DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE COVER: Martins Imhangbe Talks His Role On Netflix’s ‘Bridgerton,’ Award-Winning Stage Career, Inclusivity, Isolation, Veganism, + His Journey to the Screen

Award-winning stage actor Martins Imhangbe makes his TV debut in Bridgerton, one of the most-watched and talked about original series on Netflix. 

Unless you’ve been living off the grid, you have already streamed every last juicy episode of Netflix’s period drama Bridgerton. We are sure you took an immeasurably long look at Regé-Jean Page’s bestie and boxing trainer, Martins Imhangbe, who currently stars as ‘Will Mondrich,’ a character based on the real live boxing superstar of the eighteen hundreds. Martins is more than meets the eye, as this stage superstar has been seen in some of London’s finest productions, including the critically acclaimed Death of a Salesman alongside Wendell Pierce at the Young Vic theatre. He also starred in The Tragedy of King Richard II (Almeida Theatre), for which he received the commendation at the Ian Charleson Awards 2019 and is an associate artist in the Complicite Theatre Company. Martins got his start training at the prestigious The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, whose celebrated alumni include Dame Judi Dench, Riz Ahmed, Martin Freeman, Gael Garcia Bernal, Andrew Garfield, and Sir Laurence Olivier to name a few. 

Bridgerton is from Shondaland and Creator Chris Van Dusen and follows Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor), the eldest daughter of the Bridgerton family, as she competes in the marriage market during Regency-era London. Daphne eventually has an idea to levy up her desirability in the matchmaking game by linking a pseudo suiter, the rebellious Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page). Bridgerton is also Netflix’s fifth-biggest original series launch of all time and is based on a collection of historical romance novels by bestselling author Julia Quinn. The cast of Bridgerton is brilliantly inclusive featuring Julie Andrews, Jonathan Bailey, Adjoah Andoh, Ben Miller, Julian Ovenden, Nicola Coughlan, Ruby Barker, and Polly Walker.

Martins chatted with Glitter about the physical and mental preparation for his role, how he got his start, his award-winning stage career, inclusivity, isolation, his favorite vegan dishes, and who has inspired him on his journey to the screen. Read on for our exclusive interview. 

GLITTER: Congratulations on Netflix’s Bridgerton streaming in over 63 million homes. That’s amazing. How did that feel for you? 
MARTINS: (laughing) It feels like a whirlwind. It’s crazy. It’s crazy. But I suppose I’m so proud. I’m really proud of everyone’s work, and you know, it all paid off. 

GLITTER: Where did you grow up, and where do you reside now? 
MARTINS: I grew up in southeast London, and I still reside there as well. 

GLITTER: When did your love for acting begin? 
MARTINS: My love for acting began when I started to go to a youth center called Second Wave, and we used to do this over the weekend; we used to just do small plays, improvisations. It was just a way to mess around, be silly and just show off in front of friends and have a good time.

GLITTER: About how old were you? 
MARTINS: I was about 14 or 15. 

GLITTER: You trained at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. What was that experience like; were there any highlights? 
MARTINS: At first, it was a weird experience in the sense that I was going into this new institution that I wasn’t used to before, like the way everything was run and the expectation and the discipline, so that was very overwhelming at the time. But now, I think the highlight for me was the discipline that was instilled in us because, you know, everything that I do now in terms of acting if you don’t have the discipline, it’s not going to pay off. It’s not really going to work. So I’m really, really grateful for that discipline and being able to immerse myself in acting and everything that comes with it. 

GLITTER: Were there any memorable moments you can share from your role in Death of a Salesman?
MARTINS: Oh, that was huge. That was a huge moment for me. I love the play. It really resonated with me, especially seeing the play from a black lens for a Black family. I think that really, really hit home for me. Just working with Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell, the directors, and their vision and how much they cared about it, was an amazing thing to be a part of. Also, working at the Young Vic, I think that was the first theatre I went to as a child. So it was nice to perform at that venue. It was like a dream. Yeah, it was amazing. Wendell Pierce as well, (laughing) Wendell Pierce playing your dad, like that was like huge. That was an amazing experience.

