28
TheBridgertonstar reflects on the year she took control of her own destiny.
WhenBridgertonactorGolda Rosheuvelreflects on her 20s, she remembers the lack of opportunities given to her as a biracial woman.
I was devastated, confused, and really hurt.
Bitterness, however, is not in her vocabulary.
With each closed door came a chance for Rosheuvel to dust herself off and aim even higher.
My instinct was: I want to play her as a lesbian and nothing else.
When Rosheuvel and the director discussed approaching the play differently, they decided to make it work.
Im playing Othello as a woman.
You know, my sexuality is out there.
But acting was never her first choice.
At school, she loved playing hockey and athletics competitions.
I never wanted to become an Olympian.
I couldve been likeJessica Ennis-Hill, you know?
She was inspired by Olympians Fatima Whitbread and Florence Griffith Joyner, aka Flo-Jo.
But injury struck, and Rosheuvel spent less time on the track and more time on the stage.
My drama and singing took off after that.
Everything happens for a reason, right?
Its a role the now 52-year-old British-Guyanese actor has been waiting years for.
Its a dream come true, she says.
And Queen Charlotte is definitely that role.
Its a lovely thing to be able to celebrate my mum.
Its a great gig.
Take me back to 1998, when you were 28.
What was that like?
I was covering the role of Mary Magdalene inJesus Christ Superstar.
Being a cover for a role is a different beast.
It really requires a lot of patience, humility, and keeping your ego in check.
And its funny because I remember someone saying to me, Thats exactly what we want.
We want you to be better than the person.
Does that come down to opportunity?
Yeah, I think so.
Theres a lot of lazy casting in this industry and I didnt want to be part of that.
How am I going to turn this around?
Did that make you feel vindicated?
Was that the first time you were referred to as exotic, when you were 28?
Yeah, it was the first time I had ever heard that.
And I thought, what the hell does that even mean?
I remember looking in the mirror, looking at myself knowing I was beautiful.
But also knowing that I couldnt do anything about the way I looked.
How does it make you feel to see a biracial woman cast in this role?
I would often sit with myself and think, where do you sit?
What do you want to say?
Did you ever feel like you were constantly on the fence with your identity?
I felt like a fake.
I dont want to poo-poo anyone but being biracial has never been seen as one thing.
To everyone else, were Black because of the colour of our skin.
No matter what shade it is, youre definitely darker than a white person.
So what stressed you out the most when you were 28?
I was stressed about not knowing where I fit in within the industry.
I always wondered how I could make a mark in this world.
Wondering what I wanted to say, and what my purpose was.
That said, I bought my first house near Queens Road Peckham with my partner when I was 28.
But I couldnt have done that without my parents help for the deposit.
What else were you doing at this time?
I was also driving a lot.
I went to PJs and loads of bars in Camberwell.
And, of course, lots of house parties.
So you were a bit of a wild child?
I took a lot of drugs and was definitely a party animal.
Was there a woman who inspired you at 28?
My mum is definitely a big influence in my life.
She was always there for me.
We always had cups of tea and put the world to rights.
She was brilliant like that.
I remember working onJesus Christ Superstarwith the Australian director Gale Edwards.
And I remember overhearing a conversation which she was having with one of the actors about me.
I heard her say: Goldas fantastic.
If she puts her mind to it, she can put her mind to anything.
Whenever Im in a sad place or havent secured a role, I always remember that.
Was there anyone in the industry that you looked up to?
This is a funny old question because there are loads.
But the one person that really sticks in my mind is actress Penelope Keith.
She was in this amazing sitcom calledTo The Manor Born, which I grew up with.
She was a white woman, and very, very posh.
We used to watch the show as a family.
She was everything I wanted to be.
It was so quintessentially English, and white.
There were always white faces on the telly.
Plus, Penelope Keith was my first crush.
At what point in your life did you think that you made it?
The Graham Norton Showwas one of those moments.
What was it like finding out about theBridgertonrole and working with Shonda Rhimes?
I thought, I sit so nicely in this role, its so comfortable for me.
So auditioning for that role was really, really easy.
Whats your relationship like with Shonda Rhimes?
Ive had a long relationship with Shonda and her work.
But when I was playingOthello,Scandalwas my go-to boxset.Olivia Popewas myOthello.
The world she was navigating in really sat well for me during my own rehearsals.
For Queen Charlotte, I channel India Arie.
Charlotte really loves her music.
I put on India Arie on my iPod and I go for walks to get into character.
What would your 28-year-old self think of Golda today?
I think shed cry and shed be really proud.
She would f****** love it.
Season 2 ofBridgertonis available to stream on Netflix on March 25.
This article was originally published onMarch 25, 2022
