Nielle Springer can currently be seen on screen as her first major regular role of Venetia King in the new BBC Three teen series Crongton, working alongside Samson Agboola as Lemar ‘Liccle Bit’ Jackson, Seyi Andes-Pelumi as Jonah ‘Rapid’ Hani and Noah Cox as Mckay Tambo, and she attended the recent premiere event for the adaptation by Archie Maddocks of the Alex Wheatle book series. In 2022, Nielle appeared in the film version of Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical and the following year she was part of the commercial for Vodafone – Parental Control Hub. Having stage experience, Nielle played Little Ti Moune in Once On This Island at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, and she played Jade in Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World at Southampton, Norwich, Liverpool and Chichester for their world premiere tour. We spoke to Nielle about filming for BBC Three teen series Crongton, having Venetia King as her first major regular role on screen and her stage performances in Once On This Island and Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World.

For your first major regular role on screen, you play Venetia King in the new BBC Three teen series Crongton, how did you feel finding out you’d booked the role?

When I found out about Crongton, I screamed. So many emotions. I felt exhilarated, and proud of myself. I also felt a little bit sad because I would be away from my friends during filming, but I was happy because I could make some new friends with the cast. I would also be away from my parents so I would miss them but I knew that the enjoyment of watching Crongton when it would come out would cancel that out. I also thought about how this would be my moment to show my talent and help more people see who I am.

How would you describe Venetia and how was it getting into character?

I feel like Venetia is a very strong and powerful character. But she has a very soft aspect to her. In the show, she goes through the loss of a family member, which helps her put herself in other people’s shoes and understand how others view the world. Getting into the character of Venetia was mostly quite easy. She is very much like me – sporty, funny, kind and well-rooted. She has a strong sense of what’s right and what’s wrong and she gets her point across in a way that is respectful but it can be life-changing. She does her part. For some of the sadder scenes, it was quite hard because having to think of sad things in order to cry wasn’t enjoyable but when I am looking back on it, it shows how there are hard times in life and that’s why you have friends and family to help you get through those times.

Can you tell us about Crongton, and how much did you know about Alex Wheatle’s book series before auditioning for Archie Maddocks’ screen adaptation?

Crongton. It’s so amazing. It’s about a friendship group that go through lots of things together. Each episode shows the troubles that people can go through. Pressure from school, lost family members and not knowing who to talk to when things go wrong. Each episode has its own moral. You would have to watch them to figure it out! I had read the book Liccle Bit before the audition. I couldn’t finish reading it because some of the topics were too much for me at the time, I was nine, and my mum told me to read it later on in the future. Then, when I saw how Archie had adapted it, I understood it more and Archie had a way of keeping the messages the same, but not as harsh. I found this really cool.

What was it like attending the recent premiere event and how was it watching the completed episodes for the first time?

I thought that it was spectacular. It was quite overwhelming to see the show come to life. It came out so well. I was shocked to see myself up there. I also felt quite proud of not just me but the rest of the cast too. I felt happy seeing the grins on my parents’ faces as they watched me on the screen.

How was it on set of Crongton and did you have a favourite and a most challenging scene to film?

My favourite scenes were the red carpet scene and the water fight. The hardest were the scenes where I had to cry and to really focus and drown out all distractions to make sure that I played my character to the fullest.

What are some of your stand-out highlights from your time filming as Venetia and working with your fellow cast members?

Working with everyone else was the best. Getting to know everyone and to be supportive and have support from the others were my favourite parts. I also loved seeing everyone come together and end up creating this amazing show!

You were part of the 2022 film Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical, how was it being involved with the project?

I found this job so much fun. We filmed in Shepperton, it was a short job but I’ve made some really good friends. One of the main things I like about jobs is getting to see how other people act and see if I can incorporate some of that into my own skills.

On stage, you played Little Ti Moune in Once On This Island at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, how was your time in the show?

Playing Little Ti Moune was extremely fun. Ti Moune is a riveting character to play. She runs around and plays with her sister but she also learns about the story of her ancestors. The other people in the village tell her stories and she wants to find love when she grows up but she learns that she needs to find the right person. In the musical, it shows Little Ti Moune watching her future self grow up and the troubles she goes through. It was amazing to be the first cast of this musical and to have performed press night!

How did you find the experience touring with Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World as Jade in 2021, and was it like performing in the world premiere production?

Fantastically Great Women and Crongton have to be my favourite jobs. Jade is a young girl who is very curious and she wants to find out more about the women who changed the world. She also wants to become one in the near future. There were four actresses, including me, playing Jade and we travelled to Southampton, Norwich, Liverpool and Chichester. We performed with the adult cast and I loved this job because I got to finesse my passion in singing and I got to practise and get better!

We understand you have filmed a commercial for Vodafone – Parental Control Hub, can you tell us about this?

I had the chance to film a commercial for Vodafone’s Parental Control Hub, and it was such an exciting experience! The ad focuses on showing how easy and effective it is for parents to keep their kids safe online. When I was filming for this, it was one day only, and we had to wear red. We had a room to sit in and there were lots of things to do in the room. There weren’t any specific lines that I had to learn until I was on the set. They would give me lines and I would quickly learn them then and there. This job was so cool. My school showed the video in assembly as part of internet safety week.

How did you get into acting and was it always something you wanted to do professionally?

I started acting when I was three-and-a-half! I’ve always loved acting and I started out going to performing arts classes on a Saturday and then I joined an agency and I began doing auditions!! My mum wanted me to become a judge; my first response was yes on The X Factor! I love performing. I enjoy bringing characters to life. I’d love to do acting professionally.

Do you have any favourite films, TV and theatre shows to watch?

At the moment, I am watching the Gilmore Girls TV series and, of course, Crongton!! I’ve watched the entire Crongton series at least three times already. But one of my favourite movies is White Chicks.

How do you like to spend your time away from acting?

I like to play football, spend time with my friends/family, play games, play with my dog, dance and sing.

What are you hoping the next few months bring for you, and do you have any projects coming up that you can talk about?

I really hope that there will be Season 2 of Crongton. I have had a few recalls and self-tapes recently but I’m just waiting to hear from them! I’m looking forward to the warmer weather and more great acting opportunities.

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