Royal Ballet star Marianela Nunez says she learned English by watching Friends
The 42-year-old was speaking on Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4.
Royal Ballet star Marianela Nunez says she learned English by watching Friends videos rented from Blockbuster after moving to England aged 15.
The 42-year-old left her native Argentina to join the company after being offered a contract while touring in Los Angeles, but was unable to join them because UK employment law stopped her from working until she turned 16, meaning she joined The Royal Ballet School first.
Speaking to Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs about learning English after moving to London, she said: “I remember it was hard, so a lot of tears, I remember going to a bank, and I had to open a bank account as a student, but I couldn’t tell them, so I was like miming.
“It was crazy, so Blockbuster (video rental shop) was quite big at the time, and every weekend I (would) start renting the Friends series.
“I could watch them forever, I love them, and that’s how I (learned) English watching those videos.”
Abba’s Dancing Queen, Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now and Johnny Nash’s I Can See Clearly Now were among the tracks Nunez picked on the show, which also saw her discuss her initial shock after moving to the UK.
The Royal Ballet principal ballerina added: “Emotionally, I was all over the place, and that’s why, at some point, I had to cut the cord (from her family in Argentina).
“And this is again where ballet comes to (save) me all the time, like knowing what I wanted to do and focusing on that, and knowing that was part of the process.
“Again, looking back, (it was) definitely the best thing that ever happened to me, that I went back to school.
“It was the perfect way for me, I was too young to be performing, so I needed to finish my studies. I had a chance to learn the language, I had a chance to understand the Royal Ballet style.”
Laverne went on to ask Nunez how she felt about the person she was aged 15.
She replied: “I am proud, I know it sounds probably a bit snobby to say that, but for a 15-year-old child to be so brave to leave your family behind and just (be) so focused and so determined, and knowing at all times that I had this family (on) the other side of the world.
“I mean, it was hard for them to maintain me and not give up, and just work hard, but always loving what I was doing, so well done little Nela.”
Nunez celebrated her 20th anniversary at The Royal Ballet in 2018 following a performance of Giselle, which saw artistic director Kevin O’Hare declare her as “one of the greats of her generation”.
The full interview can be heard on Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4 at 10am on Sunday December 29, or on BBC Sounds.
