Alexandra Roach launches a mental health venture for actors

The Iron Lady, and her numerous television credits include episodes of Black Mirror and Killing Eve. But despite her success, Roach remains keenly aware of the impact that being in the public eye – not to mention dealing with the constant risk of rejection – can have on actors’ mental health.

Hence the motivation for her new venture, Resting, a website, Instagram feed and event series designed as a source of support and creative rejuvenation for her professional peers. “I think the combination of the #MeToo movement and the pandemic has ruffled the industry’s feathers, and brought a lot of things to the surface that needed to be dealt with,” says Roach of the past few years. “That’s a really positive thing, but it’s happening so rapidly that we as an acting community need to find ways of staying abreast of the changes.

It’s not like we have an HR department, so Resting is about checking in with each other and working out how we can move forward together. ”The initiative consists of a series of in-person events built around four key pillars.

First, Resting will host workshops on a range of artistic disciplines – not just drama, but also writing, poetry and dance – to help rekindle participants’ passion for creativity. “There’s a feeling I had when I was starting out at 11 that I remember so vividly – that sense that I loved acting so much, that this is what I wanted to do – and I want to give actors a chance to reconnect with that feeling,” explains Roach.