Baby Reindeer star Nava Mau has opened up on how acting in the hit Netflix show helped to ‘heal her own wounds’ in a candid new interview. 

The actress, aged 32, rose to fame playing the role of Teri in a series where she portrayed an American therapist who connects with the main character, Donny (played by Richard Gadd), through a dating app.

Recently featured as Cosmopolitan’s cover star, Nava delved into the topic of ‘the stigma society attaches to transgender relationships.’ During her interview, she reflected on how she recognized the authenticity of Richard’s real-life romance with a transgender woman.

Recalling the emotional experience, she shared, ‘It was undeniable. It makes me emotional still. I just remember there was a moment reading the script for the first time, and I was like, ‘Oh, he really loved her.’

‘Donny’s love for Teri is in the form of awe, and I had never seen a trans woman represented quite in that way. 

‘It was this weird, transcendental experience of it being what I needed to see, and what it did to heal my own wounds.’

Baby Reindeer star Nava Mau has opened up on how acting in the hit Netflix show helped to ‘heal her own wounds’ in a candid new interview

The actress, 32, shot to stardom when she starred as Teri in the series – an American therapist who meets lead character Donny (Richard Gadd) on a dating app

The star continued: ‘There is such a fixation in society and in the media on trans people and who is dating us, and who is attracted to us, and who is even consorting with us. 

‘It’s strange, because that fixation presupposes that trans people should be responsible for explaining and answering any questions and curiosities that cis people have, but it also presupposes that trans people must also have this fixation.

‘But it’s like, I’m not a curiosity to myself. We’re just living full lives, real lives, just like everyone else.’ 

For the cover shoot, Nava looked nothing short of incredible in a series of leggy outfits, including a black bodysuit complete with a stylish oversized leather jacket.

She further showcased her sensational figure as she slipped into a denim vest top and a racy maxi skirt, which featured a large cut out along the side.

Other ensembles included a zebra-print trench coat, a busty white mini dress, and a blue denim jacket.

Nava wore her brunette locks in loose waves and opted for a glowing palette of makeup.

Reflecting on her younger years as a transgender woman, Nava admitted that trying to enter the workforce as a trans person can be ‘soul crushing,’ and lead her to ‘crumble’.

She revealed that her struggle with being accepted by society led to anorexia and how, at 19, a rehab programme saved her life.

Now, as Cosmopolitan’s latest cover star, Nava discussed ‘the shame society creates around transgender relationships’

Nava said: ‘Donny’s love for Teri is in the form of awe, and I had never seen a trans woman represented quite in that way’

She recalled: ‘It was undeniable. It makes me emotional still. I just remember there was a moment reading the script for the first time, and I was like, ‘Oh, he really loved her’

Nava continued: ‘It was this weird, transcendental experience of it being what I needed to see, and what it did to heal my own wounds’

The full interview can be read in the Feb/March issue of Cosmopolitan UK on sale from 14 January

The actress explained: ‘I’d been struggling with anorexia for several years at that point, because I think so much of my trying to force myself to be accepted by society was turned into a hate for my body and wanting to control it, and so I had to withdraw from school…

‘It [rehab] saved my life. Anorexia is the deadliest mental health disorder, and I learned, in a way that I can never unlearn, how to truly love myself, and how to practise acceptance and mindfulness.

‘It built a foundation of self-love and trust in myself that I think allowed my intuition to blossom.’

She added: ‘I think that more than anything, it was that I hadn’t transitioned. It was the most all-consuming effort that I was making to try to fit myself into a world that was not built for me.’

When she finally got her big break on Baby Reindeer, a doctor had to inform her she had an elevated heart rate due to the shock of the show’s incredible success.

‘We realised that I was in literal, physical shock, because it was undeniable that my life had changed,’ she revealed.

Lifting the lid on where society is today with transgender representation on TV, Nava spoke of how there is still room for improvement.

She told the publication: ‘I think there are some people who have this imagined belief that there’s a trans takeover. 

Richard Gadd said that Donny’s relationship arc with Teri drew on his own experiences of a relationship with an unnamed trans woman (Nava pictured as Teri in the show)

Reflected in the series, Richard added that feelings of shame around his sexuality kept him from telling the truth about his name and occupation from her

‘And it’s like, we’re such a small population – a tiny fraction of the world’s population – and we’re barely getting to make headway into the kinds of roles that are available to us. 

‘Trans people should be considered and invited to be a part of projects that do not revolve around a trans narrative, and that’s because trans people are so much more than our gender identity. 

‘It’s a matter of seeing trans people as human, and valuing us for our humanity, and not as a token simply because we are trans.’ 

Richard Gadd, who both wrote and starred in the show, told The Independent, that Donny’s relationship arc with Teri drew on his own experiences of a relationship with an unnamed trans woman.

‘It’s in the public consciousness now, but it wasn’t back then, when I was dating,’ he explained.

‘It felt so new that it added a certain pressure, to me, that I really regret now. But that’s what it explores in the show. This story was set back in a time when things were very different.’

Reflected in the series, Richard added that feelings of shame around his sexuality kept him from telling the truth about his name and occupation from her.

However, he has also said that his girlfriend became ‘the voice of reason in my life at that point’ although he never ‘listened to her as much as I should have’.

The full interview can be read in the Feb/March issue of Cosmopolitan UK on sale from 14 January