Actress NATALIE MARTINEZ on playing badasses, training in Muay Thai, and her new show, The Crossing.
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From CSI: NY to APB to Kingdom, you’ve portrayed a lot of tough women. What’s the key to playing a badass?
You’ve just got to have it. You’ve got to be confident and not afraid to take risks. I feel like people see that in me when I step into these roles. I show up to work, I give it my all, and I think that reflects a strong personality.
We especially loved you in Kingdom as MMA fighter Alicia Mendez. Did you have to train like a pro athlete for that character?
I’ve been doing Muay Thai and boxing for years, even before I did that show. So that was already a part of my everyday life and training regimen, which gave me confidence. And I’ve done a lot of strength training and conditioning. I’ve always been very active. So I feel like that helped out with my body language and the way I carried myself.
Do you still do Muay Thai training?
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