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Hanna Pallot
PULLED BY THE MOON

In conversation with CORY MICHAEL SMITH

PULLED BY THE MOON
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Martin Onufrowicz
SOUL VIBRATIONS
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Hanna Pallot
HOPEFUL ESCAPISM
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Martin Onufrowicz
MAN IN THE MIRROR
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Martin Onufrowicz
A LESSON IN EMPATHY

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FANG-TASTIC

Vampires have always been images of nocturnal glamour and potent sexuality, with a supernatural sheen that makes us all want to sink our teeth into a fantasy fang fest and walk away with a vamp stamp.

Netflix's latest teen lust story, First Kill, is a biracial sapphic tale of bubbling biting hormones and sexual discovery, and there’s not one Buffy-style long-line leather trench coat in sight. We caught up with lead actress Sarah Catherine Hook, who plays Juliette Fairmont, to get some tips on neck nibbling.

Cardigan twinset Salie66, earrings and bracelets Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello & vintage tights

How did you become a queer vampire in First Kill? What was your journey to getting involved with this project?

 Like any acting job, it started with an audition. When I first received the breakdown in my inbox, I thought there was no way I was getting this role. Once I actually put myself on tape and spent some time in Juliette’s shoes, I thought, “Wow, that was really fun! Too bad I won’t get it.” With each callback and chemistry read, the need to play her was getting stronger and stronger. It wasn’t a matter of “I had to be her,” I really felt I was her.

Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

 Did yourself and Imani [Lewis] meet for a chemistry read before shooting, to just get to know one another and build up that connection?

 Yes! We had a chemistry read over zoom that sealed the deal and then connected a few times via FaceTime before officially meeting in Atlanta!  

 

It’s a lesbian biracial vampire meets monster hunter supernatural romance, and a family drama, so it’s ticking all the boxes. How involved were you in how you wanted to present your character?

 I would say the way I wanted to present Juliette stemmed mostly from the audition process. It seemed that they liked my interpretation enough that they really allowed me to make my own acting choices while they took care of the rest – wardrobe, set, makeup, etc. I was free to do my job the way I wanted within the boundaries of the script.

Full look Valentino

 How did you find your inner vampire for the role, did you watch any of those shows or movies for inspiration?

 I love this question. YES! I actually watched videos of lions. Very, very hungry lions. I wanted Juliette to be animalistic when she had her bloodlust moments and I thought who would be better to emulate than a lion? As well as Megan Fox in Jennifer’s body, duh!

Coat Loewe & shoes Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

 During filming, did you ever sneak your fangs off-set and just casually wear them outdoors, like at the supermarket or on the train?

 While filming I (reluctantly) had to return them to our special effects department after finishing a scene, BUT I do have full ownership over them now!! While I haven’t worn them in public yet, I did wear them at my First Kill launch party, and they were a huge hit.

 

There’s always been a lot of vampire-themed entertainment in the world since Buffy and Twilight; it’s a craze that’s really shown a lot of staying power. What do you make of that? Do you watch other vampire things?

 Of course! I’ve always been a fan of the undead! Vampire Diaries fully got me through my freshman year of college. It’s an easily obsess-able genre; the vampire world is relatable enough for people to see themselves and mystical enough for people to be entertained. Not to mention, we have been blessed with some truly sexy vampires in our time.

Cardigan twinset Salie66 & earrings and bracelets Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

 Speaking of sexy vampires, what do you feel differentiates First Kill, aside from the two female leads falling for one another?

 I’d say the emphasis on the family aspects of the show separates us from most vampire/monster stories. We really went for the Capulet vs Montague storyline with this one.

 

What is it that makes vampires so attractive? They’ve been around a long time, so they probably know what they’re doing right?!

 I think it’s just that! They’ve simply been around for a VERY long time, so they have lots of experience (if you know what I mean).  Not to mention eternal youth? I mean come on. They’re just blessed. Or cursed. Whichever you think is appropriate.

Blazer Giorgio Armani, shirt Louis Vuitton & skirt Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

 I read that you had an intimacy coordinator for the kissing scene between yourself and Imani. How would one go about sinking their fangs into someone’s neck then, give us some tips?

 HA! Listen, there’s really no way around this, ya just gotta bite them!

T-shirt stylists own, gloves (worn as belt), tights and shoes Valentino & earrings Givenchy

 That spin the bottle moment in Episode 1 brought back some personal memories!

Have you ever played the game in real life and landed on someone you really wanted to kiss?

 Never! You were witness to my first game of spin the bottle!

 

So aside from blood and lust, what’s next for you?

 I can’t reveal too much about my next project just yet, but I’ll tell you that lobsters are involved and I’m VERY excited about that.

Left Cardigan twinset Salie66, earrings and bracelets Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello & vintage tights

Right Coat Giorgio Armani

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Jenn Kang

Fashion by Shayna Arnold

Make-Up by Cedric Jolivet

Hair by Ian James

Casting by ImageMachine cs

Location Manager Alex Foster

IT’S A WONDERS-FUL LIFE

"Sorry for the deep baritone voice”, says a seductively husky Chase Sui Wonders, when she hopped onto a Zoom call with us recently. “I was out late last night, and shouting over everyone!”. Many coffees later, she told us all about her new Apple TV+ crime drama series, ‘City on Fire’, and how she spent all day covered in blood screaming, with Lee Pace, Pete Davidson, and Amandla Stenberg, in the new slasher movie ‘Bodies Bodies Bodies’.

Dress Miu Miu, bra Fleur du mal & underpinning Commando

Speaking of husky voices, did you have to learn how to scream for your horror movie role?

 Haha! Yes, and I didn’t think I could reach that high, but I got there in the end, I kid you not, something primal in me came out! By day two of shooting, all of us in the cast, after having only known each other for 48hrs, were just cuddling one another in a pool of blood while screaming, it was insane!

Left Tank top Calvin Klein, cuffs, necklaces and earrings Chanel & rings Givenchy

Right Top MM6, necklace Laura Lombardi & hosiery Wolford

What was the first scary movie you saw? Can you watch them on your own?

 Well it’s not really considered a scary movie, but ‘The Fifth Element’ with Bruce Willis, which has this blue alien lady in it, was the stuff of my nightmares for years in a row! I always thought how does anyone enter a scary movie willingly you know? But now I’ve made one and seen behind the curtain, it’s almost an adrenalin thrill, and now I go into a scary movie and I’m fascinated and enjoy them and maybe have become a little desensitised to them.

Dress Valentino & necklace Laura Lombardi

“Music is like a drug, and if you can curate a sound that mimics the headspace of a character, that’s super useful.”

 You’re also starring in the Apple TV+ series ‘City On Fire’, which is not so much a slasher flick, but a crime thriller. Tell me about your character Samantha, what drew you to the role?

 The story is such a sprawling amazing intricate web of these New Yorker’s stories and how they all connect to the shooting of this girl in Central Park. My character has this raw power and she’s kind of a nowhere girl who builds this family that ends up leading her down a scary path and her whole journey is so fascinating. She’s definitely one of the most free-spirited characters that I’ve ever played, getting to be that cool and confident is a fun pair of shoes to try on for a while.

Dress, shoes Emporio Armani & bag Givenchy

I imagine crime drama requires a different kind of mental preparation because you’re basically spending all day thinking [in the case of your character], that you’re going to be murdered at some point?

 Yes totally, having the paranoia set in is definitely important and you need an on and off ram for your brain to get into that headspace about having a target on your back, it’s definitely mind-altering.

 

Are you a fan of crime shows?

 I love heist and suspense, but not detailed crime shows or real life documentaries. All my favourite movies have paranoia and deception built in, and City on Fire has all of that too.

Coat Valentino & bra Fleur du mal

 The series is written by Gossip Girl and The O.C. creators Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage. So does this mean we’re all going to be fan girl’ing over the soundtrack at some point? I spent my youth Googling every song on every episode of the O.C.!

 OMG, same! I fangirl’d to Josh and Stephanie every day, because I was hooked up to an OC drip for the whole of my youth! I’ve often gone up to Josh and dropped quotes from the show and he doesn’t know what I’m talking about, and I’m like, ‘that’s a quote from Season 2, episode 7’, haha! This new show has such an amazing music supervisor too, and it takes place in the early 2000s, so all the bands that you know and love will be making an appearance in a really exciting way. It’s a darker and grittier show, but it’s been really cool to work with these legends, it still feels quite surreal.

Left Bra Fleur du mal & skirt Erdem

Right Tank top Calvin Klein & cuffs, necklaces and earrings Chanel

 Speaking of music. Do you ever make a playlist to prepare for a role?

 Music can become a crutch, and I have a playlist that I listened to every day on my way to set, for City on Fire, and it helped me to tap into a head space. Music is like a drug, and if you can curate a sound that mimics the headspace of a character, that’s super useful, especially on this show, as music runs through my character’s blood, and I had to take guitar lessons for it. Actually, props are kind of upset at me because the guitar I used has made its way into my every day, and I’ve kept up playing it!

 

Left Dress Miu Miu, bra Fleur du mal & underpinning Commando

Right Dress Loewe

Oh cool, so with your husky voice today, we’ll look forward to your duet with Tom Waits and his guttural, gravelly voice soon then?

 Haha! Oh gosh, I don’t know if anyone wants to hear that!

…

More from Chase coming soon in our FW22 issue, out later this year! Stay Tuned.

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Pierre Crosby

Fashion by Kristi Kruser

Casting by ImageMachine cs

Hair by Blake Erik using Hair Rituel by Sisley

Make-Up by Misha Shahzada using Shiseido

ALL ABOUT ARAMIS

You may recognise rising star and your latest heartthrob, Aramis Knight, from projects like Ender’s Game, Into the Badlands – and marking his leap into the Marvel Cinematic Universe – Red Dagger, the Asian-American superhero in Disney+ series Ms. Marvel. As he continues to branch out in Hollywood, one assumes he might not want to be an action star forever, with ambitions to open a dog hotel and explore the great outdoors, one 1980s chevy g20 starcraft campervan at a time.

Firstly, let’s talk about your unique name. Nothing to do with the popular 80s men’s aftershave then?

 Ha! No, my Mom named me after the Three Musketeers, she was watching The Man in the Iron Mask, and told herself she was going to name her first son Aramis.

 

He’s the romantic one right, any similarities between you both?

 Uh… I would say so!

 Ok, so let’s talk about Ms. Marvel. Was a comic book superhero always on your list of childhood goals?

 It’s funny I feel like my friends kind of manifested it for me, because when I was on the martial arts show before the AMC show [Into the Badlands], they would always tell me ‘oh Marvel is going to scoop you up’, and I never really gave it that much thought, but obviously as an actor that’s kind of the pinnacle, or something you have to cross off your bucket list. So doing this early and for a project like Ms. Marvel, is definitely a dream come true.  

How did you get into acting, did your parents encourage you?

 I started when I was 5, and worked a bunch as a kid, and it was definitely my Mom that came with me to everything, it was a real Mom and son activity. Then by the time I was 13, it became serious enough where I actually considered making it my lifelong goal, and that’s pretty much where I’m at now.

 

You’re really into martial arts training, so I imagine that helped you with the physical side of the role in Ms. Marvel, like stunts etc? How does it help with your mental health too, especially being in an industry dealing with rejection and being constantly scrutinised?

 Yes I’ve been trained in Wushu for almost 5 years now, my trainer is Daniel Wu, he played opposite me in Badlands, we trained a lot for that show and also for Ms. Marvel.

I think physical activity in general makes me feel much better mentally. I’m a huge basketball player and it can often be like my soundboard and where I can take my frustrations out. I think as a young actor, a lot of times your self-worth mirrors your career, so sometimes if you’re not working, then you don’t feel so good about yourself if you’re used to working all the time. I try and stay up on things I’m really passionate about, like martial arts and I have an 80s camper van and I go camping a lot – having all these side hobbies gives you other reasons to be really proud of yourself. It can be really hard when you’re only an actor and that’s the only thing you see yourself as, you have to expand your horizons and have other things you’re passionate about.

 I read there were also hours of dialect training and you had to learn Urdu for your Ms. Marvel character. Do you love roles that challenge you in that way, learning something new for character development?

 Yes absolutely. I’m super thankful to have a job where it’s never the same, and I always look for new roles that challenge me where I can learn new things. For Ms. Marvel it was dialect, I learned drill and ceremony on another movie, I went to space camp, have trained in martial arts. It seems like with every new project there’s something new to learn and I like that.

 As an actor of colour, were you like, it’s about time, a Pakistani superhero at last, because it’s important for everyone to have a superhero they can relate to and look up to, right?

 Absolutely, this is the first time in my career that I’m playing a character that’s authentic to my heritage, which is pretty crazy considering I’ve been working for the last 16 years or so. It’s definitely few and far between to play a Pakistani character, let alone a superhero.

With Ms. Marvel the show is really authentic as our show runner was raised in a Muslim household, so it all ran through her, and we definitely wanted to be very respectful of the culture and wanted to get the Pakistani-American character right. It’s interesting when I’ve watched the show with my parents, as my Mom is white and my Dad is Pakistani-Indian raised in a Muslim household, and I can tell that my Dad understands every joke, whereas my Mom doesn’t quite understand, she’ll still laugh, but she doesn’t quite get what it’s like to be raised in a Pakistani household.

 

So in terms of diversity and representation, what type of roles would you like to play next, to continue that cultural conversation about pride and identity?

 I think diversity is super important, but I’m not always in control of the roles that I want to play, but next I want to do something that’s quite shocking, that’s way out of the box, that’s not like me at all, I think I have some characters in me that I haven’t let loose yet, that I want to.

My character Kareem [in Ms. Marvel] might be a superhero, but he’s still just a kid from Karachi, so I think I would like to play more quirky characters in the future.

 

Who did you look up to as a child yourself? Any acting heroes you would love to work with?

 I’m a huge Brando fan, he’s probably the best of all time. Also Denzel Washington, Christoph Waltz, Christian Bale, they’re all the greats.

 

What role in an iconic movie do you wish that you could have played?

 I would have loved to play Gary Oldman’s character, Drexl, in True Romance. I love Gary Oldman, he’s definitely one I look up to as well.

 

Can you tell me about any new projects you’re working on?

 There’s a few projects going on, the one I can tell you about is Baby Blue, which is a horror movie I produced and starred in, I’ve been wanting to get behind the camera more for creative control, which is a lot more fun. It was a special experience to put a project together as I have a very business-orientated brain as well as creative, so being able to do both of those things at once was a really good experience. Down the line I definitely see myself as a director too, I’m doing it on a small scale now, but I would love to direct a big feature.

