Hollywood Actress Angela Dixon Shares Her Incredible “Never Let Go” Journey

Angela Dixon has trained at Goldsmiths College [BA Hons Drama/English] and the Drama Studio London. She spent 8 years studying with Stefan Gryff in his one to one screen acting tutorials and has also studied with Andrew Higgs [Alchemy of Screen Acting].

Angela is best know for her role as Lisa Brennan in the UK award winning feature film ‘Never Let Go’ by Howard J Ford. She plays a single American mother desperately searching for her missing child following an abduction. Shot in Morocco, Spain, US and the UK; ‘Never Let Go’, also stars Bafta award winning actress Lisa Eichborn, Nigel Whitmey, Velibor Topic and Heather Peace. The movie will be released by a Hollywood studio at the beginning of June.

She won Best Actress at the Artemis, Women In Action Film Festival in LA and has garnered much praise from critics and audiences alike; ‘a towering tour de force’, ‘Electrifying central performance, ‘Powerhouse performance’, ‘Superb lead turn from the totally committed Angela Dixon’.

Angela is latest movie, NEVER LET GO, is the latest feature from HOWARD J FORD, director of the number one US and worldwide horror hit ‘The Dead’, which follows the heart wrenching journey of single mother and ex FBI agent as her baby is taken whilst on holiday. It has already won the Best Independent Feature at the 2016 National Film Awards and Best Actress, Best Director and Best Film at the Artemis Women-In-Action Film festival, LA.

Namita Nayyar, President Women Fitness catches up with Angela Dixon on movies, fitness and motivational tips.

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

You have acted in more than 20 films and are best known for your performance in Never Let Go (2015), Offensive (2016) and Dead End (2012). Walk us through your incredible acting journey and tell us how it all began?

Ms. Angela Dixon:

It all began at a very young age.  I had always wanted to be an actor growing up but I didn’t really think that it could be more than a dream. Then, at the age of 16, I played the part of Barbara Allen in ‘Dark of the Moon’ at college and it appeared that I had some talent. At that point it started to become a reality for me. I studied drama at college, University and finally I went to drama school. So all in all I studied drama and acting for 6 years. Although the real learning starts when you are actually on the job.

My journey has been a character building one. Like most artists it’s been a heady mix of sacrifice, dedication, perseverance, hard knocks and some incredible – pinch yourself – highs. There is always that tantalizing next opportunity that is just out of sight and the challenge is how to get there. A little like climbing; you are clinging to the rock face on your way to the summit, every movement of your limbs is crucial to your survival and your success. My role in ‘Never Let Go’ has hoisted me further up that rock face, there is some stunning scenery and my heart is pounding. It’s an exciting time.

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

Introduce us to a day in your life.

Ms. Angela Dixon:

My days are rarely the same and everything can change with a phone call.  You can often get a call late in the day for a casting tomorrow with pages of lines to learn. You have to be on the ball so you drop everything and prepare.  If I am working from home, my day could involve looking for work, networking, PR, marketing, accounting, reading a script, research and character preparation. If I am not acting I feel restless and frustrated so I may well work all day into the evening. Historically, I haven’t recognised weekends.  I’m addressing that!

Whilst filming ‘Never Let Go’ I would get up around sunrise and do at least an hour of physical training and yoga. The rest of the day would involve shooting several scenes in different locations, often scheduled last minute and sometimes we filmed into the early hours of the morning. I did my own stunts so I had to climb walls, jump off buildings, fight several male characters, run barefoot through litter strewn streets and over rooftops of suspect construction. I loved that level of physicality and embraced the risk. I felt alive!

All content on this site is copyright of Women Fitness and no part of any article found on this site may be reproduced without an express permission and highlighted, do follow link crediting http://www.womenfitness.net/ or preferably the original page as the source. This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.

All Written Content Copyright © 2017 Women Fitness

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine?

Ms. Angela Dixon:

I go to the gym between 5 to 10 hours a week. 5 is the minimum I can do without feeling out of my body. As an actor you are a conduit for your character’s emotions, thoughts and actions. Having a healthy body gives me an instrument fit for purpose through which I can better express my character’s story. Whilst preparing for ‘Never Let Go’ I was training 2 to 3 hours a day.

