In Dialogue: Karen Johal

Karen Johal, a UK-based talent and 2016 grad, appeared as Nicole Shelley, Nate’s sister in the third season of Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso before joining the cast of Netflix’s The Diplomat, filming in London alongside Keri Russell. Drawing on her Academy training, Johal continues to build her career across television and theatre, with a focus on complex characters and new creative challenges.

The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

You’re from the UK, tell us about your time at an American drama school.

I had only done Drama A-level, which is sort of our version of what you do before going to university. The training at the Academy was a completely different ballgame; it was multiple plays and all these different techniques that I’d never heard of. I was so excited to start diving in. It was a good blank slate to move forward with.

I think the training at the Academy was a mix of changing teachers every term and changing scene partners every term. My experience was that I got exactly what I needed in the first term with that section, and then, in the second term, I got pushed in the ways I needed to be pushed, and that continued until doing Company.

Pushed you?

In terms of the style. Hard is a really simple way of putting it, but movement class First Year was very physical and very demanding. But I enjoyed it. Like I said, it was such a big push. Second year was more of the same. Company was completely different; lots of workshops before the official year started, then back-to-back shows.

Collaborations with other alumni? You’ve worked with Charly Clive before.

It was my first job after graduating. She’d been in Company two years ahead of me, and she had auditions for her play, Camel. She’s a great comedic writer. It was my first experience in a professional role, and it was at Under St. Mark’s; it was an incredibly fun, heartwarming play. The funny, quirky experience of it being my first professional job, and the fact that it was by Charly, another grad from the UK. During one performance there was a mouse onstage, in this basement theatre, we didn’t even see it, but my friends were like “There was a rat on stage with you!” [Laughs.]

You were on Ted Lasso.

That was in 2023; another great experience. I had watched the first two seasons that summer and then got the selftape to play Nate’s sister. Everyone says they never thought they would get it, but I never thought I would get it. [Laughs.] The scene for the audition was advising him, but ended up turning into a bunch of sweet scenes with the family.

I remember meeting and working with Jason [Sudeikis], who was co-directing the episode with Matt Lipsey. The note I got from them, they wanted to do a callback to a recent scene, was done in such an earnest way. Nick Mohammed was so lovely, and the actors playing the parents were so nice. 

There was a little bit of uncertainty because it was rumored that it would be the last season. I came back for the last episode for a little montage moment. Everyone was kind of like, “Is it the last season? Is it not?” And I was like, “No, it’s definitely the last season.” I feel like sometimes people want to hope that it’s not going to be the last one, but I just didn’t see them bringing it back. 

It was great to be back rounding things up for that last episode. I’ve gotten fan letters and people DMing me to say how much they love it, and people saying they loved seeing Nate’s family.

You’re also in The Diplomat.

That was in March of this year; we filmed in London with some incredible sets and a lot of landmark locations. I had a great time, and filmed a short scene with Keri Russell. There were so many more people involved in that production, and Netflix made it feel like such a big deal. They’d also brought over many cast members from New York.

Another funny, full-circle story was talking with another cast member who’d never been to the UK before. He was from New York and getting a couple of weeks in London. I asked him where he lived and he said East Harlem. I was like, “I used to live in East Harlem!” We kept talking and realized we’d both lived on the same block for a few overlapping years.

Working alongside star power and high caliber talent; how do you keep the nerves at bay?

I try to remember that, because it feels so gargantuan when you’re across from them, that you just have to go back to the work and think of the scene. I’m working with my scene partner, and I’m a scene partner to them. And watching how these actors navigate set; they don’t walk around with this air that it’s all about them. Keri Russell was especially interesting; the whole cast and crew had to watch her movements for the blocking. It was like a small theatre, with everyone crammed into a corner. She was incredibly calm and moved with such ease.

Lessons from the Academy you’ve kept in your work.

The core of how I work hasn’t really changed. In terms of character prep and the emotional side, plus thinking about physicality and using viewpoints to find how the character moves. It all becomes so ingrained in you; the more you do it, the less you think about it. I think those concepts have stayed with me because they’ve been so useful to me. That all comes back to the Academy. 

When you don’t have as much to work with a script for a self-tape or audition, you have to have things that are second nature. My process is condensed with a whole stack of techniques to choose from. That’s what’s changed, too, along with not putting pressure on myself to show the full emotional range of a character when I only have three lines.

Working quickly – it doesn’t float up into your head?

Yeah, I think so, but it depends on what it is. I’ve learned to be more economical with takes. When I first started doing self-tapes, I’d get in my head about how they looked and would do loads of takes. If there was a moment that wasn’t quite right in the second take but worked in the third, I’d get so in my head about it…I’ve learned not to do that anymore. 

What’s next for you? In your case, maybe what do you hope is next post-Diplomat?

I hope to do more work on complex characters, and continue being in those projects and those types of sets. I hope to keep learning more. Like a lot of working actors are doing, I’m auditioning all the time. There’s so much script work that I’m fortunate to do.

It’s been nearly 10 years since I finished Company, and I remember having read Uta Hagen’s book that it takes about 10 years to get your career going as an actor. I think that’s so true.

Upcoming, Karen will play the lead in the short film She Kicks, a story following a veteran as she revisits her football-playing dream.

Take a look at her website for more career escapades.