Thandie Newton’s daughter has revealed the advice her mother gave ahead of the teenager’s starring role in Dumbo.
Nico Parker, 14, is one of Newton’s three children with director Oliver Parker and plays Milly Farrier in Tim Burton’s live-action remake of Disney’s 1941 classic.
Nico said she got the part following “audition after audition” and revealed her famous mother, an Emmy winner for her role HBO science fiction-western series Westworld, steered away from giving acting advice and instead gave her tips on how to behave on set.
She told the Press Association: “To a lot of people’s surprise she actually didn’t (give advice on acting).
“I think it would be a bit intimidating, because those are big shoes to fill, and I think it would be a bit intimidating so it was more advice on how to treat everyone on set and set life.”
Nico stars as Colin Farrell’s on-screen daughter in Dumbo, and develops a close bond with the elephant.
She praised Burton and said working with co-stars including Farrell, Danny DeVito and Michael Keaton was a “dream come true”.
She said: “He (Burton) really is a genius, he’s incredible. It was such an honour to work with him and be in his presence in general because he really has such an amazing mind and he’s so creative in so many ways. It was lovely to work with him.”