Natalie Dormer Grew Up Visiting the Beaches in Wales

30.08.2024 - 16:39 / cntraveler.com

Given her packed professional schedule and busy home life with a toddler, maybe Natalie Dormer really does just want to chill out with a magazine when she’s alone. Or maybe she’s buttering up her interviewer. “I’m not just saying this: My treat to myself when I get on an airplane is a hard copy of Condé Nast Traveler. I swear to god!” says the actress, who made her name as Margaery Tyrell in Game of Thrones. “And invariably I read about two articles and I fall asleep.”

She’s forgiven for the weariness: This week, her psychological thriller The Wasp hits theaters, of which she is both star and co-producer, and later this year she stars in Audrey’s Children, a biopic about the pioneering pediatric oncologist Dr. Audrey Evans. Ahead, she chatted with Condé Nast Traveler about her most awkward encounter with a fan, why she makes time for the Alhambra, and the region of her native United Kingdom that more international travelers should see.

The coolest film locations she’s ever had:
I've been very lucky in my career. I've really worked in some outstanding places. Casanova, one of my first jobs, was shot entirely on location in Venice, which was pretty special. In The Forest, I found myself in Tokyo and below Mount Fuji. Croatia with Game of Thrones—I'm a lucky lady. But I think the real standout for me is Hanging Rock in the region of Victoria, Australia, when I shot Picnic at Hanging Rock. It is the most incredible, sculptural, and weirdly esoteric-feeling place, and it has a stunning view from the top. It's really a very powerful place, as the book suggests. Standing up on the top of Hanging Rock, looking out across the epic Australian landscape, playing a character that was about to jump off, is a standout moment in my memory.

Her favorite mode of transportation:
I like trains. I think most of us do. There's something very calming about a train journey, and watching the changing landscape in front of you. But you can't beat a plane. It’s magical getting into this little compartment, [letting] however many hours go past, and getting out and being somewhere else. I’m still very childlike in my excitement about the doors opening on a plane and stepping off into an unknown place.

Her go-to plane outfit:
Knowing that I'm most likely going to fall asleep, it tends to be a loose dress or a baggy top over leggings. And I have to say, I do compression socks. It's a habit that I got into when I was training for the marathon, in order to look after my body and my circulation. I tend to always have a pair in my bag. Not so sexy, ladies and gentlemen, but very good for you! Very healthy!

Her priorities when planning a vacation:
These days, I need the [whole] package. I need somewhere that's child-friendly. Food is very