Talented young actress and dancer Grace Nettle , originally from Wales, has been making significant waves in the entertainment industry with her outstanding performances in several high-profile projects. At just 14 years old, Grace has already displayed an impressive range of skills, demonstrating her talent in acting, singing and dancing on several international stages.
Most recently, Grace shined in her role as Rosa in the acclaimed thriller “No Way Up” (2024), adding to an already impressive list of credits that include Celeste in “War of the Worlds” (2019) and Nancy in “Quentin Blake’s Box of Treasures ” (2023). These roles highlight her ability to embody complex and varied characters, showcasing her versatility as an actress.
From an early age, Grace has been a dynamic presence in both dance competitions and musical theater productions. She began dancing at age 6, exploring genres such as acro, ballet, hip hop, tap, modern and contemporary dance and musical theater. Her exceptional talent led to her being selected to represent Wales at the World Dance Championships in Portugal in 2019 and qualifying again for the 2020 competition, which was postponed until 2021 due to the pandemic.
In addition to the performing arts, Grace is proud of her commitment to sustainability, having served as an ecological advisor at the school for three years. She also excels academically, maintaining excellent academic performance alongside her career in the arts.
Grace is also an accomplished singer, having studied with Tanya Harrison since early 2020 and performed at numerous events, including the 2019 World Cup Ball. Her passion and dedication to all forms of performance art make her a rising star in the world of entertainment.
Grace, 2024 started off strong for your career with the release of “No Way Up,” which depicts the story of a group of passengers who, after a plane crash, end up sinking in the Atlantic Ocean. How did you prepare to play Rosa and what was it like to participate in a movie with such an impactful plot?
I had multiple scuba diving lessons to prepare myself for the underwater scenes and stunts that Rosa needed to do and I also had a dramatic change to my hair to play the role (My hair was past my bottom and it was cut to a shoulder length bob. The hair was then donated to charity which made it easier to have done) My agent, Mark Jermin Management, were so supportive which is important to us, knowing we can phone anytime for advice and help. I read my lines in different ways when rehearsing and I often thought of how Rosa may have been feeling during the different scenes and how her expressions and emotions would change. Seeing behind the scenes and then how the film has been put together is an amazing experience.
Without a doubt, the production of “No Way Up” was grandiose, spanning from the script conception to filming and editing. Could you tell us a bit about the behind-the-scenes and what were the most challenging and most rewarding aspects of the shooting?
I feel the challenging aspects were definitely having to film underwater scenes, they did have an underwater speaker but with it being underwater, communication was more difficult and we had to use hand gestures to communicate. At the time I was also trying to master crying on command so in between takes and scenes, I would take tips off the other cast members. I loved staying in different hotels for the various locations and at the end of filming I got to keep Mr. Tibbs, which was definitely a big reward and something that will remind me of such an amazing time in my life. The most rewarding part for me was, with all the practicing I had done to prepare for the film, I could swim down the inside of the plane holding my breath, which I did quite a few times.
In the movie, you acted alongside great actors like Will Attenborough, Jeremias Amoore, Sophie McIntosh, Colm Meaney, Phyllis Logan, and James Carroll Jordan, who played your grandparents. What was it like working with this cast and with director Claudio Fäh?
They were all such genuinely nice people and it was a great honour to meet everyone let alone work with them. James Carroll Jordan used to tell me the most amazing and funny stories from his life, Manuel Pacific and I would sing. I feel that Will Attenborough is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met, they were all so lovely and included me in everything. I had competitions of who knew more Capital Cities with Alex Tawney, the third assistant director, Phyllis Logan bought me a book with the flags and Capital cities in which I love so much and keep in a safe place. In between takes, Colm’s hair would occasionally look too dry so I would chuck water over him. Those are just some of the amazing memories I have from filming. The crew were also really lovely to work with and being the only child on set everyone was so welcoming and we all got on really well. Claudio was incredible to work with and explained what he wanted from us so clearly, I was excited to work with him after meeting him in the audition room, he didn’t make me feel nervous at all.
Besides being an actress, you are also a singer and dancer, and you represented Wales in the World Dance Championship, a certainly remarkable experience. Could you share a bit about this journey and what it meant to you?
Singing was something I have always been passionate about. I didn’t really think about joining a dance class but my friends were going so I thought I would give it a try and I ended up enjoying every second, that then lead to competing. I have entered many competitions but the Dance World Cup was a whole other level in my life. At the qualification stages I was awarded the top mini soloist for my country which was a huge honour and I went on to win a bronze medal as a Song and Dance soloist. I was just completely speechless when my name was called out to think I had come third in the world. I entered and won Talent Search UK in 2023, it just happened to be all singers on the series I was in. We had ten rounds and each week someone would leave, it was so nerve-racking waiting to find out each week. The prize was to record 10 songs and 5 videos, I have recorded one song so far and will hopefully film the video for it soon. I love to help when I can with charities, Im just singing on stage at events at the moment but hopefully it helps. I recently recorded a song with Andrew Fisher, Do you hear my Silence – The Duet, which has been released on all streaming platforms and 100% of the royalties go to suicide prevention. Andrew lives in America so money is shared between The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in America and the Jacob Abraham Foundation here in the UK.
What was it like working with Tanya Harrison and what did these singing lessons add to your performance in the performing arts?
I was having lessons with someone else but as soon as I heard about Tanya and seen what she has achieved, I just knew she was the vocal coach I wanted to go to. Tanya has helped me so much over the past few years and without her support, guidance and expertise I wouldn’t be where I am. Its not just about singing, breath control and the technical aspects. Tanya has helped me in my confidence from learning how to prepare myself for an audition involving my voice to how I present myself on stage and is often helping me in how to write my own music. I have actually filmed with Tanya for her online videos, to record vocal exercises we use in lessons. I use the videos between lessons and when I’m away, like right now with the School of Rock tour.
You maintain excellent academic performance, balancing between school and your artistic career. How do you manage your time to meet both demands?
Balancing between my academic side and my artistic side can be challenging on occasions, however my school has been so amazing at providing me work and the resources that I need. My school are also very supportive of me and my career choice and often ask me about any upcoming opportunities I may have so thank you Mr Clarke, I am incredibly grateful to you. However on some of the projects I have worked on I have been fortunate to have a tutor to support me with my education and provide me with additional resources that will help me understand and get ahead of my work.
Grace, did you know there was a real airplane crash where the plane fell into the ocean? I am referring to Air France Flight 447, which in 2009 crashed on the route between Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) to Paris (France). While filming “No Way Up,” did you ever imagine what you would do in a similar situation?
I was aware of a plane accident but not sure of the flight details (possibly more recent that 2009 though). There were certainly moments where I thought this really could have happened in the past which made me look at the scene with a lot more clarity and fear. In all honesty, I don’t know how I would react in a real situation and I don’t think I will ever know unless im in that because that is a situation you can never prepare for or play out in your mind and my heart goes out to the people that are affected by the real life situations.
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