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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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Martin Onufrowicz
SURVIVAL INSTINCT

OPENING UP

HAVING A BREAK FROM THE ENVIRONMENT YOU’RE USED TO CAN BE INCREDIBLY BENEFICIAL. FOR MAISY STELLA, STEPPING AWAY FROM THE INDUSTRY AT FIFTEEN, FOLLOWING HER ROLE ON A TV SERIES NASHVILLE, WAS JUST THAT. NOT ONLY WAS SHE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE PIVOTAL MOMENTS IN ONE’S ADOLESCENCE LIKE PROM, BUT SHE ALSO GOT TO MISS ACTING AND FELL IN LOVE WITH IT EVEN MORE. STELLA’S PASSION FOR THE CRAFT COULD NOT BE MORE PALPABLE IN HER FIRST ROLE SINCE THE HIATUS IN MY OLD ASS – A TENDER STORY ABOUT THE VALUE OF OPENING UP TO HUMAN CONNECTION. HER PERFORMANCE AS ELLIOTT, A QUEER TEEN SPENDING HER LAST SUMMER AT HOME BEFORE MOVING AWAY TO COLLEGE, THRIVES IN ITS AUTHENTICITY AND CHARM. FOLLOWING THIS RE-ENTRANCE, STELLA IS ONTO NEW, EXCITING THINGS, AND IN GREAT COMPANY – STARRING OPPOSITE ANNE HATHAWAY AND EWAN MCGREGOR IN FLOWERVALE STREET, THE NEXT FILM FROM DAVID ROBERT MITCHELL.

Left Full look N°21

Right Dress and shoes Zadig&Voltaire, jewellery Misho, socks Falke

Hi Maisy! I had the pleasure of watching My Old Ass yesterday and I found it very touching – something that especially resonated with me was the sentiment of feeling like you’re missing out on your family’s life once you leave for college. How did this role come your way and what spoke to you about the script?

I had auditioned for Megan Park’s first movie, The Fallout, and I established a relationship with her through that experience. Then I ended up reading the script for My Old Ass and by page five, I was anxious over the thought of not getting to do it. I was so in love with it so fast. I think that the entire concept of the movie is universally moving to anyone who allows themselves to actually feel it for a second. Everyone has nostalgia in them, and when this concept is done right, it’s very moving. Also, I moved from Canada when I was super young and my whole family was all there, so I struggled with literally all of the feelings that Elliott feels in the movie. It all felt really easy to access. 

Blazer, shirt, tie and shoes Sportmax, skirt Christian Dior, socks Falke

 What other facets of Elliott did you connect with immediately?

I loved the way that Elliott was written to be very bright and lively. I feel like I haven’t seen that in the lead character in a long time, usually, they’re always very brooding and mysterious. So I was very smitten with her from the start and I felt that I related to her naivety. At the start of the movie, she’s kind of oblivious and is accidentally not very nice to her mom – she gets so excited about things that she can be a little bit inconsiderate. And I feel like when I was growing up, I also definitely had moments like that, and I would always have feelings of guilt after, thinking, “My mom is just a person, this is her first go at life too.”

Dress Zadig&Voltaire

You have amazing chemistry with both Aubrey Plaza and Percy Hynes White in the movie. How did you guys build this bond off-screen?

Megan was very sure that she didn’t want me and Percy to hang out before or outside of filming – she wanted our scenes to feel awkward and real and she didn’t want us to feel like we knew each other very well coming into it. Aubrey was only filming for five days in total so we only met once or twice before the shoot, we had a proper hang and got to know each other a bit. I think it was all very natural, that’s the magic of good casting. [Laughs] We didn’t have to work hard to feel connected with each other, we all just had a really good flow. 

Left Coat and dress Zadig&Voltaire, necklace Misho 

Right Dress and shoes Zadig&Voltaire, jewellery Misho, socks Falke

Towards the end of the film, I loved the sentiment of the value of being “young and dumb”, and how that allows one to actually go for the things they want. Looking back, is there anything that you wish you pursued when you were a teen? Also, how would you say this idea influenced you after the filming?

Because I was already working as a kid, I felt that my education was a little bit rocky, as I was predominantly doing on-set school. And I always really wanted to do some type of music college because I dreamed of scoring films or doing something similar in that world. 

 The movie definitely woke me up and lit me up, it made me feel more tender and open to human connection and love, and less scared of the loss that you could experience. It genuinely made me feel a bit braver.

Left Dress and shoes Christian Dior, ring Misho, socks Falke

Right Full look Sportmax

Ok, take me through the Justin Bieber mushroom-infused fantasy performance. What was it like to shoot that scene?