GLITTER: You received the commendation at the Ian Charleson Awards 2019 for The Tragedy of King Richard II. Can you expound on that a bit?
MARTINS: Yes, I did a play called King Richard II, and it was at The Almeida Theatre, and I remember really struggling with the play. I remember because it was an abstract adaptation of it. I really struggled to find my feet and find who these characters were. So we had done the play, you know, people loved it, some people didn’t, and it was what it was. It was a piece of art. All of a sudden, I get a call from my agent saying I’ve been nominated for the prestigious Ian Charleson Awards and I was just like, “Wow,” you know because I didn’t expect it, especially when you go through a process that you found so challenging. So when that came about, I was like, “Amazing.” Just to be in the conversation and to be in amongst the legends that have been a part of that award as well. Yeah, it’s amazing because I love Shakespeare. I love language, so it was a great gift.

GLITTER: What was your reaction to hearing you were selected for Netflix’s Bridgerton?
MARTINS: That was huge for me because prior, I had just done theatre. So to be able to venture into TV and on this scale, it was huge. Also, being able to portray this role based on Bill Richmond, he was a boxing superstar in the eighteen hundreds. It was a big deal for me because I always take pride in the roles that I choose, so for this to come along just gave me so much pride and joy. Yeah, it was incredible. Because sometimes you wonder, you know, how well are you going to do the role, how well are you going to do your job so that that comes into the mix as well, because you’re like, “OK, they’ve entrusted me with this part, and now I’ve got to do it.” So that was percolating as well. 

GLITTER: Speaking of that role, how did you physically and mentally prepare yourself for that part? 
MARTINS: Yes, so, I had a personal trainer. So one of the first things I got was a personal trainer called Cuong Hua, who trained me at The Commando Temple. He’s like a boxing genius like he just knows everything about boxing. So we’d done a lot of strength and conditioning because boxing in those days is completely different from what it is today. In those days, it was bare-knuckled, and there was no fancy footwork. So I had to unlearn everything I thought I knew about boxing; I had to unlearn and adapt for this time period. So that was the challenge in itself. Also, we had a boxing coach called Brian Nichols, who sadly passed away during filming. But he is responsible for all the boxing sequences, and he was a champion like he had my back throughout the whole months of filming. So, yeah, I know we did him proud, and episode eight was dedicated to him as well. So that was pretty much my preparation. I also did a bit of horse riding as well, which is cool. 

That was pretty much physically my preparation for the role for Bill, for whom I had to really investigate the times like really delve into the eighteen hundreds and what it would have felt like to live in that sort of— I don’t want to say oppressed, but like in such a society where everything is so scrutinized. You can’t step a foot out of place, and everything is, it’s very precise. So what that might have felt like and also being working class as well, what it feels like to be to be working class and using boxing as a means of survival.

GLITTER: Your performance opposite Regé-Jean was dynamic. You just seemed like old friends watching you perform together. What was filming with him like, and do you have any memorable or fun moments you can share? 
MARTINS:  Thank you. Yeah, the bromance we had, we had an amazing bromance, and yeah, I would definitely consider him like a brother, like we really got on really, really well. 

And he has a bit more experience than me in TV and film. So he was there. He was always there for me, always had my back, and we were really open to each other to vibe off each other, to get the best out of the scene. You know, there was no ego involved. It was just two brothers just having fun, like enjoying being part of the show. Because we said to ourselves, like growing up, we hardly saw these characters. So, what an amazing opportunity to be able to portray this brotherhood for young people to witness, you know, to see that, wow. Like, what an amazing representation, you know. 

GLITTER: The cast was very diverse. How did that make you feel working on a set that people are praising as a wonderful example of diversity and inclusion?
MARTINS: Yeah, I think it’s about time. You know, I think everybody knows. It’s about time. I also don’t really like the word diverse, I prefer inclusive. I prefer like, you know, visibility. So I’m so happy that we were able to include everyone and for everyone to have a rightful seat at the table because everyone deserves to be there.

