Nicola Peltz Beckham is having a moment, and it started on the Lido: at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, she received the Kinéo Award “Rising Star in Venice”, an honor celebrating talent that bridges local appeal with international reach, and shared the experience with the iconic Faye Dunaway.
From the blockbuster sets of “Transformers” to the director’s chair of “Lola”, Nicola has now stepped into new territory with “Prima”, a story born from a character and concept she created herself. She plays Margo, a devoted prima ballerina whose life unravels as her ballet company changes around her. To get there, she trained in LA for eight weeks before filming, four to six hours a day, despite never having danced before: she grew up playing ice hockey.
We had the chance to talk with Nicola about the discipline behind the illusion of effortlessness, about telling stories from both sides of the camera, and about fashion as another form of storytelling. We also touched on the films she’d never expect people to find in her watch history, her favorite ways to switch off, and what home really means to her.
Congratulations on your Kinéo Award, to begin with! “Rising Star in Venice” sounds pretty iconic. How did you feel when you found out and what did it mean for you?
Receiving this award at the Kineo Awards during the Venice Film Festival – and being able to share the experience with the iconic Faye Dunaway – is a moment I will cherish forever.
The Kinéo Award specifically honors talent that bridges local appeal with international reach. How do you balance staying true to your personal artistic voice while appealing to a global audience?
I truly love being able to be a part of telling stories, and when people connect with them, that is all I could ever wish for.
Going from being directed in massive blockbusters like “Transformers” to moving to the other side on your own film “Lola”: what was the biggest “reality check” on day one behind the camera?
I’ve been so lucky to be on both sides of the camera and experience different aspects of a set.
I just love being able to connect with different people.
In your upcoming new film, “Prima”: your character, Margo, is described as a devoted prima ballerina whose life unravels as her ballet company changes around her; what drew you to a role defined so much by discipline and identity crisis?
I’ve always been inspired by ballet and how much intense discipline you have to have – how intense the process is just to make the performance look effortless. On stage, it looks like they’re floating, but these dancers have dedicated their entire lives to it. It was amazing to have the opportunity to step into that world to play Margo.
This story is based on a character and concept you created yourself. What was the seed of that idea, and how much of Margo comes from your own experiences?
What inspired me to create Margo was looking at what ballet dancers actually go through behind the scenes to deliver the most delicate, emotional, and complex performances you’ll ever see.
“I’ve always been inspired by ballet and how much intense discipline you have to have.”
You’ve mentioned that you underwent a dramatic physical transformation to play a professional ballerina. How did you prepare, and how did that process affect you personally?
I trained in LA with my ballet teacher, Katie, for eight weeks before filming, working four to six hours a day, and continued to train through filming. I didn’t grow up dancing, I actually grew up playing ice hockey, so it was definitely a very different process for me! But doing that work was so imperative to becoming Margo.
Now that you’ve directed your first feature, do you find yourself watching movies differently as a viewer?
Ever since I was on set at a young age, I’ve always paid attention to all the little details.
You’re deeply connected to fashion as well as cinema: do you use style to build your characters, or are those two completely separate worlds for you?
Picking how a character dresses is such a main aspect of creating them; it’s another form of storytelling that inspires me so much.
On “Prima,” getting to collaborate with my friend and head of wardrobe, Sara, on Margo’s clothing was amazing. We put so much thought into every single choice, whether it was sweatpants from Target or a vintage Chanel jacket she took from Star’s wardrobe. I enjoyed the collaboration of building her wardrobe so much.
What’s a film you love that people would be totally surprised to find on your watch history?
“Girl, Interrupted.” Angelina Jolie is a huge role model for me.
When you need a complete creative reset, where do you go or what do you do to escape the noise?
Play with my dogs!
If someone turned on your playlist right now, what song would be playing?
Honestly, Brooklyn is constantly making new playlists for me, but I love anything Olivia Dean.
What does it mean to you to feel comfortable in your own skin?
To me, it’s about knowing who you are and trusting your gut. But with social media and this industry, it’s hard not to listen to and read other people’s opinions on me. Learning to tune that out is something I’ve been working on.
What is home to you?
Home is wherever I’m with my family, my dogs, and Brooklyn – add in eating sushi and watching an episode of “Sex and the City,” and that’s truly my favorite place to be.
Photos by Johnny Carrano.
Interview by Valentina Carraro.
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