 Looking ahead then, is there a story you’ve always loved that you would like to adapt for the big screen then?

 Man… an adaptation? That’s a really good question, I’ve not thought about adaptations, I’ve always had original ideas, but I’m big into psychological thrillers so I would start there, and I’m friends with a lot of the next gen of up-coming actors, so I would want to work with them.

 

Is there another dream passion you would love to fulfil alongside the movie career?

 The ultimate dream is to open a chic hotel in NorCal and make it a dog shelter too, and brand it around the hotel so people come to experience it but ultimately, they’re there to meet and adopt dogs, and I could use the revenue from that to fund saving dogs, as I’m a huge dog person!

 

According to your Insta, you’re also a huge outdoorsy fan too, or as you like to call yourself, ‘a forest gangster’?

 Haha! I’m actually sitting in my camper van now talking to you, it’s a 1980s ChevyG20 Starcraft  in immaculate condition, and I got it with only 20,000 miles on it from this guy called Arnie, shout out to Arnie for selling me his van!

 What tunes are you singing around the camp fire?

 Well I have a camp playlist with everything from jazz music to Kid Cudi to Led Zeppelin, and Kanye and Frank Ocean, anything that’s wavy. I call it my ‘peanut butter’ music, you know when you eat it, and it just sticks in your mouth.

 

Ok, so if you could choose someone to be sat around the camp fire with, who would it be?

 Keira Knightley, circa 2005.

 

Interesting, why, because you would really enjoy “talking” to her?

 Exactly! Haha!

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Hadar Pitchon

Grommer Sophia Portern using Danessa Myrick and Unite Hair.

MERGING INTO THE FAST LANE

Elias Kacavas is the breakout heartthrob from Euphoria, who studied at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and trained to be a method actor at the Strasberg studio, before landing the role of high school-era Cal Jacobs in the teen drama. This year he’ll play Greg, in another cult small screen series, the Pretty Little Liars spin-off on HBO Max, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin. Kacavas is of Greek heritage, and also has genes so nice they made him twice, with an identical twin called Niko, one of two siblings.

We caught up with him on Zoom to say YAH-soo! and talk about cup-a-soups, impressing Zendaya and Harry Styles’ wardrobe.  

T-Shirt The Society Archive, pants Prada & sneakers Adidas x Wales Bonner

[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! 

Full look Prada

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

WHAT SUKI DID NEXT

The London born model-actor-singer Suki Waterhouse has released her debut album, 'I Can't Let Go’, a project that’s been some time in the making, which is only a testament to its brilliant beauty. It’s a body of work indebted to all the emotional layers buried inside her, brewing into a soulfully delivered lo-fi alt-pop journey of melodically painfuland playful storytelling, with a stylish self-indulgence that we can all relate to, as a generation living inside our heads. Here we catch up with her on Zoom for a chat while she’s boiling eggs for breakfast, even though it’s 5pm in London, she’s still on LA time. “I’m like morning, it’s 5pm [she laughs], I just haven’t been able to get myself time-adjusted yet.”

Full look Zadig&Voltaire

So let’s talk music Suki, you’re full steam ahead with that now, tell me everything?

 Music has always been a constant to me, but it was something I developed more in private, and I’ve been releasing the odd record myself since 2016 which has been really fulfilling, but what changed in the last year or two was getting to the point where I really wanted to release a full record. I’ve also learnt more about what’s involved in that process, and the more courage I had the more I decided the time was right to do this. I surprised myself that it ended up happening, but internally I’ve been yearning to do this for ages.

Full look Zadig&Voltaire

Were you nervous to share your personal songwriting with the world?

 When you’re writing songs you’re still very much inside of the experience, but you’re searching for a new perception of that experience — like being really frustrated with yourself for still feeling really strongly about a person, and you’ve tired out all your friends talking about it, but you’re frustrated with that feeling still knocking around — so you put it into a song. I was nervous, but excited, because when the record came out it’s almost like you understand yourself more, and can get further away from being totally wrapped up inside of where you were, and then that perception of it widens when you share it with everyone. I feel like being able to release this record has tied up a whole era for me.

Full look Zadig&Voltaire

 Did you find it difficult at times to reflect back on certain experiences, or was it quite cathartic re-living and expressing them in this way?

 For a long time, I’ve had my own blues and depressions and feelings of shame, and I was inside of quite intense periods in my life for the last 10 years. So those times are definitely reflected in the record, but by putting everything together in this way, made me have more feelings of empathy towards myself, which is a good thing!

Full look Givenchy

 The record has that ‘listening in your bedroom alone’ kind of vibe. What relatable and atmosphere-weaving music has inspired you and your own sound over the years?

 I love that bedroom sound, like someone is talking to you, it’s more conversational and I love singers like Ani DiFranco and Lucinda Williams, they’re both amazing storytellers in that kind of way. I also love ‘Crush Songs’ by Karen O because they’re like whispers of songs she wrote in her bedroom about missing someone really immensely and having a giant crush, and I can listen to songs like that every day. With this record I had time to write the music, there was never any pressure on me other than in myself, so I got to sit with the songs for a long time and a lot of the lyrics were something I remembered I had heard someone say at a party, or something I recall that seismically shifted the way I felt about something, or a feeling that’s come around — it was all about the ruminating on desires and relationships and that all unfolding into my own storytelling.

Full look Zadig&Voltaire

“Music has always been a constant to me.”

 Are there any songs on the album you’re particularly proud of?

 I love the song ‘Blessed’, it’s more like an interlude than a real song, and I do have a more written version of it, but it’s musically stunning and I wanted it to be something you could listen to in the darkness of your bedroom, and kind of go into your own personal orbit.

Tank top, leather jacket Zadig&Voltaire & pants Celine by Hedi Slimane

 What about the track ‘Moves’, I’m really intrigued by why someone would say you looked like Glam rocker Suzi Quatro. Were you dressed in a leather jump suit with a big bass guitar at the time?

 No!! That was actually something I wrote down years ago that Jack White said to me after a White Stripes concert, and I was quite young at the time, walking backstage when he said it. So I went home and googled her and then became quite fascinated with her and the music, and really went down a Suzi Quatro hole just from what he said to me! 

Full look Zadig&Voltaire

 Speaking of music legends, you worked with producer Brad Cook on the album, what was that experience like?

 He’s played in Sharon Van Etten’s band and she’s one of my favourite people, and also works with Hiss Golden Messenger and when I heard their track 'Cat’s Eye Blue’, I couldn’t stop listening to it, so even though we had never met pre-working on my album, I felt kind of connected to him. Then after we spoke on the phone, it was like a crazy blind date getting on a flight to meet him in North Carolina where we recorded it, and at first we rented this church but then got kicked out and ended up in a bridesmaids room in a wedding hall, and it was the most magical time!

I had no plans with how this record on how it would be released and if any label would be behind it, I just thought initially it would be self-release like my other stuff. So everything really just came from this desire to complete a fullrecord, and do that with Brad.

Full look Zadig&Voltaire

 Are you excited to perform the songs live? Does another side of you come alive on stage?

 I started doing shows a few months before the record came out and that was really like being thrown into the deep end, and my boyfriend took me to the Bottlerock Festival [in the US], and he was like ‘what on earth are you thinking, this is terrifying?!'

I do feel really at home on stage though, it’s a chance to be myself with all the things I’ve written about and thought about, they all rise to the top and come out and then morph into something different with an audience, it’s an energy that comes through. I’m totally addicted to performing live now! 

Left Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Right Full look Zadig&Voltaire

 You’re touring with Father John Misty on his North American tour this year, what about Glastonbury next year? 

 I would love to do Glastonbury! I’m so exited to be supporting Father John Misty this year though, being able to play consecutive nights and the different energy from the audience on each night, and the adrenalin of the performance, then getting on the bus, waking up somewhere new and doing it all again — I’ve never experienced anything like this before and I’m really excited about going around the States too.

Full look Zadig&Voltaire

“I’m totally addicted to performing live now!”

Are you hoping for longevity in terms of making music that people want to find glimmers of themselves within — will there be another album?

 I wrote this record out of necessity, a desperation in myself to write the songs and I have to find that again. I can feel it creeping around inside of me, but after something’s been released, I need to have the space to see who and where I am now, and what’s around me, to find out if I can write more songs about something else, and be able to do that all the time. I think for me it has to be quite particular, I have to feel that “something”, whatever it is, that has to be said.

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Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Shane McCauley

Fashion by Carolina Orrico

Casting by ImagineMachine cs

Hair by Candice Birns

Make-Up by Cedric Jolivet

HELLO TALIA RYDER, GOODBYE ANONYMITY

Talia Ryder has already appeared on Broadway, starred in an Olivia Rodrigo music video, and performed in acclaimed movies including Eliza Hittman’s 2020 indie, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, and Steven Spielberg’s epic cinematic adaptation of West Side Story. Now she’s landed the lead opposite Jordan Fisher in Netflix’s teen rom-com Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between.

Tank top Chloe, leather short Miu Miu & Talia’s own boots

Did you meet Jordan Fisher first in your screen test for Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between, to see if there was chemistry there?

 No, we met for the first time after I had been offered the role. I auditioned and was cast during the pandemic so screen tests were impossible. Luckily, we had a lot in common both coming from a Broadway background and became friends quickly. 

 

It’s a story that really covers various aspects of relationships, from vulnerability to loyalty, and possibly regret. What did you love most about the script, what made you want to take the role?

 While I was reading the script it just seemed like a movie I would really want to watch. Falling in love at an age where your life is just starting is a universal experience that I haven’t seen depicted in a film like this before. It’s unique because it explores attachment styles and communication in a healthy and beautiful way. While Claire and Aiden have their flaws and hurt each other plenty, you get to watch the development of a really beautiful and loving relationship at a time in their lives where so much is undecided and changing.  

Dress Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello & pearl necklace Loren Stewart

“Falling in love at an age where your life is just starting is a universal experience that I haven’t seen depicted in a film like this before.””


Were you able to relate and empathise with any parts of your character?

 I immediately saw myself in Claire. She and I are both extremely driven, and I think for that reason are hesitant when it comes to love out of fear of losing ourselves in a relationship.

 

How do you think the computer age, being online and social media have changed romance?

 I think that social media and the times we’re living in have changed romance. Not only is it a whole new way to meet people but it’s also a whole other side of a relationship you have to manage. We communicate so much through texting and social media and there’s more opportunity for things to be misinterpreted.


Do you have a movie crush?

 I just saw Elvis, so I have an acting crush on Austin Butler, he was such a compelling performer, and his dancing blew me away. But my forever movie crush is Angelina Jolie in Girl, Interrupted, which was one of my favourite performances of all time. 

Full look Louis Vuitton

When you get the chance to meet an actor or performer you really admire, what do you say? Have you ever been starstruck?

 I'm not really shy about that stuff. I’ll always tell people when I'm a fan of their work. I always get starstruck by my friends though. It’s so crazy seeing people you know perform. It's like no waayyy! that's actually you?!


When did you know you wanted to be an actor, as you started off as a dancer in Matilda on Broadway, is that right?

 Before doing Matilda, I had dreams of being a professional dancer and auditioned for the show just for the experience, never expecting to be cast. Being on Broadway and getting to move to New York completely changed my outlook on life, and I realised I had the opportunity to really make a career out of this. I had to learn how to act and sing for my role in the show and realised how intertwined dancing and acting are to authentically tell a story. I got an agent through being in the show and just decided to go for it with acting.

 

You went on to play in Never Rarely Sometimes Always, and then joined Steven Spielberg’s epic cinematic version of West Side Story. Did it all feel a bit unreal going from quite an intimate set to this massive production and cast?

 I knew going into them both that the processes would look very different. It was cool getting to see two very different films being made and see the same level of passion and creativity in two different environments. 

Full look Gucci

 

“I just saw Elvis, so I have an acting crush on Austin Butler, he was such a compelling performer, and his dancing blew me away.”


I imagine the dancing was full on too, having to learn all that choreography? Did you come away with all the songs going round in your head for hours, days, like even when you were sleeping?

 It was pretty full on but getting to work with Justin Peck was incredible. I had steps stuck in my head more than the music, I think. I’d always be marking the choreography around the house or waiting for the train. 


Which of Spielberg’s movies is your favourite or would you have loved to star in?

 I grew up watching so many of his movies. While ET is my favourite, I think Ready Player One would’ve been so much fun to shoot. 


Who are your acting or director heroes? Who else would you love to work with?

 I would just really love to work with Steven [Spielberg] again. He’s the definition of a true legend to me. He approaches everything he does with detail and care as well as making everyone on his set feel valued and respected. Working on West Side Story changed the way I look at filmmaking and collaboration and I would just love the chance to witness him make magic like that again. 

 

Are you attracted to playing a certain type of character or a genre, what do you look for in a role?

 I wouldn’t say I’m attracted to any specific character or genre. It really comes down to believing in the script as well as the director's vision for the story. It’s important to me to feel inspired and challenged by the characters I’m playing, but it really comes down to the story that’s being told. 

 

What’s next for you? Can you tell me about your projects Do Revenge and Joika?

 Do Revenge will be out in September! It looks really amazing. Jennifer Robinson who wrote and directed the film is truly a genius. The film pays homage to the ‘90s teen movie’ while being super funny and relevant to today’s culture. Joika is a very intense film that shines a light on both the toxicity and beauty of the ballet world. It’s the most demanding role I’ve ever played, but it was so amazing getting to combine my love of dance and acting for the part. 

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Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Lorenz Schmidl

Fashion by Elissa Santisi

Casting by ImageMachine cs

Make-Up by Misha Shahzada for Chanel Beauty

Hair by Tsuki for Bumble and bumble

Stylist Assistant Morgan Lipsiner

Producer Veronica Sharon at Maanifest Agency

Production Assistant Samantha Betti

COMING OF AGE

Natalia Dyer is drawn to characters who are still figuring it out. This Spring, she returns to her biggest role to date as precocious big sister Nancy Wheeler in Season 4 of Netflix’s hit supernatural thriller Stranger Things. The 27-year-old promises that the next season will be bigger than ever. But whether she’s playing Nancy, fiercely taking on the Demogorgon, or Alice in Yes, God, Yes, discovering female pleasure for the first time, Dyer’s teenage characters are in a state of flux. She likes playing girls and young women who are allowed to grow and be messy and have flaws. Meanwhile, fame is the biggest adjustment Dyer herself has had to make as she navigates her 20s. Negotiating boundaries has been a learning process, but one that she seems to be taking in her stride.

