Gabriella poses for Farfetch in new photoshoot and talks ‘Poldark’, acting and more in the interview below!
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Session 004
FARFETCH – Gabriella Wilde is something of a unicorn in show business – an actress who never planned, never wanted to act. ‘It’s unusual I know,’ explains Gabriella. ‘I was a very shy child and teenager, so it’s not something I ever gravitated towards.’ How then, did she end up winning hearts left, right and centre with her portrayal of the spirited Caroline Penvenen in the period-drama juggernaut Poldark?
A former Burberry campaign model, who counts Naomi Campbell as an early admirer, Gabriella was in her twenties and studying Fine Art when she was asked to audition for a role. ‘It found me, really,’ she says. ‘A thing of chance.’ The Hampshire native headed for Hollywood and starred in films like Endless Love and Carrie before heading back to Britain and being cast in Poldark, a smash hit for the BBC. Initially, her character Caroline appeared to be your stereotypical spoilt little rich girl, which made it all the more satisfying when she actually turned out to be a daring, acerbic sweetheart.
With Season 3 now back on our television screens, we invited Gabriella to give us a lesson in how to pull off pre-fall’s most striking globetrotting pieces. Oh, and to tell us all about being discovered by Isabella Blow, corsets versus haute couture, and the magic of Poldark…
The 3rd season of Poldark is currently airing, you joined in the 2nd – was it daunting joining a show that was already such a huge hit?
‘I’d just had a baby when it [first] came out, so I sort of didn’t feel the full weight of it. The phenomenon that is Poldark had slightly passed me by. But definitely arriving on the first day with everyone else knowing each other already, being the new girl… It was nerve-wracking.’
Viewers have totally fallen in love with Caroline. Why do you think that is?
‘I think she’s a really great female character – she’s strong, she’s bright, she’s funny. For me, it was really [about] making sure she didn’t come across as a bitch, because she is sharp with people and she’s very quick-witted with the men. I wanted that to be something about her that was fun, rather than because she was jaded or angsty. I think she is bright beyond her standing and doesn’t necessarily want to exist in the world she’s been born into.’
Poldark is also famous for somewhat flipping the female gaze…
‘Yes, the women are strong and we’re objectifying the men, it’s a nice switch! There are a lot of strong women in Poldark, it’s a great show for that. I think almost all the female characters in it are very strong, and in very different ways – they kind of represent the different strengths within women.’
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