An Interview with Selina Jones: Itan, Grandmother and Wearing Ahluwalia

For people like Selina Jones, acting has always been about storytelling. Coming from a background at LAMDA drama school, Jones has explored various formats of self-expression including dance, music and poetry. Since her journey at LAMDA, Jones has been part of a short movie called Medea, featured on Raised By Wolves as Grandmother and as Itan on her theatre debut at the Yard Theatre in award-winning production An Unfinished Man. Recently, she has been seen performing her most recent poem ‘A Grief Afternoon’ from her award-winning Anthology Grief Day, delving into her experience with family and bereavement with the passing of her late mother. Unafraid to be vulnerable, she has clawed her way through the industry as a woman who is strong, fearless and resilient. Jones speaks her mind and has much to say about what it is to be an actress in London. As a personal friend of mine, she has always been someone who gives and takes space. As a listener, she is able to converse in a way that makes you feel safe, while also giving thoughtful feedback when needed. As a speaker, she is able to hold a room, making voices known while also taking full control to convey her own.

I am excited to see where her next project takes her. Please see our interview:

In a studio in South East London. Renaissance playing in the background. Photography equipment dotted everywhere. Messy.

Danny: Hello.

Selina: Hi there.

D: How are you?

S: I’m good. Feeling very happy. Feeling like I’ve learned alot. -

D: Good.

S: - How are you?

D: Today we worked on a photo shoot for MATERIAL -

S: Yes we did.

D: - and now we’re going to ask some questions for a mini interview. How do you think it went today?

S: I think it went good, I’m excited to see what they look like. I really liked the concept and I really loved you letting me turn it around on you as-well. Seeing your perspective and to see like ‘Oh my god, if I move left the camera moves right’ and it messing with my brain. I have a new level of appreciation for what you are doing.

D: Ugh, thank you.

S: You’re welcome.

D: I have a couple of questions, specifically talking about your career and with acting. As many people will already know, you are an actor, how long have you been doing it for?

S: Oh god, as soon as I could tell people to sit down and watch me like -

Both laughing.

- I been doing it, I remember going past a youth theatre that I used to go to when I was looking for houses [in London]. LAMDA was not the start. This was a long time in the making so if I’m 25 now, lets say at-least, what, 23 years.

D: When did we meet?

S: LESOCO, around the age of 18.

D: Oh god, it was around 18 wasn’t it.

S: Yeah. So what year was that, 2016?

D: Yeah. A very very long time ago.

A-lot of people won’t know but we acted together for a year.

S: Yes we did. Hand to God wasn’t it?

D: Yep. Hand to God.

S: Sock puppets.

Both laughing. (The play was crazy.)

D: That was my favourite production of the whole course. I thought that was so good.

S: Yes, the other one. What was it? Mad Forest?

D: Yes, that was the play based in Romania.

My first question is: Do you think the acting industry in London has changed since the introduction of the pandemic?

S: Hugely.

I mean, a-lot of my career has been built around self-tapes, and tapes used to be a thing before the pandemic but more based on international projects. If you could, you would go into the room but now, we have defaulted into self-tapes because it’s the only way people could for a while now. A-lot of people are understanding that voice is a really big part of our industry and that voice and audio were the only departments of acting that could keep running. TV shut down, so people really got into voice reels and voice work in different ways. I just did my voice reel so fingers crossed, I will be narrating an audiobook on the new season of Big Mouth. Thats where I want to be.

Danny laughs.

I think we are having a-lot of conversations because when BLM happened, it had a big resurgence and it called to question a-lot of things that we were seeing on TV. we had to see a man get knelt on for what, seven, nine minutes? No one needed to see that, god forbid it, but it was seen and it sparked so many conversations about so many things, and for our industry in particular, I think it also talked about the trauma that black people are always forced to watch on TV. Whenever we have black stories, they are always full of trauma, they are always full of shootings, always full of get out the ghetto, always full of sadness and pain, and I think that’s why projects like Rye Lane is something people are so excited about.

Danny agrees.

Because its just about young black people falling in love, and it has nothing to do with them being black. But, they are in South London and they are very specifically in Peckham and the script is written specifically for that and it’s just really beautiful to see. So yes, the short answer is that the industry has definitely changed.

D: Yeah, i think it’s really interesting because for the BLM movement it forced so many industries, not even just the acting industry to adapt. In ways overtime, I think there were extremities from a corporate perspective where suddenly activism became very monetizable and I think only now, recently, we’re getting back into a space where there is more balance and more appreciation for actual communities. There was such an influx of people who were doing it so much from a place of ‘looking’ right that it went wrong.

Selina agrees.

I think now, it’s about finding a healthy balance. I think things have definitely changed. I had a friend of mine who was looking to apply for theatre youth companies and the whole process is now digitalised. Maybe it was before, but the whole audition process has really adapted to it. I think its quite interesting, it gives people more opportunity.