 We caught up with her to talk about Stranger Things, female stories and coming of age.

Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Season 4 of Stranger Things came out in May. It's been a while since you started filming before the pandemic. What are you most excited for people to see when it comes out?

 I am really excited about the new cast members we have this season. I think they do such an excellent job. I feel like I say this every season, but I think this one is our biggest, darkest, scariest season so far. The scale of it is bigger. It feels more all-encompassing. This season, there are lots of different storylines going on. It really stretches what we're familiar with. I hope people like it.

You must have grown quite close to your character, Nancy, over the years. I read that you relish the moments in the script where you get to see inside her character's mind. Do we learn anything new about Nancy in season 4? Are there any moments where we see a new side to her or a new depth of character?

 I think so. She's definitely still Nancy. She's still curious. There are some soft moments as well. It is a crazy season with lots of things going on, but I always get to know her a little bit better. I hope that comes across as well despite all the madness that a show like ours can do.

Full look Miu Miu

Over the course of all the seasons is there a particular scene or episode that has been most memorable to shoot?

 I think back to season 1 a lot because it was so new. It was very memorable. I always talk about the scene in the woods with Nancy going through the trees. For me, filming that scene was so wild at the time. Shooting the crazy, chaotic upside down. I think back to season 1 a lot. Every season has its moments, but I think that one's the most indelible because it was so exciting and new. I hadn't been in this world before.

 

We see Nancy transform throughout the seasons. In your view, what are the inner conflicts in her mind?

 I think she's quite determined to find things out to the point where she can be blindsided. She has flaws. She can really focus on something and neglect other things. She's a little righteous maybe at times, but that's what I love about her. I like characters who have flaws.

 Do you relate to Nancy in any ways?

 I do. She's curious and pretty studious. I wanted to be a journalist when I first went to college. That felt really natural to me, finding the story. She's very brave whereas I'm a big over-thinker. I think Nancy is more headstrong.

 

How did you initially prepare for the role? What research did you do?

 I talked to my mum a bit about what the 80s were like. I watched a lot of 80s movies. I'd never seen A Nightmare on Elm Street before and there's a Nancy in that too. A different character, but sometimes she could be used as inspiration. That was fun. I'm not really a horror movie person, but I like 80s horror. Then I also bought this really awful popular perfume from the 80s. I was like, oh perfect, but it was terrible. I couldn't do it. 

Full look Valentino

Are you decisive about your roles? Do you instinctively know whether it's a character you want to play

Sometimes, yes. Sometimes I get it in my head, and I feel it in my bones, but sometimes I can't quite figure the character out and I think there's something interesting about that as well. I love a good story and being a part of that is a gift. It's a very collaborative world. When it's good, it's amazing to be a part of that and to help tell the story.

 

In Yes, God, Yes you play Alice, a teenage girl growing up in a strict religious environment, coming to terms with her desires. It's a really refreshing representation of female sexuality. Do you feel like you ever saw that represented growing up? Would representation like that have made growing up easier?

 I don't remember seeing much representation of female pleasure. I think when I was growing up it was always about female characters who get the guy, or the guy gets the girl. That's why when I read the script for Yes, God, Yes, I was like, I absolutely want to be a part of this. I think it's so important. Film and TV can be a reflection of society, but it also shapes society. We get a lot of comfort, acknowledgement and validation when we see people doing relatable things on screen. I do think there are more films like that now, but I certainly didn't have that when I was growing up. I was definitely passionate about it.  

Full look Balenciaga

I rewatched Yes, God, Yes the other day with my housemates and we ended up having a really refreshing and open conversation about masturbation and the shame we felt as teenagers. Did you hope that the film would help facilitate these kinds of conversations?

 Yeah, I think so. I wasn't trying to change anybody's mind, necessarily. I wanted to open up questions and make people feel more comfortable. There's nothing glamorous about Alice. It's very real and messy. I wanted to keep the conversation going.

 

You recently starred in Chestnut which has just finished production and tells the story of a queer love triangle. Do you feel like that also has a refreshing take on sexuality?

 I think so. I think that film is about loving who you love. Any kind of relationship with anybody is going to involve feelings that are complicated. It's a really lovely, human relationship story. I really enjoyed working with a female writer/director again too. I don't know if that will open up conversations as well. I always hope that people think about things differently or from a different perspective after watching it. I would like to be a part of that.

 

I read that you ask yourself what matters when you're reading a script. What issues and causes are you most passionate about and why?

 I like telling female stories. There are a lot of stories from the male perspective and through male gaze. There's nothing wrong with that, but in my experience, it's different to hear women talk and tell stories and get the attention and respect. It's interesting to explore what the female narrative looks like and how it is different. I think it sometimes has a different structure. There's more than one way to tell a story. I like making sure that women see themselves on screen and that they feel real and grounded and flawed and messy in their own way. That's something I feel passionate about.

Full look Givenchy

 Your biggest roles to date have been teenage girls. Is coming of age a subject you feel drawn to you?

 I do, yeah. There are so many versions of that story. Just that transformation, coming into yourself in a new way. A lot of teenage stuff is emotional and it's a visceral time in your life. You're still trying to figure things out and you're trying out different paths. It's such a good time for self-exploration and drama and that transition into a new version of yourself.

 

What were you like as a teenager?

 I was good. I didn't go to parties that often. I went to theatre a lot. I did community theatre. I wasn't a nerd exactly, but I was pretty focused on school and theatre. I was quite shy and studious. It's funny to think back to that person who's still you, but different in little ways.

 

Do you feel like your roles make you reflect on that time?

 For sure, yeah. It's only natural to process your own feelings and dive into your memory bank.

 

You have a lot of young fans. A lot of teenagers can have an obsessive relationship with the celebrities they look up to. Who were you obsessed with as a teenager?

 I don't think I had ever really had this crazy celebrity idol. I didn't really have social media or a lot of access to that for years. I listened to a lot of music, for sure, but I was never really a person who asked for autographs or photos, but I think we're living in a very different world today. Nowadays, the industry is geared towards that. 

Full look Valentino

You've spoken about having boundaries with fans and your personal privacy. Do you think that because you're in a relationship with your on-screen boyfriend, Charlie Heaton, that some fans feel like they're entitled to details of that relationship more so than if you were dating someone not in the show?

 I can understand that curiosity. It's intense curiosity. Some people are ok with that. It's a learning process as well about what kind of boundaries I need. I completely understand where that curiosity comes from and why, but I think that's what's made it necessary to put boundaries in place about my private life and ask myself what I need. 

 Lastly, what do you have planned for the rest of the year?

 I just got an apartment so I'm very excited about the nesting process. I want to drag it out and take it slow. I keep dreaming about travelling. I keep manifesting that. Something I missed so much during the pandemic was being challenged and seeing different things and making vibrant memories. In this industry, you have to stay open and see what happens.

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Interview by Sophie Lou Wilson

Photography by César Buitrago

Fashion by Carolina Orrico

Casting by ImagineMachine cs

Make-Up by Jezz Hill at The Wall Group

Hair by Erol Karadag

Photographer’s assistant Adam Kenner

Stylist’s assistant Maria Montane


MEET YOUR NEW CRUSH

It’s finally Nico Greetham’s moment. The half-Colombian, half-Scottish actor, who’s also a highly accomplished dancer, was a finalist on Fox's ‘So You Think You Can Dance’, and made his Broadway debut in Disney's ‘Newsies’, before he was cast in Netflix's Ryan Murphy-directed film ‘The Prom’ opposite acting heavyweights like Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman.

You might also recognise him as Calvin the Yellow Power Ranger, and as the magnetic Oscar, in the coming-of-age film ‘Dramarama’. This year he’s landed new small screen roles on ‘Love, Victor’ on Hulu and Disney+ and ‘American Horror Stories’.

While he’s on the cusp of mega stardom, we caught up with him for a quick chat about sweaty costumes, working with Meryl and why Dexy’s Midnight Runners are his guilty pleasure.

Left Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Who or what inspired you to dance, was it always a dream of yours?

 The dream was always acting but dance and gymnastics kind of naturally found their way into my life. I was a gymnast first and injured myself then decided to follow my older sister’s footsteps in dance. I watched the tv show 'So You Think You Can Dance’ and saw that it was possible to be on tv AND dance at the same time. That quickly became my reason for dancing.

 

What was it like going from reality TV to making your Broadway debut in Disney's Newsies and the power of musical theatre?

 Broadway was the most incredible ’surprise’ of my life. I never expected to end up in New York… let alone singing, dancing, and acting! It turned out to be one of my most cherished experiences in my life. Every time I watch a musical theatre show I am in awe of the fact that the performers are the best of the best in dancing, singing, and acting.. and then have to repeat the show eight times a week!! I think they are the hardest working people in the world. My hat tips to the theatre!

 What then pivoted you into acting? What were your first auditions?

 Funny enough, my first acting audition in LA was Power Rangers. But not the season I booked, it was Dino Charge. And the irresponsible not yet fully formed actor, and professional dancer in me, slept in and was too late for my callback. I got a call from my manager, JC Gutierrez, asking how my audition went.. and I was still in bed. Everything is meant to be huh?! 

Top N°21, underwear Dsquared2 and vintage pants

Well Ryan Murphy’s ‘The Prom’ was a breakout moment for you. You played Nick Boomer, who was basically a good looking high school bully! Was it fun playing a bad boy, did you draw on any personal asshole experiences for the role?

 I find it really interesting to discover the world and mindset of someone who views the world in a completely different eye than I do. To validate the thought-process of someone who is so cruel brings the little-artist-actor-boy in me so much joy. Though for Nick, it was all upbringing and surroundings, which I could relate to coming from a rural area in Virginia. I’ve experienced people not understand the openness and progressiveness of other parts of the world, and it challenged me as a person, but informed my artist.

Left Demin pants Calvin Klein

 It had such an all-star cast, including Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman. What was it like working alongside that calibre of actor, I bet there were lots of pinch-me moments for you on set?

 Oh gosh are you kidding!  To walk onto set and see my chair next to MERYL'S??? Every day was a ‘pinch me’ moment. Nicole Kidman and Kerry Washington sang me “Happy Birthday” on set… and not only that but I got to watch them all act. It was a full master class on being alive in the scene even when you aren’t the focus of the scene. I’ll remember those days forever.

 

Everything Ryan Murphy touches turns to gold right?

 Ryan Murphy is the man, I owe so much to him. I’ve been fortunate to work with Ryan on multiple projects of his. 'Prom' being my first, then getting a call from him with an offer to be in 'American Horror Story', followed by another call to star in the spin-off 'American Horror Stories’. A dream come true for me, as AHS was a show I’ve watched religiously since the SYTYCD Tour! I am grateful to be any part of Ryan’s universe.

Left Vintage overalls, underwear Calvin Klein & cap Carharrt

Right Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

 You were also the Yellow Power Ranger in Power Rangers Ninja Steel. Did you keep any wardrobe from the show, like your costume?

 I was indeed the Yellow Ranger and what a trip it was!! Unfortunately, I didn’t keep my suit or helmet (as they were like $15k helmets!) because they may need them for future projects or references. But what I did keep was the memories of the sweat in the suits…

 

Is your personal wardrobe ever influenced by the characters that you play, like for instance, a Power Ranger?

 Haha! I would absolutely wear my Power Ranger outfit to the gym to get an extra sweat. Though I do believe there are times where my wardrobe on set reflects my every day wear. I shot a wonderful indie called ‘Dramarama’ that was set in the ‘90s and I realised every outfit I wore to set could have easily been in the movie. The Fila’s and Converse and loud corduroy shirts were very reflective of my character.

 

“Ryan Murphy is the man, I owe so much to him.”

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 Speaking of style, are you into fashion? Would you steal Harry Styles’ dress sense?

 I think Harry Styles can do no wrong. He’s just one of those people that everybody is on board with. Me included. And you, don’t act like you’re not. But I would love to be more into fashion. The last few years I’ve been looking at campaigns from brands like YSL, Dior, Gucci and want to take part in them. I may or may not have splurged on some items.. but that doesn’t make me fashionable! I’m the most basic outfit wear-er ever, he said with pride!

 

What acting genre would you like to try next? Would you rather do a romantic scene, death scene or a killing scene?

 All those options tickle my fancy. I think less about the genre and desire well-rounded projects with character driven stories and plots that are both interesting and impactful. I love to feel romantic with well written chemistry to back it up, I am also so down for a death scene that earns the audiences’ care for the character’s loss, and ABSOLUTELY let me kill someone with validity that the character has genuine purpose for doing so! That’s what is so exciting about acting! 

Vintage overalls, underwear Calvin Klein & cap Carharrt

Do you have any dream directors? Or actors that are your heroes?

 Directors like Chris Nolan, Luca Guadagnino, Damien Chazelle, Jordan Peele, and actors include Brad Pitt, Jake Gyllenhaal, Andrew Garfield. Let me work with them all dear lord.

 

What’s next for you project-wise, what can fans look forward to?

 There are a few things in the fire at this point, hopefully some news I can share soon. Movies are in my eye site! But for now, I am happy to say a wonderful series I got to be a part of, ‘Love, Victor’ just came out on Hulu and Disney+. I am so honoured to be involved with such an impactful show! I also have ‘American Horror Stories’ coming out later this summer which will be very fun. A new character type I haven’t played in the franchise before, which is exciting!

Left Shirt Dsquared2

Right Jumper N°21

 Okay, final question. If you could only dance to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?

 Okay.. The song ‘Come On Eileen' by Dexy’s Midnight Runners is my favourite song of all time. It simply makes me a happy dancing jelly bean every time I hear it. I can’t promise good, technical dancing but I can insure a good time!!

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Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Doug Inglish

Fashion by Gorge Villalpando

Casting by ImagineMachine cs

Grooming by Anna Bernabe at The Wall Group

Digital Mayfield Hegedus

Photographer’s assistant Ryan Moraga

Fashion Market by Anissa Silvas

Production assistant Denise Solis

STORIES TOLD OUR WAY

Johnny Sibilly, star of Peacock’s ‘Queer as Folk’, vividly recalls seeing the wonderfully explicit show that the series is based on for the first time as a teen - ‘When it initially came out, I was pretty young, so I definitely had this feeling of fascination about it,’ says the American actor. ‘I remember thinking, “I can’t believe this exists, I feel like I’m gonna get in trouble just for knowing it exists.”’

