[On Euphoria]: “I owe my career so far to that role, as it pulled me out of nothing and put me in front of an audience of millions, and the fans of the show are incredible.”

What were you doing before Euphoria launched you and the rest of its galaxy of stars into fame orbit?

I bounced around with a lot of ideas and didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I had a passion for business but then I decided to shadow an orthopaedic surgeon for a while, because I was good at anatomy and physiology, and I ended up getting into a University in the US for pre-med. Then I got cold feet, so my Dad suggested I took a year out and I used all the money I made from a commercial I did, and slept on a couch in Brooklyn and did the hustle for a while drinking cup-a-soups to save the budget, and then ended up getting into NYU to study acting!

Did that hustle set you up for where you are now?

100 percent. I started out doing accents and impressions for my parents and loved performing for people, so it was always my passion, and thankfully I was lucky enough to realise that and pursue it eventually.

What were your first auditions or roles you got?

They were mostly like Tic Tac or Tylenol commercials, but my third audition ever was an AT&T commercial with Mark Wahlberg which was intense, as I had lines and they put me through loads of improv and I had a sister in the ad too, so I thought I was going to be the star when I got the part! It wasn’t until I got on set that I realised I was just standing next to Mark, and that was pretty much it, but hey, it was great to meet him.

Left Shirt and pants **Kenzo** & tank top **Calvin Klein**
Right T-Shirt **The Society Archive** & jeans **Levi’s**

Who are the actors you’ve admired and watched and thought, I could do that?

I think Jim Carey is great, and also Jamie Foxx because he’s really versatile as an actor and musician, and Christian Bale, Sean Penn and Alec Baldwin, they’ve all inspired me.

When you took on the role of Cal Jacobs, did you expect the character, and by proxy, you, to develop such a big following?

No, that was insane, I look back and I’m just so thankful I got the part, because it’s got to be one of the most hard-hitting guest spots ever. I owe my career so far to that role, as it pulled me out of nothing and put me in front of an audience of millions, and the fans of the show are incredible.

How did you prepare for the role?

I had Eric Dane’s scenes to watch and I made notes on how the younger Cal might be, and when I got the part, I also called a friend who was a wrestler at my high school, and we went into an abandoned building that his Dad owned, threw a mattress down and for a few hours he basically showed me all the wrestling moves. So through those things I got to piece together a kind of childhood for Cal, and then we I got on set for the more emotional stuff, I chose moments in my own life that I thought would parallel the heartbreak in Cal’s, so they really hit deep with me.

Left Sweater **Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello** & jeans **Levi’s**
Right Overalls **Kenzo** & T-Shirt **The Society Archive**

“I love getting dressed up and styled, as it’s a new form of self-expression that I’m really getting into.”

What did you take away from the show and do you have a favourite memory from being on set?

I realise I like attention, that’s for sure!. There was a specific moment in my green room waiting to go on set, and the intimacy coordinator came in and she had been watching all my accents and impressions online, and was really impressed. So she showed Sam Levinson the Director, and he was impressed too, and then an hour later, Sam comes on set and asked me to show Zendaya my impressions, so I gave her my phone and my hand was literally shaking, and she gave me so many compliments, it was amazing!

Now you’re in the spin-off of another cult series, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin. Were you a fan of the original?

I can’t say I was, because as a guy growing up it wasn’t a show I really watched or would admit to, [laughs], but once I was cast, I watched a few episodes and realised why it has such a cult following, and I think the show I’m now in is going to be a little edgier and appeal to a male audience more. My character Greg is like the ultimate athletic douchebag, and guys can look at him and laugh and relate to him, because we all knew someone like that at college!

One of the things I learned at NYU in method acting about building a character, is to find a role model, and so I read the script and I knew exactly who Greg was.

Fashion played such a huge part of the original show, are you into style? Like maybe Harry Styles’ look?

I’m not sure I’m cool enough to pull off that Harry look! But I have got into fashion more in the last few years, because I’ve been wearing hand-me-downs from my older twin brother for so long. I love getting dressed up and styled, it’s a new form of self-expression that I’m really getting into.

You mentioned your twin, and your family are of Greek heritage, are you very connected to your roots?

It’s the thing I identify most with, I’m extremely passionate and proud to be Greek. When I was growing up, the two things I watched the most with my Yia-Yia (Grandmother), were Disney’s Hercules and My Big Fat Greek Wedding!

Aside from acting, you’re also in a band, is music another passion then?

Well, acting helps pay the bills, and music is just my way of exploring other areas of artistry and enjoying the sound, I love both, they’re pretty equal right now passion-wise.

So what’s next for you?

I have an indie project lined up and a really big project I’m so excited about, which I’ll be filming for this Summer, but I can’t mention it right now!

Things are moving so fast for you. When you’re able to look back at your body of work, years from now, what will you have wanted to achieve?

I would love to do a biopic of a musician one day, and if I could make it happen, the pinnacle would be doing a Scorsese film, that would be a dream come true.

…

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Rafael Martinez

Fashion by Marti Arcucci

Casting by ImagineMachine cs

Groomer Kristan Serafino

Stylist’s assistant Flor Traversaro