My fitness regime tends to include a combination of aerobic combat, boxing, and weight training. I used to teach yoga but have fallen off the bandwagon recently. I need to get back to it.  It’s such a leveler. I love boxing training, it’s one of the most physically exhausting forms of exercise I have ever done. I am literally reeling by the end of it. I also love it because it demands complete focus, an absolute commitment from initiating the movement to completing the punch and there is a real communion with and respect for your training partner. I experience it as a spiritual practice.

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

What kind of diet do you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?

Ms. Angela Dixon:

I don’t consciously think about my diet any more. I have programmed my mind and body to eat certain things and amounts. I tend not to eat a lot of carbs, I stay away from deep fried and processed food and I don’t really eat much chocolate. I could start to eat an Easter egg in April and still have some left the following March. I eat mostly as a vegetarian although I will eat fish and meat occasionally. I eat a lot of pulses, fruit and vegetables and nuts.

Avocadoes, aubergines and spinach are a weekly must have on my plate. I found it really difficult to eat enough whilst training for ‘Never Let Go’ as I am used to controlling my intake. I had to force myself to eat more, it felt deeply uncomfortable and I still wasn’t consuming enough. Steve Cole, my personal trainer, motivator and friend is always telling me to eat more!

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

You have glowing skin and gorgeous hair. Tell us about you haircare & skincare routine.

Ms. Angela Dixon:

Thank you! I hate to say this but I use Nivea on my face which is a reasonably cheap, no thrills moisturizer. I also use a vitamin C supplement serum.  I think what you put in your body, how much sleep you have and your stress levels have more impact on your skin.  I try to drink 8 glasses of water a day with the emphasis on ‘try’, I rarely drink alcohol, or sugary drinks. I also take a collagen supplements and n-acetyl I-cartnitine & alpha lipoic acid which really makes your skin shine. However, underpinning all of this is your thoughts and intentions – if they are positive you are going to shine regardless of the symmetry of your face or smoothness of your skin.  Past first impressions, we see personality and intentions when we see people.  I think there is far too much pressure on women to look a certain way. I feel it intensely.

As for my hair I swear by Moroccan oil, other than that my hair regime is reasonably none existent apart from tipping my head upside down when drying and minimal styling. Working in a play or film can really damage your hair. I once had crimped hair for a character on a month shoot which took away all my natural wave. I had to have a big chop to try and bring it back to life. It took over a year for it to recover.

Video

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

Your performance in Never Let Go has been commendable and excellent. Would you like to share with us your experience shooting the movie?

Ms. Angela Dixon:

Thank you!  I have been humbled by the reaction to my performance in ‘Never Let Go’.  When you take a leading role your neck is on the line.  My character carries the film and that is a lot of responsibility.  So it was a huge relief to get a positive reaction to my work. I put my heart and soul into it.

Playing Lisa was intense. It was a big opportunity for me and I was terrified of failure to the point of paralysis.  A week before filming I was really scared that I wouldn’t be able to do it, in fact that feeling stayed with me through most of the shoot. My antidote to this debilitating fear was to prepare within an inch of my life. I went through my inner world and imagination with a fine tooth comb to build her character.  For 5 weeks prior to filming I worked 7 days a week, 12+ hours a day analysing the script, exploring her emotional and psychological world, finding her voice and honing her body.  I took one day off – on my birthday.

By the time I got on set I was ready although of course I didn’t realise it at the time.  I knew every thought, emotion, action, motivation, need, want and innermost fear of Lisa Brennan.  She became part of me.

Working with Howard Ford, the director and writer of ‘Never Let Go’ was the most incredible experience, he is a filmic alchemist and the nicest man in the business. I was so safe in his hands, there was an intrinsic trust, respect and care in his direction which really enabled me to use my craft which was essential in the conditions we were working under.  This was guerilla filming, tense, on the edge and spontaneous.  I needed to be on my mettle.

Lisa was physically trained and I did all my own fight scenes and stunts so I needed to be in peak physical condition.  Training hard also helped me to keep my focus with the pressure I was putting myself under.  I had three angels on my shoulders whose expertise and support really kept me sane and on track.  Steve Cole, my personal trainer, who got me in shape, Liz Robson my physio who kept on mending me as I broke a lot, and Paige Walker the most amazing voice coach out there.

