IN STAGS, PARAMOUNT+’S NEW SIX-PART DRAMA SERIES, THE FUN TURNS TO FEAR FOR NICO MIRALLEGRO, AS CHARMING GROOM-TO-BE, STU, EMBARKING ON A WEEK-LONG BENDER OF DEBAUCHERY WITH FRIENDS, WHICH ENDS UP ON A PRISON ISLAND IN SOUTH AMERICA. THE 33-YEAR-OLD HAS FLEXED HIS ACTING CHOPS PLAYING ANGSTY EMO TEENS, LOVE INTERESTS AND ARMY SOLDIERS, SO WE CAUGHT UP WITH THE MANCHESTER NATIVE TO TALK ABOUT CREATIVE FREEDOM, INFLUENCES AND TRUE HAPPINESS GOALS.

Left Full look **Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello**
Right Full look **Giorgio Armani**

Hi Nico! Obviously, my first question has to be: have you been to many stag do’s yourself, ones you’re allowed to tell us about?

I’ve been on one, which mainly involved singing England football songs through the airport! Funnily enough I narrowly avoided three actual stag do’s a couple of months before the filming of Stags. They’re not really my cup of tea, I much prefer a barefoot ramble with the pals.

Well, I bet your character Stu would’ve wished for a barefoot ramble rather than where he ends up in this series. We’ve had films like The Hangover and The Bachelor Party, but this show reinterprets that well-told genre and storyline with unexpected plot twists. What drew you to the project?

As soon as I read the first episode, I thought… what is this show? It seemed to encompass all these themes of love, friendship, survival, betrayal, and what happens when relationships are pushed to their limits. I met with the brilliant David Kerr, our director, and it felt like I had to make this.

Left Full look **Givenchy**
Right Full look **Kenzo**

It’s darkly comic in places and uncomfortably funny. Did it challenge you on many levels in terms of how you play Stu?

One of the draws to Stu, other than that we were going to be in Tenerife throughout the whole of the British winter, was the simmering weight and complications that Stu holds throughout the series. Having huge dark yet comic moments throughout made the experience theatrical and lively. As intense as some of the scenes were, it felt lightly contrasted with enough stupidity and ridiculousness that we couldn’t take it too seriously.

Stu also seems to be the one in the group who’s in tune with his inner voice a lot more than the others, balancing incredibly tense moments with humour. He shows his vulnerability a lot. Did you relate on a personal level with him? Also, how do you think audiences will resonate with the way he handles the situation he’s found himself in?

I think, naturally, we find something of ourselves within all the characters we play. We all have a different aura and spark and that comes through with performance and art. With Stu, it felt like I could relate to him instantly, which is funny considering he’s a conniving, smiling crocodile. I feel like audiences will be torn with how they see him - many will relate, some will despise, and some will feel sorry for him.

I like how the plot creates emotional obstacles to overcome the highs and lows between the guys, tackling the notion that men are terrible at admitting vulnerability or talking about their problems, especially when they’re on this stereotypically lads-on-tour trip. Would you agree?

I love how the show creates these emotional obstacles and hurdles for the characters to fight through. It questions who they are on a deeper level and how they’ll react when backed into a corner. I think their vulnerability is key and most of the characters are in denial about parts of themselves and what they’ve done in the past.

The characters and their relationships are what carries through more than the hook of it being a disastrous stag holiday. Did you all get together before filming to bond, and does having a real sense of camaraderie and friendship with fellow actors have a positive lasting imprint on you?

We had a huge bond; the whole crew was such a laugh. We arrived in Tenerife and then were very quickly dancing around the sea together. I remember at the read-through thinking everyone is uncannily like their character and wondered what that meant about me playing Stu! [Laughs] We also imitated what a stag do might look like on the Las Americas strip and… Well, I shall leave that on the strip. Of course, these relationships leave a lasting impression on you, I think ultimately this is why we do it.

Were any of the scenes or dialogue improvised?

There were loads of small, improvised bits, especially as the series gets more and more out there. It felt right to do so and when you’ve been living with these characters for a couple of months, you have that freedom inside of you to play with the conversations. Much to the annoyance of our brilliant writer Daniel Cullen.

Left Coat, pants and belt **Balmain**, shoes **Giorgio Armani**
Right Full look **Miu Miu**

You mentioned you filmed on location in Tenerife, but in the series, it’s meant to be South America. What’s been your favourite set or best environment to work on?

The production team did an incredible job with the prison and sets, to make it bizarre yet also somehow believable is hard. It’s easily up there as one of the most creative and transforming locations I’ve been on (that and Mike Leigh’s Peterloo which felt like we fully stepped back into 1819 Manchester). With this series, they created a feeling like we’d landed in prison on another planet.

What kind of stories are you interested in making in the future, and do you consciously think of choosing roles that are different to the last one, to challenge yourself and explore your craft?

I’m always reading plays, whoever it is, trying to discover something new for myself. I love excavating and digging into their world to see who they are and what they are trying to say. The works of Sam Shepard and Jez Butterworth would be a dream to throw around the stage. When things are refreshing and new, it sparks a fire inside and you just know that is what you want to make. I’d love to read and be involved in a Lynne Ramsay film, a straight talker who refuses to comply - I see that in myself.

Does that awareness stem from watching and being inspired by anyone, in film or TV, relating to them, or was there a performance that stuck with you?

I always loved how at ease Burt Lancaster, Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman were. They had a unique charm and could see their nature and characters shine through. Growing up in Manchester, the films of Mike Leigh, Ken Loach and Jimmy McGovern were hugely inspiring and relatable and still have a massive influence on me.

Speaking of the camera, I read you previously said that your experience in Hollyoaks helped you become comfortable in front of the camera. Depending on what the role is, what’s your favourite way to prepare to feel more confident in front of the lens?

I think preparing for a role is the work of the actor, you read all the data you have, you play with ideas, you question the character’s morals and you set some rules. After that, I feel it’s about grounding ourselves and being in the best state mentally, physically and spiritually so that you can relax and be free to create.

It’s funny you should mention spirituality, as I was looking at your Instagram, and you’re a bit of an old soul, from posting gems of Italian cinema to evocative photography exhibitions and your personal travels. What passion projects drive you outside of work and where are you happiest?

Happiest? Outside of all the theatrics of life, me and my pals have an allotment, we sow seeds and feed the soil and then amazingly, this nutrient-dense food pops up and nourishes us. The road is the goal. That’s where true happiness is. Taking the shoes off and heading up into the peaks, cooking on fire, throw in a wild swim and we’re living off the fat of the land. Nature is our baseline, so I try and seek it at every opportune moment.