In a world where our mobile phones are the first place we go for help, HSBC is showing off their integration with Android Pay in a new advert. A smart, relaxed guy slips out a mobile and swipes the air to pay for his coffee. Most of us will identify more with the woman in front of him who was wrestling with a couple of bags, a yoga mat and a purse that was probably in one of these pockets. The actress, Scherrikar Bell, captures the awkward experience perfectly, offering sheepish grins to the queue as she struggles with her things.
Scherrikar plays for laughs in this commercial and it’s one of her strengths – comedy is where she started out, as a soldier in ‘Oh What A Lovely War’ on the stage in London.‘I’d liked acting but thought it wasn’t possible.That world was just so far away. I just thought there was no chance I could be an actress.’ Her next plan was to head into drama teaching so she started studying English Lit. and Drama Production. She did, however, open a profile on StarNow where she kept an eye out for work as an extra.
Starting out
When a theatre contacted her about auditions for a new play, the thought of being cast in a stage role was both exciting and unimaginable. However, the London riots were happening on the day of the audition. ‘My mum said “No! It’s too dangerous.” I was rebelling and it gave me even more of a reason to leave. So I went to that audition and I was awful but I was confident and cheeky and a few weeks later the director called me to say I’d got the part! That was the beginning of everything.’ After six weeks of intense training with the rest of the cast, she was on stage and getting laughs from audiences of hundreds. ‘That’s when I knew…forget being a drama teacher, I want to be an actress.’
She was picked up by an agent and took on various small roles, finding out the hard way that getting credits is the most important goal as you get started. ‘I missed one day of rehearsals due to commitments and the next day, another girl took my role! That was heartbreaking. Despite these difficulties, Scherrikar keeps her passion. ‘I love it…Dare I say, I’d do it for free because it’s something that I really enjoy.’
Breaking into TV and Film
And look at her now! Scherrikar starred in Eastenders, Meet the Adebanjos, and Doctors on
British TV before breaking into movies. Her most challenging role was playing the part of Maz Kanata in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Maz Kanata is a CGI character, and the opportunity meant that Scherrikar was able to learn motion capture acting from Andy Serkis, the star who played Gollum. ‘It was crazy! My knees had to be bent, my back hunched over, I had to create a really croaky voice like Marge Simpson.’ While Oscar winner, Lupito Nyongo, played Maz Kanata in the film, Scherrikar had already worked hard to lay the technical groundwork for her role.
You’re most likely to have seen Scherrikar in her biggest role to date, a hospital receptionist in Bridget Jones’ Baby. Once again she gets the laughs as she’s faced with Renee Zellweger in labor being heaved onto her desk by Colin Firth and Patrick Dempsey. Her scene made it into the trailer and the movie was a great success with a respectable 76% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Heading for the US
In 2012, Scherrikar attended a networking event in Hollywood, making connections. A key takeaway was that ‘It’s not just good enough to be an actor in America. You need something more, and you need to make a name for yourself in your own country.’ She took that advice to heart and became a professional cheerleader to add another facet to her image.
She’s been working hard and laying the groundwork for a potential move to the US. ‘There’s just more opportunity, more TV shows with main characters that are black. It would literally be a dream to be a lead in an American TV series or movie.’ In a sample of 1,172 UK films over the last 10 years, 59% didn’t feature a single named black actor (BFI Infographic: http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/features/black-actors-british-film-industry-statistics). The lack of diversity in the film industry is being challenged, for example, the #OscarsSoWhite controversy in 2016 when no actors of colour were nominated for the second year running. Important conversations were started, but there’s still a long way to go.
It’s also exciting, if heartbreaking, to see the allegations of sexual assault in the film industry. Seeing Terry Crewes open up about his experience ‘was amazing. He’s the ideal image of a macho man.’ While it’s hard to hear these stories, it seems like a dam has broken in Hollywood, and in other industries too. ‘Luckily I’ve never been in a position like that. I’m blessed to not have endured that.
Advice for the hopeful
Scherrikar started out in her acting career through an unexpected opportunity, and her message to other aspiring actors and actresses is just that. ‘Stay open to opportunities. It could be the smallest conversation with someone that could change your life. Also, understand your unique selling point and just run with it. Now I have my hair in a natural afro I’ve had so many more job offers. I wish I’d been true to myself from the beginning. Do NOT try and blend in. Someone out there will need a person like you in their film.’
The future
Confidence and perseverance have served Scherrikar well in her career, from her beginnings on stage to her appearance in a huge comedy film. You can see Scherrikar in the current HSBC Android Pay advert, an upcoming TBN commercial in America, and maybe the next big hit show on your small screen too! Cheering for you, Scherrikar!
Chloe Houghton
