People love a superhero. And in this moment there’s no greater proof of that than the meteoric rise of Nextflix’s global hit, Supacell. The six-part series follows five Black South Londoners, whose only connection is a family history of sickle cell disease — a blood disorder that mostly affects the Black community — who find out, much to their surprise, that they have special powers.

Enter “Bad gyal Sabrina,” played by British actress Nadine Mills.

As the only woman in the crew it is her character’s compassion, no nonsense attitude and fearlessness that ultimately bonds the group of unlikely heroes, and allows them to move towards their shared destiny. 

And her character’s strength is something Mills relates to very well. After years of working multiple jobs and struggling to make ends meet, she was moments from giving up on her acting dreams for teaching when the chance to save the world, saved her.

Now the East London native from Hackney is living a life beyond her wildest fantasies. Mills took a moment to chat with Travel + Leisure about all things Supacell, including the top destination on her bucket list and the advice she has for women looking to be the hero of their own life. 

Travel + Leisure: How did you land the role of Sabrina in Supacell? 

Nadine Mills: I saw that it had been green lit, and that it was about these five black superheroes and I went straight to my agent, and I was like ‘there’s this new show that’s going to be on Netflix, you know you need to get me in the room.’ And they were like, ‘Yeah, don’t worry, we’ve got our eyes on it.’ But a few months had passed and nothing. Then Sheila Nortley, who’s an executive producer on the show, was brought on board and is also a friend of mine. She contacted me and she said, ‘Oh, are you busy at the moment? Are you working or, like, you know, are you free?’ She’s like there’s this role that I think is going to be great for you.’ It was Supacell and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh. I’ve been waiting for this for months.’ And obviously, I auditioned and got the role.

Where did you pull the inspiration for Sabrina’s character?

I’m kind of similar to Sabrina in some ways, so it was easy to relate to her as a character. I feel like we are similar in the sense that she is someone who has a lot of compassion, she’s very caring and she’s protective. And I have those attributes as well. I was also able to have a conversation with a professional nurse in the NHS, who’s Black and in a similar position to Sabrina in the story. I was able to get an understanding of what it’s like, what she’s going through, how she feels. And then, you know, there’s the other side of Sabrina, when she becomes ‘bad gyal Sabrina,’ that version, I’m from an area in London called Hackney. It’s in East London, and there’s a bit of that in me as well. I feel like if you get on the wrong side of me, you will meet that side. Being from Hackney and growing up in the way that we have, like people in this area. We have that fire to us, so I also pulled inspiration from that.

There’s a lot of talk about Sabrina’s telekinesis superpower, which we see evolves in the future. What do you consider your personal superpower in real life?

I love that question. My personal superpower, I’m gonna say, is resilience. That as well as being able to connect with people. I feel I have a natural ability to just connect with people, regardless of age, sex, race, you know, that’s just there. But resilience would be a big one for me.

With a hit show on your hands, you’re now a busy global actress. How do you fit in time for travel that is part of your personal relaxation and rejuvenation?

I love to travel, that’s my thing! Recently, with work, its been pretty difficult in the sense that I can’t book in advance. It has to be like a last minute booking. But I will always make sure that I can find the time, because that is something that’s really important to me, especially, like you said, to just rejuvenate.

My aim is to see the whole world before I pass away. I’ve got this app called Visited where whenever I visit a country I’m ticking it off one by one. And if I can’t actually go abroad, I find time to be in solitude with myself. Making sure there’s no social media, no technology, none of that is on. It’s just switching off and making sure I have those moments for myself.

So what’s your favorite destination so far, and what’s still on your bucket list?

It’s so hard to choose because I’ve traveled to a few countries now, and they’re my favorite for all different reasons. But I think I’m going to say Kenya. I went to Kenya a few years back and I stayed in Nairobi for a few days, and then I did a safari for three days, and then I stayed in a place called Diani, which is their beach area. It was all really nice, but it was the safari for me. I was just like, wow. To see the animals in their natural habitat, it was a beautiful experience. I can’t explain it, I feel like people have to do that for themselves to experience it, but it is so beautiful. You see the documentaries, and it’s just so different. You go there and it’s silent, it’s unreal. And the people were really nice as well. 

As for the bucket list, oh, there’s loads, the whole world. But Bali. Bali is the number one place that I need to go to this year. 

We saw that you have family in Jamaica — what do you like to do when you visit them?

I don’t get to visit as much as I would love to, [but I’ve been] more so when I was younger and a couple times as an adult. It’s beautiful. It’s home. I love the beach, especially in Negril, getting some good food, some jerk chicken, and just being with family. For me, that’s always a nice thing, just sitting on the veranda with my cousins and they will climb the coconut tree so we can drink the fresh coconut water. I think that’s it for me. I’ve done the touristy things like Rick’s Cafe and Dunn’s River Falls, but, yeah, I just love being on the beach and being around the people. 

Is there anywhere else in the Caribbean that’s on your wish list?

I heard Grenada is really beautiful because it’s not as touristy, and is still quite untouched. I’ve heard great things about it.

Okay, now let’s talk about your home. You’re from Hackney, East London. What are the things a first-time visitor should do to experience the culture and vibes?

I would say [go to] Dalston, that’s where the culture is. They have great Caribbean and African markets and stalls where you can get your fresh fruits and meat. Then they have takeaway shops, my favorite is called Peppers and Spice. There’s also a vegan Caribbean spot All Nations Vegan House. Shoreditch, along Brick Lane that has an artsy culture to it. They’re also great for vintage shops, if you want to do some thrifting. They have really nice restaurants and bars as well. Spitalfields Market has a lot of independent designers and food shops, especially for desserts. That’s a spot I go to quite often. If you walk along Regent’s Canal it’s really nice and they have nice little restaurants and independent bars. East London is a vibe during the day and in the evening. 

So with all this traveling under your belt, we have to ask, are you Team Carry on or Team Checked Bag?

I think it depends on where you’re going. So for the first time last year, I did team carry on. It was only a three day, two night trip to Rome. And it was, I was like, ‘Oh my God, I want to travel like this forever.’ I was able to just explore and just have my backpack on, and I really enjoyed that experience. But if you’re going away for more of a relaxation type holiday, you need to have a [checked bag]. You need to have your outfits mapped out.