CHRISTELLE ELWIN’S star is on the rise, having played Mistle in seasons 3 & 4 of Netflix’s The Witcher, a fierce, street-smart member of outlaw gang The Rats, known for her sharp tongue, battle scars, and pivotal, complex relationship with Ciri.
Having also appeared on the small screen in Death in Paradise and Firecracker, and on stage in the RSC’s Much Ado About Nothing, here the British actress tells us about establishing herself with layered performances in diverse roles and why she's leaning into her Japanese fashion era.
Left Coat and shirt Fendi, boots Jimmy Choo
Right Full look Ludovic de Saint Sernin
So, there were lots of positive vibes after season 3 and 4 of The Witcher, and your character was really on a complex journey with herself. It must be exciting when you have the chance to push your character further and explore their highs and lows, especially as the show is set in quite a brutal world too and not easy to survive in as a woman?
The only way I could get into it was to imagine that whole world. How it felt to move through a day in Mistle’s life and then how different it was with a gang to protect you, and a lot of that came from the books I read. I would also go through the gameplay, which was interesting, as you would randomly be walking and someone would yell something abusive, which happens in modern life at times; but in that medieval realm, it happened more frequently and women were condemned. So, I used a lot of imagination, lots of walks through forests alone, and thinking how it felt to be there in that time. Then in prepping for the character, I needed to find out what threatened Mistle the most, because like most humans, despite walking through danger, there are certain things that make us reflect, change your mind or put you into action, and so there was a lot of figuring out what would Mistle do? Why would she continue to move through this world and how could she survive.
What did you take away from the role, the tools for survival, especially in this industry where women remain vastly underrepresented in film and TV?
Her resilience, and that she continued to go on because of the people that mattered to her, and that’s who I am, in the real world. So much happened to Mistle but we were similar in that we fight for what we believe in, and she fought no matter what people thought on the outside, especially when you have other voices telling you how to live or do things all the time – you have to do the best you can and survive.
Full look McQueen
Do you lean into roles which challenge you, but also maybe your audience, and do you like to play characters who buck expectations and forge their own path, where you can explore different aspects of yourself?
Absolutely. Every new role I undertake has to push me in some way and I’m not scared to not audition for a project if it doesn’t force me into finding new parts of myself, that’s what I look for in projects… new paths of discovery.
Well, you’ve trodden a few paths already, with fantasy and Shakespeare, which are vastly different worlds. I wanted to ask about being on stage with the RSC – when you have to say the same lines over and over each night, do you have a way of finding new things in the text and new ways to express it, so it shifts how you might think about or play that moment?
It’s definitely a big switch between the two, but the only difference with Shakespeare, is that there are beats you have to hit that make it music for the ear, and so, that was interesting, and if you become familiar with the text, you can take certain beats or pauses and find out more about the character to make it your own. You can take chances and use more physical elements which is fun. On screen you still need to hit a mark, but you’re making your performance a bit more real life.
Left Full look Ludovic de Saint Sernin
Right Full look Givenchy
Do you get nervous on stage, or do you like that live buzz and instant audience reaction?
I get equally excited and nervous with both stage and TV, and on stage, you’re experiencing emotion and reactions in real time, bringing the audience along on the journey, which has such a beautiful rhythm to it. Whereas, in film and TV, you’re experiencing an intense emotion, but then you can go backwards or forwards in time with it and the story evolves, and so it’s always changing.
Did theatre make you fall in love with acting?
I did a foundation course in acting but I didn’t feel the training really excited me or was too positive, so I decided to focus on writing and music instead. But then my drama teacher at secondary school told me not to give up on acting, and she was the one who helped send me for auditions and showed me how competitive the industry could be. It was then that I started to learn as much as I could, and some films about the industry also sparked my interest, and I got the acting vibe again.
What was your first experience of film or TV at home growing up, that might have given you the acting bug?
I read lots as a kid, I never watched TV, but when I did later as an older child, I saw The Lion King, which I loved, especially after reading all the Disney books. It was so cool to see this story come to life on screen.
Left Full look Prada
Right Coat and shirt Fendi, boots Jimmy Choo
Once you started working in television, what do you think was one of the major learning curves for you, and how has that varied experience informed your approach to acting and perfecting your craft, so far?
To not put pressure on myself to hit a certain emotion, and see the project in its entirety, so you create an emotional journey but let it play out how it will and forget about the camera in front of you. You also need a lot of stamina, being switched on all day in a role, and it’s important to not take the character home with you. After playing such a dark character like Mistle and reading or watching things with darker materials in my research for her, I would feel panicked at times, and it messed up my nervous system. So, you have to detach from the world you’re playing in, as no human stays in an emotion for such a long time as you do in character…. but it’s fun too, figuring out how to be part of it all.
What are the stories that excite you to be part of, or what’s something you would love to eventually write yourself?
I have been speaking to some producers about two things I’ve written, one is a feature, and I like to explore stories about mental health and identity, things that are close to me. In terms of the stories that I want to appear in, I look for psychological thrillers, and fantasy within that too. I like twists and something that exceeds my expectations. Right now, I’m in the educational part of my life where I just want to read and explore and inform myself as much as possible.
What about passions outside of acting, what are you into?
I love reading books that challenge my way of thinking. I read the Status Game by Will Storr which was brilliant, and I love Brené Brown’s books as they open my perspective on emotion, which is great for acting. I like learning about different cultures too, so Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half was so interesting to read.
Left Full look Givenchy
Right Full look Emporio Armani
You mentioned music earlier, is that a passion? What was the last good gig you went too?
I love music and I work with musicians writing in the studio, and I play piano and guitar too. I saw Raye perform and I just love her! She’s a real storyteller and there is so much that she incorporates into the music and I love that experimental side to her, it sounds like nothing you’ve ever heard.
What about playing the role of as musician in a biopic – someone with a huge backstory where you can deep dive into the psychological side, and explore your passion for music too?
I would choose Whitney Houston. She lived a life that’s interesting in every aspect right up to her death, and her story has the religious element, along with how your life can dramatically change, and not being able to be who you really are, I think it would be quite a heartbreaking role to play.
Also, maybe Nina Simone too. Both women were so magnanimous in what they did but behind the music, they were such connective people to what they knew, aside from any money and fame, for them it was about what they had to offer the world, and they weren’t really treated the way they should have been.
Such great choices, and such variable tones – Nina with her depth and Whitney with the high notes, but such raw, emotional power. You’ll need a good singing coach for either, or some vocal doubles maybe!
Haha! Yeah, they might need to do some mixed voice stuff for me to get up there in Whitney’s range!
What about fashion, what excites you right now? What are you leaning into trend-wise?
I love Japanese fashion and I go there almost yearly to shop now. I love how they incorporated their version of hip hop style into clothing, it fits so well, and they play with structures and it’s androgynous. When I see people on the street in Tokyo, or Osaka, they look so good and totally know how to dress for their size and shape. They inspired me to use fashion to make a statement.
Interview by Kate Lawson
Photography by Will Aldersley
Fashion by Steven Huang
Hair and Make-Up by Nohelia Reyes using Oribe and Anastasia Beverly Hills
Photographer’s assistant Courtney Hugh Campbell
Stylist’s assistant Francesca Ward
