”
Did you collect anything else as a kid?
“Pokemon cards. That was very serious.”
What emoji would you use to describe yourself?
“Probably the little one with the hearts all around the face. I do that face when I’m guilty.”
Photos: Courtesy of Narrative PR
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“My best friend made me try some scary thing at a sushi restaurant. I think it was Unagi. I will never try it again.”
What is something you collect?
“Crystals. I used to collect crystals growing up with my brother. Also key chains. I can’t act like this is a long 10-year collection—it started two weeks ago. I told my friends every time they went to a random place to get me a key chain. My collection is like, three [laughs].”
Did you collect anything else as a kid?
“Pokemon cards. That was very serious.”
What emoji would you use to describe yourself?
“Probably the little one with the hearts all around the face. I do that face when I’m guilty.”
Photos: Courtesy of Narrative PR
Want more stories like this?
Javier Bardem, Lover of Penguins, Wants Us to Save the Planet
Hustlers’ Lili Reinhart on Swearing off Low-Rise Jeans & All That Fake Vomit
When Auditioning for Hustlers, Julia Stiles Wouldn’t Take “No” for an Answer