Exclusive Interview: Navia Robinson Talks Gotham Knights, Bringing Her Version of Carrie Kelley to the Screen, and More

Navia Robinson is one of the industry’s most exciting young talents. Already in her career, she’s brought dynamic characters to life in projects including Free Rein, Being Mary Jane, and Raven’s Home. This spring, she steps into the shoes of the iconic Carrie Kelley in the action-packed new series, Gotham Knights.

In the aftermath of Bruce Wayne’s murder, his rebellious adopted son forges an unlikely alliance with the children of Batman’s enemies when they are all framed for killing the Caped Crusader.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Navia about Gotham Knights, bringing her version of Carrie Kelley to the screen, and more.

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting and storytelling?
Navia: I discovered my passion for acting simply by watching TV and movies. I have a big family. There are seven of us in total. I knew there was something special about this medium because we would all sit down in front of our TV and focus our undivided attention on it. I thought that was amazing. That’s when it first happened.

Then I went to preschool and there was a kid whose parents worked in the Atlanta film industry. I guess they saw something in me. They recommended this performing arts school in Atlanta to my parents. Once my parents told me about it, I was like, “Yeah, I really want to do that.” They were hesitant, but after a while of me pestering they let me go. That was the beginning of it.

I was immersed in a community with people who shared the same interests and inclinations. It made me feel like I wasn’t abnormal. It was that community that allowed me to really blossom.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Navia: That’s a really good question. My biggest influence emotionally would be the element of surprise or that feeling of revelation when you watch a film or a TV that feels so original and different. An example of that, which I think a lot of people experienced, was with Everything Everywhere All at Once. That was when I was like, “Oh my gosh. I can’t believe this is possible.” It felt life-changing. That’s what influences me most emotionally. It’s the feeling that you can create something so groundbreaking and you can change people’s perspectives. That’s super powerful.

As far as tangible influences, my mom is a big influence on me. She’s a super resilient and bold woman. Any boldness or vulnerability or honesty that I have and am able to share in front of the camera comes from her.

PC: You’ve had so much success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a moment that stands out?
Navia: The first thing that came to mind is the series that I filmed in England. It was called Free Rein. I filmed it in 2016 and 2017 for three months each. The production allowed me to fly my brothers and my dad out for a week or so. We got to go to London. We got to explore and see Big Ben and do all the touristy things. That was so special. I was eleven years old, so I don’t think I realized how novel that experience was. But in retrospect, it was magical that I was working with these older teenagers, and I thought I was so cool because all of my castmates were young adults. I got to learn how to ride horses. It was like going to summer camp, except it was being filmed.

Then the show won a Daytime Creative Arts Emmy. We got to walk up on stage. That was super, super surreal. We were nominated against Sesame Street. That’s one of the most revolutionary TV shows. We thought they were going to win the Emmy. Then it didn’t, and we did. It was really special.

PC: You’re one of the stars of Gotham Knights, and you’re bringing your own version of Carrie Kelley to the screen. Often when you’re working with a franchise as iconic as DC, they keep things pretty secretive. How much information were you given about the project and character when you auditioned? How did you celebrate the news that you landed the role?
Navia: They kept things very secretive. In fact, I didn’t know the character that I was auditioning for, even when I screen-tested for the character. I had my theories, but I didn’t know the character was Carrie Kelley/Robin until I officially got the part.

They’re very secretive about things, even on set. I remember in the pilot we were shooting in the graveyard they had Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne’s tombstones. I was like, “Oh my gosh. I want to take a picture of this so badly. This is so cool.” But I didn’t want to get in trouble. [laughs]

PC: When you’re playing a character who’s existed in another medium, what’s one thing you wanted to make sure was translated from page to screen? What’s something new you brought to her?
Navia: That’s a great question. I tried not to absorb too much of what was out there because I wanted to bring my own individuality to it and not let my performance be influenced by other people’s expectations or whatnot.

