Nathalie Emmanuel traded acting for activism on Wednesday during a guest appearance at the annual Cannes Lion International Festival of Creativity on the French Riviera.
The actress, better known for her starring roles in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks and HBO fantasy series Game Of Thrones, attended the four-day film and marketing event as a celebrity speaker.
Emmanuel, 35, took part in a 30-minute discussion about the impact of global warming and dramatically changing weather on brands and business over the next twenty-six years.
Hosted by the United Nations Development Programme and The Weather Company, the event took place at Théâtre Claude Debussy at the Palace of Festivals and Congresses of Cannes.
Taking to the stage at the event, Emmanuel looked typically stylish in a loose-fitting white summer dress and black strappy heels.
Nathalie Emmanuel traded acting for activism on Wednesday during a guest appearance at the annual Cannes Lion International Festival of Creativity on the French Riviera
Emmanuel took part in a 30-minute discussion about the impact of global warming and dramatically changing weather on brands and business over the next twenty-six years
The actress was appearing in the South-of-France just weeks after her latest film, the Francis Ford Coppola directed Megalopolis, was savaged by critics at the annual Cannes Film Festival.
Despite its mixed response, the film – which features a star-studded cast that includes Adam Driver and Shia LaBeouf – is confirmation of Emmanuel’s transition from little know teen soap star to Hollywood actress.
The British star previously admitted she was on the verge of quitting acting when she won her role as slave interpreter Missandei in Game Of Thrones.
Emmanuel had been in the acting wilderness since her four year role as Sasha Valentine on the Channel 4 soap ended in 2010 and was working in Hollister as a shop assistant.
Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused and Life In Film podcasts in 2022, she described the emotional moment she was told of her role in the HBO show.
She said: ‘Game Of Thrones was a game changer for me. I had been to get my shopping and was walking home to my flat.
As I came into my building I got a call from my agent and she was like, “Nathalie, you’ve got it”.
‘I’d just auditioned for a well-paying advert so I was like, “Oh great, I don’t have to worry about the bills for a month. When should I come to London?”
Taking to the stage at the event, Emmanuel looked typically stylish in a loose-fitting white summer dress and black strappy heels
Hosted by the United Nations Development Programme and The Weather Company, the event took place at Théâtre Claude Debussy at the Palace of Festivals and Congresses of Cannes
‘She said: “You mean Belfast, you got Game Of Thrones.”‘
‘I dropped all my shopping, I broke jars, I cried. I had tears of joy, it was so amazing and re-ignited something in me.’
The star said she had considered going back to study after struggling to cope with her ‘soul-destroying’ retail job, but the HBO drama ignited her passion for acting once more.
She recalled: ‘At the time I had been thinking of going back to school because I felt, no one wants to hire me and I’m not sure how long I can do this zero-hours retail job.
‘I’m not learning anything and mostly just managing my behaviour with rude customers. It was soul- destroying.’
She added: ‘I was a fan of the show. I annoyed my agent for a while about getting an audition but I didn’t actually think that was possible.
‘It’s been spoken of widely how they didn’t cast people of colour in regular leading roles so when the opportunity came I was like, “This is mine!”
‘But then it dawned on me that I actually had to do it. I was so excited and terrified.’
The actress was appearing in the South-of-France just weeks after her latest film, the Francis Ford Coppola directed Megalopolis, was savaged by critics at the annual Cannes Film Festival