Gugu Mbatha-Raw Used a Matching Fragrance for Her Character in ‘Loki’

While some actors have drastic routines to get their head in the game, others like Gugu Mbatha-Raw have a subtler way of getting into character. 

Take, for instance, her role in the much-awaited Marvel series Loki. When she signed up to play the dark and mysterious Judge Renslayer, she had to stretch the boundaries of her "joyful, free spirited" personality. So, she got herself a fragrance to ease the transition. 

Getting Into Character

In an interview with GQ, the stunning actress touched on her preparatory routine. Unfortunately, because the global pandemic hindered her usual routine, she had to fast-track the process a bit. Still, she found her fragrance: a juniper berry scent. 

She explained that the scent of choice was more of an essential oil that she associated with Renslayer. However, she said that she only used it a bit. She added, 

I wasn't able to do what I would normally do, which is take the time, because of the restrictions of the pandemic, to find something completely unusual.

The article further reported that although the pandemic brought with it a ton of unforeseen circumstances, the calming effect of the sweet and woodsy juniper berries was a great pick for the lead peacekeeper of time across the multiverse. 

An Interesting Deviation

Further along in the interview, Mbatha-Raw dished out her take of the bureaucratic leader and her ways. She discussed how the audiences have become accustomed to seeing these archetypal villains and the heroes as two-dimensional, black and white even. 

However, her part in the series fit into neither. She was not the poster hero or the big bad evil villain. In retrospect, probably no character in the entire plot was, and Mbatha-Raw found that idea intriguing. 

I think the complexity of these morally grey characters, that nobody's ever completely good, nobody is ever completely bad, and obviously people do bad things with the best intentions as well, that was interesting to me.

Acting With an Old Friend

Apart from the plot, Mbatha-Raw also mentioned that she found comfort in being around British cast members while the world was in a frenzy because of the pandemic. 

She revealed that Tom Hiddleston was her classmate when they were still students in drama school. In addition, director Kate Herron and actors Wunmi Mosaku and Sophia Di Martino all have roots in England too.

Mbatha-Raw couldn't help but draw comparisons between her time at the drama school and the massive Marvel production. She was exceptionally proud of her old friend, who was "completely ruling" on such a scale. 

Still, Mbatha-Raw was being humble. She, too, has quite the roster lined up with her upcoming psychological thriller series, The Girl Before and Surface, and another Apple TV+ series that’s currently in development.

Mbatha-Raw already has about fifty acting credits under her belt. She is also a philanthropist known for her work as an UN-HCR supporter. The actress keeps busy with her acting career and activism that she has no time to have a boyfriend.

Nevertheless, the 38-year-old is living her best life. She ended the interview hoping that the answers left unanswered in Loki would keep fans wanting for more.