A Discovery of Witches Star Teresa Palmer Shares Swimsuit Photo of “Wild Day”

1. No Crazy Stunts

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Whelan considers herself to be a fit, active person, but draws the line at doing her own stunts. “I think I used to be quite gung ho about it like ‘Of course, I’ll try anything’ whereas now I’m very much appreciative of the help from the stunt doubles,” she says. “I’m fit, I love running, I think there are a few I definitely could but it’s not my job. There are people properly trained to do all the extreme stuff, I think I’ll leave it to them… As I said, it’s a necessity and they’re expertly trained. I’m not a method actor by any stretch, I leave work at work. There have been some roles that are quite consuming and then a lot to get over but I’ve never really been at the point where I couldn’t shake them off. I’d think I’d be concerned if that was the case.”

2. Costume Dramas

Whelan enjoys the immersion she gets from period and costume dramas. “For period dramas, the costumes and the words do a lot of the heavy lifting,” she says. “When the writing is so good but also so much different than the modern way of speaking, and then these costumes that are perfectly engineered to fit you in this setting, the character feels more natural than anything. I’ve loved them all for different reasons, they’re all a part of me but I do always miss going to Game of Thrones because the rhythm of my year became such as going to Belfast and meeting up with the—we were like a family, so meeting up with them over there. And Gentleman Jack as well, I was really sorry that didn’t go ahead for a third season.”

3. Working Mother

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Whelan was thankful to return to Game of Thrones with the support of the team when she had a baby. “I thought I’d be on the shelf for a little while after having the baby, which is fine, but I was very lucky,” she says. “It was similar with Game of Thrones, actually. I went back with my daughter and she was six weeks old and they allowed for breastfeeding… That should just be a normal thing – you have a child and you have to feed it but you’re working as well.”

4. Swimming In the Sea

Whelan loves swimming in the sea, especially in beautiful Cornwall, UK. “Happiest most beautiful relaxing time with friends in this stunning little place. Thank you so much @portwrinkleholidays for the most extraordinary home for the weekend and the freshest air and the warmest hot tub and the coolest sea swim - we will be back. Highly recommend for a complete escape and switch off,” she captioned an Instagram post.

5. Friends Forever

Whelan is still friends with her Game of Thrones costars—research shows close, ongoing friendships are incredibly beneficial for health. “Alfie [Allen] and Emelia [Clarke] are dear pals and I see Iain Glenn around here because he lives not far from where I live,” she says. “It was a long time. We knew each other for a span of about 10 years and it was a family… I just loved every single moment… it was very, very special.”

1. Spin Classes

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Wilson-Read stays active by walking around London and taking group exercise classes. “I am a homebody at heart, but London is wonderful for exploring, so I try and spend my time going to exhibitions and trying new restaurants!” she says. “One of my favorite museums is the V and A. I am also a great lover of desserts, so whether it be Bread Aheads doughnuts in London Bridge or Zafferanos Tiramisu, I try and search them out. I am also hooked on group workout classes, so you will frequently find me being worked into a sweat by India Bailey in a spin class on a Tuesday afternoon.”

2. Empathy From Acting

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Wilson-Read loves the way acting encourages empathy and compassion. “I didn’t grow up thinking that I would be an actress,” she says. “In fact, there was a time that I was interested in going into law or psychology; however, I always came back to acting! I constantly think that putting yourself in someone else’s shoes makes you more empathetic toward other people. One of the most beautiful things about acting is you have to immerse yourself in the character to understand and sympathize with why they make certain decisions. This is not without dilemmas, as the decisions made may not be consistent with my own social or emotional beliefs.”

3. Meditation and Kitty Cuddles

Wilson-Read meditates and limits screen time for her mental health. “Life sometimes feels like that saying, ‘When it rains, it pours’. I will have periods of quiet and then suddenly everything is happening at once,” she says. “I try to meditate most days, even if it’s for 10 minutes, and limit how much I spend looking at a screen… I have an apartment that feels so peaceful. It’s slightly miscellaneous and full of (probably dying) plants. It feels like this zen little island in the middle of busy London. The only thing that isn’t so peaceful is that I have a rather large fluffy rescue cat who manages to molt no matter how much I brush him, so I spend a lot of my day picking up hairballs off the floor.”

4. Confidence From Sabrina

Wilson-Read has developed a strong sense of self through playing Sabrina. “Sabrina brought out a confidence in me that I really didn’t know I had,” she says. “Yes, she has her insecurities and moments of vulnerability but, for the most part, she’s incredibly sure of herself which feels empowering to play. However, she can also be cutting and mean at points which, although is fun to play with, never feels so good in my body. When she’s fun, she’s very fun. When she’s mean, she’s very mean. When she loves, she loves so deep she risks her life for that person.”

5. Respect For Fans

Wilson-Read respects The Witcher fans and tries to stay true to the source material for her character. “It’s important to me to keep as close to the character that the fans know and love from the books and the games but also show her development into that character,” she says. “I try to go back to the source material before every season starts and revisit Andrzej Sapkowski’s Sabrina Glevissig and see if there are traits of her that I can highlight more in each season.”