To celebrate International Women's Day, we decided to create a spotlight series on some inspirational women in our ON community. Next up we have Natalie Lauren, Actor and Filmmaker!

What are you doing now for work?

I have two aspects to my professional life. On one side, I’m an Actor and a Filmmaker; on the other, I’m a Mentor and Education Consultant. Acting is easy to explain: I work in plays, films, TV and Voice-Over. Funnily enough, in the last ON magazine I wrote that about the only area of the industry I’ve not worked yet is Commercials, which is a shame because they tend to be much more lucrative! I’m pleased to now update that to say that I shot 2 Commercials in 2024, and they were indeed more lucrative!

Being an Independent Filmmaker is the newest addition to my career, and it’s broad to encompass the variety of roles I’ve had in the film’s I’ve made: Writer, Director, Producer, Editor, Post-Production Supervisor. About the only thing I haven’t yet done is be a Sound Recordist!

What does a typical day entail?

There is no such thing! Making short film is like a series of projects that span 1-2 years. There’s different phases within that, and sometimes you’re working on more than one project in more than one phase. Then throw in the odd, unexpected audition, or sessions with my Mentoring students, and there really is no “typical”!

How have you got to where you are today?

A healthy mix of naivety, dogged determination, and a phenomenal support network that I certainly call on frequently. Genuinely, in all seriousness, I got here because I kept saying ‘yes’ to little things that I thought sounded interesting, I kept putting one foot in front of the other and insisting on doing everything to the best of my ability in the moment. I’ve never been good at future planning or big end-goals. The idea of a 5-year plan, to me, feels otherworldly. My ethos has been to make the best decision I can at the time with the information available and stay receptive to the opportunities that I come across.

Who is your inspirational figure?

Great question, for which I don’t have a simple answer! Lots and lots of people serve as inspirations for me, each for different reasons, which I combine into a little patchwork that I hope rubs off on how I do things somehow! I take a little nugget with me from that person, maybe a quality, ethos or element of their story, and just try to learn from it or be guided by it.

What was your fondest memory of your time at Norwich School?

I couldn’t possibly say! When I think about that time, it plays in my mind like a montage of all the smiles, the laughter, the people, buildings, experiences. It’s really sweet actually!

What makes Norwich School special to you?

The sense of a safe community which gave, at least to me, a huge amount of support and stability. The nurturing environment gave me confidence (and opportunity) to try out all sorts of things, which is where I began to learn what my strengths were and what I cared about. I feel unbelievably fortunate to have been able to have had that.

How do you think NS helped you get where you are today?

Absolutely. I know that how we think and who we are is a product of the environments we’ve been in, and the experiences we’ve had. It all informs what you learn along the way, and a big part of that is what you’re capable of and whether you matter. Norwich School was like a safe training ground, so that when you get out into the wider world, which is full with a lot more difficulty, you’ve practiced some of your skills enough that you don’t get too derailed by the challenges you’ll inevitably face.

What is your best bit of advice to current pupils and ONs?

Say yes to as many of the opportunities that are presented to you as you can. In my experience, it's off the back of opening yourself up to what's around you that other offers and opportunities come your way. — Always in ways you could never have planned. Shoot your shot, be nice, and make yourself proud.