Welcome to this week’s installment of Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week, wherein we spotlight women and nonbinary folks who inspire us. This includes fictional characters and creators in geeky media. They are a prime example of empowerment and how crucial it is for youth to have said example to follow.
DISCLAIMER: The following contains spoilers for What We Do in the Shadows, particularly Nadja’s arc. Just remember that this is a place for vampire comments only.
Nadja of Antipaxos
Fast Facts
Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) is a vampire of Romanian heritage. She’s purported to be between 500-700 years old. Her homeland was a utopia of sorts — an island of paradise. That is until Nandor the Relentless (Kayvan Novak) laid waste to her beautiful village 200 years before she was born.
The “stupidest” people were spared, but Nadja’s home never recovered. As a child, Nadja’s family had to burn donkey dung for warmth. Inevitably, once the donkey passed, they had to burn the donkey. Nadja became a vampire after another vampire parading about as a snake bit her throat.
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Next, Nadja took on a multitude of vampire lovers, including several reincarnations of a man named Gregor. Baron Afanas (Doug Jones), a formidable royal vampire, was also one of Nadja’s passionate lovers. Eventually, Nadja turned an English man named Laszlo Cravensworth (Matt Berry) into a creature of the night. The pair wed and were subsequently driven out of Europe in the 1860s due to vampire prejudice.
Nadja and Laszlo moved to Staten Island in America. They decided to live with Nandor. Additionally, Nadja dabbled in some creative exploits by forming a human music group with Laszlo in the 18th and 19th centuries. A handful of their songs became contemporary hits, such as “Wannabe” by Spice Girls and “Kokomo” by The Beach Boys.
Later, Nandor hired a familiar named Guillermo de la Cruz (Harvey Guillén), whom Nadja and Laszlo incorrectly refer to as “Gizmo.” Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch), an energy vampire, also lives in Nadja’s Staten Island home. In 2019, a documentary crew started filming the day-to-day lives of Nadja, Nandor, Laszlo, Guillermo and Colin Robinson. Nadja also has a gal pal in the form of her human ghost, who inhabited a porcelain doll.
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In Season 4, Nadja opened a nightclub aptly called Nadja’s, which she burned down at the end of the season for the insurance money. After this, The Guide (Kristen Schaal) tricked her into believing she was cursed, so Nadja spent Season 5 giving back to her community, hoping her good deeds would be enough to break it.
Now, in Season 6, Nadja works at Cannon Capital Strategies. Initially, she helps Guillermo climb the corporate ladder while keeping an eye on him since his transition back to the human world is rife with risk. The most recent episode sees Nadja kicking undead ass and saving Laszlo from a horde of cemetery vampires.
The Real Deal
Nadja is the real deal. She’s immensely intelligent, especially when it comes to vampire smarts. In addition, she’s not afraid to put Laszlo and Nandor in their places when their vampire egos grow tenfold. She never shies away from speaking her mind. Nadja is the very definition of a blatantly honest New Yorker.
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She has the throat-singing voice of a girl who didn’t perish of leprosy nor die amid Nandor’s pillaging streak. While she may not exactly understand humans, she respects Guillermo as Nandor’s familiar and refrains from eating him. I’d argue she’s also the strongest, physically, of the vampires, boasting a host of special abilities.
Nadja makes an excellent mentor (Exhibit A: Jenna) and an even better vampire lover. She also knows when to let people go free — she relinquished Jeff-sk? Je-sk? Gregor-Jeff? from her tantalizing hold. Oh, and did we mention she’s funny? Prepare to have your human funny bones tickled when you’re around her, friends.
Why She Matters
Nadja is a badass vampire, plain and simple. She pulls the strings in her household and ensures the menfolk know their station in her world. She is the face of female vampire strength. We wouldn’t want to encounter her in a dark alley. She is a vampire woman; hear her roar.
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So, be like Nadja. Don’t be afraid to keep your male counterparts’ egos in check. When in doubt, throat sing a song. Assert dominance in the bedroom, the bathroom and beyond. Oh, and always watch Priests Falling Down when it’s on the telly. Especially to help with its quest for syndication.
BAT!: Best Quotes From WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS’ Season 5 Premiere
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
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