Sofia From Hip-Hop to Hollywood

CULTURE

SOFIA: FROM HIP-HOP TO HOLLYWOOD

See how Sofia Boutella transforms from a young ballet dancer to rising Hollywood star.

PHOTOS AND INTERVIEW

by TATIJANA SHOAN

WEB EDIT

by KRISTOPHER FRASER

Dancer and actress Sofia Boutella’s feminine angular features and fairy-like frame belie her power beneath. This classically trained ballerina from Algeria became the world’s most sought after female hip-hop dancer before becoming Hollywood’s most exciting import.

Boutella was born in Algeria where she started studying ballet at the age of five, before the civil war transplanted her and her mother to France when she was 10. In France she was introduced to hip-hop and soon found herself dancing for Michael Jackson and Madonna.

It’s not surprising that Hollywood came calling after she moved to Los Angeles. Her break-out roll came in 2012 in the film, StreetDance 2, which lead to the blockbuster hit, Kingsman: The Secret Service. Boutella’s acrobatic portrayal of a sword-wielding badass with prosthetic bladed legs brought her rave reviews and the attention of the producers of Star Trek Beyond. However, this dancer-turned-actress has been yearning for roles that challenge her as an actress. With two movies coming out this summer—The Mummy starring in the title role opposite Tom Cruise, and Atomic Blonde where she shares a love scene with Charlize Theron—this may be the moment Boutella has been waiting for.

Debeers Mosaic diamond and white gold necklace | Rosetta Getty camisole | Sofia’s own rings

AS IF: You are a classically trained dancer and have become one of the most sought after hip-hop dancers appearing in Nike campaigns and music videos. When did you decide to turn your sights on acting?

Sofia Boutella: The decision to become an actress was random. I was staying in Paris with a friend, and at the time there weren’t any dance agencies in Paris. My friend told me she was going to a casting for a movie, and asked if I wanted to come along. I went with her; it was for a movie called, Dance Challenge. I ended up booking the role of the love interest to the lead actor. Looking back, I’m happy I took the leap of faith towards acting. It was worth it.

“Looking back, I’m happy I took the leap of faith towards acting. It was worth it.”

You were born in Algeria and moved to France with your family when you were 10-years-old after the Algerian civil war broke out. How was your transition into French culture?

My family, from both sides, fluctuated between working class and middle class. My grandfather was a colonel and my father was born in Germany because my grandfather worked in Germany before working in France and China. My father’s side travelled and moved around a lot. My mom’s side was the same. The French people had a big influence on Algerian people. When I grew up, everyone around me spoke French, and my dad moved to France when I was little; my mom and I stayed in Algeria. My parents separated when I was four. He is a composer. He spoke-out against the political party in Algeria, which was a very dangerous thing to do, so he always kept an eye on us. It got to a point when my parents decided it wasn’t safe for my mom and me to stay in Algeria. I went to school one morning and came back to an empty house, we went to the airport and left for France. When I first arrived in France I thought it was amazing. And then, little by little, I started to understand what it meant to leave a country like Algeria. My sanity started to slowly dissipate because I was an Algerian in France and never felt that I could ever belong. We also lived very humbly. My mom bought me just one pair of shoes, and I had very little clothes.

Do you think trying to find your place in this new culture is what drew you towards hip-hop dance?

Maybe, maybe… I started studying ballet in Algeria when I was five. There was only one class in the country and that’s where I was dancing. When I moved to France I needed to find a dance class because I needed to feel like myself, feel like I belonged to something. Hip-hop gave me a sense of freedom and identity.

Cartier Himalia white gold, diamonds, and pearls earrings, Juste un Clou white gold ring and bracelet Beau Souci Diamant Bis top and Wolac dress

Sofia Boutella from Hip-Hop to Hollywood

Tiffany & Co. platinum diamond necklace, platinum diamond ring, Paloma’s Melody five-band ring | Dsquared2 silk, mesh and pony skin dress with beading

Sofia Boutella from Ballerina to Hollywood

Debeers Mosaic diamond and white gold necklace and Enhanced Lotus band with pink and white diamonds | Rosetta Getty camisole and wrap panel trouser

You have two big films coming out and the roles are very different. First, tell me about your role as the Mummy?

I was in Dubai wrapping Star Trek when I got the script for The Mummy. I had just gone through long makeup hours with Star Trek and when I read The Mummy I knew I’d be in for more long makeup days. I was also afraid to play a monster, especially at the scale this character would be. I didn’t think this was the right part so I initially declined. My agent told me that the director, Alex Kurtzman, still wanted to meet me. I told Alex about my concerns about monsters in movies in general, and what interests me about monsters or bad guys in movies is why they are bad, we need to understand where they are coming from because people don’t just all of a sudden become bad! He totally understood where I was coming from and told me that what I read was a primary draft to get the production started. He promised to work on the script and my character. I’m so happy I said yes because in the end Alex got me the rewrites he promised and created the character I was hoping for.

“My sanity started to slowly dissipate because I was an Algerian in France and never felt that I could ever belong.”

Audemars Piguet Millenary hand-wound watch | Max Mara wool double breasted coat

Tell me about Atomic Blonde. You play Charlize Theron’s lover, which is a stretch from the super hero characters we are used to seeing you play. Tell me about preparing for your role and working with the Academy Award winning actress?

I was presented with that script when I was finishing Star Trek and I thought this is brilliant! Plus, the director was David Leitch, and the fact that he saw me in this role and didn’t see me as some action figure was exciting and challenging for me. The character I play is French. I brought a sense of naiveté to her, which is interesting because she is a French spy.