Naomi Ackie at the Berlin Film Festival on February 15. | Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures 

Not even a question that Naomi Ackie is no stranger to playing strong dynamic characters, and in 2025’s much-anticipated sci-fi comedy Mickey 17, she is poised to make waves. Starring alongside Robert Pattinson, the British actress joins the visionary world of South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho, a filmmaker known for blending genres in ways that captivate and challenge audiences. 

Based on Edward Ashton’s novel Mickey7, the film follows Mickey Barnes, a former pastry chef turned "expendable"—a clone sent to die over and over for the sake of an interstellar colonization mission. Naomi steps into the role of Nasha, a fierce and instinctive security officer aboard the spaceship who brings her heart and a bit of mischief to the mission.

Here, Naomi Ackie talks about her role, the experience of working on such a groundbreaking film, and the chemistry she developed with her co-star, along with the entire production team.

Anamaria Vartolomei, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, director Bong Joon Ho, Robert Pattinson and Toni Collette at the Berlin Film Festival on February 15 | Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures


Nasha: A lioness in a world of uncertainty

From the moment Naomi read the script, she knew she had to be part of the film. “Oh, please. Oh, please, God. Oh, please, please, God, let me be in this film!” she exclaimed with a laugh. Her enthusiasm stemmed from the magnetic pull of bringing the character of Nasha to life. “I just fell in love with her confidence and her impulsiveness,” she shared, adding how she was drawn to her unwavering sense of self and her deep, unfiltered love for Mickey.

Naomi described Nasha as a woman who thrives on adventure and taking risks. She is one for whom Earth no longer holds appeal. “She is highly skilled, especially when it comes to fighting, she’s a champion,” she explained, emphasizing that Nasha isn’t just another cog in the machine of colonization.

Her role as a security officer on the spaceship is more than just about maintaining order. It’s as much about survival as it is about reclaiming her own sense of agency in an unfamiliar world. She sees through the power structures at play and refuses to be fooled by the mission’s leaders.

“There are a lot of people who are above her, but she’s one of the people who is not fooled by the leaders who are preparing to create this new world. She’s not taken with them. She doesn’t put them on a pedestal, and is just using it as a vehicle to start again somewhere new,” stated Naomi.

Photo from @naomiackie

Sharing the screen with Robert Pattinson

Acting opposite Robert Pattinson—especially when he was juggling multiple versions of Mickey—was an awe-inspiring experience for Naomi. “The guy is a wonder,” she gushed. The role required immense technical skill, yet Robert managed it all while maintaining a sense of playfulness and joy. “This was going to be a tough ask of anyone, and to watch him handle it with so much ease and a smile on his face was incredible,” she shared, spotlighting his role-switching choices were remarkably specific and perfectly suited to the tone.

“For me, I was just watching in awe and was like, “Wow, this is...” It’s happening in real time as well, so you’re really seeing how someone works, watching him go back to the monitor… It has to be a methodical process, because you’re playing two different characters,” she put it.

Naomi admired his balance of preparation and play, calling it the mark of a truly great actor: “He’s such a good actor. Such a good actor. That’s it.”

Naomi Ackie and Robert Pattinson | Photo from @naomiackie

The onscreen connection that sparked instantly

One of the most compelling aspects of Mickey 17 is the chemistry between Nasha and Mickey. Their first encounter in the cafeteria is more than a casual meeting but rather an instant moment of recognition. Naomi mused that Nasha possesses an intuitive nature akin to a “lioness” which she regarded as identical to her character. “There’s something about Nasha, she’s kind and there is something protective about her.”

Her remark on their exchange? She commented, “Seeing someone alone who looks slightly out of place, I think her natural instinct is to be like, ‘Hey, come sit next to me, get to know me.’”

Naomi also teased that there’s something unspoken in the way Nasha looks at him—an immediate spark that sets the stage for a layered and evolving dynamic between them. “And I also think she’s attracted to him. There is that,” she chimed in with laughter.

Working with director Bong Joon-ho

The British star’s journey to Mickey 17 started with an unexpected conversation with director Bong while she was in Boston on a day off from filming the Whitney Houston biopic. “I was taken by surprise that he even wanted to talk to me,” she admitted. “We just had a really good talk, a really nourishing talk about art and how we like to work, and I got to learn about him and how he works, and he got to learn about me.”

