A quick word ... with Joss Stone

Joss Stone makes the transition between soul sister and drama queen. Photo / Supplied

She's the Grammy-winning soul singer who shot to fame as a teenager for her huge voice, pink hair and outlandish personality. Ten million album sales later and Joss Stone is starring in the period TV drama The Tudors as Anne of Cleves, the wife Henry VIII rejected for not being beautiful enough

What did you think of The Tudors?
It's good. I watched the first season. And then I had the second one ready. I got nervous and I couldn't watch it anymore.

What were you nervous about?
Getting it wrong. I'm nervous all the time. That's how I get through life. If I'm really shitting myself, it makes me more passionate.

So where does the nose ring come into the Anne of Cleves outfit?
I've got all these plastic things in my ears, hair and nose. I'm not taking it out because it took me years for it to heal, so forget it.

What do you think of the costumes?
Costumes are really strange. She wears these crazy, big hats. A hat can change everything. But it's great. I mean, they're amazing. They're very heavy. Like, the skirts are mad heavy. For the wedding, it was just ridiculous. It's like wearing curtains.

What can you tell us about Anne of Cleves?
I think she was the cleverest of them all. She didn't get her head chopped off. Apparently she was a bit of a minger.

You're obviously not a minger. Why do you think you got the part?
I can play a minger really well. I don't know. I actually auditioned for Jane Seymour. And they were going to give me the part, but I couldn't do it because I had to go on tour. I was gutted. I guess they figured if I could do her, then I could do that one. I didn't realise I had to have a German accent until a couple weeks before I came here. Oh, I have to learn harpsichord for this thing. Did they mention that? No. Everyone assumes that you play something. But I don't play anything; never have.

Did you always have the desire to act?
Yeah. I like to have fun. I don't like to take life too seriously. I just roll with the punches and just do whatever comes up. If it sounds like a laugh, I'll do it.

Has this role made you into more of a lady?
Please, it's not possible. I'm myself when they say cut, and I'm her when they say roll. I heard the whole method [acting] idea is a bit strange. You could really mess your head up doing that.

How do you juggle the acting and music?
Music is my first. I went home for about a week and wrote some songs with my friend. I swear we almost made a whole album in one night. I love it so much it, like, hurts my soul.