Not knowing much about boats might not be ideal when taking on the role of the youngest person to sail solo, nonstop around the world, but Teagan Croft took it all in her stride while preparing to play Jessica Watson for the Netflix film, True Spirit.
WATCH: Jessica Watson Received Australian Of The Year Awards
“I had never sailed before in my life,” the 18-year-old reveals to WHO. “My sailing coach made miracles happen! Oh god, I loved it!”
Despite the lack of sailing know-how, Croft could definitely draw on personal experience when playing the driven teen sensation – having travelled halfway across the world herself when she was cast in superhero series, Titans, back in 2018.
And now with her first leading role in a feature film under her belt, Croft is ready for the next challenge. “The world is my oyster at this point,” she exclaims.
How did your role in True Spirit come about?
Well my manager had heard about [the role] … and he had been pestering Sarah [Spillane] the director, you know, “I’ve heard Australian, 16, blonde girl – have I got the girl for you!” And the rest, as they say, is history.
Jessica is a pretty inspiring person to play. Did you know much about her story before you got the script?
Oh, not as much as I should have! I mean, she’s such an icon and she’s so embedded within Australian culture. But honestly, I’d kind of forgotten. Because what happened is I was actually there in Sydney Harbour when she came in – I was there with my family welcoming her. So when I got the audition, my parents were like, “Oh my God, you were there!” But I was only 6 years old, so I have no memory of it.
How did you get into character?
For me, I think the most important part – what is so essential to Jess – is her love of sailing and her love of [yacht] Ella’s Pink Lady. And those were two things that I really wanted to find in myself – I wanted to find a love of sailing and a connection to my boat. And I found that! I didn’t even go into it too intentionally, I just went into the sailing lessons … and then I connected with my boat just over time, and that real personification of the boat that’s so integral to the sailing community, I felt that.
How did you train to sail?
I had to go from literally no experience to reasonably manning a little yacht. So I had to train for three weeks, at least four days a week, a few hours on the water every day.
Did you draw on any of your own life experience to play Jessica?
Totally. I’d been living in Chicago when COVID first hit and so I’d spent so many years of my life in this environment of isolation already. And then when I was filming True Spirit, COVID had just broken out in Australia in a big way, and so the border between Queensland and New South Wales was closed and I couldn’t see my sisters or my dad. And by the end of the shoot, I hadn’t seen them for seven months, which was the same time Jess didn’t see her family. So I was really, in a huge way, able to draw from personal experience.
What’s next for you?
I’m really loving the film industry and the many different pathways you can explore within the industry. And also, I’m just expanding my mind and seeing the world. And I love learning, so I’m really looking forward to going to university this year.
What’s your dream project to work on?
My dream project, to a tee, I would love to be on an Aaron Sorkin film
True Spirit debuts Fri. Feb. 3 on Netflix
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