Sonera Angel
8th May 2023
Interview: Amelia Kang
Photography: David Reiss
Styling: Charlotte Malley
Hair & Makeup: Alyssa Kraus
Sonera Angel – a trailblazing nonbinary and disabled actor who is currently starring in Netflix’s “Obsession”, chats to us today about their role as Sally Farrow in this impassioned series.
Thanks for talking with us at ReVamp! How have you been recently?
Hello hello ReVamp! Thanks for having me. I’ve been absolutely swept away! I don’t think I properly anticipated the impact that Obsession would have and how much my little piece of it would mean to people - I’ve been answering messages daily. It’s been wonderfully busy but chaos is where I thrive.
“Obsession” is a steamy thriller that depicts the unraveling of a love affair under unusual circumstances, where William falls for his intended daughter-in-law. What was it about this series that made you want to star in it?
Honestly it was talking to Lisa Barros D’Sa that really made me want to be a part of this world. I liked the scripts well enough but, talking to her, she was so passionate about the story they wanted to tell. I think while we may not all have had this exact experience, we’ve all been presented with something that would tear our world apart and had to choose wether to surrender to our desire over safety. Obsession embraces danger and desire and the dire fallout from it. I find that very compelling.
For the readers yet to watch “Obsession”, how would you sum up your character, Sally, in a few sentences?
Creative, queer, socialist child in a family of logical Torries.
What have you enjoyed the most about being a part of this series?
Getting to work with other British Indians! It’s so interesting actually because Lisa and Indira’s dads are Indian, just like mine! And we were talking about our childhoods and it was wild how similar our experiences were. How displaced we all felt; not quite white enough for the UK or quite brown enough for India. Across these different generations, we were going through the same things. That connection was amazing. It healed a part of me that had felt alone before.
Having starred in other thriller-esque shows such as “Dead Again” and “The Haunting of Borley Rectory”, is there something that draws you to these more gripping genres or would you be interested to try more light-hearted shows and films?
Well it’s funny actually cause I tend to play the lighter roles in these gripping stories. I’m usually the character that snaps sarcastically in the face of the apocalypse or helps bring about a happy ending… or as with Sally, teases her brother about his girlfriends. It’s more interesting to be the character that goes against the genre, so if I did something more light-hearted I’d love to be the bully, or villain and foil that energy.
You have some amazing art pieces on your Instagram – when did your love for art begin and what inspires you to create it?
Thank you! I’m trying to be less self conscious with sharing my artwork - it somehow feels more soul baring than anything I do on camera. You might as well ask when did I learn to breathe, my love for art has always been there. I adore stories, it’s why I act, it’s why I read, and stories are what inspire my artwork too. I’m always making up little narratives as I paint.
You can catch Sonera in 'Obsession' streaming now on Netflix.