Natalia Tena

Natalia Gastiain Tena is an English-Spanish actress and musician. She is best known for playing Nymphadora Tonks in the Harry Potter film series (2007–2011), and the wildling Osha in the HBO series Game of Thrones (2011–2013; 2016).

Tena is the lead singer and accordionist of Molotov Jukebox. The band released their debut album Carnival Flower (2014), in Spring 2014, featuring their single "Neon Lights". Their second studio album, Tropical Gypsy (2016), was released on 15 April 2016 and was preceded by its lead single, "Pineapple Girl". It was promoted on the band's Tropical Gypsy Tour in April and May 2016.

Early life and education

Natalia Gastiain Tena was born in Camden, London, the daughter of Spanish parents, María Tena, a secretary, and Jesús Andrew Gastiain, a carpenter. Her family is of Extremaduran and Basque origin, and she was raised in the United Kingdom.

Tena is fluent in English and Spanish. She attended Bedales School in Hampshire.

She was taught the piano by her mother at five years old, influenced by Chuck Berry's music. Afterwards, at 18, Tena moved back to London and busked on the London Underground. While working with a theatre group called KneeHigh, where they were allowed to pick an instrument to play, Tena decided to learn the accordion.

Career

Tena made her professional debut as Ellie in About a Boy (2002), and began acting full-time in 2003. She has played lead roles in stage adaptations of Gone to Earth in 2004, and Nights at the Circus in 2006.

In 2007, Tena appeared in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix playing the character Nymphadora Tonks. Tena reprised this role in its sequels Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, in 2009, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 in 2010 and Part 2 in 2011.

She hosted a behind-the-scenes featurette entitled "Trailing Tonks" for the subsequent DVD and Blu-ray release, and is credited as producer and director of the featurette, in which she also performs an original Christmas-themed blues song on guitar, which she composed while working as a busker on the London Underground.

In 2011, she played a lead role in the Scottish Film You Instead. She also appeared as Osha in HBO's Game of Thrones. In March 2013, she starred in the official music video for Lapalux's single "Without You (ft. Kerry Leatham)".

In 2014, Tena co-starred as a mentally ill woman in the Black Mirror Christmas episode "White Christmas".

In 2015, she starred as the lead, Jennifer Preston, in the British mini-series Residue. In 2017, Tena was cast as Sara Morten in the CBS drama Wisdom of the Crowd.

Tena played the series regular role of Lana Pierce on the YouTube science fiction series Origin (2018).

Filmography

Film

• 2002 — About a Boy — Ellie — Credited as Nat Gastiain Tena
• 2005 — The Fine Art of Love — Vera
• 2005 — Mrs Henderson Presents — Peggy
• 2007 — Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix — Nymphadora Tonks
• 2008 — Lecture 21 — Thomson
• 2009 — Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince — Nymphadora Tonks
• 2010 — Womb — Rose
• 2010 — Ways to Live Forever — Annie
• 2010 — Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 — Nymphadora Tonks
• 2011 — Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 — Nymphadora Tonks
• 2011 — You Instead — Morello
• 2012 — Bel Ami — Rachel
• 2014 — 10,000 km — Alex
• 2015 — SuperBob — Dorris
• 2017 — Amar — Madre de Laura
• 2017 — Anchor and Hope — Kat
• 2020 — I Love You, Stupid — Raquel
• 2020 — Baby — Albinoa
• 2023 — John Wick: Chapter 4 — Katia Javanavič
• 2023 — Borderline — Joan
• 2024 — The Platform 2 — Sahabat
• 2025 — El mal — Martín

Television

• 2005 — Doctors — Amy Emerson — Episode: "Boundaries"
• 2006 — Afterlife — Gemma Taylor — Episode 205: "Mirrorball"
• 2011–2013; 2016 — Game of Thrones — Osha — Recurring role (season 1–3, 6)
• 2012 — Shameless — Aparecida — Episode: "The Brazilian Effect"
• 2012 — Falcón — Christine Ferrera — 2 episodes
• 2013 — Ambassadors — Tanya — Main role
• 2013 — Black Mirror — Jennifer — Episode: "White Christmas"
• 2015 — Residue — Jennifer Preston — Main role
• 2015 — The Refugees — Emma Oliver — Main role
• 2017–2018 — Wisdom of the Crowd — Sara Morten — Main role
• 2018 — Origin — Lana Pierce — Main role
• 2019 — The Mandalorian — Xi'an — Episode: "Chapter 6: The Prisoner"
• 2021–present — Wolfe — Val Kinteh — Main role
• 2022 — Vardy v Rooney: A Courtroom Drama — Rebekah Vardy — Main role
• 2025 — Riot Women — Inez

Stage

• 2004 — Gone to Earth — Hazel — Shared Experience / UK tour
• 2005 — Bronte — Cathy / Bertha Mason — Shared Experience / UK tour
• 2006 — Nights at the Circus — Fevvers — Kneehigh Theatre / UK tour
• 2008 — The Clean House — Matilde — UK tour
• 2009 — Othello — Desdemona — Royal Shakespeare Company / UK tour
• 2019 — Europe — Katia — Donmar Warehouse

Accolades

• 2014 — 17th Málaga Film Festival — Silver Biznaga for Best Actress — 10,000 km — Won
• 2015 — 20th Forqué Awards — Best Actress — 10,000 km — Nominated
• 2015 — 7th Gaudí Awards — Best Actress — 10,000 km — Won
• 2015 — 70th CEC Medals — Best New Actress — 10,000 km — Nominated
• 2015 — 29th Goya Awards — Best New Actress — 10,000 km — Nominated
• 2018 — 10th Gaudí Awards — Best Supporting Actress — Anchor and Hope — Nominated