Anya Chalotra, best known for her role as Yennefer of Vengerberg in The Witcher, is stepping into a new world—literally.
Swapping the elaborate costumes of Netflix’s fantasy hit for a motion-capture suit, Chalotra takes on the lead role in Unknown 9: Awakening, an action-adventure game where she plays Haroona, a character with supernatural, dimension-hopping abilities.
The game, set in 20th-century India, features one of the few South Asian protagonists in a major video game, a fact that excites Chalotra both professionally and personally.
“I’ve not explored that part of myself – that fierce part of myself – in a role yet,” Chalotra told BBC Asian Network News.
She draws parallels between her dual heritage—her father is English and her mother is Indian—and Haroona’s identity, stating that she relates to “coming from two different worlds.”
Having grown up with influences from both Hinduism and Christianity, Anya shares how her background shaped her approach to her characters.
“Taken to the mandir [Hindi place of worship] one day and then Sunday school the next… I think that’s why acting’s helped so much – but I’m still figuring it out and think I will be for a long time,” she reflects.
Chalotra embraces this complexity in all her roles, saying, “I come with both—every character has both.”
Transitioning from live-action acting to motion capture was initially intimidating for Chalotra.
“You’ve got a camera on your head and I was like: ‘How am I gonna bring my process to this world?'” she said.
However, she soon discovered similarities between the two mediums, with a director guiding the scenes and multiple takes helping to shape her performance, just like traditional acting.
For Chalotra, bringing complex female characters to life can be an all-consuming process.
She admits that it’s difficult to leave her characters behind after a long day of shooting.
“I’m still in the process of doing that to be honest… although I’m not a method actor, it does alter you,” she explains.
Her method of “cleansing” herself of a character includes taking a shower or doing as much exercise as possible.
Unknown 9: Awakening is part of a larger franchise, with tie-in works planned to expand its universe.
Bandai Namco, the game’s publisher, is aiming to attract a broad audience in a competitive industry, and Chalotra’s role as a South Asian protagonist could help the game reach underrepresented demographics.
Chalotra is particularly excited about the game’s cultural representation.
“I know I’ll go home and see the girls in my family pick up this game and be excited by what they’re seeing and who they’re playing as,” she says.
But she also hopes the game’s appeal will resonate beyond her cultural background. “To be part of something which is going to be seen and played by, hopefully, thousands of people… it’s a blessing to be a part of.”
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