From 'The Boys' to 'Ginny & Georgia': Meet Nathan Mitchell

Canadian actor Nathan Mitchell has become a standout name in Hollywood, thanks to the consistent quality of his acting performances and his recent roles as the mysterious Black Noir in Prime Video’s The Boys and the charismatic Zion Miller in Ginny & Georgia. 

Mitchell holds the captivating talent to slip seamlessly between characters and display depth in each performance, whether it be as a silent masked figure with superhuman strength, or as a heartfelt father figure. 

Courtesy of Nathan Mitchell

In an exclusive interview with New Wave Magazine, Mitchell shares his story on how he began his acting career, some of his pre-filming rituals, how he channels his own experiences into his craft,  and how he uses himself as a vessel to embody a script's story to the best of his ability. 

What first drew you to acting and when did you realise it was something that you wanted to pursue?

Yeah, it's interesting because it started a long time ago. When I was a kid Power Rangers was my jam. And it would make me want to play fight, a lot. So eventually my mom was like, “No more Power Rangers.” But I loved them so much that I needed to engage with them in some way. So because I couldn’t watch them, I decided to draw them. And pretty soon drawing became my favourite pastime.

That lead to me applying for the visual arts program at Cawthra Park Secondary School. I had been drawing for probably like seven, eight years at that point. The only problem was that programme was based around telling you what to draw. They had to teach you the craft and measure your progress. But I didn’t go to start drawing so I could be told what to draw. So my interest and engagement quickly dissipated.

I felt like if I stayed in this program, I was gonna flunk out. One day my teacher asked me to take something to the drama class. I walked over to that room and realised “Oh, these people are more like me than everyone in my class.” So I decided to audition for the drama program.  For the first few years, it was just a fun way to get on stage and make people laugh. Then, I realised if I really invested and put myself into it, it could be really fulfilling and rewarding. So I did that. Near the end of 12th grade, I was doing this monologue, stomping on the ground, and had this vivid flash in my mind of a coral reef that was teeming with life. It was so vivid.

This moment was special because while I can see images in my mind, they aren’t always particularly strong. Sometimes I have to put effort into it. The ability to generate images in your mind is called phantasia, and it operates on a spectrum. Some people see things as vividly as the real world. Some people have an mind that is empty, quiet, and blank. Their imagination is more conceptual. Mine is like that most of the time. But what I experienced during that monologue was so vivid that from then on, I was hooked. I had this sense that if I explored the world of acting, I could explore the world of myself.

What is it that draws you to specific roles? Is it that you see yourself reflected in certain characters, or is it more of an instinctive pull? 

I think when I read a script I try to sense whether I can really feel the truth in it. Then it becomes about whether I resonate with the subject matter and if it feels like it's something I can bring my creativity to.

With both The Boys and Ginny & Georgia, you could feel in the pilots that these writers had something to say. They had a unique opinion that they felt passionate about. Those are the stories I want to be a part of. 

Do you have any rituals or habits you follow before you get on set, or when you spend time alone with the script? How do you prepare yourself to deliver your best performance?

I like to record my scenes and play them again and again, letting the lines seep into me. While I'm listening to it, little ideas will come up, and things will hit for me that I wasn't thinking of before. Then I'll go into every line, I'll say them again and again.

If I'm able to, I practice with someone. Though that really depends on how tight the security is  around the script. Sometimes I have to work on them alone because they’re so top secret. But in those moments where I am able to work with somebody, I love to really dial into every line and understand what my character wants, what their wounds are, what their blind spot is, what obstacles they're facing, what's the truth they need to grow towards, and what flaws they need to grow away from, understanding them as a person on a journey toward something.

There are so many different ways I like to play to get into a role. Whether it's taking a line and physically expressing that line through my body or playing around with different ways of delivering it or putting the line into my own words before I bring it back to the original dialogue.

There's the script analysis portion, and then there’s just jumping in and discovering it with somebody else. It’s kind of like a river. You can look at it from the outside for as long as you want, but until you jump in and get wet, you're don’t really have an experience of it.

In your role as Black Noir in The Boys, so much of your performance is nonverbal. Were there any references or inspirations you drew from, either from film, TV, or earlier nonverbal performances?

Yeah, there’ a lot of instinct that played into it. Basketball and Taekwondo were a very core part of my life growing up, so physicality has always been a natural thing for me. I researched and worked with different movement coaches to prepare myself for the role. But ultimately, it came down to following my instincts and discovering my own personal process with the character.

At some point I realised that even though he was silent he had a lot to say. So I explored that.  I gave him a line, then expressed what that line would feel and look like physically. Then I’d distill it down, level by level, until it got subtle enough to put into the performance.

Communication is mostly body language, right? So he was always speaking, even though there were no actual words coming out of his mouth. It was just about connecting to his wants and fears and letting that influence how he moved through the world.

You’ve mentioned conecting to characters through your own experiences. Season 3 Ginny & Georgia deals with a lot of emotional themes, especially around family. Do you ever draw from real life when performing those intense or difficult scenes as Zion?

Yeah, for me the primary basis point for Zion and his relationship with Ginny has been my relationship with my youngest sister. There’s a 14 year difference between us, so growing up I was a brother but also an authority figure. I experienced those two different roles with her.

I didn't necessarily have to lay down the law, but sometimes I could be there to say, “Hey, this is what we’ve got to do”, or “this is how it has to be”. At the same time, I could be just there and we could just have fun, play, hang out.

