Harry Potter actress Afshan Azad talks to about films, fashion, men and of course, Harry Potter
2007-12-12
Walking out of the hustle and bustle streets of central London into the serene gardens of a plush Kensington Hotel, I wondered what to expect during my interview with Afshan Azad. At a tender age of 18, I speculate how difficult it may be to get answers from my questions amounting to more than one sentence. Would I be interviewing a shy teenager, or having played the part of Padma Patil in 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' at the young age of 15, was I about to meet the complete opposite?
I was pleasantly surprised. Already sat waiting for me was a polite and confident actress who was somewhere between the journey from a girl to a woman.
From the outset, Afshan spoke in depth, though somewhat reserved. However the blossoming beauty was soon comfortable and revealed the bundle of positive energy that I now know her to be.
Being selected to play the role of Padma Patil in the Harry Potter films was in no way planned nor was a career in acting a pre-conceived notion.
"I was at school in Manchester and a casting director came to my school; it was just a normal secondary school. The casting people were looking for two Asian girls to play the role of the twins. There were notices up on the boards. My friends and I thought it was a joke at first but we went along after school to the auditions as a laugh; never thought I would get it. Then I was called up two weeks later for a second audition, then a third audition, then a fourth and fifth..."
"I was like "hey, this is only meant to be a joke" but it turned out that I got the part and they then looked for the other half of the twin. The weird thing is, we look nothing alike. There were twins at the auditions but the director said that he would rather have two people who could act yet look nothing alike, than twins who could not act. So it all started from there."
Discussing her experience of being involved in Harry Potter, Afshan reminisces her initial nervousness on the sets "At first I was really nervous, obviously because I grew up watching the first few films. I was like "oh my god, there's Harry and there's Hermione". I used to call them by their character names. I got really star struck by Alan Rickman and the other senior actors."
Asked if her life has changed much since joining the brigade of wizardry and witches, the answer is a firm "no". "I still have the same friends, do the same things and go to the same places. The only thing that has changed is that I get to visit really nice places and get to have more experiences. I'm just a normal girl who has been given an amazing opportunity. I'm very lucky."
Having been the only one selected from her school, surely she encountered some form of resentment from the rest of the all-female students. "I did go to an all girl's school and everyone auditioned, so when I did get the part, there were some girls who were perhaps a little envious. I think going to an all girl's school, you are bound to experience some form of jealousy but it wasn't too bad. I had a brilliant set of friends so it didn't faze me at all."
It was clear that Afshan treasures the support and values the opinions of her family, who take great pride of her achievements. "They are really supportive about my acting and they are really proud, it's really sweet. My mum has got a Harry Potter Shrine at home; she collects everything."
Afshan ponders over the obstacles she may be faced with in the future; in particular kissing on screen. "I'm still young; I don't want to go for parts which will require kissing yet. I?m not sure about it to be honest. If the situation arose, I would talk to my parents and get their consent." And her view on on-screen nudity; "I wouldn't be comfortable with that."
Afshan displayed such a passion for all things Potter: perhaps she was a huge fan of J.K. Rowling's creation before attaining a place in the School of Hogwarts herself. It seemed as though she had been bitten by the acting bug and wasn't intending to stop at Harry Potter.
"At first, I hadn't displayed any interest in acting. Before I auditioned I was just concentrating on school, however now that I have a taste for acting I love it and want to do more. I've been reading scripts lately so let's see what happens."
Afshan enthusiastically shares her desire to experiment in other avenues of acting. "I would absolutely love to go into different sides of acting. I've had no experience of theatre but definitely would love to explore it one day." Ready for all possibilities, I pursue to ask whether this included Bollywood? She exclaims, "Oh my god! Ermmm...never say never. If a script comes through and I love it, then I would consider it. I would love to act in a Bollywood film if a really interesting project came along." Shining through with the "never say never" attitude when it comes to acting, the Bengali delicate quite quickly emphasises that all priority does also direct to her studies.
Having completed her GCSE's, AS and A levels with the help of onset tutors during the filming of Harry Potter, she keenly talks of venturing off to university this year. "I'm continuing with Harry Potter and I am auditioning for lots of other parts as well. I've read so many scripts and it's all very exciting. I will definitely continue with the acting, even while I'm at university".
"I'm studying Journalism and Design Studies so I am definitely continuing with my education. I've managed to juggle acting and my studies so far and hopefully with the right support I'll be fine. I know the workload may be more intense being at university but I'm confident I'll manage."
Sociable, sweet and energectic it is evident to me that Afshan has a budding future with all routes accessible to her. Having begun her journey at a formative year of 15, she's not egotistical nor is she under the illusion of fame. Rather than pursuing an acting career headfirst, this young Manchester girl has her feet firmly on the ground and is detemined to create a concrete foundations: "It's fun, but it is work and so I don't let it get to my head. I know I have something to fall back on because this may not last forever. I may not become a hugely successful actress and I may not end up going into this field but at least I've got my academic qualifications."
With her entrance into public domain, how does she feel about her private life potentailly being exposed? "Personally, I've been really lucky and am fortunate in the fact that my private life is still private."
"For all the celebrities out there I think they deserve a private life, they're all human beings at the end of the day and for someone to intrude into their personal lives is wrong. Everyone deserves some sort of privacy. I have a really supportive family, which I think is the number one thing, and if there was ever to be an intrusion of such, then I would deal with it as and when it does happen. Obviously I wouldn?t like it."