Specifically, with Carrie Kelley, there’s no live-action version of her. But even where she’s depicted in animations there’s a limited amount of things. I watched a compilation of some of the animated series. There’s a quippy tone that she has. She evokes a certain wisdom but also a naivete that I thought was really interesting. She’s confident and smart, but there’s also this timidness. She knows she’s an asset. I took those different elements and made her my own—what it means to be Carrie Kelley and what it means to be Robin. They’re two different characters in one body.

Also, the environment of our Gotham is different, and that influenced my development of this character as well. Because she’s Carrie Kelley, and yes, she’s positive and warm, but you see that positivity and warmth molded in a new way when you’re in such a dark environment.

PC: This is such a physically demanding role. From a stunts’ perspective, what was that training process like? How did that physicality help you tap into this role?
Navia: The physicality was so important because the audience has to believe that this fifteen-year-old can beat up these very imposing adults. We wanted to be able to sell that. The stunt team was amazing. They were so considerate of the story and how the character traits would influence the movement. They were very conscious about how they can make all of these sequences that may feel illogical feel possible. That helped me as an actor. Because you have to be able to put aside whatever inhibitions you have and believe your circumstances. We’d get to a point with each fight sequence where I’m like, “I believe that this character is capable of these things.” It’s just as much a mental game as it is a physical one. As much as you want to learn how to do that roundhouse kick with great precision, you also want to learn it to psych yourself into believing that you can kick like that as well.

PC: You’re also the first Black actress to take on this role. Congratulations. I imagine it’s a huge honor but also a huge responsibility. Have you had time to reflect on this milestone and see the response on social media?
Navia: You articulated it so well. It is a great honor and a great responsibility. When I first got the role and I wanted to do research on the character, it was a pretty terrifying place to be because there were a lot of varied opinions on my casting. I decided from that moment that I would stay away from consuming what people said. Since the show’s released, I haven’t paid attention to the reception of my character, both negative and positive. But it seeps through my friends and relatives that people are enjoying it and that they like my portrayal, which means so much. It’s so validating, not just for me individually but the entire cast and crew of Gotham Knights who have worked so hard on this show and poured a lot of their heart into it. It’s very validating to see it be received well.

PC: The series also feels so timely with what’s going on in the world today. Were you able to draw any parallels as you stepped into Carrie’s shoes? Why do you think now is the perfect time to tell this story?
Navia: I love that you brought that up because it’s what I’m most proud of about this show. The showrunners have been able to intertwine our current circumstances into Gotham Knights. They want the show to be symbolic of what we’re seeing now, which is a younger generation of people having to step in and compensate for where the older generation may have gone wrong or might have been misguided. That’s what this show is.

The showrunners have a thesis statement with each episode and plot. You see them cover these really large topics like redemption, progress, crime, and death in a really palatable way, which I really like. In fact, there’s a scene in Episode 5 where they discreetly cover the topic of redistribution of wealth, which is a broad thing to put into the Gotham universe. They do it in a really clever way. I remember filming those particular scenes and looking at my castmates and being like, “This is really fun.” I encourage everyone to pay attention to that episode.

PC: What can you tease about Carrie’s arc?
Navia: My favorite thing about Carrie’s arc throughout the season is her trying to decide what good and bad really is. She has this instinct to always do good. In the show, she represents people’s positive inclinations. But you see her realize that being a good person is far more complicated than she once assumed and that good and bad are sometimes indistinguishable and that every so often the solution exists within the middle.

PC: You’re such a dynamic storyteller, and this is an exciting time in your career. Is there a dream role that you’d love to bring to life?
Navia: I would love to do a horror movie or a slasher movie. I would love to do some sort of period piece. I’ve never done anything like that before.

To keep up with Navia, follow on Twitter and Instagram. Watch Gotham Knights every Tuesday at 9/8c on the CW.

Photo Credit: Steve Wilkie/The CW — © 2023 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved