Weekend with Sasha Vadher: ‘I escaped the nine-to-five to do the 24/7’
The actor on her favourite breakfast, spending Saturday nights at the cinema, and her latest film The Model
Sasha Vadher, 27, is an actor and model based in west London. She recently starred in The Model, directed by Marcus Flemmings, which had its UK premiere in May.
Vadher plays Daisy, a model of mixed Muslim heritage in London navigating identity, faith and career pressures. The production won best British-Asian film at this year’s UK Asian Film Festival.
Her next project is the upcoming feature They’re Gone!, also directed by Flemmings.
How do you ease into the weekend?
I escaped the nine-to-five to do the 24/7. I have a lot of shoots that fall on the weekend, but if I’m not working, then it’s just a case of setting no alarm and waking up whenever God wakes me up. I try to do at least one workout, and then visit family and friends.
What workout do you love to start the day with?
I love pilates.
What’s for breakfast?
As soon as I open my eyes, I’m like, I need to eat something. But I’m kind of boring. I have the exact same thing every single day — avocado toast.
Do you often eat out for breakfast?
I just see a nice cafe and pop in there, and there are so many lovely cafes in London. I feel that you can kind of look at the barista and tell if the coffee’s going to be good. I think I’ve got an eye for it.
On a Saturday night, are you going out or staying in?
We’re in an era where everyone wants to stay inside and protect their energy. I’m outside. I love just meeting people and having fun and seizing the day. I absolutely love the cinema or just finding a nice spot to eat, meeting up with friends, seeing family.
Best film you saw recently?
I love The Drama with Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, I really enjoyed the way that movie was constructed and how they told the story. I really like the production company A24 and the way they work. The way they tell a story is very raw and it’s just very easy to connect and relate to.
What else do you like to do in London?
There is an amazing place called Aire with all these ancient baths. I went there a couple of nights ago and you can go get a massage, there’s a sauna, cold plunges, swimming pools.
Where do you like to go for dinner?
If I’m going for an Indian, I like Dishoom. If I want more of a Pan-Asian vibe, there’s a place called Gura Gura in Covent Garden.
Best vegan spot?
Mildreds is amazing because that’s one place where I don’t have to keep checking whether every single thing is vegan, which is such a rare experience.
Can you tell us a bit about The Model?
It’s about the career of a young woman navigating the modelling industry. The Model is also a play on modelling yourself around what society expects of you. She’s from a mixed background — she’s half English, half South Asian, and it’s dealing with the different pressures of being of dual heritage and what the expectations are from certain cultures.
What are some of the key themes that stayed with you?
The character I play is always trying to be someone else and she struggles with her identity a lot.
Which parts felt closest to your own experience as a model?
There’s a lot of times where she’s pushed to breaking point in auditions and at certain jobs where people just aren’t treating her with any kind of respect. And there’s so much pressure in auditions and just the way sometimes people speak to you in the industry.
What else are you currently working on?
Another feature film called They’’re Gone! The film is set in a near-future Britain where all non-British citizens have been deported. We had a cast and crew screening in May at the British Film Institute and it will be released at the end of this year.
