Renegade Nell Star Alice Kremelberg On Queer Elements In Disney Series
Image: Photo taken via Instagram @alicekremelberg, March 30th.
Renegade Nell star Alice Kremelberg has voiced her thoughts on queer visibility and representation in the new Disney series, describing the show as embracing a distinctly “queer outlook on life” during the 1705 period.
Known for her roles as Percy Muldoon in The Sinner, and Nicole Eckelcamp in the fifth and sixth seasons of the Netflix series Orange is the New Black, Kremelberg’s latest project sees her as Sofia Wilmot in Renegade Nell.
Kremelberg came out as queer in 2021, and goes by she/they pronouns. Speaking with The Advocate that same year, the actress delved into how her queer identity influences her choice of acting roles.
“As an actor, my job is to imbue aspects of myself in my work, and my queerness is inherently a part of me and my lived experience,” she said.
“A lot of things I’ve been through as a queer person have given me a multitude of experiences to pull from in my work”, she added.
Exploring Queer Themes in Renegade Nell
Renegade Nell is a British historical fantasy adventure television series written by Sally Wainwright. The Disney series tracks the journey of Nell Jackson (portrayed by Louisa Harland from Derry Girls) who, alongside her two sisters, is thrust into a life of survival and resourcefulness. Guided by a spirit called Billy Blind, Nell discovers that destiny has a purpose for her amidst the turmoil of war-torn Europe. During her journey, Nell faces numerous adversaries, including Kremelberg’s character, Sofia.
The Renegade Nell actress reflected on how she believed the series could resonate with a queer audience.
“These women, who are really paving their own way in a time like 1704 where it’s so unheard of – it is a very queer outlook on life, where you don’t see a path in front of you that’s paved already, so you have to create it,” she told Pink News.
Challenging Norms and Exploring Identity in Renegade Nell
Although Nell’s character isn’t queer, she challenges gender norms by rejecting her full name “Nelly,” opting for masculine attire, and expressing her desire to enlist in the army.
Kremelberg expressed her fondness for portraying queer roles, explaining that it was important to have queer identities shown on screen.
“I know that for myself as an actor, I love playing queer roles because it’s something that you relate to deeply and you want to see every version of what a queer person is on screen”, Kremelberg added.
Louisa Harland also discussed her character’s queer journey in the show. Speaking with Digital Spy, Harland explained that Nell was not romantically driven.
Harland suggested that while Nell might be perceived as part of the queer community or grappling with gender identity, her focus was on seeking a better life.
In episode 6, Nell exchanges an unexpected yet delightfully surprising kiss with Polly Honeycomb.
“Why does she dress as a man to pass as a man? Polly Honeycomb thinks she is a man. But Nell is very unfazed. With things like that, I think it’s just water off a duck’s back”, Harland said.
Renegade Nell is now streaming on Disney+.
