Kristina Tonteri-Young
“Perhaps the most surprising thing has been how well the ballet training I received has supplemented the acting training and the work I’ve been lucky enough to do.”
Kristina Tonteri-Young is a Ballet Dancer turned Actor. She stars as Sister Beatrice in Netflix’s “Warrior Nun,” a delightful depiction of the fight between good and evil, fought by none other than an order of young nuns, based on Ben Dunn’s comic books.
Tonteri-Young was born in Helsinki, Finland, but lives in New York City (Far Rockaway to be exact) in-between filming. She originally trained as a ballet dancer, but after sustaining multiple injuries, ultimately decided to pursue acting. We sit down with the multi-hyphenate (in more ways than name) in our latest Spotlight Series.
You were trained as a ballet dancer, but transitioned to acting? Can you elaborate on that? I started dancing when I was 3 years old. By the time I was in my teens I’d suffered multiple injuries and had been through two surgeries, and finally realized that I could either continue to force something on my body that didn’t come naturally, or I could find a different creative avenue to pursue. For a while, I really didn’t know what I wanted to do. What does one do after leaving one of the best ballet schools in the world? It was kind of like stepping off the edge of a cliff and falling into an abyss, but luckily stagecraft and stories appealed to me so I decided to try acting.
What are some of your favorite ballets and why? Giselle was the first ballet I saw, and to this day it remains my favorite. To me, it conveys the message that there is no shame in being open-hearted and trusting in people, or pursuing something or someone completely, even if you end up failing or being hurt by them. There is always peace in forgiveness and love in letting go.
Another favorite is Spartacus, it’s the ballet that made me wish I was born male so I could dance the men’s roles, which is what I always wanted to do. Also, the music by Aram Khachaturian is breathtaking.
What are some of your favorite movies and why? The Count of Monte Cristo, Amadeus, and IP Man. Most likely because they all deal with very human conditions like jealousy, envy, injustice, revenge, righteousness, pride, love, etc.
Are there any similarities between ballet and acting? Differences? Audrey Hepburn made the same switch when she realized she would not make it as a prima ballerina by the way! Well, there are many similarities at first glance, of course, such as: telling a story and playing a character, but perhaps the most surprising thing has been how well the ballet training I received has supplemented the acting training and the work I’ve been lucky enough to do.
In terms of differences, I guess I would say that acting is a much more instinctive form of communication. In classical ballet, you have to understand exactly what you’re doing physically and you’d rather not have any surprises on stage. The steps are set, whereas in acting, of course, you go into it knowing where the scene is headed and where the character is coming from, but it’s a much more exploration-based form.
Who do you admire or most identify with? I guess I can relate to Audrey Hepburn a little, and I do admire her a lot. I really haven’t thought about it much. I also admire the actress Anna May Wong very much for her tenacity in fighting for visibility as an Asian-American in Hollywood.
I understand you are a surfer. Where did you learn or first try it and where is your favorite place to surf? I learned to surf right here in the Rockaways! I haven’t been surfing for long enough to try any cool spots abroad, but hopefully, that will change soon!
You currently play Sister Beatrice in Warrior Nun on Netflix. How did you prepare for the role? Any similarities between you and the character? Differences? Apart from the obvious that you do not have superpowers… that I know of! As with any role an actor plays, I believe there will always be degrees of similarities between them. We’re both quite goal-oriented and focused people, we care a lot for the people around us, and both of us could probably benefit a lot from learning what self-care and self-nurturing mean. I think she’s much more emotionally clammed up than I am, but then again I might be wrong, I don’t believe any of us are capable of being the most objective about our own emotional openness!
What are you reading these days? Recently I’ve read Oblivion by Sergei Lebedev, which has some of the most beautiful descriptive languages I’ve ever come across. The Mind is Flat: The Illusion of Mental Depth and The Improvised Mind by Nick Chater. Confessions of a Mask by Yukio Mishima, Death at Intervals by Jose Saramago, and The Stranger by Albert Camus.
What fragrance do you wear? What was your first scent memory? At the moment, I just wear lavender and rosewood. I think my first scent memory is the smell of dark rye bread, toasted, with melted butter on top. Also, the smell of my dad’s grilled cheese and ham sandwiches on the weekends. I seem to remember food-related scents best!
Where do you dream of traveling next? I’d like to go surf in Bali or Puerto Rico sometime soon, but I’ll be working in Spain later on this summer.
Do you have any morning or nightly rituals? I should be better about this, but, no, not at the moment. I’ve been trying to journal before I go to bed, but usually, it happens around the time of my morning coffee the next day.
What are your biggest fears? Being a disappointment to my family, ending up alone, living a life that I won’t want to/will be ashamed to look back on if it flashed before my eyes… you know, the usual.
Who inspires you or who would you like to dance, act, or surf with? At this point in the pandemic, I’d like to dance with just about anyone, to be honest! It’s hard to be specific, but I’d like to work with people who want to play and explore the work with me, and who don’t take themselves too seriously. As for surfing, I believe myself to be inspired every time I go out and see the lovely familiar faces of surfers who I’ve gotten to know over the last 6 months in the water and out. I’m inspired by their kindness and generosity, their beliefs, and their ways of relating to the ocean.
What’s next for you? Work-wise, the world is filled with waiting. Possibly an indie film in the works and the shooting of Season 2 of Warrior Nun should start sometime in the summer. On a personal level, I hope I get to discover some beautiful places this year, within, and without.
Text: Veronica H. Speck for Maison d’ Etto Photos: Stephanie Diani for Vogue Italia Follow: @kristina_tonteriyoung