For Sibilly, also known for his roles on the revered series ‘Pose’ and comedic masterpiece ‘Hacks’, the new iteration of ‘Queer as Folk’ has that same quality of fearless storytelling that made its predecessor a classic of LGBTQ+ representation. ‘I think our version is doing exactly what the original did by showing unabashed queer stories without teaching the ABCs to our cis-heterosexual counterparts while they’re watching it,’ explains Sibilly. ‘It’s kind of like, “If you don’t know what this means, you have to Google it.” And I’m really excited about that because I think we deserve to have our stories told in this way.’

Prior to the show’s big premiere, we spoke to Johnny (who, by the way, is hilarious!) about the similarities between him and his character Noah, nights out in New Orleans, and how ‘The Real World’ helped him embrace his queerness growing up.

The new ‘Queer as Folk’ is based on a classic show from the late 90s. Were you a fan of the original series?

 I feel like there was no choice for me but to be a fan because that was the first entry point into what queer life could be like, so I gravitated towards it. When it initially came out, I was pretty young, so I definitely had this feeling of fascination about it and I remember thinking, ‘I can’t believe this exists, I feel like I’m gonna get in trouble just for knowing it exists.’ But I was definitely a fan of ‘QAF’ from the moment I saw two men kissing on screen.

What was the most shocking scene you remember seeing as a teen?

 I remember that while watching the American version on Showtime, I saw Brian going down on Justin – he was eating him out from the back. I was like, ‘Waaaait a second!’ [laughs] I was very young so I didn’t even think about how gay men had sex, I just knew that I thought boys were attractive – seeing that was a little too much for me at that age, so I remember being floored at what I was watching. I actually didn’t think it was a TV show, I thought it was pornography when I first saw it. [laughs]

 Aside from ‘QAF’, were there any other shows or films that you remember watching growing up that helped you with embracing your queerness?

 I always think back to ‘The Real World’. People like Pedro Zamora and Danny Roberts were my first understanding of what gay people looked like in real life – watching their lives on TV made me think that I could also possibly find someone to call my own one day. At the time, we were being vilified in the media for being ourselves, so turning on the TV and seeing what good people they were was a real turning point for me as a kid.

How would you say the new ‘Queer as Folk’ differs from the original series?

It’s different because it’s not on an island by itself. The original ‘QAF’ was leading the charge, whereas now we have a lot more representation - not as much as we should - but we have a lot of good representation [in the media] when it comes to queer characters and storylines. That said, we didn’t have an explicitly queer show like ‘QAF’. I think the new version is doing exactly what the original did by showing unabashed queer stories without teaching the ABCs to our cis-heterosexual counterparts while they’re watching it - it’s kind of like, ‘If you don’t know what this means, you have to Google it.’ And I’m really excited about that because I think we deserve to have our stories told in this way. Another thing is that the cast is more diverse this time and we’re telling nuanced stories of non-binary, Black and Latinx characters. The new ‘QAF’ feels very current, but it’s still falling in line with what the old one meant to so many people [back in the day].

 What do you like the most about your character, Noah? And what are some things that you think he definitely needs to work on?

 One of my favourite traits of Noah is that he’s a pretty selfless person – I feel that he puts others’ needs before his own a lot of the time. I also like that he’s a lover of love and gravitates toward the romantic. That said, the things I love about Noah are also the things that drive me crazy about him! For example, his selflessness – when you put other people’s feelings before yours, you negate whatever’s going on in your own personal life. He also does things to feel good in the moment that he doesn’t realize he might regret later on, which feels like a very relatable response to a lot of things that go on in our lives. We reach out to the feel-good feeling because we don’t want to have to deal with the bad feeling. So yeah, Noah’s escapism is definitely something I would like to change about him.

When the original ‘QAF’ first came out, I definitely had this feeling of fascination and I remember thinking, ‘I can’t believe this exists, I feel like I’m gonna get in trouble just for knowing it exists.’

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 Which one of Noah’s traits would you say you relate to the most?

 Letting men walk all over me is something that I’ve definitely done before! [laughs] I would say the tendency to romanticize other people in your life: failing to see the red flags and falling in love quickly is something that gets us both in trouble.

 

You shot the series in New Orleans, a city known for its nightlife. What’s the best place to go out there?

 There’s this area called The Fruit Loop where all the gay bars are – they were really great! I feel like the New Orleans people really welcomed us with open arms: we got to meet a lot of the locals, flirt with a lot of the locals… [laughs] We had times during shooting where we didn’t do anything and times when we did a little too much, but that’s part of the journey down there in New Orleans.  

Throughout the course of the series, Noah falls in love with Julian, played by the brilliant Ryan O’Connell. What was it like to work with him?

 Ryan’s like my favourite person ever - whenever I’m around him, I’m always smiling and laughing. We filmed a lot of the scenes together, so we became each other’s security blanket – it was just like being with a lifelong friend, creating and having a good time. It’s funny because our relationship on screen is so different from our relationship in real life: on screen, we’re so lovey-dovey, and when the cameras are not rolling, we’re always making fun of each other. Also, I admire how hard he works. He was finishing his book and working on a few other projects while shooting, being a co-executive producer and writer on ‘QAF’. I’m such a Ryan O’Connell fan! [laughs] 

My last question has nothing to do with the show. What’s one thing that you’re good at that people don’t know about?

 This is going to sound so boring and so Virgo of me, but I am so good at cleaning and it brings me so much joy! It’s like a puzzle or Tetris – making sure that everything’s clean is my go-to ever since I was a kid. My grandma used to be a cleaning lady and I remember going with her to clean the mansions and being like, ‘One day, I’m gonna live here, but for now, we are gonna make sure this is Windexed!’ So I can confidently say that I would clean the shit out of anyone’s house! [laughs]

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Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photographe by JJ Geiger

Fashion by Jensen Edmondson

Grooming by Annette Chaisson


SENSUAL MELANCHOLIA

If dancers are the messengers of the gods, as famed US choreographer Martha Graham once said, then Toon Lobach is simply divine, as the softly uplifting yet stirring melancholia of his performances transcend to a supernatural place. Having trained and studied at the Dutch National Ballet Academy and The Nederlands Dans Theater 2, the 25-year-old Amsterdam native has appeared in Juliano Nunes’ Synergy and COR, Paul Lightfoot’s Selvportraet and Alexander Ekman’s Cacti — while also making dance more Instagram-able. Here he tells us how a stage musical about cats in furry leg warmers first inspired him, and how he really loves letting go when nobody’s watching.

Has your whole life been dance - what first inspired you to it?

 Cats! [the Andrew Lloyd Webber show] I just watched it so much, that really made me fall in love with dance, I wanted to be Magical Mister Mistoffelees! My Mom booked me into a little class, when I was younger, but I didn’t really start to take dance seriously until I was about 15 years-old, because then I saw this company called the NDT [Netherlands Dance Theatre] and I was like, ‘Holy shit, this is what I want to do’. So I started going to dance training.

 After being in a dance company for quite some time, you went solo in 2020, why was that?

 I knew I didn’t want to be in a dance company anymore, it’s just so intense and you don’t have time for anything else, and you do so many shows that it becomes exhausting. I stopped enjoying dance and was getting injured a lot, so I made the decision to leave and not long after that I was offered some freelance jobs, and since then I’ve been really enjoying dance much more. I aspire to keep the quality from my dance company in my freelance life, that’s my biggest goal, but also to grow artistically myself and grow my own voice.

 You’re a contemporary dancer, so does the gender fluidity of the style appeal to you, as with ballet the male and female roles are very rigid and strictly binary?

 You can dare to be more elegant, or feminine or vulnerable in contemporary dance. There’s still quite a lot of male and female partnering, but not as much or as strict as with ballet.

 So what makes a good dance partnership work?

 Communication is key, asking and listening to what the other person needs, and it really depends on the person’s body - if they’re lighter, or leaner or more muscular, all those differences make it fun. Partnering work is one of my most favourite things, as it doesn’t matter who you lift or are lifted by, there’s so much collaboration that needs to happen, and you need to be agile and able to switch really quick and connect to the weight of someone - that makes it interesting.

 Do you have any dance icons?

 Marco Goecke, the German choreographer, has influenced me a lot. I’ve danced to his work and I’m always blown away by it because of the intensity and anxiety, it’s always really dark but still so hopeful, and I think there’s something so beautiful about that. It’s also super fast, with big arm movements and it mentally overloads almost, but I get it, I understand it.

 Is narrative important in dance?

 In contemporary dance most of the time there isn’t always a narrative, just movement is really beautiful, and then maybe the choreographer can have an idea of what it means. I can just listen to beautiful music and watch the movement and that’s enough for me, so I’m more interested in the physicality of a dancer on stage or the communication between dancers. The focus on the physical movement brings the clarity to a piece. I also love the exhaustion of dance, that’s where the beauty lies.

 If you could choose one scene from a film that describes your dance style, what would it be?

 I think the last scene in the film “Summer 1993”, where the little orphan girl [Frida], is playing with her Aunt and Uncle, and she can’t stop crying, and they ask her what’s wrong, and she doesn’t know. It’s like she’s so full of trauma, or the world is just too much for her. There’s so much melancholy and yet warmth in that scene at the same time.

In my style I try to be numb, like quite sober almost, no bullshit, and I listen to a lot of sad Indie music, that gets me going! I do see myself as a happy person, but I love being in the studio and listening to singers like Phoebe Bridgers, and classical or instrumental guitar music too - it all triggers the melancholy in me which helps create an atmosphere.

I do love any type of dance though too, like I’ll do some hip hop in the studio, or ballet - I want to be as versatile as possible, that’s the ultimate goal.

 Besides dance, what else inspires your movement?

 I like going out in nature and going on a bike ride if I need to blow off some steam, and also the shapes you see, and the feeling of the breeze influences me, like you’re a little leaf just blowing in the wind!

 Do you ever go clubbing and steal the spotlight, or do you prefer to shimmy around handbags with your friends?

 Ha! Oh my god, I don’t think I’ve ever danced around a handbag! Usually when I go to a club, I go to the side of the floor where I have some space and can just dance the way I want to, so nobody has to look at me. Sometimes I go out alone without my friends and just dance somewhere in the corner living my best life, and also when I’m in a trashy gay bar too!

 So what’s next for you?

 There’s a top secret project which I’m really excited about, but I can’t tell you anything! I’ll be dancing at the Sadlers Wells in London in October in a new piece by Magnus Westwell, and also in the Roberto Bolle and Friends gala in Italy in June and July. Then I’m performing in Copenhagen again this Summer.

 That’s full on, do you ever worry about burn out?

 Oh yes, I had a full mental breakdown last week! Most of the time you’re in your own bubble, going from place to place, and you have to travel and arrange everything yourself, and it’s not like I’m super famous where I have someone doing everything for me. I have to do a lot of shit, like planning, and working out flights, and making sure the costumes are where they should be. I’m just trying to find a way of not burning out!

 You need an assistant….

 I do!! Can you put a little sidenote, like *looking for an assistant* in your piece?

 Sure, I’ll make it the headline…

 Ha! Purleasssssse yes!

 

Btw, what’s the chicken in your Insta bio about?

 I was on tour with a company in 2017 in Brazil, and as well as Brahma beer there, they have these huge beautiful Brahma chickens, and I was playing that game where you stick a piece of paper on your head and have to guess who you are. So I got called a Brahma chicken, and it’s stayed with me ever since. I made myself a chicken and I haven’t looked back, ha!

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Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Hadar Pitchon

HONEST LIBERTY

Fin Argus, star of Peacock’s new show ‘Queer as Folk’, says that taking on the role of Mingus has been a way to relive their adolescent years as their true self. ‘It was liberating to play a character who was already self-assured and self-actualized at such a young age,’ explains the American actor and musician.  ‘Mingus is who I wish I was in high school – I wish I had the gumption to be that girl.’ 

The show - based on a classic series with the same name from the late 90s celebrated for its groundbreaking representation of the LGBTQ+ community - kept that same focus on exploring nuanced storytelling on screen and portraying the modern queer experience, centring its narrative around a diverse group of gay, trans and non-binary characters. Furthermore, the new ‘QAF’ is created by an all-queer crew working behind the scenes: ‘There are queer people telling queer stories on every level of the making of the series,’ says Argus. ‘I’m super proud of what we’ve done together and it was a real gift to work with a full team of queer folks because I’ve never done that before!’

To celebrate the show’s big premiere, we collaborated with Fin on an intimate booklet shot by their close friend Nino Munoz (available for pre-order now) and spoke to them about learning to do drag, becoming part of the queer skate scene and their new music album which is coming out later this year.

Your new show ‘Queer as Folk’ is based on a classic series from the late 90s that was one of the first to openly show the everyday realities of the queer community. Why did you think it’s a format that should be discovered by a new generation of viewers and in what ways is this version different from the original?

 I think that the legacy of the original ‘Queer as Folk’ is its groundbreaking representation: in the late 90s/early 00s, the show creators achieved that by having unapologetically and explicitly queer love stories on screen – I think that was probably the first time we’d ever seen queer people depicted in a way that wasn’t tokenistic or just a coming out story: it was a cast full of queer characters and the show took a deep dive into the nuances of their relationships. Our new iteration of the show takes a similar approach, but it’s a modern telling of the queer experience, which includes trans and non-binary stories – it shows a wider array of queerness that’s represented on screen. Also, on every level of the making of the series, there are queer people telling queer stories – our showrunner and production team are all queer. I’m super proud of what we’ve done together and it was a real gift to work with a full team of queer folks because I’ve never done that before!


What are Mingus’ traits that you relate to the most?

 I think that we are quite different but the thing that I really relate to is their punk attitude. I think Mingus represents a version of myself. I can’t imagine what my life would’ve been like if I were openly queer from such a young age and that’s what’s really refreshing about Mingus’ storyline – in my mind, they never had a moment where they were in the closet, they never had a moment where they second-guessed who they were. It was liberating to play a character who was already self-assured and self-actualized at such a young age. Mingus is who I wish I was in high school – I wish I had the gumption to be that girl. [laughs]

 

Which scenes from the show were the most memorable to shoot for you?

 The drag performances, for sure! I’m no stranger to performing – I play music and I get on stage with my band to put on shows – but drag was something that I’ve never dabbled in before. It was a little nerve-racking to hold this space in the drag community, but I’ve become so passionate about it, and since filming the show, I’ve started to do drag in my personal life.


Mingus is doing a lot of skating on the show. Was that something you learned for the role or have you been a skater before ‘QAF’?