Chattering away over glasses of iced cold orange juice as we sat at the hotels tranquil garden, I pose Afshan about her views on whether people should be famous for having a talent or famous for the sake of being famous, "Hmmmm...good for them. I've got nothing against them, but if they can gain some sort of status without any talent, they must be doing something right for people to want to know them. My personal opinion is that people should be famous for a talent."
When I quiz her about being a role model, the British actress seemed surprised that she may actually be one. "I would be flattered even if one girl was inspired by me. I would be so overwhelmed by that. I'm not so sure about the role model thing; I'm just a normal Asian girl who has had a fantastic opportunity. I think I was just in the right place at the right time. I definitely want young girls to think, if she's done it so can I".
We move onto a topic that has come under a lot of scrutiny and is particularly significant to young women - weight. Slimming down to play a role for visual reasons only, is not an option Afshan would consider. "I think they should just take me for what I look like, I'm not exactly big. I would consider it if it was really necessary for the role but if it was just for purely aesthetic reasons then no I wouldn't." Thankfully, Afshan is not a supporter of the size 0 debate and holds a more balanced view on her weight, believing it is more important to be healthy. "I think feeling forced to be a size 0 or thinking you have to be size 0 is really unhealthy. It's horrible to think that girls look at magazines and think they have to look a certain way. I hate my thighs, they're huge and I say it all the time, but I wouldn't do anything drastic about them."
When we begin to discuss family, Afshan becomes yet more zealous than before. Typically expected from many British Asian upbringings, she holds her family dear to her heart, does she yet feel as passionate as her identity? "I am a British Asian; one doesn't cancel out the other. I am both. It's where I fit. In terms of the reaction I've received from the Bangladeshi community, it's not changed anything. I've never encountered any negativity; I've only had positive responses from the Bengali community."
As the afternoon draws to a close I ask Afshan if she has any tips for people wanting to break into the world of cinema. "I think that every person who wants to become an actor or actress should go to every single audition, no matter whether they think they will get the part or not, because every audition is an experience. It is a good way to get your name across and for directors and agencies to remember you".
"If someone wants to be in a Hollywood film, they should go for it and not feel there's a barrier because they are Asian. I think there's room for more than just a couple of Asian people. I want to break that barrier; I've auditioned for parts that have westernised names even despite I may not be the first choice for it."
With sunset filtering through the trees, we arrange to meet for dinner later that evening. As Afshan enjoys endless conversation with the XEHER team, she comes across as a confident young woman; self assured, knowing what she wanted, all the while retaining the exuberance of an 18-year-old.
The following day, our heroine arrives at the cover shoot and sits for her hair and make up. She possesses the subtle and gentle beauty of the 'girl next door'. Sparkling eyes, tall and slender, and a dazzling smile. She clearly loves being fussed over (what woman wouldn't?). How would she describe herself in three words and how does she think her friend perceive her? "Confident, erm...God! Giggly, what else, one more, hmmm? I think I'm quite smart, yeah smart. As for my friends, oh God, they would just say I got a big gob and I'm always making them laugh and always talking."
Undoubtedly the discussion of men, love and crushes arises. Before I can even blink, Afshan's enthuses over her ideal man. "Ooohhhh Brad Pitt, David Beckham and Jesse Metcalfe - I like pretty boys. They're not too bad are they? Brad Pitt because he's such a good father figure, Beckham for his fashion sense, and Jesse Metcalfe because he's just hot. Mix them together, that's my ideal man." I pursue to unearth her first crush? "Oh no I can't say! It's too embarrassing to say." I best attempt to put in practice my interrogation skills; is it an actor? Nick Carter? Is he too old? I even make promise that I won't tell anyone. "Oh of course you won't! Apart from everybody reading this! No way, I can't say, it's just too embarrassing to say. It's because now that I'm a bit older, I look back and I'm like "what was I thinking". He's a singer. I'll give that but no more. Everyone who knows me will no who it is. Let's move on. There's no way I'm saying it."
On marriage, Afshan demonstrates a mature understanding of the institution, but it is currently the least of her worries. "I've got nothing against arranged marriages, as long as the couple are happy and nothing has been forced and the family are happy. Arranged marriage may not necessarily be what they used to be. Love marriages are fine as well, as long as you know what are you doing and your family is happy with it. I would prefer a love marriage, but it doesn't mean I wouldn't consider an arranged marriage."
Has she, as a British Asian girl, found it difficult to strike a balance between the life choices that make her happy and those that would please her parents? "I've not come across a situation where my parents and I have had a conflict of interest. I'd rather be honest with them in whatever I do."
Basking in the XEHER cover shoot, she visibly relishes being pampered and indulged. "Oh my god, what are you doing to me, these clothes are all so nice!"
As shoes, clothes and accessories, were put before her she was in her element she came to life in front of the camera. Her excitement grew with every costume change and our front cover girl's imminent presence was shared equally by the XEHER team.
"I'm loving it! The clothes and shoes are so nice. I'm such a girly girl, I love all the make up and being pampered, I love it, as you can tell! I love getting my make up done - I could sit here forever."
Our two-day romance with Afshan Azad is drawing to an end, XEHER wraps up its first cover shoot. Over the two days we met a charming young lady with all the effervescence and vivacity of a teenage girl full of life, and a matruity and wisdom beyond her years.
The Harry Potter debut begins a journey full of promise for this young Asian talent. Her education into the world of acting continues and the future is most certainly bright for this budding starlet.
Where Afshan Azad is concerned, her acting career is more than just magical.
