Maria Sten has just about done it all. From screenwriting and modelling to winning Miss Universe Denmark in 2008, the actress has explored countless creative avenues – and now, she's leading her own action thriller for Prime Video.
The 36-year-old stars as private investigator Frances Neagley in the Reacher spin-off series, Neagley, which follows the former U.S. Army Master Sergeant in her relentless pursuit of justice after the death of her childhood friend.
© Sabrina Lantos/Prime"It's been exciting and very surreal," the actress tells HELLO! in an exclusive interview. "The success of Reacher has just been incredible. I certainly didn't expect that when signing up for the job to begin with. You never know how these things are going to be and to see how people really took to it has been so incredible."
Maria, who was born in Copenhagen to artist parents, was initially passed over for the role. "My manager at the time called me and was like, 'Yeah, sorry, it didn't go your way'. And then a couple of weeks later, he called to say, 'So, they've decided to change the character, and now they want you back'. I didn't really know what to make of it," shared the actress, who stars across seasons one to three of Reacher alongside leading man Alan Ritchson. "I think what happened was that they needed to reshape the character in relation to Reacher and so they needed to have a different dynamic for Neagley and [showrunner] Nick Santora decided that he wanted me."
"You never know how these things are going to be and to see how people really took to it has been so incredible."
© Shane Mahood/PrimeWhile Maria has firmly established herself as a screen talent, her journey began on a very different stage. She initially worked as a professional dancer and model before transitioning to acting. "Originally, I thought I was going to move to London and do musical theatre," recalls Maria, who moved to New York aged 18 to be a dancer. "But then I ended up pursuing dance before pursuing music and then I finally decided to commit to acting. I knew that I wanted to tell stories, but I didn't know in which capacity. I never in a million years would have been able to come up with this," she adds. "I'm very grateful to be here."
© InstagramDoes she still harbour ambitions of performing on London's West End? "I would love that. That's like my dream," she says. "I love London and to me, being on stage in the West End has always been at the top of my list because this is the heart of theatre."
Creativity clearly runs in the Sten family. Her mother, acclaimed Danish painter Nina Sten-Knudsen, influenced Maria's career path in a "very subtle, subconscious way."
© Instagram/Maria Sten"I'm a horse girl. I love being off grid in the middle of nowhere, whether it's horseback safaris in Africa or in the Mountain West in America."
"The fact that she was an artist and her impeccable self-discipline, I think that was sort of passed on without it being something that she ever was very vocal about," she reflects. "I think she knew very early on that I wanted to be a performer and she was always very supportive of that because, of course, her own path as an artist was the same."
Off screen, Maria credits her close family and friends for keeping her grounded, as well as having interests outside of the industry. "I'm a horse girl," shares the star. "I spend time in nature and preferably on a horse. I love being off grid in the middle of nowhere, whether it's horseback safaris in Africa or in the Mountain West in America," continued the actress, adding, "I do need that to re-centre myself from all of the frantic energy of our industry."
© Sabrina Lantos/PrimeWith her next project – the indie crime drama East of the River – in post-production and a new movie in the works, Maria emphasises the importance of appreciating the moment. When asked what advice she would give her younger self, she offers: "Try to be more in the moment instead of living in the future or the past. Life is now. Remember to live it now."
All episodes of Neagley will premiere exclusively on Prime Video on 16 September.
