How Warrior Nun on Netflix empowered Kristina Tonteri-Young and her sister warriors

On CNET's I'm So Obsessed podcast, we talk with the actor behind Sister Beatrice and what it's like to hunt demons.

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Patrick Holland has been a phone reviewer for CNET since 2016. He is a former theater director who occasionally makes short films. Patrick has an eye for photography and a passion for everything mobile. He is a colorful raconteur who will guide you through the ever-changing, fast-paced world of phones, especially the iPhone and iOS. He used to co-host CNET's I'm So Obsessed podcast and interviewed guests like Jeff Goldblum, Alfre Woodard, Stephen Merchant, Sam Jay, Edgar Wright and Roy Wood Jr.

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Patrick Holland

Sept. 30, 2020 11:15 p.m. PT

2 min read

kristinaty-1393-1 — Finnish actor Kristina Tonteri-Young plays Sister Beatrice on the Netflix show Warrior Nun.
Stephanie Diani/Shelter PR

If Schitt's Creek has the best title of any show today, then the Netflix series Warrior Nun earns a strong second place. The show is about an orphaned teen who's chosen as the Halo-Bearer for a secret sect of demon-hunting nuns. It has a Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Daredevil vibe.

This story is part of I'm So Obsessed (subscribe here), our podcast featuring interviews with actors, artists, celebrities and creative types about their work, career and current obsessions.

On CNET's I'm So Obsessed podcast, Finnish actor Kristina Tonteri-Young, who plays Sister Beatrice on the show, describes her character as a tactician who is calm, intelligent, emotionally reserved and also queer.

"She is a queer character," said Tonteri-Young. "And that's explored a little bit, but not explicitly hammered down. It's not shoved down your throat that this character is gay ... That's just a part of her, and it's written really well."

During our interview, Tonteri-Young discusses how her training as a ballet dancer helped her learn fight choreography, and how filming Warrior Nun was a crash course on all things film and TV.

"Let's just put it this way: There was never a day in which I didn't learn something," Tonteri-Young said with a laugh. "I went on set for the first time and I was as green as you can be. I wanted to know everything about everybody's jobs. I wanted to understand what everybody did. I wanted to see how the other actors work."

We also talk about how the show smartly approaches themes like empowerment, individuality, good vs. evil and religion vs. science. Tonteri-Young even opens up about growing up in Finland, going to school in London and learning to surf at Rockaway Beach, New York.

Listen to my entire conversation with Tonteri-Young on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. You can watch season 1 of Warrior Nun on Netflix. Also, you can subscribe to I'm So Obsessed on your favorite podcast app. In each episode, Connie Guglielmo and I catch up with an artist, actor or creator to learn about work, career and current obsessions.