MONGOLIAN actor Gana Bayarsaikhan was catapulted onto the radar when she played the role of The Girl in the 2019 film Waiting for the Barbarians, based on the 1980 novel by J. M. Coetzee alongside Sir Mark Rylance, Johnny Depp and Robert Pattinson. Premiered at Venice Film Festival in 2019, all eyes were on Gana as she took on the most complex role in the film and her career-to-date.
Already starring in Ex-Machina (2014), Ben-Hur (2016) and Wonder Woman (2017), not to mention appearing in the last season of Peaky Blinders, with all this in mind, it is clear these are the beginnings of an extraordinary career in acting.
The beginnings of her career saw her as a model, where she appeared in numerous fashion magazines before deciding it was time to undertake training to become an actress – which ultimately she had her heart in more than being a model.
This year, Bayarsaikhan took one of the major roles as Tuva in Sky’s comedy show Intelligence, starring alongside David Schwimmer and Nick Mohammed proving that she was not bound to the drama genre, but rather a multi-faceted actress, cementing her as one-to-watch.
Gana Bayarsaikhan. Photograph: Rachell Smith
Starting from the very beginning in Mongolia. How did your childhood shape who you are, and have you been able to stay true to your roots?
I spent my school holidays with my grandmother in the countryside. She was a nomad and we all stayed in a tent and helped her to herd animals. We were told from a young age to respect nature, as connection with nature is very important to Mongolian people, and this is something which has stayed with me throughout my life.
Also, there’s a famous Mongolian saying that reminds me of my grandmother, “When you fall down, stand up, fix your skirt and carry on!” I like that, and it’s been a guiding force throughout my career. I like the whole growth mindset about it, it reminds me that mistakes lead to growth. In my heart I am and will always be Mongolian, a modern nomad, if you will.
You were a model prior to becoming an actress. How did you become a model?
I was scouted on a train in London. I guess I was in the right place at the right time.
Gana Bayarsaikhan. Photograph: Rachell Smith
Did you always want to pursue acting as a career, or was there a light bulb moment during modelling that changed your mind?
Growing up I always loved stories whether through the medium of books or films. After watching a film, I would keep playing it in my head, over and over, so that I could relive the story. Later on, during my modelling years, I was sent to various castings, for commercials and music videos, where they required me to use acting skills.
It was a challenge for me to begin with, but I like to push myself and feel out of my comfort zone, and so I started training to better prepare myself, and I soon realised I didn’t want to do anything else. In a way, it was kind of a lightbulb moment when I found acting, it was something that truly fulfilled me.
Finally, I bit the bullet and undertook four years of drama training, during which I secured work in different films, including Ex Machina, where I was able to apply my new skills, while studying.
Transitioning to acting from modelling, are there any skills that translated over the two careers?
There are a few skills that can be translated over the two careers. In a way, in both acting and modelling, you become someone else, who brings the clothes and story to life. It is this ability to present a snapshot of the character’s life that is common in both careers. Similarly, in both cases, you have to be able to work collaboratively to deliver the designers’, directors’ and writers’ vision.
From my experience, as a model, you become a master of working with camera angles. You’re not shy in front of the camera lens, which gives you a good starting point in screen acting, as you can’t be intimidated by all the equipment and the expert team around you. Secondly, one other common aspect is the resilience necessary to withstand the long hours of shooting, and the consistency to deliver the vision of the director every single take.
Gana Bayarsaikhan. Photograph: Rachell Smith
Looking at your Instagram, fashion is a common theme threaded through your posts. Are you personally interested in fashion, and do you use it as a tool to express yourself?
Back when I was about five or six years old, I started designing and making clothes for my dolls, which led to me being an award-winning teenage fashion designer in Mongolia. Therefore, fashion is self-expression for me; the body is a canvas, and clothes are the brushstrokes.
Playing Tuva in Intelligence was a good example of how fashion enabled me to communicate her essence. Her style was a manifestation of her creativity and personality, which was an enjoyable journey for me. Her eclectic fashions were fun to watch, as the series developed. In fact, when I prepare for a new character, their style is one of the many elements I study as part of my rigorous characterisation process.
In Waiting For The Barbarians, you act alongside three of the biggest names in Hollywood. What was it like to be surrounded by these actors so early on in your career? Did they give you any advice?
My scenes were mainly with Sir Mark Rylance, though I had one scene with Johnny Depp. It was a privilege to work with them both. Though once on set, you forget about who the actor is and focus on the character in front of you. I was so immersed in the inner world of the Girl’s character; I was absolutely amazed by her and learned a lot during the process.
Mark was supportive and would always encourage me on set. He is incredibly humble, with an amazing work ethic and that is something I want to take with me to future jobs. Something I never thought I would do is teach Mark Rylance Mongolian, but I did, and he is a quick learner. Great in fact, considering how complex the Mongolian language is!
Gana Bayarsaikhan. Photograph: Rachell Smith
You play an incredibly complex role in Waiting For The Barbarians, probably the most crucial character in the film. What was the hardest part in playing her? And, did you ever see any part of yourself in her?
This character was challenging in every way – I am grateful for how it has made me grow as an actor through this process. I’m naturally drawn to challenging characters and this was a great opportunity to showcase my abilities. I explored The Girl’s character from many different angles to try to understand what she was about. J. M. Coetzee’s novel was the foundation for this process, where I really worked on the physicality of the character and her emotional journey, but I also really connected to my nomadic culture.
This was quite a powerful exercise as it forced me to reconnect with nature, and indirectly made me go back to my childhood memories with my grandmother. She was instrumental in the character’s development, so I dedicate this to her.
Having acted in films and series that are closely linked to the drama genre, and now starring in Sky One’s Intelligence which is a comedy – do you prefer one genre more than the other?
I never thought I would do comedy, but my close friends think I should do more as they think I’m “a natural”. Now that I have had my first taste of acting in a comedy, I think it’s great and it’s important that I work across different genres. I think the more the merrier, so I’m happy to grow and evolve through different roles, in different genres.
Gana Bayarsaikhan. Photograph: Rachell Smith
Born in Mongolia to watching yourself on the screen of Venice Film Festival, you have been propelled into the spotlight. What have been the highs and lows of your career so far?
Playing the lead female in Waiting for the Barbarians is undoubtedly a high point. The fact that the producer, Michael Fitzgerald waited 25 years to make this film and that I was chosen by the Nobel Prize winning writer, John M. Coetzee, specifically for the role of The Girl was an indication that this was going to be a role of epic proportions – and that was definitely the case. Working with David Schwimmer on Intelligence was also a great experience, thanks to his mastery of the comedic genre. On the flipside, the resting period, that difficult time between jobs, is one of the hardest things to deal with as a working actor, without a doubt.
Gana Bayarsaikhan. Photograph: RACHELL SMITH
With your acting career in mind, do you have a dream role or film you would like to act in?
I am just really keen to keep playing different roles. Up until now, I have played The Girl in Waiting for the Barbarians, a computer hacker in Intelligence and an undercover assassin in Peaky Blinders. Looking to the future, I would quite like to play a quirky sci-fi, fantasy or action-packed role next. The more challenging the better, I say!
The teams I have collaborated with over the years have made me very proud to have been a piece of the puzzle that results in the bigger picture we see on screen. Chris Menges, an outstanding cinematographer, in Waiting for the Barbarians, inspired me every single time and in every single way, with his photographic magic. He painted with light, which as a passionate painter in my spare time, really excited me. I am eternally grateful for the people that share their passion in the art of cinema making, so I look forward to working with more of these amazing people in the future.
by Imogen Clark
Waiting For The Barbarians will be released in cinemas worldwide later this year.