S: I definitely think so, I don’t think I would of got into drama school on a self-tape, but I booked jobs on self-tapes so I’m not sure.

D: You won the Black British Theatre Award for Best Female Actor in a Theatre Production.

S: Yeah I did.

D: How did it feel winning the award for your role in An Unfinished Man? Celebration when it’s due!

S: God, how did it feel - I remember holding my other nominee’s hand, Shakira Newton, who is an incredible actress, playwright, performer, I saw her show that she got nominated for at Brixton House and she had written it as-well and it was a one woman [production]. I watched her and was like wow, what a powerhouse. I remember we were holding hands so tightly when our category came up, and that was a real example of sisterhood because I didn’t feel like I was competing with anyone. This is for all of us, this is about us all, about us all being recognised for the work that we do in this industry.

I was so overwhelmed. There was a part of me that believed that I would win. Theres a video out there of me in a car being like “yeah i’m going to win” and I remember being like If I don’t win this, this is going to be so painful to watch! But there was also a part of me that didn’t because I didn’t write a speech. I was really scared. If I write a speech and I don’t win… I would have to burn the tree that the paper came from like, it can’t come back.

Selina laughs.

It felt amazing though. It felt right. I felt aligned. I was very proud.

D: It’s such an amazing production. An Unfinished Man is amazing.

S: I love it. You know the infinity stones? I feel like it’s one of those for me. There hasn’t been a script since like, well, I really liked KAOS. But like, I’m a smaller character in that as well, which is fine, but nothing has grabbed me as much as An Unfinished Man grabbed me when I first read it. I feel like I’m waiting for that new thing and its definitely being perfected. It will find me when it needs to.

D: I think it’s such a captivating piece. I had never been to the Yard Theatre before.

S: Me neither.

D: I was very open minded with what the space was going to look like, and I really enjoyed it because where you were working with spirits and a post-humanistic theme, (with curses and whatnot,) the minimalism from the set was a perfect balance. You were really able to focus on the story while also being really engrossed with what was being discussed. With your character being a-lot more mystical than the other characters, you really got to play, which is so great when you get to be on stage and do that. As an actor its one of your favourite times because that is where the fun is involved, and then you really get into it and you really empathise with the character, even though at times it is a very troubling story.

S: I’m glad you empathised with her, them, I’m still not sure what they are. What made you feel empathy?

D: I guess its like coming from an acting background, you do naturally empathise with the ability to be able to sculpt your character in a really freeing way. Well, I don’t know in terms of what character development you did for the role, but there was so much empty space that you could play with, so much you could grab from that was discussing the storyline. It’s weird because it was a piece that worked with very little time, yet, exploded so much. I think that’s why this award made sense because it really solidified the impact of the production. Your theatre debut right?

S: Yeah!

I just loved it. I loved every single bit of it. Having a black director, black members of cast and a black writer is such a shorthand that is so invaluable, especially when you have not got that much rehearsal time. It was one of the best experiences I’ve had working in a room. I feel like I got to use all of my faculties really nicely. I didn’t get to speak for the first half of the play, so when she does speak and it’s this big explosion of a moment, how can you not like help but be like, everythings here so I can’t drop it, you know?

D: Yeah.

S: That was a very helpful starting point, because every time I’d hear like ‘the exorcism coming’ I would be like, here we go. You gotta scream. You are about to be poisoned. Yeah. I loved it.

D: You wore Ahluwalia to the BBTA’s, right?

S: Yes, Isn’t it a beautiful name?

D: Yes!

Do you feel like the importance of fashion when it comes to events like this for actors, has magnified itself in terms of importance?

S: Definitely. I think it definitely matters who you wear and why you wear it. I went to Priya because my mentor had a link with her but knowing that she is of Nigerian and Indian descent, so she is mixed with the two, means that you can see the influences in her work with the the colours and patterns. She uses exclusively only black and brown models and it is such beautiful work. I feel so proud because it was one of the first times I’ve worn designer, so we had the fitting and we talked about different garments, and I was like Oh my god. This is what it could be like, and I felt beautiful. I felt powerful.

D: You looked gorgeous.

S: Thank you, thank you. I was so proud. I’m so happy. I really enjoyed it, and I’ve enjoyed wearing Ahluwalia since she invited me to her birthday party and sent me the Ahluwalia slip dress, which was this green, diamond print dress that made it look like gemstones. She’s really cool and her work keeps getting bigger and better. I would love to walk for her one day.

D: Coming from the acting industry and then going into the fashion industry, you see how interchangable they are. It’s the reason why I got into fashion and became more engrossed by red carpet events. Fashion has become much more accessible now, so a-lot of actors have seen the importance in it and explored ways that they can centre their celebrations with fashion.

It’s always about identity, right? I mean, you’re telling a story on life, and fashion has always been in peoples lives and will always contribute. I’ve definitely seen more people focusing on fashion, especially in the acting industry or the creative arts in general.

