‘Apex Legends: Escape’ Star Neraida Bega

Born and raised in Albania until the age of 8 years old, Neraida Bega was forced to flee the country with her family via boat due to the Kosovo War. Relocating to Italy, she found a fondness for the arts and became prominent in theatre and a classically trained pianist.

Although Bega loved the several ways she could express herself through performing, her initial professional goals led her to medical school, where she would train to become a dental technician. When given the opportunity to audition for her first role, she jumped at the chance and would soon leave Italy behind to pursue an acting career in the U.S.

Since arriving in Hollywood, Bega has secured her place in the industry as an actress, model, and stunt performer. She landed a role in Marvel’s widely popular series WandaVision, and can be seen in the upcoming films, Dog and Russian Room. Bega was also recently cast in the lead role of the new APEX Legends: Escape as Ash, the game’s first playable character to make the jump from Titanfall 2. The simulacrum assassin and overseer of the Arenas is ready to cut through the competition and put them in their place.

Bega took some time to answer some questions for OFM.

Can you begin by telling us more about your lead role in the new APEX Legends: Escape? Who is Ash, and what is she all about?
For those who don’t know, here’s a little bit about the game. APEX Legends is this free-for-all, battle royale video game created by EA and Respawn Entertainment. The game as a whole focuses on these characters with different backgrounds and abilities called legends, and Ash is the 19th playable character. Last year, she was on Titanfall and in different seasons, but not as a main character. This year, she has appeared in all her glory. She is very interesting and has a set of very highly aggressive skills. She can travel through space, attack other opponents, she swings swords in a very cool way, and she is pretty powerful.

What have you personally taken away from this experience of playing Ash?
I learned how important it is to embody the character. Even though I am not the one who says the lines, everything about my body and movements had to speak at the same time, and I enjoyed that process a lot. It was a very cool experience learning to communicate while not having lines. Also, it’s just to do video games. You feel like a little child (laughs). I kept asking questions like, what is this life? What is this little thing?

In your opinion, what makes Apex Legends a game worth checking out?
I believe because it’s battle royale, free to play, it’s played worldwide, and it’s a team game. You get to have your other teammates play with you, and you can compete with other people all over the world. I believe it’s a lot of fun, and the game is absolutely gorgeous to look at. It’s amazing how advanced it is and how pretty these maps are.

Do you consider yourself a gamer?
No, not at all (laughs). It would be cool for me to play with Ash and see my own movements, but I am not good at playing games at all. I like watching other people play, and I have friends who play Apex Legends. I should go and join them sometime.

This spring, we will see you opposite Channing Tatum in the film Dog. What can you tell us about that?
The whole team was amazing. Channing Tatum is starring in it and directing it with Reid Carolin, and it was such a great experience. I am a little introverted on set because I am super focused on my work, but afterwards, we got to talk more, and everything went great. It’s a funny movie, for sure.  Channing is absolutely hilarious, and if you haven’t seen the trailer, you must go see it. I had fun, and I got to learn with people who have been doing this for a long time. It’s fascinating to watch them work and how they make the magic on set.

You also play the lead role of Vetone in Russian Room, also coming out this spring?
Yes! I play a lead, and I am pretty much the little boss in a group of dangerous people. I somehow make some moves that make me win in the end, but we find out she’s actually a very nice person.

Have you always had a passion for acting and the performing arts?
I grew up playing piano, and I have people in my family who are actors, musicians, or just artists like painters. The performing and arts part of it has been in my life since I was a child because every week, every month, I had to perform. It could have been for a small audience or a big audience, but doing music did prepare me, but I didn’t pursue an acting career until later in life when I was living in Italy. I got the opportunity to do an audition for an action movie, and I always loved martial arts. I’m a big fan of every type of martial arts, so I got very excited at the idea that this could actually be my career. So, why not try and go to the United States of America?

That was my next question. When and how did you discover your love for martial arts?
Growing up, I would watch these manga cartoons, and a lot of them obviously have martial arts. My father was a boxer and a sports person, so I always loved sports, but when I was little and studying piano, I was not allowed to do any martial arts because I could break a finger. You never know. Then the moment I stopped playing professionally, the first thing I did was go to a Muay Thai school with a lot of professional fighters. That’s where I learned martial arts, and I loved it. My body naturally has energy, and I love releasing that energy into something. Plus, the learning process of it and how your body feels when you’re getting stronger and stronger.

Your initial professional goals led you to medical school as a dental technician?
Yes. I really wanted to become a dentist and I loved studying it, but then my destiny changed after finding that audition. It was the feeling that I got. It was terrifying, but it was fun. In my head, I started thinking, do I want to be a dentist, even though I love it, or maybe try and pursue an acting career? Being a foreigner, it’s not everyday that you think, ‘I’m going to go to America.’ It’s a lot of work. Being able to be here, I’m a lucky, lucky girl.

What advice can you offer to other up-and-coming actors?
I love this question because I think it’s the same advice I give myself every day. I’m still learning and trying to get better. If you really love acting and you want to do this, you must be willing to commit 100 percent. You can’t be in it halfway because it’s a big responsibility, and hard work is the most important part of it. We cannot take this career very lightly. I understand that a lot of us have many other things to do, but still, we must always dedicate some time to acting.

You must work on your craft every day so you can become that professional because rejection is a real thing, and it can sometimes get to you. We are all victims of it, but you must keep working at it if you really want this. It’s not 100 percent guaranteed, but hopefully you will get there. It’s a beautiful career, and it’s made me grow a lot as a person.

Before we wrap up, are there any other upcoming projects or anything else you would like to mention or plug?
I am working on something that involves an artificial intelligence character. I cannot say too much, but I’m excited and crossing fingers!

Stay up-to-date and connect with Bega by following her on Instagram and TikTok @neraidabega.

Photos Courtesy of Ben Cope