Weekend with Sheila Nortley: ‘I’m an Aquarius, we’re very comfortable in our own company’
The award-winning film-maker and writer tells us what she’s reading and watching and how she loves to stay indoors
Sheila Nortley is a film-maker, writer and producer from south London who has produced Netflix hits including the mystery drama Stay Close and the Bafta-winning superhero series Supacell.
Named in the media publication Broadcast’s 2024 annual round-up of hotshot producers, she’s currently developing Birdsong — a script selected for the Brit List, a showcase of unproduced film and TV scripts by emerging British screenwriters. Her 2024 short film Osoro is also being made into a drama series. Nortley is head of drama and executive producer at Osun Group and an executive producer for Wall of Entertainment.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up on the weekend?
Honest answer? Probably check my phone. When I open my eyes, I just want to message my mum, dad and my sisters. Sometimes I’ll check socials out of habit, but when I read about people whose lifestyles I admire, a lot of them don’t do that. So I’ve removed social media from my phone — I’m trying to be more intentional about starting the day with prayer and gratitude.
Who are some of the people you admire?
Businesswoman and former chief marketing officer at Netflix Bozoma Saint John — there’s something about her that I find very, very inspirational. She’s just so unapologetically herself.
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What does your Saturday look like?
I’m a very introverted person. Ideally, I’ll be in my house. I prefer to stay indoors with my family and just be still. It sounds really boring, but that’s what makes me happy. I’m not really into parties. I’ve recently started going to a book club though, which I’m really enjoying.
And when you do go out?
It’s usually a work event like a screening. But I don’t work on weekends at all. I’ve had to be disciplined with that because film and TV often bleeds out of hours — even watching TV can sometimes feel like work.
What have you watched recently that hasn’t felt like work?
The last thing that blew my mind was Sinners. I’ve seen it twice. It moved me to my core and gave me goosebumps.
What are you reading at the moment?
The Catch by Yrsa Daley-Ward. It’s a really beautiful, poetic story about twins who lost their mother years ago.
Do you like to go out to eat or cook?
Stay in and cook ideally — or even stay in and order. I sound like such a recluse, but I’m an Aquarius. We are very, very comfortable in our own company. In summer, I’ll be a bit more like, “The sun’s out, let’s go to a friend’s house.” But in winter, I literally hibernate from October to March. I will not leave my house unnecessarily, I really won’t.
What’s your favourite dish to cook?
I recently made these jerk salmon noodles and it was so easy and quick.
When you do go out, where do you like to go?
There’s a market in Tooting Broadway, south London. They’ve created this cultural hub of different foods from Italian to Indian and Arab fusion. London is a great city and I think everywhere you go, you’re going to find really interesting places to eat.
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Supacell was a massive hit. If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
Time travel or invisibility.
Would you travel to the past or the future?
Both. I have so many questions about what life was like thousands of years ago and what we could learn from our ancestors. In terms of our descendants and what’s ahead, there’s so much I would like to share with them.
Any final words?
Keep the weekends sacred. We live in a society that does not allow us to rest — it promotes this hustle culture that is absolutely exhausting. Sometimes, particularly as Black women, we wear our exhaustion as a badge of honour. That’s not healthy or wise. Protect your peace, health and your mental wellbeing. Pour into yourself on the weekend.
