Natalie
Mendoza
Jackie Clunes
Head of Housekeeping
There doesn't
appear to be much that Natalie Mendoza can't do – rock climbing,
singing, playing classical piano, acting, ballet, yoga and martial arts
are a few of the skills she has picked up along the way.
Her acting
career began on stage at the age of 15, when she starred in a production
of Cats in Sydney and went on to perform all over the world
in productions of Les Misérables, Miss Saigon
and Oh What A Night, to name a few. Not only does she have
numerous films and television credits to her name, she also has an album
coming out in 2008.
"I
went out to Nashville for a few weeks during filming to do some recording,
and ended up writing a song for Vanessa Williams while I was there,"
says Natalie.
"My
sister is a regular performer and actually lives in Nashville, so I
just fell in love with the place. I always thought it was a city solely
for country music, but realised very quickly that all the best musicians
are there and they can play everything. It's an incredibly inspiring
place to be and I want to buy a home out there – we are looking
at that already.
"The
people out there are amazing. They have retained their heart and haven't
succumbed to capitalism – you really feel that southern warmth
the minute you step off the plane."
Music and
acting have been a part of Natalie's life from an early age. Her father
is Spanish/Filipino jazz pianist and arranger Noel Mendoza, and her
English/German mother, Robin Jackson, is an Australian TV personality.
Music has always been a huge part of Natalie's life and her band, Jackson
Mendoza, have enjoyed huge hits in Australia and been signed to Virgin
records internationally.
Since her
acting career has taken off, Natalie has continued to record in the
studio alongside musicians including Marius Devries, David Gray and
Bryan Adams. She is married to music producer Eliot Kennedy and has
just recorded a solo album scheduled for release later this year.
"It
seems that I have always been singing and acting and I see them both
as equally important to me," says Natalie. "I trained at The
Old Vic but music has been in the house from when I was young, so it's
in my blood. It's great that I can do both and I am really excited about
where my career will go from here."
As sexy
and glamorous Head of Housekeeping, Jackie Clunes, Natalie has made
some lifelong friends and will be sad to leave them behind when her
character leaves at the end of this series.
"This
year more than ever we have felt like a tightly-knit group," she
says. "During the first two series, because of my storylines, I
tended to work mostly with Max [Beesley, who plays Hotel Manager Charlie
Edwards). However, this year it is more ensemble and I have really bonded
with the rest of the cast because our storylines have crossed over more,"
she explains.
"Jackie
was in a relationship with Charlie in series one and he was very much
a colleague but, in this series, he is Jackie's boss, which took a bit
of getting used to, but as the storylines unfold the audience sees Charlie
and Jackie really sticking together as some major problems arise at
the hotel. It is one of these problems that eventually leads to Jackie's
departure."
In series
three, Jackie's wardrobe has had a make-over as she steps out of the
uniform and into designer clothes by Alexander McQueen, Mark Jacobs,
Louis Vuitton, Armani and Roberto Cavalli.
"In
previous years, Jackie, a hard-working mum, was seen mostly wearing
suits and tailored blouses. However, this year she has had a bit of
a pay-rise and has ditched the suit in favour of a fresher, sexier look,"
Natalie says.
"Plus,
she's in love with a dentist so her look is more flirtatious but still
on the conservative side of sexy. Michael Johnson, the show's costume
designer, and I had so much fun shopping for Jackie this year."
Natalie's
own style is quite eclectic and, despite loving fashion, she finds she
has to think more about style with her album coming out.
"Personally,
I'm a bit of a chameleon when it comes to fashion – I mix Prada
with something vintage I might pick up from Portobello market. But I
really have to think about it now for my music, what with image being
so important," she explains.
"I
have dabbled in a bit of design for a street label called Voodoo Dolls,
and became the face of the label for a while in Asia and Australia,
and they asked me to design my own line for their surf label –
which was quite a few years ago now."
Rock climbing
is one of the skills Natalie picked up when in training for her role
in the cult thriller, The Descent.
"I
only learnt rock-climbing whilst I was on the set and I found it quite
addictive because you have to be present in that moment and focus completely
on each movement, reach out and grab, otherwise you will fall,"
she explains.
"Until
I did that training, I didn't realise how many thoughts are constantly
pouring through your head, and you can become really quite unfocussed
in normal day-to-day life. It's almost like an active meditation, which
is really difficult, but I love it."
Natalie
was able to put her climbing skills to the test when she and husband
Eliot discovered they were locked out of their home one night.
"I
saw a window open at the very top of our three-storey house and thought:
'I can get up there'. So I climbed up and over the glass conservatory
and up a pipe," explains Natalie. "I was swinging from side
to side and my husband didn't say a word until I got to the top, when
he said he was married to cat woman. I think I scared the life out of
him!
"I
didn't have stunts like that to do in Hotel Babylon,"
she laughs, "but I can probably do anything in heels now!"
Hotel
Babylon
Series three
Staff profiles
Guest star profiles
Max Beesley
- Charlie Edwards
Dexter
Fletcher - Tony Casemore
Emma
Pierson - Anna Thornton-Wilton
Michael Obiora
- Ben Trueman
Ray Coulthard
- James Schofield
Martin
Marquez - Gino Primirola
Alexandra
Moen - Emily James
Lee Williams
- Jack Harrison