I think because Zion wasn’t as present in Ginny's life growing up, he didn’t feel like he had the authority to impose his will the way Georgia had until Season 3. Combine that with his general philosophy on life and it leads to a more gentle supportive approach. But ultimately I just took all the love and care I have for my sisters and put it into that relationship, and then adding a tinge of, okay, now you're actually the parent here. I think that's how I connected to the role.

Courtesy of Nathan Mitchell

Without giving too much away, what moments from Season 3 stood out to you as pivotal for Zion’s growth, or introduced new challenges we haven’t seen him face before?

Yeah, I mean, there's a lot, right? Season three really flips a lot on its head in regards to Zion. I think Zion he’s really caught off guard by a lot of things, and he tries to do the best he can.

I think he’s always seen Georgia in a particular light. And the events in Season three force him to take a different look at her. He had always put what Georgia wanted for Ginny above what he thought was right for her. And this season really makes him question whether that’s the best approach.

Both The Boys and Ginny & Georgia are on streaming platforms, and the industry has changed a lot with instant audience feedback. As an actor, how has this shift impacted your process? Does it feel more rewarding or exciting to experience the release and hear reactions compared to traditional TV?

Yeah, it's interesting because when you think about traditional TV, they would be writing and filming at the same time. You’d see the reviews and there would be chatter about it, but that’s about it. Now you can read every audience member’s opinion.

There are multiple levels to it. You hear what people are thinking, no matter what it is, and that can be really rewarding. Sometimes it's more information than some people want or need. I think it’s great to get such an in-depth level of feedback from the audience. But you have to be able to take everything with a grain of salt.

There’s also this dynamic now where you read everything through your phone. Whether it’s people loving your performance or feeling a certain way about it. Reviews, viewership numbers, you see all of that through your phone, so it’s very convenient, but it’s not the same as real world human interaction.

The most rewarding thing is when you’re walking down the street and someone says, “Hey, I really loved what you did with this character. It affected me so much, and it means a lot.” When you get that face-to-face interaction and get to hear about how your work has affected someone, that’s one of the best parts for me.

Looking back to when you were starting out in art school, what advice would you give for navigating the industry, especially with all the changes we’ve talked about? Also, how has your Caribbean background influenced the roles you choose and your experience navigating the acting industry as a Black actor?

I think for any artist starting out, the most important things to develop are your skill and technique. From a creative standpoint you have to get in touch with your instincts, your intuition, your voice, your own sense of authority. Working on yourself is really important too. Because learning to separate your self-worth from your acting ability or career success is vital. That trips a lot of people up. You also need to be grounded in who you are, whatever comes your way, whether it’s a big breakthrough or a struggle through hard times, if you’re not grounded, any big change or challenge can really mess with you.

Find a process that you enjoy. Because when you love the process you’ll put more work into it. The more work you put in, the better you’ll become.

When I look back over my career and the roles I’ve gone out for, there haven’t been too many stereotypical roles. There are some I’ve been asked to audition for, for sure. But especially as my career has gone on, I’ve found the roles I go out for have reflected who I am as a person rather than a stereotype. So look for an agent or a manager that sees your uniqueness. If you feel like you’re continuously going out for stereotypes in a way that isn’t serving you, ask them why and see if that can change. If not, it may be time to find new representation.  

I think the biggest things you have control over is who you select to be your representation, the skillset you develop, the market you put yourself in, and the people you surround yourself with. When you feel it’s necessary, you can also join forces with other to collectively advocate for change.

Outside of that, you just have to stay ready. There’s a lot of luck and timing in this career. You just have to have faith in life, faith in yourself, and believe that as long as you take care of everything within your control, things will work out.

Look at your favourite actor or actress and ask, what do I need to do to get on their level, to be in a scene with them and be able toe-to-toe? Who are the people I can surround myself with professionally and friendship-wise who are going to be my champions, believe in me, challenge me, and have my back? How can I put myself in markets or scenarios that will cherish my skill and talent and treat me accordingly?

Those are the questions we can ask to put ourselves in the best position to succeed.

Are there any roles you see yourself in or feel drawn to? And is there anything upcoming that your fans should look out for, or anything you see on the horizon for yourself as an actor?

With both The Boys and Ginny & Georgia, I couldn't have imagined those roles before they came.

But it's funny because I say that and then I realise they do have connections to some of my favourite television characters. When I was younger, I Ioved Smallville, I loved Spider-Man: The Animated Series, I loved superheroes. And I’ve now I’ve played one in Black Noir.

Californication is also one of my favourite shows. I love the relationship between Hank and Karen. And I think Zion and Georgia have an echo of that. Of course, some of the events in Season 3 change things a lot. Hopefully, they can come back from that.

But it is funny that while I don’t even try to think of what roles could come next, I have ended up playing roles and relationship dynamics that resemble ones I really connected with growing up. At the end of the day its always about writing and the writer. What world are they trying to create? What truth are they plugged into? What perspective are they burning share with the world? The more I can feel that from script, and the more I resonate with it, the more I want to be a part of it.

In my ideal world, I'd love to be working on a series for part of the year, then a franchise movie, and an indie movie, and having that be the yearly cycle. If there's any role that I would really love to play, it would be a Will Turner type role in Pirates of the Caribbean. I love that movie. I love that franchise.

And then Idris Elba’s Luther is another character and performance that I find so inspiring. I’d love to jump into something like that.