CAMERON MONAGHAN’S STELLAR PERFORMANCE AS THE GAY AND BIPOLAR CHARACTER, IAN GALLAGHER, IN SHAMELESS AND IN A GALAXY FAR AWAY AS CAL KESTIS, THE PROTAGONIST OF STAR WARS JEDI: FALLEN ORDER, BOTH EARNED HIM RECOGNITION WITH INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCES. HE’S HAD “STAR” WRITTEN ALL OVER HIM SINCE HE WAS A CHILD THOUGH. IT’S IN HIS BACKSTORY, A CALIFORNIA KID WHO LOVED TRIPS TO THE CINEMA, AND EVENTUALLY ENDED UP ON SCREEN WORKING ON VARIOUS TV SERIES AND FILMS THROUGHOUT THE 2000S, BEFORE LANDING THE PART OF THE CLOWN PRINCE OF CHAOS, JEROME VALESKA (AKA THE JOKER) ON THE HIT SHOW GOTHAM. NOW AT 31, HE’LL APPEAR IN TRON: ARES, THE THIRD FILM IN THE SCI-FI FRANCHISE FROM DISNEY, CONTINUING TO FLEX HIS RANGE AS AN ACTOR, STRAYING OUTSIDE OF ANY COMFORT ZONE. IT’S THOSE UNEXPECTED PATHS THAT KEEP LEADING US BACK TO HIS UNERRING SENSE OF OPPORTUNITY IN EVERYTHING HE DOES.

Vintage tank top and hat, pants **Emporio Armani**, shoes **Celine Homme**

Congrats on Tron: Ares! It’s the third film in the sci-fi franchise, and it’s been quite a while since the last movie (Legacy) came out. How old were you back then?
I believe I was 16 or 17 at the time. I had just shot a little ensemble comedy film for Disney called Prom, and so the entire cast was invited to the Tron premiere. It was my first event of that scale, and I was completely overwhelmed, I remember not being able to hear my own voice due to all the noise on the red carpet. There’s a horrifically embarrassing video of a teenage me in the deepest, most awkward throws of puberty, getting interviewed at that premiere. I have tried to have that video burned, to no avail, so I suppose the best course of action is to Streisand Effect myself instead!

Vintage sweater, shirt and pants, socks **Falke**, shoes **Celine Homme**

Or just be in the next movie yourself! Have you had the “Oh my god, I'm in Tron!” moment?

It’s funny, you only really get one opportunity to have that moment, which is when you first get the call that you got the job. You go, “Oh wow, I get to do this job.” And of course, that just as quickly shifts to, “Oh wow, how am I going to do this job?” I feel like in general, I keep my head down on a project until it’s released, and even then, it’s not until someone stops me on the street and says, “Hey, I like that thing,” before it truly registers that I have, in fact, been a part of something.

Left Vintage top and shorts, swim shorts **Miu Miu**, shoes **Dior Men**, socks **Paul Smith**, necklace **JL x Yuval Ozery**
Right top Jacket and pants **No Maintenance**, tank top **Ami**, vintage top and shoes, dress shirt **Paul Smith**
Right bottom Vintage top, pants **No Maintenance**, belt **Paul Smith**, shoes **Celine Homme**

Did you have to do a lot of physical training?

I trained for about four months prior to the film, about 15 hours a week, cutting out alcohol and shifting my diet to a lean cut. The idea was that I wanted to be laser-focused, on edge, machine efficient, in the same way that a militaristic program might be. Beyond the psychological benefit of this, I wanted to be physically capable of whatever the stunts team threw in front of me because it was important for me to do as much of the performing and work myself as possible, and to not rely on doubles – though I had a fantastic stunt double by the name of Cody Laudan!

Was there anything in this latest film that you were psyched to see reappear again?

I’ve always been a fan of the identity discs. The concept of this physical manifestation of yourself, your history, your life, and your soul, which is also a versatile tool, a weapon, and your best protection. And they look cool, of course!

Left Vintage tank top and hat, pants **Emporio Armani**, shoes **Celine Homme**
Right Jacket and pants **Celine Homme**, shirt **Ami**, vintage tie, shoes **T.U.K.**

You’ve played many varied characters, but you also write and direct your own projects. Is that the goal, to direct?

I have dreamed of being a director since I was around 9 years old. I would start writing “scripts” or drawing storyboards in those old composition notebooks. I was obsessed with the work of specific directors and would rent all their work from Blockbuster. Later in life, I went to college for screenwriting. I have written consistently for a fair portion of my life and I’m currently working on a couple of projects. For me, writing is the means to the end goal of directing.

Left Full look **Prada**
Right Vintage top

You’ve shared a few stunning film visuals on social media, which you shot yourself.

The beauty of always having a camera with you is the realisation that art and storytelling can exist anywhere at any time. It’s all a matter of perspective. When I was 17, I got my first film camera, and I was hooked. I became obsessed and shot like a madman. In recent years, with my desire to make more substantive steps as a director, I really have wanted to emphasise training my eye for composition. That means not only studying films and frequenting galleries for both art and photography but also putting my eye on a viewfinder and looking through a lens as much as possible. I only shoot film and fully manual because I want to train myself with as much intentionality as possible. It’s about bridging the gap between what you see in your mind’s eye and what can show up on your canvas, and that only comes with experience and exploration.

Left Vintage jacket, top, pants and belt, accessories **Ami**
Right Vintage top, pants **No Maintenance**, belt **Paul Smith**, shoes **Celine Homme**

What else would you love to do, to achieve?

Life is a wild ride; you never know where it’s going to take you or where you might get dropped off altogether. I hope for however long I’m on the ride I can make things I’m proud of, support other artists, and hopefully I can bring a little bit of exploration, beauty, or passion in this world that make things a little bit less hard for someone else. I hope when it’s all said and done, my existence has been a net positive. Maybe that’s the only goal anyone can really hope for in the end.

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Discover the full story in our SS25 Issue - out now.

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Lauren Withrow

Fashion by Yuval Ozery

Casting by Imagemachine cs

Grooming by Destiny Venice at Art Department

SFX Make-Up by Austyn Santiago