How 'Obsession' star Indira Varma went from being told to change her name to making a name for herself
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Actress Indira Varma is one of the most talented actresses in the industry. Varma is a versatile actress who has appeared in theater productions, TV shows, and movies. From playing a strong Ellaria Sand in HBO's 'Game of Thrones' to appearing as a double agent, Tala Durith in the Disney+ mini-series 'Obi-Wan Kenobi', Varma has showcased her flawless talent. Varma is gearing up for her upcoming role in Netflix's erotic thriller 'Obsession'.
The official synopsis of Netflix's 'Obsession' reads, "William falls in love with his soon-to-be daughter-in-law, Anna who's trying to keep both relationships but the truth always comes to light and someone is going to be hurt." And apart from Indira Varma appearing as Ingrid, the wife of William, Netflix's 'Obsession' stars Richard Armitage as William, Charlie Murphy as Anna Barton, and Rish Shah as Jay Farrow.
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Early life and struggles
Indira Anne Varma is a British actress, who was born in 1973. Varma is an only child to Indian Father, who was an illustrator, and a Swiss mother, who was a graphic designer. As an only child, Indira oftentimes felt lonely. Varma grew up in Bath, UK, where the family of Varma was considered an outsider. From an early age, Varma was drawn toward acting. However, Varma was not always supported by her parents. Her father, in particular, was against the idea of Varmna going into the field of acting. Varma's father badly wanted her to become a doctor. Later Varma noted that she was bad at science and only had a love for acting. Varma was solely determined to become the best actress in her field and started to appear in several school plays. Varma was cast in the school plays on her talents alone.
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Varma's love for theater made her join the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. While the experience at RADA is close to her heart, Varma felt intimidated at the academy. Varma began to self-doubt her choice of acting and began to wonder if theater is the fitting world for her. And what's worse, Varma was told to change her name to more of an Anglo-European name so that she would get more roles. But Varma decided to keep her name and wanted to lead the way for women to grow in their own identity. And after entering the profession of theater publically, Varma began to face several limitations. Varma was limited in the choices of roles that she can play, like being a part of the British Historical drama. And Varma was only given the role of a friend or girlfriend with no character arc but was asked to play with an Indian accent. Varma's role was only determined by the color of her skin. And even after playing the lead in 'Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love', Varma struggled to find a strong role for some time. Varma has also been a narrator. She has narrated 'A Mosquito at My Ear' and shared it via her Instagram. Varma has also voiced for some video games like 'Dragon Age: Inquisition', where she played Vivienne.
Varma's entry into Hollywood
Varma's breakout role came from the 2003 miniseries, 'Canterbury Tales', where the actress played the role of Meena. Varma then appeared in the 2004 movie 'Bride & Prejudice' as Kiran and as Niobe in the 2005 series 'Rome'.
Then Varma's global acclaim came from her role as Ellaria Sand, the love of Oberyn Martell in HBO's hit 'Game of Thrones'. Her powerful portrayal and the infamous death scene of Oberyn are one of Varma's career highlights. Then Varma went on to appear as High Priestess in 2014 'Exodus: Gods and Kings'. Varma then appeared as Piety Breakspear in the Amazon Prime fantasy series, 'Carnival Row'. She then appeared as Tala Durith in the Disney+ mini-series 'Obi-Wan Kenobi'. Varma is currently working on one of the most anticipated action movies of the year 'Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One'. Her latest project 'Obsession' is set to release on Netflix this April.
Her love for theater
Though Varma is currently one of the most seasoned actresses in movies and series, her love still resides in the theater. There is also a special reason for it. Varma met her husband, fellow actor Colin Tierney, while the pair were performing at the National Theater production of Othello in 1997. The couple has a daughter named Evelyn. The couple likes to keep their personal life private. Some of the notable performances of Varma in Theater include Olivia in Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night' at Wyndham's Theater in London and Jessica in Hysteria at the Theater Royal. And Varma appeared as Arkadina in 'The Seagull' at The Harold Pinter Theater.
'Obsession' is set to release exclusively on Netflix from April 13, 2023.