 I’d already been a skater prior to filming. I think that’s why they actually wrote it into the show – when I first got the part, Mingus wasn’t a skater [laughs]. That’s the cool thing about this show – Stephen Dunn, the creator, really took inspiration from the people that he cast in the roles. That’s why a lot of these characters feel so lived-in and natural because he used a lot of our real-life experiences and wove them throughout the fabric of the story.

 

When did you first start skating?

 I’ve always been a longboarder – I like cruising and I’ve been doing that since I was a kid. I’ve only gotten into trying to do tricks and transition skating within the last couple of years. I’m quite new to it and wouldn’t say that I’m the most amazing skater, but there’s just something really thrilling about it. The reason I got so into it recently is because I started to go to these queer skate meetups where there is just so much encouragement. Often, skate parks can be a pretty intimidating environment – it’s very machismo and there isn’t a lot of queerness there usually, or at least you wouldn’t see it automatically. But I’ve learned about these queer skate meetups in LA and New Orleans (where we were filming the show) and got to know this really strong queer skate scene – going there gave me the space to feel empowered in a skate park, which was a new feeling. And it made it very fun for me – it was like an exploration and I learned a lot about skating and community through that.

 

You’ve mentioned playing music with your band – are you working on any music right now?

 I took a long break from releasing music because I needed to find my voice. I was writing a lot of metaphorical songs, which felt really good [at the time] and I’ve always been interested in fantasy, but what has progressively become important to me is explicit storytelling. I’ve realized that this metaphorical approach felt almost like a hindrance to my storytelling, so I wanted to figure out my voice and figure out what I wanted to say. And I feel like I’ve really found that over the past few years and written so much music that I’m so proud of. The concept for the body of music that I’m planning to release this year is a queer coming-of-age story. It’s very indie rock and West Coast. I’m excited to put it out!


Our shoot for the booklet has a very intimate feel. Have you always been comfortable in your body?

 No, it’s definitely been a process. I grew up in a pretty conservative environment, so being comfortable with my body and showing skin was not always something that I was used to. I feel that really coming into my queerness and feeling more self-assured in my self-expression and gender identity in the last couple of years has made me feel more confident about my body. Also, ‘Queer as Folk’ has played a big part in this feeling – there’s a lot of nudity and a lot of sex on the show, which is true to the queer experience, and I found it liberating to bare it all. I think it’s empowering for me, both in terms of my gender and as an artist, to not have anything left to hide anymore and it’s been a gift [ to be able] to capture that. I look at the photos and I feel so confident and excited because they feel like me in the most raw and vulnerable state - they feel honest.

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Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Nino Muñoz

PUNK’S NOT DEAD

Rising British star, Emma Appleton plays Nancy Spungen, Sid Vicious’ ill-fated lover in “Pistol,” a new mini-series directed by Danny Boyle, based on a memoir by Steve Jones, guitarist and founder of The Sex Pistols.

The pioneering punk band simultaneously appalled and entranced British society with their angsty lyrics championing social change, which had a catalytic effect on popular music. Here the actress tells us about transforming into a groupie with an abrasive attitude.

How did you get the role in Pistol? What was the process like?

 I never anticipated that I would be involved at this stage with such an amazing project, and I have an incredible agent [Molly], and have been on this upwards trajectory, and I got this email through for an untitled Danny Boyle project, and had no clue what it was about, but if it says Danny Boyle, of course you’re like what do I have to do…learn magic? that’s fine, I’ll do it, ha! I did the tape and didn’t hear anything for months and then my agent called one day and said Danny wants to Zoom with you tomorrow for the role of Nancy Spungen, so I started frantically googling her, and the Sex Pistols, 70s England… because I was aware of these infamous legends, but didn’t know enough. I had heard of The Sex Pistols and seen all the iconic imagery, and of course I knew who Vivienne Westwood, Malcolm McLaren and Chrissie Hynde were, but I didn’t know how all of the dots joined together. But after the Zoom I got the job! 

So how did it all come together and what was it like working with Danny Boyle? 

 We had two months of rehearsals, but the boys had even longer as they had to do a band camp and learn how to play all their instruments, so it felt more like a theatre project rather than a TV show because you never get as much rehearsal time as we had. We worked through the scenes with Danny and got to play around with ideas and build the chemistry between Louis [Partridge] and I [who played Sid], and Danny wanted us to be able to just get on set on the first day and be ready and comfortable and know our characters inside out. 

Was it intimidating but also fascinating to play a character who is also a real person, how did you prepare for the role?

 There’s always a great sense of responsibility playing a real person, because I want to handle it delicately and respectfully, and it was important for me not to be an imitation of Nancy, I was very much doing an interpretation. So you need to find a balance of bringing authenticity from the source material I had like Nancy’s interviews and the book her Mother had written about her, because who else would know her better? Then weaving that into the Nancy in our script.  

Were there any scenes that were particularly difficult to shoot, like the physical and mental side effects of Sid and Nancy’s heroin addiction is depicted, were you nervous before you shot those?

 I don’t think I was ever really nervous, I did my research and we also had a drugs expert come in to talk to us so we could ask anything, and make sure those kinds of scenes were as authentic as possible, like the final scenes with Louis and I that got to the absolute tragedy of Sid and Nancy — they were quite tough. But it was such a safe space on set and we were really looked after, so we knew we could be as creative as possible, and then after shooting, we would go off and have a cup of tea and a biscuit! I think also because the role is so far away from me, I could dive into it and then dive back out very quickly. 

Nancy’s character is one of several memorable women in the series, alongside the designer Vivienne Westwood (Talulah Riley), and the punk icon Jordan (Maisie Williams) - how did you all get on, was there a real girl power between you?

 It was so easy right from the rehearsal period, we would all sit around eating lunch together and talking about our characters and sharing research, and just really hanging out as we were filming during pandemic times, so we really only had one another, and it just felt so organic.

 The pistols really informed the dress code of the punk revolution, so what was it like transforming into Nancy fashion-wise?

 It was sooooooo much fun! The costume department and Liza [Bracey] the costume designer had to make so many pieces, like all the Vivienne Westwood clothes, and I basically wore a lot of fishnets and leather, ha! Also this amazing black and white mohair jumper that the real Nancy wore back in the 70s, so it was really cool to pay homage to her in that respect too.

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All clothes Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Gregory Derkenne

Fashion by Marco Drammis

Casting by ImagineMachine cs

Make-Up Gina Kane at Caren

Hair by Davide Barbieri at Caren

Stylist’s assistant Nathan Fox

FAST LANE

Salford-born Tom Glynn-Carney was still in drama school when Christopher Nolan cast him opposite Harry Styles in ‘Dunkirk’, which had fans sleuthing out any and all details about the upcoming actor.

Since then the 27 year-old has earned a smattering of credits to his name, including the medieval epic ‘The King’, working alongside Robert Pattinson and Timothée Chalamet - the ‘Tolkien’ biopic, and the stage play ‘The Ferryman’, a West End and Broadway transfer directed by Sam Mendes. Soon he’ll star in Tennessee Williams’, ‘The Glass Menagerie’ in London, with actress Amy Adams, and appear in SAS: Rogue Heroes for BBC1 TV, which tells the story of the early beginnings of the SAS and the bravery of some of Britain’s most ungovernable soldiers. Possessing that very British quality of being confident without basking in the pulsating glow of his own talent, here he talks to us about pinch-me acting moments, exploring new genres and maybe making music with Harry one day…(Styles that is).

Left Jacket John Lawrence Sullivan

Right All Givenchy

I read that when you were younger, you liked to imitate others and do impressions, so you obviously weren’t the shy and introverted type?

 Ha! Yes, that’s true. I didn’t have the most pleasant time at school. Bullies made me a target for a while and so I tended to use this on whoever made me feel small or threatened. It was my defence mechanism. It made people laugh and deflected the attention from me being a victim. 

My impressions of the teachers got me into a lot of trouble. Both at school and drama school, but we’ll leave that there… 

I watched people a lot, studied their movement, speech, idiosyncrasies all the elements that made them unique and often challenged myself to convince them I was the same as them. Often I would make a new friend and ally. Other times, I’d just be a nuisance.

Left Coat Loewe & pants John Lawrence Sullivan

Right All Givenchy

 So what lit the acting fire for you, is there a particular performance on screen seeing someone transform into character that was fascinating to you?

 I grew up watching the classics, one that stuck with me was Brando in ‘Street Car’. His performance made me feel like I was intruding. He was able to make time stand still, a sensation I’d seldom felt. Then there are performances like Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting, Mark Rylance in Richard II, Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight, Joaquin Phoenix in The Master, Seymour Hoffman in literally everything he ever did. I wanted to have a stab at what these guys were accessing.  If I can do 50% of what these guys did, I’ll be a happy man.

Left Full look Dior Men

Right Full look Charles Jeffrey Loverboy

 What about when you were acting in your teens, was there a performance you did that really made you think about inhabiting a person and living those moments, not as yourself, but still, feel like you’re experiencing it?

 I remember playing Billy Elliot at school, and this was the first time I’d had a real chance to get stuck in with a role. I was at school, so obviously there were boundaries and distractions, but it was the closest I got to trying on a new skin at that age. It definitely gave a me a flavour of things to come and the escapism I could one day find. 

Left Full look Maison Margiela

Right Full look Celine Homme

 Did you know what you were getting into, with how competitive the industry is? Did anyone around you at the time say, “Listen, this can be really hard”?

 Oh yes, I was reminded on a daily basis of how ridiculous I was being to be pursuing a career in

acting. I guess I was just stubborn enough to ignore the “get a proper job” mantra and stay focused on the task. I had a supportive family who encouraged me to go for it.  I always felt that a plan B was pre-empting the corrosion of plan A. I was very very lucky. 

Vest and shorts Lacoste, boots Celine Homme, & bracelet Sweet Lime Juice

 So when you eventually left drama school in 2016 after being offered the part in the blockbuster Dunkirk, it must have been quite nerve-wracking on set, was everybody acquainted with each other in some way before you all got there? Or was it like a group of very different people all having to get to know each other very quickly?

 Well, Chris [Nolan] is a very clever man and knew how much the offscreen chemistry of the lads would translate onscreen. We trained together, ate together, went on nights out together, it became somewhat of a brotherhood by the end. We’re all out at sea every day, on a massive film set, most of us had never been on a set that big or any set at all, so it was a communal baptism of fire.  We looked after each other and learnt from the best. 

Vest Per Götesson

 It must have been quite a pinch-me moment, working alongside Mark Rylance in that film too, as you kind of idolised him in your teenage years right, watching endless YouTube clips of the actor’s shows at Shakespeare’s Globe?

 Mark has always been a hero of mine. He’s an actor who just get’s it. He’s a chameleon. He is fearless and will take on any challenge.  When I was cast as his son in Dunkirk I couldn’t believe it. I learned so much from him. He took me under his wing and gave me the confidence to play and explore with him. I owe a lot to Mark. We are still friends today. I can’t wait to see him as Rooster in the revival of Jez Butterworth’s Jerusalem this year! 

Left Full look Dior Men

Right Vest and shorts Lacoste & bracelet Sweet Lime Juice

 So since then, do you feel like you’ve approached acting in a different way?

 Oh definitely, you learn something new on every job. I feel I have a tendency to let the work come home with me. Sometimes it can be a good thing, to sit in it, work things out, live with, and as this person for a while. I like that way of working. But also, there is a time and a place. It can get stifling and oppressive if done incorrectly and can subsequently damage the work.  I am still relatively new to it all, so naturally I am still honing my process. 

Left Full Givenchy

Right Full Maison Margiela

 What other roles would you like to explore then, different realms and themes you want to break into and challenge yourself with?

 I’ve been lucky with the roles I’ve played so far. They’ve challenged me and pushed me far outside my comfort zone. Not the roles I was told I’d play when I was younger.  I would like to explore comedy one day.  I have lots I’d love to do. I want to keep operating outside my comfort zone and collaborate with great film makers, theatre directors and likeminded creatives.  I want to play Chet Baker in his biopic. This is something I’ve always wanted. Spread the word…

 

‘I’ve been lucky with the roles I’ve played so far. They’ve challenged me and pushed me far outside my comfort zone.’

.

Nice! He’s one of my favourite jazz legends. So say you get to play Chet, how you do prepare and spend time discovering parts of a character you’re about to bring to life, do you create a little world for yourself inside of the person?

 My first area to explore is music. What music does my character listen to? Era dependent, mood dependent. I find music to be a vital part of understanding a person, place or time vividly and emotionally.  Next would be how they dress, have their hair, how they like the world to see them. I often inadvertently wear clothes that are similar to that of my character, for rehearsals or just around the house. I think it feels like this lessens the transition from me to them.

Left Sweater Etro, denim pants Emporio Armani & bracelet Sweet Lime Juice

Right Full look Givenchy

 Talking of music and fashion (idols), a certain Mr Styles starred alongside you in Dunkirk! Did you both talk music on the breaks from filming, as you’re also frontman for the band Sleep Walking Animals - planning on any collaborations together soon?

 Ha! No we didn’t. At that stage in my life I wasn’t writing music or performing. It’s a pretty recent thing for me. But I have mentioned it to him since. Obviously, it would be great to collaborate with the big man, I’m sure we’d compliment each other’s sounds. Never say never. Watch this space.

 

And for now… what else keeps you motivated and busy outside work?

 I have a beautiful Golden Retriever called Ziggy. He keeps me busy and my heart warm. Trips in my camper van, long walks in the countryside, a good plunge in some wild water. All things I like to do. 

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Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Emilia Staugaard

Fashion by Steven Huang

Casting by IMAGEMACHINE cs

Production by FERN

Hair by Josh Knight at Caren Agency using MoroccanOil

Stylist’s assistant Nathan Fox

The photographer is represented by FERN

ITINERANT COWBOY

How do you go about playing an iconic American outlaw and frontier horseback gunslinger? For Tom Blyth, the star of Epix series “Billy the Kid”, the first step was learning how to ride a horse. Since graduating from the prestigious Juilliard School, the 27 year-old British-born, New York based actor, has appeared in the 2021 film “Benediction”, HBO’s “The Gilded Age”, and is set to take on the role of young Coriolanus Snow, in the movie prequel to “The Hunger Games; The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”.

We called him via Zoom to ask about Wild West things, not expecting that the conversation would include beef-related injuries and end with a good old British cup of tea.

Were you a fan of Westerns growing up, and did you know much about Billy the Kid and the American West before taking this role?

