Helder Fernandes: From Harlesden to Hollywood? Netflix success and staying humble, side jobs as a working actor

An episode for aspiring actors looking for inspiration on resilience, success, and a grounding in the realities of being a jobbing actor.  Actor Helder Fernandes has starred in Black Mirror, Rings of Power, The Gentlemen, Top Boy, and the National Theatre's Our Generation.  In this down-to-earth conversation with Ali and Unique he shares his journey from struggling to get into drama school to starring in Netflix hits while maintaining a side job for a supermarket. Helder reflects on balancing fame with staying grounded, finding his confidence through Generation Arts, and the importance of remaining humble despite success in the industry.  He describes using lockdown to perfect self-taping skills that led to commercial and TV opportunities and shares his experience performing verbatim theatre in Our Generation at the National Theatre.He opens up about his lack of high school exam grades, struggles through three years of drama school auditions before finally being accepted and learning to embrace his unique journey and build confidence through drama school training.Helder is giving back to Generation Arts and showing others from similar backgrounds that success is possible, and we are sure you'll agree he is truly a role model to all aspiring actors out there. Subscribe, spread the word and turn on your notifications. Each guest brings their own take on resilience, so take what lands and leave what doesn't.Hosts & Guests:Ali Godfrey (Host)Unique Spencer (Host)Helder Fernandes (Guest)Send us a Text Message with your feedback, questions or requests for future episodesEmail: [email protected] Media:@ActingStrongInstagram: @GEN_ARTS Facebook: @GenerationArtsProduced & Edited by: Ali GodfreyActing Strong is brought to you by Generation Arts and this production is supported using public funding by Arts Council England. www.generationarts.org.uk