It changed my life forever. I was so excited, I didn’t have a sliver of nerves going into that day – I was born to do that and I knew my whole life that this was gonna happen to me. [Laughs] That scene wasn’t actually in the original script and Megan was like, “We’re missing something, we need a musical dance number.” She had asked me what was my generation’s main performance, one that everyone clung to. And I immediately thought of One Less Lonely Girl. I used to watch the videos of his performances to that song and seeing him bringing someone up from the crowd… You just melted at the idea that it could be you. So then it was Megan’s brilliant idea to turn it and have me be Bieber. It was such a magical day. I did not want to take that outfit and I genuinely couldn’t shake him off.

Blazer Msgm, leggings and socks Falke, shoes Sergio Rossi

 You really embodied him, that’s for sure. I read that you took a break from the industry at fifteen to have the regular teenage experience — looking back, what do you think were the benefits of having this pivotal time in your life off acting?

The years between filming Nashville and My Old Ass were probably the most precious years of my life. They made my head get more screwed on than it was before. I was acting from the time I was eight to fifteen, and so that was all I knew. And when it ended, I truly missed it. I really felt like I fell in love with acting in the years that I wasn’t doing it. But at the same time, I went to art school for a year, I went to prom, I did all the things that I had really romanticized in my head. In those years, I was my most creative and my most inspired. I was just very excited for what was to come. And then it did come, and My Old Ass was quite literally the softest landing I could have imagined for my re-entrance.

Black top Zadig&Voltaire, white tank top Calvin Klein


Up next, you’re starring in a David Robert Mitchell film Flowervale Street alongside Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor — what can you tell me about working with these two incredible actors?

Annie is like the definition of warmth. She really was so mama to me, she was literally my mommy. She would always put electrolytes in my water and make sure that I was good. I could cry just thinking about her. And Ewan is one of the funniest people I’ve ever met, he’s just so cool. I was so stoked, I could not believe that I was even considered to be their love child. It was such a big jump for me to come from My Old Ass to this movie, I felt really scared and nervous. And they have guided it a lot and held it down. I still haven’t processed that experience but I love them both and I’m so excited to see them again soon.

Left Coat and dress Zadig&Voltaire, necklace Misho, high socks Falke

Right Dress and shoes Zadig&Voltaire, jewellery Misho, socks Falke

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Shane McCauley

Fashion by Alexis Kossel

Casting by Imagemachine cs

Hair by Sylvia Wheeler

Make-Up by Miriam Nichterlein

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EMBRACING DUALITY

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THROUGHOUT HIS CREATIVE PRACTICE, ENIS LOOKS TO EXPLORE NEW BOUNDARIES AND CAPTURE THE FEELING OF RESILIENCE. FOLLOWING HIS MUSICAL RELEASES IN THE PAST YEAR, THE KURDISH-DANISH ARTIST BASED IN BERLIN HAS JUST LAUNCHED THE FIRST DESIGN FROM HIS ENIS ARCHIVES COLLECTION. IN ITS STRIKING FORM, THE LIMITED-EDITION SILVER EARRING USES THE DEPICTION OF THE SUN AND THE MOON – THE ULTIMATE DUALITY – AS A STATEMENT ON EMBRACING THE CONTRASTS WITHIN US. SHORTLY AFTER THIS LATEST RELEASE, WE SPOKE TO ENIS ABOUT HIS FORAY INTO THE DESIGN REALM, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JEWELLERY, AND FIRST PIERCING HIS EARS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE PARENT TRAP.

Jacket and pants Celine Homme, jewellery Enis' own

You just released the first design from your line. Why did you want to begin with jewellery? 

I believe jewellery can be an emblem. Wearable art. Something that can act as a silent statement of one’s inner world. The design of the earring is like a badge representing a world that I am creating – the first piece I would add to my uniform. So, it felt right to start ENIS ARCHIVES with single-statement jewellery, which marks a significant resilient and rebellious milestone in my life, and I want those who wear it to feel the same way. 

What is the significance of the shape of the earring? 

There are several layers to the symbolism of the design - but duality is the core of it. I believe that without contrast, we won’t be able to find a deeper purpose in life. The more you embrace your nuances, the more insight you gain - and the more resilient you become. Instead of letting obstacles get in your way, you transform them into something beautiful. For me, the sun and the moon represent that contrast; light and dark, feminine and masculine, good and bad. It all works in tandem - without one, the other loses its meaning. The design captures this balance, reminding you that both sides are essential to your existence. 

Left Coat, shirt, sweater, shorts and shoes Maison Margiela, socks Falke, earring Enis' own

Right Shirt and tie Fendi, jacket and shorts Avenir, earring Enis' own

When did you first pierce your ears? Were you scared? 

I actually had my ear pierced twice. Once, after watching The Parent Trap with Lindsay Lohan having her ears pierced with just an apple and a hot needle… Ouch... But classic. I guess I was maybe 9-10 years old when I tried to do the same to myself in the bathroom. The hole grew together after a while as I didn’t have my own earring to wear… And I was probably too scared for my parents to notice. 