 I was aware that I was taking on an American legend, especially as a Brit, so I wanted to make sure I was doing justice to someone who was a folklore hero. I felt quite vindicated though, because I did have quite a big connection to Westerns when I was growing up, as I really loved Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and my Mum and I used to watch John Wayne movies when I was off sick from School! So I was connected to the genre, even though I grew up a long way away in both Yorkshire and Nottingham, it still felt like the genre still had a big place in my heart and my imagination.

 

He’s an enigmatic legend really, a fearless survivor - but it must have been quite challenging to get into character, as it’s not like you could disappear down a YouTube rabbit hole and watch hours of video footage of him, as there is none, or recordings of his voice. So how did you prepare for the role?

 There’s a certain pressure when you portray someone who has lived, to correctly do them justice, but with Billy, who lived over 200 years-ago, there were lots of books with accounts of him which I read, but there was no footage or radio. I think that gives you more freedom to play a little more and find your own version of him, and for me that meant trying to understand his physicality - this is someone who rides horses and lassoes cows every other day, and can handle himself in a fight with a gun, and also, growing up on the trail out to the West, with dust blowing in your face and your horse and wagon capsizing in the water - how does that all affect the way you walk and talk?

So I took a road trip out to New Mexico for six days, to his old stomping ground, and went to all the frontier towns that he lived in, and fought and died in, and eventually ended up at his grave site. It was a pilgrimage to pay homage to Billy, but also to start feeling it in my body, and to get a feel for who he was and the landscape he grew up in.

 Did you have to learn to ride horses and shoot empty bean cans, or did you have stunt-doubles?

 I didn’t ride before going into the process, I’ve ridden twice in my life and both were not great experiences! I love animals but I’ve never really had a chance to be around horses that much. So I have a friend who taught me to ride in upstate New York, and then when we went to Calgary in Canada to shoot, which is a very cowboy-centric place, we had a two-week cowboy bootcamp where we were taught to handle and be safe with guns, and we rode every day with the local cowboys, and ranchers — it eventually became second nature to me, so I was able to do about 90 percent of my stunts, which was awesome.

 

So do you feel like a horse whisperer now?

 I do! I was trained very well by actual horse whisperers who endowed me with their wisdom, and Billy rides four or five different horses in this first season, so halfway through filming, one wrangler told me that when most people first begin riding, they learn on one or two horses and get used to their style. I learned to ride six different horses, each with its own distinct personality, like in the way it cantors or gallops, so I felt really immersed in it, and I was living and breathing it for the whole Summer.

 

Did you have any other secrets for getting into character? For example, chewing tobacco or squinting into the sun, too perfect your inner outlaw?

 Ha! I kept a picture of Billy on my fridge in my air bnb, and would stare at it every morning before my pick up time, because he’s so magnetic and almost an oddball, he’s like an every man but also completely unique, in his quirks. I used to look at it and try and absorb his aura. I did try chewing tobacco and almost threw up! I also thought about Billy growing up on the plains with dust blowing in his face all the time, and how that would affect his voice, and imagined it would make it quite tight and gravely, so I built that into my character work.

There’s also a scene where the gang is all sat around a table ripping pieces off this big leg of beef and chewing, and I ripped a piece off and took a big bite and started to deliver my line, and I felt my jaw pop out! So I had lockjaw for the last four weeks of production! It was actually the only real injury anyone sustained on the show throughout filming, and it was beef-related and not horse related!

 What has been the biggest difference between shooting the first and last episodes, have you really come into your own now, and do you think the second season will be harder, if there is one?

 In terms of coming into my own, I got to grow with Billy as he grew, I came into the show in episode two which is where I took over from the young Billy, and we get to see him expand and watch and learn as the season unfolds. So it felt like I found the character organically in those first few episodes, and then when we hit episode four and five into six, I really found my stride and you can see me grow in confidence as Billy does. I think Season Two might take a bit of a turn, as he’s now willing to do whatever it takes, to do what he thinks is right, and he’s going to be less unsure and take the lead more, even if his decision might not always be the right one.

 

As we approach the season finale, do you have a favourite memory or moment that stands out to you?

 There are so many, and there was a real camaraderie within the whole cast and crew, and we all became really close like a big family making this show over five months in Canada. The one moment that really stands out though is the first big day of riding, when myself and Daniel Webber [who plays Jesse Evans], spent seven or eight hours on horseback, rounding up cows while the sun was coming up, and it just felt so authentic, with 200 longhorn cattle riding in a stampede, and we had to round them up, and we felt like real cowboys! We both looked at each other, and thought wow, we get to live out our childhood dreams and get paid for them, and being a fan of Westerns growing up, it just felt a bit like destiny manifesting itself in a little way.

 

Westerns are having a bit of a resurgence in Hollywood, why do you think that is?

 I think it’s partly to do with nostalgia for old Hollywood, which began with Westerns and that original storytelling. I also think there’s a nostalgia for the freedom of the genre, with these people going out into the world looking for a better life, which speaks to a lot of people now post-Covid, after almost three years of having our personal freedoms restricted. Now that things are opening up again, there is a wanderlust for life, which is very present in the Western genre. 

Next up for you is the role of Coriolanus Snow, in the prequel of 'The Hunger Games', ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ - that role is quite similar to Billy the Kid, in that it’s another multi-layered character. What do you look for when you’re picking a role?

 I’m always looking for multi-layered characters to play, I’m not interested in playing someone who is one kind of cliché, I became an actor to get a flavour for all parts of life.

The character of Coriolanus doesn’t start off bad, he’s quite a well intentioned young man who then loses his way and does some incredibly evil and maleficent things towards the end of his life.  I’m interested in looking at how people go wrong and the psychology behind it, so I’m always looking for parts that subvert your expectations and surprise you, because I want to be surprised when I’m watching something.

 

So who are you acting idols?

 I’ve been a big fan of Michael Fassbender for a long time, and would love to work with him, he just works with extreme specificity and class, and also Daniel Day-Lewis, although sadly he’s now retired, but he would’ve been great to work with.

 

You’ve often credited your late father, Gavin, who was a TV producer, for inspiring your interest in acting…

 My parents were divorced, so it was such a big part of my childhood, travelling up to Leeds where he lived to see him every weekend and we spent most of the time watching movies, like ‘The Great Escape’. My Dad passed away when I was 14 years-old, so we never got to work together, as I was not acting then, but it’s definitely a motivator that keeps me passionate about it, as it’s been such a big cornerstone in my life since I was very young. I think there’s an aspect of carrying the mantel a little bit, as he was so passionate about this form of storytelling and endowed me with that.

 He also produced one of British culture’s television institutions, Coronation Street! Did you get to go on set and meet Corrie’s acting legends?

 I did yes! He introduced me to the cast and they were all great, and it’s funny when I think back, because the soap world is very different to the kind of TV I’m making now like Billy the Kid, so it’s interesting how the path diverged — but ultimately being on those sets was where I saw it was possible to do the thing you love for work.

 

Talking of all things British, let’s discuss tea. You played Archie Baldwin in The Gilded Age, and from what I’ve seen of it, they share a lot of secrets over tea. Now you’re based in NYC, do you miss a good old cuppa?

 I do! I actually have a friend visiting at the moment and I asked them to bring me some tea, so I’ve just stocked up on a big batch of Yorkshire Tea, and I’m talking to you with a cup of it in front of me right now.

 

Let's have a proper brew as they say in Yorkshire. Where everything's done proper!

 Keepin’ it real!

…

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Julian Ungano

Fashion by Dolly Pratt

Grooming by Joanna Ford

SETTING SAIL

Lucas Lynggard Tønnesen is coming into his own. Already a household name in his native Denmark, after making his acting debut as the imaginative kid, Buster, in the 2009 production of the “Cirkus Summarum” - the Danish Musical & Circus for kids - he broke through in 2018 with his portrayal of Rasmus in the Scandi dystopian drama “The Rain”. This year he’ll appear in Danish political drama “Borgen – Power & Glory,” and stars as part of the stacked cast of Netflix’s new epic multilingual period mystery-horror series set at sea, “1899”. On a phone call from a little cafe in Copenhagen close to where he lives, the 21-year-old tells us about loving the 80s, crying at sad films and being able to do a backflip, I mean I don’t know about you, but that’s a dating bio keeper right there… and he’s single too.

Sweater Celine Homme

When did you know that acting was going to be your career path, what lit the fire for you?

I think when I was young and in Cirkus Summarum really, as I was singing and dancing as well as acting. I had so much energy when I was a child, so to have a place like that to go and really be able to express myself and use all that energy, it was what really made me feel I want to get into acting.

Did you go to the movies a lot as a kid, what was the film you knew from start to finish, or the lead actor you wanted to be?

My Father and Uncle used to really love The Goonies and we would watch that when I was younger and I loved that cast. I really liked the ‘Hey You Guys’, actor, John Matuszak, who played the disfigured sloth, I couldn’t believe that was actually an actor playing the guy who was made up, I thought that was pretty cool.

Left Full look Prada & jewelry Slim Barrett

Right Full look Celine Homme

So tell me about your latest projects?

Well “Borgen” is coming out, and also I’m going to look very different in “1899”, as I’m wearing prosthetics for the character I play. It was really hard because I had to wake up at 3am every day to get into 3 and a half hours of make up! Thankfully I had a great relationship with the Special FX artists, and being in that chair getting ready really gave me the time to focus myself and concentrate on getting into character.

Do you get nervous before you start filming a new role?

You know, I remember doing three seasons of “The Rain”, and getting into the second and third season, I really took that time as an opportunity to home-school myself, and learn more, and understand about making mistakes, and trying things out, so I can be much more confident, and I can proclaim the things that I do much more.

I felt more confident working on the show “Borgen”, while also shooting “1899” simultaneously, and I really gave them both my all, and I think getting closer with the director and cast mates has really helped my whole working process.

What kind of roles do you want to play, perhaps a comedy - or are you attracted more to darker material?

I think a mixture, but there is something with dark characters that just compels me, maybe because I’m such a positive guy myself, so playing the opposite of myself brings out something in me that I didn’t know was there, and I always like to search for those kind of parts. Although I have this sense or feeling in me that I also really want to do a romantic film, I think maybe I have something in my heart that I need to get out there!

Left Coat Emporio Armani

Right T-shirt Dior & pants Dunhill

Oh really, so any ideas who might play your love interest on screen?

Hmm, I think whoever could serve the character well I guess, I mean I think Meryl Streep is great, but come on, it doesn’t have to be a romance story, it could be a love-based relationship, like a story about how I really love my Grandmother Meryl, ha ha!

Nicely swerved Lucas! Ok, what about being a Superhero?

I feel like I’ve done my superhero time already, so I would rather play a villain to be honest, unless they decide to recast Spiderman, then obviously I’m always available.

Maybe a movie musical, harking back to your circus singing days?

Well I also went to singing school when I was younger for six years before I performed in the circus show, and so I would love to maybe bring back what I think I still have, which has been hidden away, for a long time! I’m not sure though, but I wouldn’t say it’s completely out of the question. Maybe a singing villain!

Jacket, knitwear, pants Givenchy & boots Dr. Martens

Or perhaps a real person, like an iconic legend we all know, who would you totally love to portray on screen?

There’s a really cool poet in Denmark I think you might know, Hans Christian Andersen, and I would love to play him, in his early days in his 20s.

Well of course he wrote the iconic folktale Emperor's New Clothes, who spent all his money on being well dressed. Are you into fashion yourself?

Yes I guess, I like what I like, and my attitude is really based around wear whatever you want. I like doing photo shoots when I can choose what pieces are really “me” and which aren’t, and finding out what kind of style I can really challenge myself with.

I don’t like asking the who’s-your-favourite-actor question all the time, so I’ll frame it like this: Is there an actor’s career out there that you would model yourself on, follow in the footsteps of?

Paul Dano and also Robert Pattinson, I’m a huge fan. You know he started out in Twilight and Harry Potter and then progressed to become one of the coolest indie actors from all his arthouse films, and now he’s fucking Batman! You know, it’s just so amazing to see his progress.

Left Leather jacket and boots Celine Homme, shirt Paul Smith & jeans AMI

Right Shirt Loewe

You know he studied a vampire bat to prep for his role as Batman! How do you prep when you’re getting ready for a role. Do you ever listen to music to help inform a character you’re about to play?

I like to get into the vibe of the project and I often create a playlist to help me focus and get into that mood and have a feeling of what I’m going into, and who I’m going to be.

I’m imagining something dark and deep going by your roles so far, so not Britney Spears?

Ha ha, definitely not Britney! I love 80s music, that was the real primetime of music bangers I think.

Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

So outside of work, what do you do in your spare time, I heard you like Chess, did you watch The Queens Gambit?

I really love Chess, and I only saw the first two episodes of that show, so I didn’t really give it my full attention, but I’ve heard from my friends that play, that it’s a good show paying enough respect to the game so people who don’t really know Chess can follow along. I like to play Paddle Tennis too, it’s a really cool sport.

I also read that you spent some of lockdown interior designing your apartment in Copenhagen. Have you seen the Interior and Films Instagram account, which basically shows every cool film set interior ever seen - if you could match your home with any set, what would it be?

Ex Machina, clean clean clean, I like really minimal interiors!

Well that’s typically Scandi chic of you! So would you swap minimalist Copenhagen for maximalist Hollywood, move there if the movie roles start flooding in?

It depends on the project, but if it’s cool and I like the character, then I wouldn’t say no, but it’s not really where my focus is right now.

Blazer, polo, shorts Fendi, boots Dr. Martens & broach Slim Barrett

Ok, let’s have some fun, tell me one surprising thing we don’t yet know about you?

I can do a backflip!

Guilty Pleasure….

I tend to cry at every film I see! Any moment where you’re meant to cry in a film, I always do! I’m a very emotional guy.

Oh so you’re the romantic, are you that guy who always buys flowers too?

For sure, big time.

Are you in a relationship right now?

No, nobody to give the flowers to at the moment, but that’s ok, as I’m focusing on myself right now.

…

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Emilia Staugaard 

Fashion by Nathan Henry

Production by FERN 

Grooming by Kasper Andersen 

Stylist’s assistant Livia Gheli

FAMILY BUSINESS

Sofia Hublitz is on a call to us from a house deep in the woods of Virginia in the US where she grew up. Despite a really bad phone signal causing weird delays, and the almost mesmerising sounds of wind chimes in the background, the 22-year-old actress tells us all about being part of the hit Netflix crime drama, Ozark, in which she played Charlotte Byrde - a misguided moody teen-turned-serious extortionist. As the finale of the fourth-season series bids a tearful goodbye to audiences, Hublitz reveals she’s actually quite a funny person in real life; doesn’t know what all the fuss about pistachio ice-cream is, and totally obsesses about 90s style icon, Carolyn Bessette. Join the club right?

