Natalia Tena

Natalia Tena
Tena in 2012
Born	Natalia Gastiain Tena (1984-11-01) 1 November 1984 London, England
Occupation	Actress, musician
Years active	2001–present

Natalia Gastiain Tena^[1] (born 1 November 1984) is a British actress and musician of Spanish descent, best known for playing Nymphadora Tonks in the Harry Potter film series, and the wildling Osha in the HBO series Game of Thrones.

Tena at one of her band's concerts in 2013

She is the lead of the British band, Molotov Jukebox, as main vocalist and sings while playing the accordion. The band released its new album Carnival Flower in 2014.

Early life

Natalia Tena was born in London, the daughter of Spanish parents: María, an Extremaduran secretary, and a Basque father, Jesús,^[2] who works as a carpenter.^[3] She is fluent in Spanish and Basque.^[4] She studied in a boarding school, Bedales.^[3]

Career

Tena made her professional debut as Ellie in About a Boy (2002), and began acting full-time in 2003. She has played lead roles in stage adaptations of Gone to Earth in 2004, and Nights at the Circus in 2006.

In 2007, Tena appeared in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix playing the character Nymphadora Tonks. Tena reprised this role in its sequels Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, in 2009, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 in 2010 and Part 2 in 2011. Tena is best known for the role of Nymphadora Tonks due to the international success of the series.

She hosted a behind-the-scenes featurette entitled "Trailing Tonks" for the subsequent DVD and Blu-ray release, and is credited as producer and director of the featurette, in which she also performs an original Christmas-themed blues song on guitar, which she composed while working as a busker on the London Underground.^[5]

In 2011 she played a lead role in the Scottish Film You Instead. She also appears as Osha in HBO's Game of Thrones.^[6] In March 2013, she starred in the official music video for Lapalux's single "Without You (ft. Kerry Leatham)".^[7]

Personal life

Tena learned the piano from her mother at 5 years old, influenced by Chuck Berry's music.^[8] Afterwards, at 18, Tena moved to London and busked in the Tube.^[8] While working with a theatre group called KneeHigh, where they were allowed to pick an instrument to play, Tena decided to learn the accordion.^[8] Tena dated her fellow band member, Sam Apley, upon getting to know him through their common interest in a book, Neverwhere.^[8] Tena was in a band, Nat Jenkins, but later left to form her own band, Molotov Jukebox with her boyfriend.^[9] She is close friends with Oona Chaplin, allowing Chaplin to dye her hair.^[10]

Credits

Filmography

Stage

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Natalia Tena.

• Natalia Tena at the Internet Movie Database