When she took on the role of Jessica Watson in Netflix’s hotly anticipated bio-pic True Spirit, Teagan Croft didn’t expect to find common ground with one of the world’s youngest solo global sailors.
“We started filming during Covid, so I didn’t get to see my family and friends. I was incredibly lonely,” says Croft of her experience capturing Watson’s 210-day solo circumnavigation.
“There’s a scene in the film where Jess gets lonely on the boat and there’s no wind and she’s calling her family at Christmas. In real life, it was my sister’s birthday and the first family holiday that I’d missed out on. So I resonated with what Jess would have felt. People talk about acting being cathartic but frankly I hadn’t really felt it a lot until I shot those emotional scenes in the film.”
While a solo world voyage remains a pipe dream for Croft, the actor did learn how to navigate the sails for the role.
“I had never sailed before. It was challenging but I can confidently say that I can successfully do my part in a crew,” she says.
Launching onto the scene in the role of Raven in the DC series Titans, Croft quickly found her feet in Hollywood. “Growing up, my uncle had a bunch of old comic books that I’d always read,” she says. “Being part of the DC Universe has been incredible. I was shocked by how welcoming the community has been. It really bonds people.”
And what does a woman on the rise want to do next? She takes the road less travelled. “I’d love to be in a murder mystery. I’m always up reading murder mysteries. They’re kind of on the comeback. I’ve always loved the old series, like Miss Fisher’s.”
True Spirit is out now on Netflix.
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