The second time was when I was looking for a birthday gift for my friend in Copenhagen. I picked out this beautiful, timeless silver sterling earring for her, but ended up falling in love with it so much that I had to get it for myself. And decided to get my ear pierced the same day - on the right ear. This time, not caring what my parents had to say.

Left Hat and coat Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, earring Enis' own

Right Coat, shirt and tie Maison Margiela, earring Enis' own

How does the line continue the themes that you have been exploring with your music? 

ENIS ARCHIVES is about exploring new boundaries and encapturing resilience. The same goes for the music I make. Both are rooted in storytelling and self-expression. Both allow me to explore the tension and harmony between contrasts, whether it’s through sound or form, but the core of it is introspection, and most likely hitherto — shedding light on my inner childhood wounds and experiences till my current ones.

How will the line evolve over time? 

The design label was born in a dream I always had envisioned for myself since I was a child, dreaming of the artist I would one day become, and am still becoming: a line of garments, accessories, jewellery and objects created and curated for my artist persona. And as my music evolves, ENIS ARCHIVES will too. Hence the meaning of the name; an archive of things that present my world. I have big plans in store and I can’t wait to see how it will unfold.

Shirt and tie Fendi, jacket and shorts Avenir, socks Falke, shoes Lemaire, earring Enis' own

Who do you wish to see your designs on? 

Anyone who embodies the essence of resilience and creativity – the trailblazers, leaders, artists, and architects who shape the conversations through their distinct tastes. It would be mind-blowing to see Sevdaliza, Kaytranada and Steve Lacy in ENIS ARCHIVES, but also very much Rihanna, John Galliano and Marina Abramović. And if I could go back in time, Prince would be an ultimate!

Left Jacket and pants Celine Homme, earring Enis' own

Right Full look Undercover

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Jingxiong Qiao

Fashion by Nutsa Khurtsilava

Grooming by Anna Neugebauer

Stylist’s assistant Lucy Elser

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SWITCHING GEARS

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MALICE K IS AN OLYMPIA-BORN MUSICAL AND VISUAL ARTIST CURRENTLY BASED IN NEW YORK. DEVOTING HIS TIME TO ART, HIS FIRST LOVE, ALLOWED HIM TO DISCOVER COLLECTIVES LIKE DEATHPROOF IN LA WHERE HE HAD HIS COME UP. WE SPOKE TO THE YOUNG CREATOR ABOUT THE LISTENING PARTY FOR HIS UPCOMING ALBUM AVANTI, AS WELL AS HIS PERFORMANCE STYLE AND HIS ASSOCIATION WITH DEATHPROOF INC.

Hi Malice K, how are you doing? Do you have anything exciting coming up?

I’m doing a record release party, and we’re just going to be listening to it. There’s this bar, with a movie theatre, and they have old dusty red velvet cushioned chairs, and we’re just gonna pack a bunch of people in there. It’ll be fun to get some in-person validation for the music video and the album as opposed to just doing it through YouTube. I can just sit back and enjoy it as much as everybody there. 


Is it stressful to have a bunch of people sitting around and listening to your work?

Totally. But I think it’s kind of safe because half the songs I’ve already been playing live for about a year or so, and it’s not like I’m risking anything showing my music to these people. I feel really worried if there's something genuine at stake. Like my mom was at this show I did recently and it was like the audience might as well have all been my mom, like 300 of my mom –  all I could think about was my mom. But she’s not gonna be there this time so it’ll be fine. I think everybody will like it.

Do you sometimes feel pressure to release music?

I mean, I felt that way before because I would just be motivated by wanting to do it for myself, by my own goals. But it’s different now, it feels just as much DIY as it always has been, but I just feel more obligation to others. At the end of the day, I have the biggest reach as a promotion for myself. But it’s just kinda stressful. It’s difficult because when I was just doing art for myself, pretty much everything else in my life was not going that well…And I think I would have burnt out if I hadn’t figured out a way to sustain and have a future. But I think if I didn‘t pass the threshold to where I’m at now, I would have slowed down and maybe I wouldn’t be creating as much.

How would you describe your music style to a novice ear?

Alternative music. It pulls from a lot of different genres. It's not contemporary because it’s lyrical and has a bit more edge to it.

Where does your stage name come from?

I came up with that name for this other artist collective I was a part of in LA called DEATHPROOF. When I joined them, I just needed a cool artist's name. It just sounds cool. My name is Alex Konschuh. When I was growing up, I would sign my things Alex K on everything, on my artwork and I was like, “Malice K is cool.” When I was a teen, I had the nickname  ‘Malice Poncho’ because I went on a road trip once and wore a poncho the whole time. 


What is DEATHPROOF? What made you decide to drop everything and move to LA?