S: I think so because clothes tell a story. We went through a couple of costume designs for Itan’s costume [An Unfinished Man] and at one point our costume designer was like “I really want you and the wife dressed in similar things so there is a parallel between the two” and I was like no. This doesn’t make sense. Given who the characters are and then to paralel in similar clothing was going to confuse the story. So we tried many things and then eventually we found this fancy-ish pyjamas, it was like this boxy set from Bershka. I showed it to the director and he was like yeah because they inform who you are, how you walk, how beautiful you feel inside because the world is still very shallow. People do treat you better if you look better. But then, it’s nice making myself look good.

D: You performed in Raised By Wolves as the character of Grandmother which was a big breakthrough for your acting career. Having gone through the difficult circumstances of having a show cut early, how did that feel and how does that compare to being denied a role in an audition?

S: Hmm.

I’ll describe how it felt initially. It felt like one big gut punch when I realised it wasn’t going to season three, especially because they set me up to be this villain that was going to take over that season. I was like ‘yup. This is my mortgage. This is how I get my family out of here. This is the future. This is the money I need. It’s guaranteed and you did it. Thank you.’ So, having to let go of all of that was really peak. Having to let go of the idea of seeing my friends that I made over there and not seeing them when you made plans is just, aah. Going to South Africa on your own dime is expensive, but I believe it will happen.

How does it compare to being denied in an audition? I think — at-least I’ve learned to believe — that was not for me, will pass me, and what is for me will not. So if I don’t get anything from an audition, (because you just don’t hear back from so many auditions all the time,) you just build a thick skin. Eventually, you have to send that tape off for that audition, and that tape off and just let it go. For Raised By Wolves however, I had signed that contract. I knew if I was there for X amount of years, that is what I would be getting. This is how my character could grow. I had seen people who were on it in season one and season two, excited for season three, I mean, people were saying it could go to season four or five. Something had been planted and just sprung a little leaf before it was cut down. When you don’t get the thing in an audition, you can’t really plant the thing anyway, you’re still just tending to your soil until you get the seeds you plant.

D: It’s such a specific experience to go through. We all go through auditions as actors, but to have something that early that big… Yeah.

S: But apparently it happens a-lot more now. So many shows are coming out now that you can’t really keep up-to-date with it, and then slowly, one show after another gets cancelled. It’s just really peak. There are so many stars that are probably thinking it’s their big break. Same thing.

D: My last question — having worked in multiple countries for different roles, is there any improvements you would like to see when it comes to working as an actor in London?

S: In all of them, hire black barbers or hire hair and makeup professionals who actually know how to work with the various skin tones that you’re probably going to be bringing to them. I had the worst haircut experience in Spain, I was furious that they let this woman cut my hair. Have I told you this story?

D: No, you have not!

S: My regular barber was injured, so they let my makeup artist cut my hair and it was the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life. I’ve cut my hair better in lockdown with my own pair of razors. I was just like, are you following the brief that you have? Because what I have on my head are two very different things. She said she had very little experience and I was just confused on how someone had left them full control of my head. She tried bringing another colleague and she tried to fix it but it was shit. I was on the phone to my agent like this is really disrespectful. This is ridiculous. This is racist. What is going on? So I had to ask another barber who was assigned to a friend of mine who is a black woman. She knew how to work on black hair, so I had to beg her and be like can you please sort this out? I had Priya Ahluwalia’s birthday when I went back to London with a fucked up haircut? I don’t think so. The woman was like, do you want us to do this ‘thing’ and I was like no, because if you fuck that up, you fucked up. You have fucked my bag for like three months. No. So I would like to see that.

That being said, I do like travelling for work. It gives me a sense of somewhere different and the oppoturnities that come with those locations. Your imagination could take you somewhere completely different now. When I was working for Grandmother [RBW] I would be climbing mountains, and I was like, this andriod is probably as old as or older than these mountains. That’s crazy. It informed me on how she moved in the stillness that I worked with and going to Spain and Renaissance came out, and the sun is shining and I decided that Hippolyta was in Leo, so when she came out the arena, she is like grinning at everyone and joy that attention, so yeah, it depends. It depends where in London, hopefully during the summer. Because this space is the ghetto. I’m sorry, I don’t imagine buying a home here.

D: Me neither weirdly. I don’t know where but London is not the location. It’s not sustainable enough right now.

S: They are so expensive for what they are. I don’t know if I even want kids in this climate. Do I want them to be raised here? I’m not so sure.

D: It’s weird because we are both from South East London, and we see a very real perspective of what it is to live here. London is perceived as what it can be but we see what it really is like. People always talk about central London and West London and all that stuff, but do you know the chances of you going there on a day-to-day basis if you don’t live in those areas? It’s just not a real thing. The ideology of London is really toxic at times. People either see Hampstead Heath or a block of flats. I think those are both wrong. You know?

S: I don’t know. I think I can probably count on one hand how many times I’ve gone to Hampstead and i’ve lived here my whole life.

D: Me too.

S: We should go to Hampstead.

Both laughs.