She's All Nat

Actress NATALIE MARTINEZ on playing badasses, training in Muay Thai, and her new show, The Crossing.

- 

From CSI: NY to APB to Kingdom, you’ve portrayed a lot of tough women. What’s the key to playing a badass?

You’ve just got to have it. You’ve got to be confident and not afraid to take risks. I feel like people see that in me when I step into these roles. I show up to work, I give it my all, and I think that reflects a strong personality.

We especially loved you in Kingdom as MMA fighter Alicia Mendez. Did you have to train like a pro athlete for that character?

I’ve been doing Muay Thai and boxing for years, even before I did that show. So that was already a part of my everyday life and training regimen, which gave me confidence. And I’ve done a lot of strength training and conditioning. I’ve always been very active. So I feel like that helped out with my body language and the way I carried myself.

Do you still do Muay Thai training?