Baby Reindeer’s Nava Mau wants Star Wars role after ‘beautiful’ breakout year

Baby Reindeer star Nava Mau has shared her hope of one day being cast in the Star Wars franchise, following her hugely successful breakout year.

Speaking exclusively to PinkNews as she’s named as one of 42 must-watch creatives in the BAFTA Breakthrough initiative, the actress divulged her dream roles now that she has received international recognition for her turn in Richard Gadd’s queer Netflix thriller series.

“I mean, I’ve always wanted to create my own TV series, so that is still dream number one,” she said. “But I would love to be in the Star Wars world. I would lose my mind if that happened. Hopefully, one day.”

Mau first became a Star Wars geek as a child, but has recently got back into the franchise with new shows such as The Mandalorian, starring Pedro Pascal, and Andor. 

Her dream may not too far out of reach, given that the franchise has been increasing its trans inclusion. Earlier this year, Abigail Thorn became the first trans actress to star in a Star Wars series by appearing in The Acolyte, while new book, The Secrets of the Clone Troopers, introduced trans stormtrooper Sister.

Meanwhile, the TV show Mau’s working on also exists in the sci-fi world.

“There’s a series I’ve been working on for three years now, and it’s a sci-fi show. I kind of thought it would be impossible to pull off a sci-fi series, but that is kind of what I’m now manifesting,” she revealed.

Mau’s year began in earnest in April with the release of Baby Reindeer, in which she plays comedian Donny’s (Richard Gadd) trans girlfriend.

Her scenes included her confronting Martha (Jessica Gunning), who spends the series stalking Donny, only to be met with a physical and verbal racist and anti-trans abuse.

The role resulted in her becoming one of very few trans actresses to be nominated for an Emmy Award, in the outstanding supporting actress in a limited or anthology series category. She ended up losing out to Gunning.

The BAFTA Breakthrough initiative in which she has been listed for 2024 provides industry support to film, TV and vide-game creatives at a breakthrough moment in their careers. It’s supported by Netflix.

“It’s almost impossible to explain, it’s been a non-stop ride and it’s been beautiful getting to meet so many different people and to feel I don’t have to be so afraid of my own dreams any more,” Mau said of her huge year.

“I’m hoping this is just the beginning.”

While Mau was praised for portraying a trans woman in a relationship with a cisgender man – a form of representation that has been distinctly lacking on screen – she’s keen for trans actresses to be able to tell stories detached from their gender identity.

“I don’t know a single trans actor who feels they have too much work available to them,” she said. “So often trans actors are still relegated to roles that are meant to serve only one very specific purpose in the story, and that hinges on them being trans. There’s not much else in terms of character development.

“So, we still have a long way to go but more than anything, we need to be seen for all that we are and all that we can be because that’s simply a reality.”

In the face of Donald Trump winning back the White House, Mau hopes that the success of stories such as Baby Reindeer, and the queer stars behind them, sent a message to those hoping to strip the LGBTQ+ community of its rights.

“Something I really appreciate about Baby Reindeer is how complex all the characters are, and no one is a perfect victim, no one is quite a hero. That’s something we can all relate to.

“That’s what makes us human and a show like Baby Reindeer and others like it demonstrate that queer people and trans people are undeniably human.”

Other stars included in this year’s BAFTA Breakthrough cohort include Juice creator Mawaan Rizwan, Lost Boys & Fairies writer Daf James, voice actor Jennifer English, and Fancy Dance director Erica Tremblay. 

A full list of this year’s BAFTA Breakthrough cohort can be found here.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.