Screenwriter and performer Natasha Wood talks about her role as an ad campaigner for How to Look Good Naked... With a Difference.
When it comes to fashion, what do you think is the most important thing to remember?It’s important to choose clothes that make you feel hot to trot and confident in all you do and with all you meet. If I'm wearing an outfit I feel good in, then I'm 99% sure I'm set up for a rocking day.
When it comes to the fashion industry, what do you think is missing?Full inclusion. Every shape, size and ability should and could be represented by, and catered for by, high street fashion.
What does the How to Look Good Naked … With a Difference advertising campaign mean to you?This three part special not only highlights how important it is for everyone to feel good about themselves but our campaign will prove to retailers and the advertising industry that disability can be sexy and sell fashion. As a disabled gal myself who is passionate about looking and feeling as good as I can, I 'm over the moon to be part of something that could really make a difference.
What would be your ideal outcome for the campaign?For a major high street store to recognise that disability can sell fashion.
How do you think campaigns such as yours could change the face of fashion in the future?The industry needs to accept that hundreds of thousands of people in the UK have a disability and it's high time we are represented in fashion. If our campaign helps inclusion for all then bring it on, because it’s about time.
What would be your advice to anyone in a similar situation to you, who wanted to start a career in the media/theatre?Never give up. My dream was to be an actor, to perform on a big stage and to be in front of the camera and it took me almost 17 years to achieve it fully.
I studied as an actor but soon realised it wasn't going to keep me in the manner I intended to get accustomed to. So I began a career working behind the scenes as a TV Production Manager - an incredible job that led me to work on some of the most prestigious television programmes made both in the UK and the US. But after 14 yrs I knew in my heart that this wasn't my ultimate dream and so I quit, went back to re-train as an actor, took writing classes and wrote my own autobiographical stage play. I then performed it in Hollywood, Edinburgh and the West End and am now working with the UK Film Council adapting it from the stage to the screen.
I know that it is often the practicalities of life that stop us chasing our goals but sometimes I think that we can go on forever using it as an excuse, so never give up. Make your choice of career and aim for it. Get an internship and be hungry to learn, never be afraid to ask questions and do your home work. It’s a wonderful industry to work in and believe me there is never a dull moment. I'm now a TV presenter! Wow! How did that happen? Well that's what I love most about this industry.
