Self Isolate With... Jenna Coleman

The actress Jenna Coleman stars in the latest instalment of our new series of self-isolation diaries, where friends of Bazaar share what they're eating, reading, watching and wearing at home right now.

Read on to self-isolate with Jenna.

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1. I'm wearing...

“Let's face it, I don’t even really know. Gym wear, tracksuits (Les Tien pieces are insanely comfortable), dungarees and, given my new turn as a wannabe gardener, I’m living in my Shrimps hat. I’ve also discovered Loretta Caponi dresses, which not only make you feel as if you are in a Brontë novel but they also double as a nightdress.”

2. I'm watching...

“I’m watching classic movies and a mix from last year's film festivals. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg brightened up a Sunday afternoon (and made me want to redecorate my entire house). A recent favourite was the beautiful Portrait of a Lady on Fire by Céline Sciamma (on Mubi), which felt like being transported into a painting frame by frame. Amazing Grace, the Aretha Franklin documentary, is also a wonderful watch if you want something soul-charging. I’m gobbling up Normal People; Marianne and Connell are brought to life so pitch-perfectly, it’s so rare to find the complexities of a relationship portrayed with such honesty on screen.”

3. I'm listening to...

“Diane Keaton reading Joan Didion’s essay collection Slouching Towards Bethlehem on Audible, thrown in with Adam Buxton’s podcast, and Dolly Alderton and Pandora Sykes’ The High Low.”

4. I'm reading...

“I just finished Find Me, André Aciman’s Call Me by Your Name sequel; it felt so sumptuous to be mentally transported to Italy. I’ve moved on to Greece with Polly Samson’s A Theatre For Dreamers, which has got me listening to Leonard Cohen and dipping into Ernest Hemingway books I’ve never read. Richard Powers’ The Overstory is next on the list."

5. I'm cooking...

“I can't remember the last time I properly cooked. I’m usually not in one place long enough, so I’m really enjoying this stationary time. I’m using the slow cooker and some recipe books, working with what you have in your cupboard forces you to be creative and limits waste. I’m also trying to support local businesses. HQF, which normally delivers to restaurants, is now offering home delivery, and for vegetables, I've been using Odd Box London and Spring Green London. I’ve become obsessed with chimichurri, which goes with everything. And I've been enjoying homemade margaritas inspired by Laura Jackson.”

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6. The app I've used most...

“I've been using the pedometer Steps App, which is shockingly truthful at this time, and Zoom to keep in touch with loved ones. I performed a live virtual play, A Separate Peace, via Zoom with Curtain Call and Platform Presents. I loved being part of a virtual community trying to use this platform to still be creative and to contribute. I’m in post-production on [the BBC crime drama] The Serpent, where I’m playing a French-Canadian, so French practice is ongoing (I use Memrise and Duolingo daily). I find learning a language so hard – it’s not naturally wired within me – but Memrise incorporates a lot of real people so you get a sense of accents and communication. It makes learning quite addictive.”

7. The work-out I've been doing...

“I've tried the Class by Taryn Toomey, which I found so liberating and therapeutic. I really recommend it to get rid of that stagnant energy. It’s such a strange time and I don’t think you realise what you keep inside your body. It gives you the freedom to let it all go – meditation, cardio and conditioning in one – with some great music.”

8. The self-care I've been practising...

“Epsom salt baths, and anything Biologique Recherché. It does some fantastic face masks.

“The game Scattergories also came out of the cupboard, which was a real revelation. I’m also unashamed to admit I have resorted to jumper-shaving, which is getting rid of those old bobbles.”

9. The new skill I'm learning...

“Gardening… any tips? I’m a complete beginner. I’ve bought some oil pastels too and plan to watch along with some Partnership Editions artist tutorials.”

10. What I'm doing to feel less anxious...

“Understanding the power of surrender and standing back in complete admiration for all of our key workers and the NHS, who are and always have been our utter heroes. There is a feeling of helplessness and fear, but seeing how this pandemic is bringing out such community and love and creativity across the world at such a time of crisis makes me feel humbled.”

This originally appeared on Harper's BAZAAR UK.

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