Top & pants Loewe, necklaces Versace & Tiffany & Co, earring Tiffany & Co, rings Versace & Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Are you living out a childhood dream now, did you always want to be an actor? 

 No, I was a really ‘in the moment’ kind of kid, I had a lot going on, my parents were both very free thinkers and carved out life their own way and were very successful. My Mom is a Chef and has owned many restaurants and and neither went to college - so they taught me everything I know about art and music and film. My Mom raised me on her own too, and she taught me a lot about independence and self-wealth and getting what you want in this world. I never really thought I would be an actor, you know when you’re a child, everything is so fantastical and out of reach, and I didn’t get my first job until I was 15, so I feel very removed from the child actor aspect of it all.

 As your breakthrough TV role, what was it like playing Charlotte, how did you prepare for it?

 I think just being in Atlanta, making friends with everyone I was shooting with and just throwing myself into it and getting to know the story in advance, that all helped to build the chemistry and familial aspect of it all. But one physically demanding pre-cursor was that I took swimming lessons every weekend with the coach of the swim team at Emory University, as they have a really big swim team there in Atlanta, and the coach John was really patient with me, because I didn’t know how to swim like a professional swimmer! So he really helped me to make it look real, and you know, they’re pretty useful life skills to have, not drowning and all that, ha ha!

Left Top Rui, shorts Tod’s, shoes Dior, socks Pantherella, necklaces Versace & Tiffany & Co, earring Tiffany & Co, ring Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Right Dress Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, necklaces Versace & Tiffany & Co, earring Tiffany & Co, rings Repossi & Tiffany & Co

 And you got to work with amazing actors, like Jason Bateman and Laura Linney who play your parents in the series. Was it nerve-wracking working with actors of that calibre and of a different generation?

 Jason and Laura are lovely people and from the moment we met, they always included us -  meaning Skylar Gaertner, who plays my brother in the show - in all of the conversations that were going on, as if we were their peers - everything was always a collaboration.

 And as an only child in real life, how did you find it having to manufacture that whole sibling love and rivalry thing between you and Jonah (Skylar), where did you pull your experiences from?

 Just getting to spend time with him really, pretty much eighty percent of my scenes were with him, and so getting to know Skylar over the years, it manifested as a kind of sibling dynamic, and building that fondness and kinship you feel with someone younger than you.

Left Top Givenchy, necklaces Versace & Tiffany & Co, earring Tiffany & Co

Right Top Rui, shorts Tod’s, shoes Dior, socks Pantherella, necklaces Versace & Tiffany & Co, earring Tiffany & Co, ring Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

 Do you all still keep in touch and hang out now that the show has ended?

 Well Charlie (Tahan) and Julia (Garner) are like Brother and Sister to me, and we’re are still really close because every year of filming, we made a point to always live together in the same building, so I saw them the most outside of work every day, going out for dinner or visiting museums. We’re kind of inseparable, even though the thread that tied us together is no longer there, them along with other crew members and of course Jason and Laura, we’ll all be in each others lives forever. We can’t erase that bond we all had just because the show is over.

Jacket Acne Studios, top Rui, shorts Zadig & Voltaire, necklaces Versace & Tiffany & Co, earring Tiffany & Co, ring Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

 So I read that you’re really into reading and writing, are you working on anything yourself now, perhaps writing a script?

 I’m always reading, like three two or three books at a time, and with writing, in Atlanta I actually started writing a lot, during the sporadic time I was away from home filming and my boyfriend and family weren’t with me. Charlie (Tahan) and I actually started developing a TV show when we there, and it’s about three best friends who are really wild people kind of going in and out of reality, while trying to make it in Hollywood. It’s been really fun to make up a completely made-up world and put all the humour you want into it, and it might hopefully be visualised into something one day, who knows, but at the moment it’s this dreamscape project really.

I love the freedom of creating your own world and having characters that make choices and it’s a sort of pick your own adventure, so I’m currently also working on polishing a few shorts that I’ve written.

Left Dress & belt Schiaparelli, shoes Dr. Marten’s, necklaces Versace & Tiffany & Co, earring Tiffany & Co, rings Repossi & Tiffany & Co

Right Top Celine by Hedi Slimane, shorts and shoes Dior, necklaces Versace & Tiffany & Co, earring Tiffany & Co, rings Repossi & Tiffany & Co

 What about future roles for yourself, is there any particular genre you would like to explore, or fave filmmaker that influences you?

 I love Michael Haneke and Paul Thomas Anderson, and I think I would love to do a raucous comedy, I love comedy, and I think I’m pretty funny in life I guess. I was always being told at high school that I was funny, although I didn’t spend much time there, I was always skipping school, I wish I had gone more often!

Left Top & shoes Celine by Hedi Slimane, jacket The Academy New York, necklaces Versace & Tiffany & Co, earring Tiffany & Co, ring Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Right Top Celine by Hedi Slimane, shorts and shoes Dior, necklaces Versace & Tiffany & Co, earring Tiffany & Co, rings Repossi & Tiffany & Co

 What about writing for stand-up comedians?

 I love stand-up and can admire it from afar, but I’m a pretty bad joke writer, I’m pretty good at situational comedy, but writing jokes, no, I’m terrible at it, actually my boyfriend and Mom are always laughing at the terrible jokes I make!

 

Ok, so aside from comedy, if you could play an iconic person on the big screen, any ideas who you would choose? 

 Well I hear Ryan Murphy is developing a project about Carolyn Bessette and JFK Junior, and I don’t think I bear any physical resemblance to her at all, but I would be really curious to hear more, as I’m obsessed with Carolyn.

 

Me too! It’s that 90s style vibe that’s transcended time right. Do you follow the many Carolyn Insta-Fan accounts?

 I do! I follow two of them on my secret private Instagram that I have! I think she and JFK Jnr. are still so fascinating because they lived before the dot.com boom, and it’s admirable that even to this day, 23-years after her death, there’s so much mystique about her, and there’s only like one or two clips on YouTube when you can even hear her voice at all. 

Left Top Givenchy, pants Rui, shoes Versace, necklaces Versace & Tiffany & Co, earring Tiffany & Co

Right Jacket Acne Studios, top Rui, shorts Zadig & Voltaire, necklaces Versace & Tiffany & Co, earring Tiffany & Co, ring Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Talking of mystique, what’s happening with your public Instagram account, did you delete or deactivate it, do you not feel you’re losing something professionally, like in a FOMO-ishly way?

 It’s been two years now, and yes there is a little bit of a feeling that maybe I’m missing out on something, but it’s just not my favoured medium to connect with people, and I think it’s kind of stripped a lot of people’s mystery away, and that kind of mystique that used to surround actors lives. Not having it is also pretty thought-provoking itself though right, I mean you’re asking about it, so it starts a conversation?

 

Yes because it makes my job a little easier if I can find you on Instagram and see what you’ve been up to, aside from reading all the press stuff I get sent?

 So then you have to work a little bit harder to fill in the blanks!

 

Ha ha, fair enough! So let’s rewind a little, as I wanted to ask about your days on Masterchef Junior, were you actually able to cook as a kid, I guess that must have come from your Mum right?

 Yes she taught me what good food is and how to cook, but you know, I was 12 years-old and I thought it would be fun to do the audition after school, and I didn’t even think I would make it on the show.  

Left Dress Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, necklaces Versace & Tiffany & Co, earring Tiffany & Co, rings Repossi & Tiffany & Co

Right Dress Schiaparelli, necklaces Versace & Tiffany & Co, earring Tiffany & Co

Ok so let’s fast-forward now, you’re hosting a dinner party and cooking for 5 people, who are your ultimate guests?

 Joan Crawford, Adam Sandler, Philip Baker Hall, Joaquin Phoenix and Denzel Washington, because that seems kind of a chaotic mix, and I would like to watch that all unfold.

 

Joan, she’s such a strong female icon, are there any other women you really admire?

 Cate Blanchett, I loved her in the movie I'm Not There, and I was listening to an interview with her and she said she did 3 or 4 plays a year, and she and her husband were co-artistic directors at the Sydney Theatre Company. She’s just really admirable in how much she loves the craft.

 

Ok, so one last question, and the fans of Ozark will really get this - do you have more of an appreciation for organic pistachio ice cream now?

 You know it’s so funny, people always ask me about that! I never thought people would grasp on to that! Like when you’re shooting something, you never think on the day like that will be meme-worthy eventually. I’ll have to ask Chris Mundy (Producer, Ozark), what that all signifies?! Ha ha!

…

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Marie Tomanova

Fashion by Alicia Lombardini

Hair by Erol Karadag

Make-Up by Lisa Aharon at The Wall Group

Nails by Julie Kandalec

Casting by IMAGEMACHINE cs

Stylists’s assistant Cyrenae Tademy

WILD WEST

There’s no denying that Imogen Poots is prolific. The 32-year-old actress has starred in over 40 films since her breakout role at 17. Perennially busy and cheerfully versatile, she’s gone from playing teenage survivor Tammy in 2007 post-apocalyptic horror 28 Weeks Later to a primary school teacher forced to raise a creepy child in suburban hell for 2019 sci-fi thriller Vivarium. But her latest project might just be her most mysterious yet. In Outer Range (out now on Prime) she plays Autumn, a curious backpacker who shows up on a ranch one day around the same time that a strange void appears. The western sci-fi thriller asks big questions about time, philosophy and the unknown. Mysteries unravel but some questions are left unanswered. It was this complexity that drew Poots to the role. Here, she discusses playing unpredictable female characters, being a woman in Hollywood and taking risks. 

Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Outer Range is a twisty mysterious sci-fi western in which you play eccentric backpacker Autumn. What initially drew you to the project? How did you feel when you first read the script?

 I couldn't immediately understand it. When the script came in, we only had the synopsis and the first episode. Reading it through, it felt like a western and I’d always been really obsessed with that genre of literature and movies but had yet to get a chance to be in that world. At the beginning, it was such a huge leap of faith, but I trusted in it. 

 

When you read the script, you said you weren't sure whether your character Autumn is a good or bad person. Was it that complexity that drew you to the role?

 There was a lot of room to go either way with her. It was fun to lean into the fact that I didn’t know. There were days where her goals were more obvious and other times, she seems to obfuscate on purpose just to confuse people. I really enjoyed that about her. I was also aware that because of her container being a 30-something blonde actress there would be an energy that’s expected from her, and it was fun trying to subvert that.

Full look Celine by Hedi Slimane

 What kind of energy would be expected from her?

 That her main goal would be to be like a siren and manipulate every single person there and use her feminine wiles to get what she wants. She is a woman, and the writers deliberately made her a woman, but I was more interested in thinking about what it would be like if she wasn’t. What if she was a beast or a creature or something other. It was nice to try and lean away from cliches. 

 

Do you try to avoid playing tropey or cliche female characters?

 Yeah, of course. Obviously, no one would want to play those parts but, on the other hand, I also feel that there's a rhetoric that goes around about girlfriend parts that they only exist in order to further the story for the man, and I think that's quite harsh. There are so many incredible female performances where they haven't been the lead. Amy Ryan in Jack Goes Boating or Michelle Williams in Brokeback Mountain. There are so many women in these roles who are doing extraordinary work. I believe that every role is a real person. I think people are starting to change a little bit. You don't see those character descriptions as much in scripts anymore where it's like "she's hot, but she doesn't know it!"

Full look Miu Miu

 How did you prepare for the role? What research did you do to get into the role of Autumn?

 We were given a breakdown of books and music and movies. Autumn is a character at that age where you first come across writers that you love, and you almost lose all sense of who you are and what you actually think. You just adopt their modes of thinking. I think she’s still in that danger zone. 

 

Autumn can be quite reckless and impulsive. Do you relate to that?

 I became quite impulsive when I was playing her and I didn't realise it at the time. It doesn't normally happen to me, but I did notice by the end of the show I felt like I was pushing myself outside my comfort zone socially in terms of saying what I actually felt and thought. I think that came from an understanding that I wanted to shed a skin. What follows impulse is sometimes risk and it's unknown how that will land. I lived in comfortable discomfort for a bit. I finished the job and came back home and it felt nice to be grounded again but I actually found it quite hard at the end of the job to adapt back. I haven't had that before.

Jacket Fendi

You've starred in over 40 films of such a wide range of genres. Did you make a conscious decision to not be pigeonholed?

 It's so easy with hindsight to say that I did make that decision but absolutely not. I really love what I do and it's important to try and not care too much about what other people think about that. Early on I was just really drawn to working with actors because I didn't train and I didn't go to college so I would jump at the chance to work with people. That's what led me through. Then in my mid-20s I decided to step back and take more risks and just do roles that came my way with an unknown first time director, for example, and lean into that more. I knew what I didn't want to do and I still feel the same about that. I think it's very easy to fall into a different kind of career just because it's really hard to know. Anyone who claims that they had some kind of grand control of it all is probably very lucky. I don't know how often that works out.

 

You mentioned that you didn't have any acting training. When did you realise that acting was something you wanted to pursue?

 There was no light bulb moment. I always felt quite shy as a kid and very happy in my own head. I did this theatre group when I was a teenager. It was based in Hammersmith every weekend and I really felt at home there. There was a looseness to the whole thing that was really intriguing. You couldn't embarrass yourself. It seemed limitless in that way. I thought that was really cool. People respected each other for trying stuff even if it didn't work. I really loved it and I loved the sort of people it attracted. I really love being around actors. I worked on a couple of indie films and probably got spoilt because they were in New York, so I thought it was a great job. Then from there it carried on.

Top Christopher Kane, Skirt Celine by Hedi Slimane, dress Zadig&Voltaire, bag and earrings Cartier

 You have spoken before about being a woman in Hollywood in the context of Me Too. Do you think the industry has improved in recent years and what do you think still needs to be done?