It is so rare to get a leading role as a woman – we are drastically underrepresented in story-telling – I wanted to do justice to it and us. It was really important for me to make Lisa a multifaceted real woman and not just a cardboard cut-out action figure.  I wanted her to be vulnerable as well as strong. My mantra was ‘let the audience see me’ and by me I meant Lisa.  I think that’s something we can all learn from. Let people see us! If you watch ‘Never Let Go’ and like it spread the word.  If we support female centric story-telling it will give the industry confidence to make more.  We are 50% of the population, it’s time our stories were equally represented.

Dixon is electrifying on screen – she makes sure that her character matters. But she also holds all the keys to the story; whether it’s her mysteriousness or the thrilling action heroine, she carefully balances a line between Jason Bourne, Lara Croft and Carrie Mathison.

It’s been overwhelming that so many people have been deeply moved by ‘Never Let Go’. I was in a taxi the other day and the driver had seen it.  He talked so passionately about how it affected him as a dad.  He said my character was a role model for both men and women to have determination to fight for what’s right.  That was a very uplifting ride!

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

Tell us about your Top 5 Fashion Must-haves.

Ms. Angela Dixon:

The most important person in my fashion world is Portia Shaw from POP PR. She always dresses me when I have an event and I wouldn’t know what to do without her.  She pulls garments off the rails and almost by magic makes them look good on me.  It’s a real talent.  In my own wardrobe my must haves are Skinny Jeans, combat trousers, thigh length boots, a pair of killer heels and a red-carpet dress from my favorite designer MimiTran.

Video

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

Share with us your Top 5 Exercises to stay fit.

Ms. Angela Dixon:

Sun salutations are a great way to increase and maintain flexibility, full press-ups for upper body strength [I did press-ups before every scene in ‘Never Let go’], dead lift, – which is one of the best full-body exercises I know – squats –  I even do them drying my hair and brushing my teeth, and the best abdominal workout is engaging them all day every day. I think the key to a successful exercise regime is to be consistent and find a way to include it in your routine so that it becomes part of your life.  Finding a form of exercise that you enjoy really helps, especially on those days when you would rather do nothing and trust me I have many of those.

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

Advice and motivational words to the inspiring and budding actresses who all are your fans, they shall like to know from you, what they should do for their climb to ladder of success in field of acting?

Ms. Angela Dixon:

The best advice I could give to an aspiring actor is that if it’s not essential for you to act, don’t do it. You will experience off the scale rejection and fierce competition. If you must act then apply to the top drama schools and keep trying until you get in. They open doors.

Know your brand. Who are you? How do others perceive you? Once you’ve discovered it, sell it.

Find a way to keep positive through the rejection because if you think you’re not worthy you won’t work.  Be resilient, be pro-active and build networks of people within the industry who you respect and like. And remember networking is not about what you can get from others it’s about what you can do for others. Be generous.

When you work, especially on film, don’t get distracted by the social, keep your head down and do your best work. If you start to become successful and people put you on a pedestal treat them with respect and make them equal in your presence. Keep your feet on the ground whilst reaching for the stars.

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

What do you wish to say about the website Womenfitness.net and message for its visitors?

Ms. Angela Dixon:

I think that WomenFitness.net is a truly inspirational support for women. It’s a one stop shop for us to help maximize our health and fitness. I was really honored to be asked to be part of it.  I am passionate about health and fitness.  I have always been athletic and am a trained fitness instructor and yoga teacher. I no longer teach but fitness is an integral part of my life. I notice as I get older that people use age as an excuse for excess weight or lack of fitness. I understand how that thought process happens and I strongly believe that it is a self-limiting belief. We are as fit as the work we put in regardless of age.  I am the same size and shape I was at 21 and that is no accident – I have worked at it.  I intend to keep exercising as long as my body will allow me.  No excuses.

My message is that wherever you are on your fitness journey keep going.  There will be days when you won’t want to do it, there will be times when it hurts, when you don’t think you are progressing.  Trust that sustained action will bring success in the end whatever your goal is.

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

Lastly, share with us your future plans regarding movies.

Ms. Angela Dixon:

I have a couple of projects in the pipeline. I am cast in the feature film ‘Homeless Ashes’ by Marc Zammit with Jason Flemyng [X-Men: First Class, Kick-Ass] which I’m really looking forward to.  I can’t mention the other film at the moment but it’s rather exciting.  I have my eyes on a part in a great quality TV series next.  I’m a big fan of ‘Homeland’, ‘The good wife’ and I have just finished watching ‘The People v OJ Simpson’ which was staggeringly good.  If anyone is reading who can make it happen – cast me in the next big TV drama!

Video