ELLA BALINSKA

The real-life gamer on her role in the new Resident Evil TV series

- Steve O’Brien

Right now, I’m in my gaming cave!” Ella Balinksa proudly states to SFX. In a gleaming white space somewhere in Los Angeles, it’s clear that the Westminster-born actor is living her best life now. A self-declared gaming geek, she’s now the lead in the TV adaptation of one of the greatest games of all time – and indeed one of her own favourites: Resident Evil. “I’ve actually just restarted Resident Evil 2, ’cos that was my favourite!” she says.

In Netflix’s latest reimagining of the iconic zombie franchise, Balinska is the adult Jade Wesker, sharing the role with 17-year-old Tamara Smart, who plays the teenage Jade in the modern day (the show takes place in both 2022 and 2036). It meant that she was away from home for most of the year, filming in South Africa. Now it’s finally out, will she be watching the episodes with her mates? “Oh yeah,” she laughs. “’Cos now I can say, look what I was away doing for eight months!”

Because of the dual timelines, presumably you didn’t actually get to work with the actors from the 2022 storyline, like Lance Reddick and Tamara Smart?