Naomi revealed that during their talk, she found herself in a place of candor. “And I was in a space where I felt really open and really honest—I’d had a new realization of how I like to work and how I wanted to work moving forward. So, there was a real honesty within our conversation,” she said.

Their conversation turned into a deep discussion about art, creativity, and theater, forging a connection that ultimately led to her casting. “I was just hoping that he would let me audition,” she said humbly. “Maybe not this job, but maybe in the future… But no, I’m so glad it was this one.”

She painted in words how director Bong is as a filmmaker—one who nurtures actors and creates an environment where they feel safe to explore and grow, stating, “And with that, I was like, ‘Wow, working with him would be just such a beautiful experience and experiment for me to see if I could.’”

On what makes director Bong’s films so appealing, Naomi believes it’s his ability to capture the full spectrum of humanity—what he feels and sees in the world. His storytelling feels both personal and universal, touching on frights, hopes, and the complexities of human nature.

“He balances humor, depth, warmth, and fear—sometimes all within one scene and that takes a lot of preparation and attention to detail, but also a lot of awareness about the world around you, how people feel and how you feel within that,” she marveled.

Working with him was more than just an acting gig—it was a masterclass in filmmaking. “His previous work has been amazing, and he’s continuing that legacy, and it felt like a huge privilege just even talking to him. It felt like I was getting smarter just by talking to him, so to be able to work with him was a totally different and amazing vibe,” she divulged.

Director Bong Joon Ho at the “Mickey 17” World Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square on February 13, in London, England. | Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures

The atmosphere on the film set

Stepping onto the massive set of Mickey 17 could have been intimidating, but Naomi found the experience unexpectedly exhilarating. Despite the massive scale of the production, she was struck by how warm and collaborative the set felt. “Literally, the last time I was on a set that big was Star Wars, which don’t get me wrong, I felt very held, but I was also quite young and it was my first experience of that,” she noted, acknowledging the sheer scale of the production.

Yet, despite the grandeur, what struck her most was the energy on set, sharing, “So, I was prepared for the juggernaut that is a big studio film. I was prepared for the long hours. What I wasn’t necessarily prepared for was how fun it would be, how safe it felt, how everyone was excited to be there every single day.”

“How director Bong as a person manages to make everyone feel worthy, important, and artistic. I think there was a lot of space for everyone’s creativity. It was just genuinely so much fun to do,” she added. The result was an experience that had her waking up every day thrilled to set foot on the set—an emotion she could not express any better.

Unleashing the fierce within

Both director Bong and Robert remarked on how absolutely fierce Naomi embodied the role of Nasha—a surprise it is. She likened her transformation to Mark Ruffalo’s take on the Hulk, saying, “He’s like, ‘You want to know my secret? I’m always angry.’” But in her case, it’s more about having a reservoir of strength and determination that she saves for the right moments.

“Now, I’m not always angry, but I do have a part of me that stays until I need it—this little power pack of ferocity that I only use when the situation calls for it,” she confessed. This internal fire made Nasha come alive on screen, bringing a level of grit and authenticity to the role that resonated with those around her. “Luckily for me, in real life, I never need to use it, so I usually save it just for acting.”

Fortunately for audiences, Mickey 17 provides plenty of opportunities for her to tap into that strength.

Mickey17 also stars Steven Yeun, Toni Collette and Mark Ruffalo. The film is produced by Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner (Oscar winners for Moonlight and 12 Years a Slave), Bong Joon Ho and Dooho Choi (Okja, Snowpiercer). The executive producers are Brad Pitt, Jesse Ehrman, Peter Dodd and Marianne Jenkins. The director of photography is Darius Khondji (Oscar nomination for Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths, Okja). The production designer is Fiona Crombie (Oscar nomination for The Favourite, Cruella). It is edited by Yang Jinmo (Oscar nomination for Parasite, Okja). The music is by Jung Jaeil (Parasite, Squid Game). The visual effects supervisor is Dan Glass (Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw). The costume designer is Catherine George (Okja, Snowpiercer). 

Mickey 17 opens in cinemas March 5.

Lead photo from Warner Bros. Pictures