A SEASON OF FIRSTS - IGBY RIGNEY - BTB DIGITAL

WITH THE SHARDS, RISING STAR IGBY RIGNEY FINDS HIMSELF AT THE CENTRE OF A WHIRLWIND. THE RYAN MURPHY ADAPTATION OF BRET EASTON ELLIS’S NOVEL HAS JUST LANDED AT NUMBER ONE, AND WHEN WE SPEAK, THE NEWS IS STILL SINKING IN. FOR RIGNEY, THE SUCCESS IS THE LATEST CHAPTER IN A CAREER INCREASINGLY DRAWN TO STORIES WHERE TENSION RUNS HIGH. BUT THE SHARDS MARKS A SERIES OF FIRSTS FOR THE YOUNG ACTOR: HIS FIRST TIME HEADLINING A PROJECT, FIRST TIME PLAYING A REAL PERSON (A FICTIONALISED VERSION OF ELLIS HIMSELF), AND NOW HIS FIRST NUMBER ONE SHOW. WE CATCH THE ACTOR ON A SUNNY MORNING IN LA TO TALK ABOUT THE SURREAL EXPERIENCE OF GOING ON TOP, WHAT IT’S LIKE TO WORK WITH YOUR HEROES AND HOW TO MAINTAIN SEXUAL TENSION (SPOILER ALERT: CO-STARRING ALONGSIDE HOLLYWOOD’S HOTTEST HELPS).

Top **Zimmerli**, pants **Fendi**, belt **Emporio Armani**

Good morning! How are you?

Good afternoon! I’m great, in shock and awe. I don’t really know what to do with myself at the moment.

I just saw the news today! Congratulations on going number one. What does that feel like?

It’s so exciting. It's just so gratifying to feel that people appreciate the work that you put in. We all just gave it our best shot, so it's so nice to have people love it. Our group chat is currently blowing up.

Coat **Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello**, underwear **Calvin Klein**

Could you feel that the show would have this level of success while you were on set?

Yes, but it's hard to explain. Ryan did such an amazing job of casting, not to toot my own horn, but he worked so hard to choose all of us because he wanted to find a group that would match. He auditioned a crazy number of people. He’s spent years curating a crew on set too, so that energy was amazing to feel.

Robe Tom Ford, sunglasses **Jacques Marie Mage**

A Ryan Murphy production is almost a genre in itself. Did you have a relationship with his work before you got cast?

I loved Glee growing up. My mom and I used to watch it on a crappy laptop, lying on the floor while eating popcorn after school. It was very sweet. She didn't come with me on the American Horror Story journey, but I was obsessed with that show too.

Did working with him change the way you look at those shows now?

It made me appreciate them even more – being on set and understanding the structure of his shows and why he makes certain decisions. He's been so open and transparent with us in so many ways. I feel like I'm getting a master's program. He's given me a level of confidence and trust that I can experiment, that I can figure things out along the way.

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(Fall release)