Often, you know, where people of color are not invited to the party, you know, we’re either the help or we’re either in the basement. We’re not really invited to the banquet to sit and eat. So it’s nice to be a part of that narrative, that shift. I hope that this is the start of or the continuation of this.

GLITTER:  With COVID-19 isolation in place for some time now, how did you stay in shape?
MARTINS:  I was very, very blessed to be able to have friends who are like, “Let’s go. Let’s go out and let’s do a 5K.” I give credit to my friends who motivated me throughout because I tend to sort of get in my head a bit and just, you know, really get into myself. So it’s nice to use exercise as a means of escapism, so I gave myself that structure. I gave myself that time to be able to go out. Whether it was a 5K or whether I find a bar and do some pull-ups or do some push-ups or do some skipping, I allowed myself that time to do that, which really, really helped me with my mental health and also just fitness, just staying in shape, which is really good. 

GLITTER: Have you worked during the current pandemic, and if you have, can you explain how things have changed?
MARTINS: I did a sci-fi short film for Film4 directed by Elliot Barnes-Worrell. It was really strange because you’re in a team and everyone is wearing masks apart from the actors, so you can’t really connect. You don’t really know who you’re working with. So that was very strange and difficult. You felt slightly removed from the process because you didn’t just have that much of a connection with the team. But yeah, we got it done, but it’s still a weird time.

GLITTER: You enjoyed cooking over quarantine; are you good at it, and what are some of your favorite things to prepare?
MARTINS: Yeah, I consider myself a great cook (laughing), and I like to sort of mix things up because I’m plant-based, so I don’t eat meat or dairy. So I’m always looking for different meals to make that are plant-based because sometimes it can just become a bit repetitive, like with the chickpeas and falafels. So it can become very, very boring. Every now and again, I’ll just go on YouTube and just be inspired and just try different things. But, what do I like to make? Hmmm, I make a pretty good macaroni and cheese that is non-dairy, and the cheese is made out of Brazil nuts. So, yes, it’s crazy, so you blend the Brazil nuts with some almond milk, and you make it really thick, and then you get your pasta in. You know, it’s the same process, but it’s just different ingredients, but it comes out tasting amazing. I mean, it doesn’t taste exactly like your traditional mac and cheese, but it does the job.

GLITTER: Were you watching any new series or films over isolation, and if so, which ones were you drawn to? 
MARTINS: I was watching Money Heist. I love Money Heist. So for Netflix, that was pretty cool. I think it’s four seasons. So I sort of really go into that; also, The Last King of Harlem, with Forest Whitaker, which is really, really good because I loved American Gangster with Denzel Washington. So it was nice to see Forest Whitaker’s take on it as well. Yeah. I am really enjoying that. 

GLITTER: If you could work with anyone in the industry, who would it be and why? 
MARTINS: Who would it be and why? I’m going to say Denzel Washington because when I was very, very young, I remember watching The Preacher’s Wife and thinking, “Wow, who is this guy?” He was so graceful and just captivating. Ever since, I just admired his career, and the choices he’s made have really, really stuck with me over the years. So definitely Denzel. And I love what he’s doing with August Wilson, with Fences, and with Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. The fact that he’s doing more, it’s amazing because hopefully, I get a chance to audition for one. That would be a dream, you know. 

GLITTER: Glitter has a Self-Love Campaign. What does it mean to you personally, the idea of self-love? 
MARTINS: Self-love… It’s such a great question and so broad as well. I think for me, self-love is giving yourself time and giving yourself space. I think sometimes we can be so consumed by everything that’s going on that we don’t give ourselves enough time to just be and truly be. I was asking my friend the other day, “When’s the last time you had time to yourself?” It doesn’t mean like cooking or having a meal or going for a walk; it’s like just being still, you know, with yourself. So, yeah, for me, it’s just giving yourself the time and space that you need. 

GLITTER: Do you have any new projects coming up that you can share with us? 
MARTINS: Nothing I can share, unfortunately, but some exciting times ahead of me, especially in TV and film. 

GLITTER: What’s the best social media platforms for fans to find you? Where are you spending most of your time on socials? 
MARTINS: Instagram. @martins_imhangbe_