May Garland

READ THE FULL ARTICLE IN WONDERLAND’S WINTER 21 ISSUE

Bethany Antonia might be best known for her role in Get Even, but her new role as the vivacious and rebellious teen, Kayleigh Shaw, in Stay Close is destined to take over. Based on Harlan Coben’s thriller, this series promises to be a suspense-filled, nail-biting watch. Stay Close disrupts the seemingly normal lives of Megan (Cush Jumbo), Ray (Richard Armitage), and Broome (James Nesbitt) with their haunting pasts, re-emerging enemies, and exposed secrets. But beware: it will have you questioning the people around you for the dark secrets they may be concealing.

We’re chatting on Zoom, and Antonia radiates positivity in her shimmering metallic outfit that seems to mirror her energy. We delved into our childhoods, the challenges of the pandemic, fun memories from set and the acting scene in Birmingham that helped nurture Bethany’s talent and led to her early success. “Birmingham needs a bit of belief to put ourselves on the map a bit more,” she shares. 

Despite not attending drama college, Antonia attributes her early success to the “ballsy mentality” of her younger self in attending acting workshops and casting calls. “I’m just grateful for going for it when I did,” she says. “ It’s really shown me that there’s not just one path into the industry, there are many ways in.” Sitting down with Wonderland, Antonia gives us the lowdown on her latest project…

Hi Bethany, how are you? 

BA I’m so good! Thank you for having me.

Congratulations on your role in Harlan Coben’s Stay Close! What drew you to this project?

BA I was a massive fan of Harlan Coben’s work. I’d read a lot of the books and watched all of the dramas he had done before starting this project. So, straight away I knew the kind of themes and style of Coben’s work and as soon as I read the first episode I was like, ‘I HAVE to do this.’ I was also really desperate to do something that felt like an adult drama as opposed to children’s television. 

How did you prepare for the role of Kayleigh Shaw? What initially interested you about the character?

BA Straight off the page, she sounded so fun. I liked how she wasn’t written older than her years. I feel like her and her best friend, Bea, speak as teenagers and they remind me of how I spoke when I was her age which you don’t always see in television programmes. I also just love how she immediately throws herself straight into the middle of the drama.

You act alongside Cush Jumbo, James Nesbitt, and Richard Armitage, to name a few. What was it like working with such a star-studded cast? Do you have any fun stories to tell from your time on set?

BA It was incredible! Working with Cush, especially, was just mesmerising. Her performance was amazing and she really was in every day. She didn’t have a single moment to herself. Everyone was so professional, lovely, and helpful. I had the best time working with all of them. I have an especially funny memory of working with Eddie Izzard, we had one scene together and there’s this funny dance she had to do … honestly, it was hilarious filming it. 

You started shooting in February and continued till July, how did you find acting during a global Pandemic?

BA Yeah, the lockdowns were a challenge and we were all socially inept and desperate to see people when we started haha! Our first read-through was a bit surreal, we were all in little booths with plastic sheets wrapped around us so we could be as safe as possible. I think there was kind of a magic buzz where everyone was just grateful to have a job and come into work. Everyone was also just so desperate to chat and socialise again. They were the first people I saw after the pandemic and we’re all besties now! 

 Let’s talk about your acting journey. What sparked your interest in the entertainment industry? Did you always know you wanted to be an actor?

BA I’ve always been obsessed with acting and putting on a show since I was very little, and when I got to secondary school I was in love with my drama lessons and had the most amazing drama teachers. It was kind of the only thing I really loved at school but I didn’t realise you could do it as a job. No one in my family is an actor, so I never really made the link between the actors I’d see on TV or in plays and that being their real job. Then one day, I was watching CBBC and I clocked the kids on TV weren’t playing themselves – they were acting. From that moment, I thought ‘OMG I want to do that!’ and basically did everything I could to get on the telly. 

You’ve grown up and attended school in Birmingham, a city known for its individualism and vibrant art and music scene. What are your thoughts on the acting scene in Birmingham and how has growing up in this city shaped you as an actor?

BA I think growing up here has definitely had an impact on my acting. Birmingham always seems to be off the map even though it’s the second biggest city in the UK. I think the art and acting scene here is amazing. The first thing I went to when I started pursuing acting was a television workshop for all ages. It was a non-profit organisation that allowed children to audition for roles. We got to audition for everything they needed child actors for in the Midlands as we were the only group really doing it. It was a great environment to grow up in because you were surrounded by anyone who wanted to be in the creative arts all in one place. We’ve also got some great theatres in Birmingham, like the Rep and the Hippodrome and really good acting schools.

The entertainment industry is known for being competitive. What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced with pursuing a career in acting?

BA It is quite hard when you’re starting from scratch and you don’t know anyone. You don’t have that friend of a friend who can put you in touch with people offering great opportunities. It can be quite daunting but because I was a child when I started, I was so unfazed and had that ballsy mentality you get when you’re young where you feel like you can do anything. I’m not sure it would be the same if I started out now. I’m just grateful for going for it when I did. It’s really shown me that there’s not just one path into the industry, there are many ways in.

Can you share with us a fact our readers might not know about you?

BA I lived in France till I was 12 and I actually think that’s had a massive impact on why I’m an actor.  I grew up in a tiny village in France and remember having lessons outside in the summer where it was always like, ‘Let’s go into the forest and make a play!’ or something. It was a really creative, free and fun environment, and so I think that inspired me to pursue a creative career path when I moved to England.

Alongside Stay Close, are there any other projects you’re excited about?

BA I am working on something really exciting but, unfortunately, I can’t reveal it just yet. Something to look forward to though! Keep your eyes peeled.