 I think that on paper it has. I've noticed that myself when it's a sex scene or a nude scene and there's an intimacy coordinator if you want one. I've been spoilt with working with incredible actors where I've never felt uncomfortable with them. It's quite the opposite, but that's not the case for a lot of people. I think having that is huge. I think people are far more vigilant. We're also seeing a change in the wider picture. There are more female directors. Ten years ago, there weren't very many at all. You could probably count the main ones or the new ones on one hand. It's really exciting. The types of movies that Mia Hansen-Love and Celine Sciamma are making are really cool. People want to embrace women's stories and women's perspectives on a story more than ever. What I still find interesting is there's this insidious mentality that I have experienced myself as a young actress where your brain vacillates back and forth between being present for a meeting and protective of yourself. There are all these different acrobatics that are going on inside that I don't imagine a male actor would go through to the same extent at that point.

Dress N°21, necklace and earrings Cartier

 You didn't have a public Instagram account until 2020. Why did you avoid it? What is your relationship with social media like now?

 I avoided it before because I look back on my feelings about being an actor in my 20s and I wanted to be very private and unknowable. Then as I've got older, I realised you can actually control more with social media than without it in terms of the accuracy of what you want to say and what you believe in. That's something I didn't realise until I had it. The world's changed a lot. When I was 19 Instagram wasn't around. I think Facebook was, but I never had it. Social media isn't just influencers talking about lipstick. There's a lot more going on and it's really important. If I think about friends of mine who are artists, it's so amazing that they can put their work on there and have an electronic exhibition. It's brilliant. 

Full look Louis Vuitton

You live in London now but are hoping to buy an apartment in New York. What do you like about New York as opposed to London and vice versa?

 I feel my most formative years were spent in New York. I came out here at 19 and ended up shifting back to London around 29. We had a house in London and we're getting an apartment here. It feels like home here in a different way to London. Obviously, I grew up in London and went to school there and everything, but I associate New York more with my independent life. It just so happened that some of my first few jobs were out here and I ended up meeting friends out here and I stayed. I think both cities are incredible places to be as an artist if you can afford it. There is a real appetite for what you want to say. It's really cool to be able to live in those cities. Not having that freedom must be absolutely horrible.

…

Interview by Sophie Lou Wilson

Photography by Jaime Cano

Fashion by Marco Drammis

Casting by IMAGEMACHINE cs

Hair by Ben Talbott at The Wall Group

Make-Up by Lisa Houghton at NYLON Artists

Manicurist by Nadia Blanco using Chanel Le Vernis in Organdi and Chanel La Crème Main"

Stylist’s assistant Dominik Radomski

A SAFE SPACE

Kit Connor, star of the new queer coming-of-age Netflix series ‘Heartstopper’, says that while playing his character Nick, it was vital for him to express the complexity of feelings that come with discovering your sexual identity. ‘Bisexuality, and especially male bisexuality, is not actually something that is explored often in mainstream media, so it was important to approach this topic with depth,’ says the British actor. ‘We go very much into the details of Nick’s struggles and everything that’s going on in his head.’ We spoke to Kit about the show’s refreshing take on LGBTQ+ representation and what it’s like to have Olivia Colman play your mom.

Left Full look Valentino

Right Full look Louis Vuitton

When did you first come across Alice Oseman’s novels that the show is based on and what did you love about this story?

 I knew about Alice’s books before I was auditioning for the role – my sister had one of the volumes from the series. Then, when I first got an email about the audition, I read through the first volume and I thought that it was such a fresh take on being a queer teen. A lot of the teen LGBTQ+ representation these days is often dark and gritty, so it was really refreshing to read a story that focuses on the positives. In the show, we still very much talk about issues that queer teens have to deal with such as homophobia, but with a much more positive angle – the message of the show is ‘Things are gonna be fine, everything will be alright.’ I thought that the show would be very important to a lot of people. The ‘Heartstopper’ fanbase is really passionate because it’s changed a lot of their lives – it’s a safe space for them and it helped them understand their own sexual identities.

The ‘Heartstopper’ fanbase is really passionate because the comics changed a lot of their lives – it’s a safe space for them and it helped them understand their own sexual identities.

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 Throughout the course of the show, your character Nick discovers his bisexuality. What do you like about the way in which the show creators explored this arc?

 Bisexuality, and especially male bisexuality, is not actually something that is explored often in mainstream media, so it was important to approach this topic with depth - we go very much into the details of Nick’s struggles and everything that’s going on in his head. It’s an extremely difficult time for him as a character because when we meet him for the first time in the beginning of the series, he’s seemingly confident in himself and his sexuality, but then he meets Charlie, and everything turns on its head - he doesn’t understand at first what’s going on and how he feels. I think that the series is offering a very refreshing and detailed take on his journey that hasn’t really been seen much before.

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Your mom on the show is played by the acting legend, Olivia Colman! What was it like to work with her?

 It was incredible! I shot with Olivia for two days and I would’ve loved to spend more time filming with her just so that I could pick up more from her and watch her work. That said, it was almost hard to learn anything from her because it just felt like she wasn’t even trying, it was just so effortless! I remember that when we did a read-through before filming a very emotional scene from the last episode, a tear rolled down her face while she was reading her parts. Normally, actors give about 50% [of their performance] during the reads, so I thought to myself, ‘Well, I need to step up my game! If this is 50% for her, then what’s it gonna be like when we’re on set?’ It was a real honour to be able to work with her and a very enlightening experience.

Left Full look Loewe

Right Full look Celine Homme

 Which scenes for you were the most memorable to shoot?

 The rugby scenes were really fun! They were also very scary in some ways because I’m not exactly a rugby player, but I had to pretend like I was good at it. One of the most challenging scenes for me was the one the day after Nick and Charlie have their first kiss. My character runs in the rain to Charlie’s house and they talk it out and have a cry - the scene is very intimate, both very intense and quiet. It was a really iconic moment from the comics and me and Joe [Locke] both wanted to get it right!

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‘Heartstopper’ is now available to watch globally on Netflix.

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Jack Snell

Fashion by Olivia Harding

Casting by IMAGEMACHINE CS

Grooming by Brady Lea

QUIET CONFIDENCE

Joe Locke, star of Netflix’s touching new queer show ‘Heartstopper’ (out this Friday), says that he could not think of a better role to make his screen debut. ‘I really wanted to be a part of this project because I felt like there are not many shows out there that depict the positives of growing up as a queer person - I just thought it was so great that there’s a story in which we can show younger queer kids that they deserve happiness,’ explains the up-and-coming actor. In the series based on the celebrated graphic novels by Alice Oseman, Locke plays Charlie Spring, a student at an all-boys school who falls in love with his friend, Nick. For us, Locke talks about the qualities he most admires about his character and the show’s powerful message of acceptance.

Full look Celine Homme

‘Heartstopper’ is such a sweet and uplifting show! How did the role of Charlie come about for you and why did you want to be a part of this project?

 I got the role through an open audition. Alice, the author of the graphic novels, really wanted to get as authentic casting as possible, so they did an open call and anyone could send in a self-tape. After that, I got invited to a recall, and then another recall – that was when I started to think, ‘Oh, maybe this is something that might actually happen!’ [laughs] When I first heard about the audition, I read the comics and I just saw so much of myself in Charlie and so much of what my school experience was like. I really wanted to be a part of the project because I felt like there are not many shows out there that depict the positives of growing up as a queer person - I just thought it was so great that there’s a story in which we can show younger queer kids that they deserve happiness.

Shirt, knit, pants & belt Miu Miu and shoes Christian Louboutin

 Did you do anything celebratory once you found out you got the part?

 I wish I had, but I found out about it at the height of lockdown. I went to London for the audition and when I came back to the Isle of Man, where I’m from, I had to isolate for two weeks in the house – it was just me and my dog! So once my agent rang me the next day and said I got it, I just ordered takeaway and FaceTimed with my mum to tell her the news.

Coat Christopher Kane and shirt, knit, tie, pants & belt Ernest W. Baker

  ‘Heartstopper’ is your debut on screen. What surprised you the most about being on set?

 The fact that there are just so many people who do so many different jobs that you would never think of when you are watching something – I think we sometimes forget about the amount of work and sheer manpower that goes into a show. Also, how much of a community a set becomes – we had a really great atmosphere and the whole crew did an amazing job when it comes to creating an environment where there were never any disagreements on set. Everyone got on really well!

Full look Valentino

 What are some of the qualities that you admire the most about Charlie?

 His quiet confidence. I’m a more extroverted person than Charlie, but he’s definitely more confident than me. I would have never joined a rugby team for someone I had a crush on or had the guts to ask someone if they liked me or if they wanted to kiss me!

Full look Miu Miu

Full look Celine Homme

 What would you say is the overarching message of the show?

 It’s all about accepting who you are, and not who the world wants you to be. I think the series shows that you can’t change yourself to fit in with society, so you should try to surround yourself with people who love you, accept you for you, and let you grow in ways that bring those great qualities in you out.

Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

 When did you realize that acting was something that you wanted to pursue?

 When I was six, I would first start auditioning for amateur productions in my local theatre, but I would get too scared and go home! Ever since then, I’ve always been interested in drama and acting, spending every hour when I wasn’t at school going to different acting lessons or doing amateur productions – but until about last year, I always considered it more of a hobby because I’m from the Isle of Man and it’s really hard to break into the industry from there. I know lots of extremely talented people who have ended up going back [to the island]  and working office jobs because they haven’t been able to get that chance. So I think it just comes down to a lot of luck – I was really lucky to be what the author and producers had in mind and I don’t ever want to take that for granted.

‘I’m a more extroverted person than Charlie, but he’s definitely more confident than me. I would have never joined a rugby team for someone I had a crush on or had the guts to ask someone if they liked me or if they wanted to kiss me!’

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Left Coat Christopher Kane and shirt, knit Ernest W. Baker

Right Full look Celine Homme

…

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Emilia Staugaard at Fern

Fashion by Michael Miller at Stella Creative Artists

Casting IMAGEMACHINE CS

Groomer Josh Knight at Caren Agency

MELODIC FREEFALL

Singer/songwriter, August Royals, uses smooth heartthrobbery vocals to funnel personal feelings and struggles into the songs he writes. The Georgia-born, Los Angeles-based artist began carving out a self-made career by uploading a track called “Restless” to his socials back in 2019, which went Insta-viral receiving hundreds of thousands of views. 

Later a chance meeting with Kevin Abstract at a Shawn Mendes show fast-tracked him to a deal with RCA Records and a bona fide career. His debut EP, titled “Inhaler”, which includes the singles "All I Need”, "Oxygen" and "Kiss My Scars”, is a melodic freefall of non-classic pop sated with emotion and a relatable message behind it that will likely fill any teenage bedroom. What more is there to know about August? Plenty. Here, he gives us the lowdown on self-love, fame and things that make him cringe.

Shirt Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

You come from Georgia, but you now live in LA, how did both those cultural landscapes shape you musically, and how would you describe your sound?

 I always liked music growing up but there wasn’t much influence in Georgia that I was looking at. I was more interested in MTV and watching YouTube videos of award shows and concerts. LA has just allowed me to be surrounded with people more knowledgeable about pop culture, and my sound is still being found, but I’m a lot closer than when the EP started.

Jeans Dsquared2 & earring Emanuele Bicocchi

 

So what do you think it was about you or your sound (back then) that made people think, “Oh yeah, I love this” when you first started posting songs on your socials?

 I think I was trying so many different sounds that it showed I couldn’t be boxed in, and was capable of taking on different genres, which led to a versatile EP that floats around all types of different songs.

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 Great for early recognition, and then you were discovered by Kevin Abstract at a Shawn Mendes concert, how did that all happen? 

 We both had floor tickets and happened to have people talking to us taking photos, him much more than me, so I walked up and said hey, then we just became friends on the spot. I then signed to RCA towards the end of 2020.

 

You’re 23 years old now, how do you see your music evolving?

 I want to play around with more live instruments in production. I think that’s my next focus, to make a very tour-able project.

Full look Celine Homme

 So which tracks on the EP are you looking forward to performing live then?

 I’m most excited to perform Overdose with a live band. That one has a lot of energy!

 

Another track on the EP “Kiss My Scars,” is a bit of a self-love anthem - is it cathartic to translate those feelings into something public?

 I feel like my music is always changing its meaning, if it helps other people get through the day, then yes. That’s one of my main goals with music.

 

Has there been anyone whose career you’re using as a blueprint to help inspire and shape your own?

 I look at anyone who’s been in the music industry for years and just try to follow patterns. I think reinvention is one that I see the most.

Pants Acne Studios, earring Emanuele Bicocchi, boots Alessandro Vasini

 Well reinvention is definitely a staple of success and artistry. You’re still young and representing the moment now, but would you like to be someone that leaves a lasting impact, rather than just chasing the charts or the awards - do you ever struggle thinking about how to stay relevant and have longevity?

 I’m definitely about leaving an impact. As much as I want to be successful, I’m not staring at the charts praying for a hit. I’d rather make something that lasts than something that has a short moment that doesn’t mean much. And I’m always thinking of longevity, I’d say I’m not famous yet so the relevance part hasn’t really kicked in, but I do plan on being in the entertainment industry my whole life in some way or another.

 

I would say you’re definitely getting there on the fame scale though! What’s your take on it all, with everyone wanting fame for fame’s sake, and social media comes with its expectations too. How do you feel about it all? Does fame frighten you? Does it excite you?

 You have to be famous enough to make a living in this job that lasts a career, but I don’t care much for social media, I understand it’s important enough to show who’s underneath the work though.

Earring Emanuele Bicocchi

 

Have you noticed that people treat you differently? Do you still have the same friends?

 For sure, some people think when you do something in life you’re some type of hero or dislike you because of it. I don’t really get if it’s jealousy or people just don’t believe in what I’m doing. But yeah I’ve learned a couple friends I can count on is better than a lot of acquaintances. 

 

I bet you have no time to date anyone?

 Relationships have been more difficult just because of the lifestyle adjustment to my schedule.

Full look Celine Homme

 What is it about fame that really makes you cringe then?

 I don’t like anyone who looks at famous people objectively as a stair step. I think famous or not it’s important to have a private relationship that’s genuine between the two people before you post it everywhere. I don’t know I just think when some people are around fame it can make people manipulative so I keep a small circle because of that.

 

Talking of small circles, I’m interested in what the account @expandyourlungs is about, as you tag it in your Insta bio, and it’s private with not masses of followers, tell me more?

 Sometimes I’ll let people follow it randomly, it’s an account that gives heads ups of what I’m working on or clothing, really anything exclusive. It serves as a “first to know” outlet and I’d like to also evolve it into apparel.

…

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Hadar Pitchon

Fashion by GorgeVillalpando

Grooming by Anna Bernabe at The WallGroup

Fashion Market by Anissa Silvas 

Stylist’s assistant Simona Williams

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