It was just getting to the point where I needed to do something. I was like 24 going on 25 and living at home. I’d been pushing my art for a while, but I’d been playing music for a long time and around that time I had given up on that becoming something I would pursue professionally. But my friends sent me a video of the DEATHPROOF tour and it was just really inspiring to me and I decided to be honest with myself about what I really wanted to do. So I just kinda gave myself permission to make the music that I really wanted to make and I started writing a bunch of songs that were different to anything I’d done before. And I went out there, made a record and a lot of cool stuff started happening immediately. It was just a really affirming experience. 

You perform in uncanny ways, how would you say performance can add or take away from a song?

It looks like how it sounds. Maybe it helps the lyrics come across more, maybe it makes the message more clear. When I’m making the songs, I’m envisioning them to be a little bit more energetic or a little bit tortured. It’s acoustic guitar music and I think it can be misconstrued as indie rock or folk. And I think it’s important to have a performance style around it, in the way that it's intended to be listened to.


Has anything crazy happened during these performances? 

Last summer, I was doing a show in Philly, and these guys had painted a backdrop on this super heavy piece of wood which went all the way to the ceiling of this giant warehouse we were playing in. And when I was performing, there was like a song with a drop, and during the drop, I started running around in a circle and I bumped into the piece of wood they had made. And it started falling onto the audience! It was super heavy and everybody was trying to hold up the thing while the song was still playing. 

Interview by Gabrielle Valda Colas

Photography by Yaël Temminck

DIGGING DEEPER

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

Left Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Right Full look Giorgio Armani

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

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

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

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

Left Full look Givenchy

Right Full look Kenzo

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

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

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

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

Full look Dior Men

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

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

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

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

Were any of the scenes or dialogue improvised?

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

Left Coat, pants and belt Balmain, shoes Giorgio Armani

Right Full look Miu Miu

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

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

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

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

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

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

Full look Prada

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

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

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

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

Left Full look Miu Miu

Right Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Left Full look Dior Men

Right Full look Giorgio Armani

Left Full look Givenchy

Right N°21

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Amber Derrick

Fashion by Steven Huang

Production by Leonor Greyl and Rodial

Grooming by Terri Capon at Stella Creative Artists

Stylist’s assistant Aaishah Perager

BREAKING THE HORSE

DYLAN SPROUSE ANSWERS ZOOM REPRIMANDING HIS FRENCH BULLDOG FOR EATING ODD THINGS WHILE WHAT LOOKS TO BE A COMICALLY LARGE STUFFED GNOME LOITERS BEHIND HIM. HE LIGHTS UP WHEN DISCUSSING HORSEBACK RIDING, SAYING, “AFTER RIDING FOR A WHILE, [THE HORSE] GOES, ‘WHY IS THIS MOTHERFUCKER RIDING ME? I’M GONNA SEE.’” IF YOU STAY ON ANYTHING LONG ENOUGH, IT DOES HAVE A WAY OF ASKING WHY YOU’RE STILL THERE. THE INDUSTRY, REQUIRING HIM TO ACCEPT A WILD, UNBRIDLED LACK OF CONTROL SINCE CHILDHOOD, REARED IN A QUESTION: WHY? PERHAPS DYLAN’S CHOICE TO EXECUTIVE PRODUCE THE DUEL ALONGSIDE FRIENDS WAS HIS ANSWER, GRABBING THE REINS. THE DUEL IS ALL ABOUT WHY WHEN DYLAN’S CHARACTER, COLIN, CHEATS WITH HIS BEST FRIEND’S GIRLFRIEND. IT BALANCES COMEDY AND GRAVITY BEAUTIFULLY. OUR CONVERSATION DOES THE SAME, AS WE COMMISERATE OVER PERCEPTION BEING UNCONTROLLABLE AND CHAT ABOUT SCENES IN THE FILM—ALL WHILE THE GNOME WATCHES. 

Full look Kenzo

Hi Dylan! How are you? 

I’m great. Sorry, hold on one second, my dog is eating something off the ground. I have to go figure out what it is. [In the background] What are you eating? You can’t just eat everything!

[Laughs] Go ahead! What kind of dog do you have? 

I have a French Bulldog, and she likes to pick up everything off the ground and put it immediately into her mouth. She will probably bother us again during this. [Laughs] 


Honestly, that makes me feel better. I was corralling my dogs before this because they just decided to bark for a solid four hours straight. Are you in LA?
[Laughs] I am, yes, although I'm leaving tomorrow morning, bright and early for Arkansas for a film festival. So, that'll be fun.

Left Full look Kenzo

Right Full look RHUDE

Wow, that does sound fun! I’m so excited to talk to you because I watched The Duel last week. It is genuinely so good. I knew it was going to be comedic, but I didn’t expect it to be so touching!

That’s so awesome to hear! I’m so glad that was your takeaway. Our team is pretty proud of this one. We’re really happy with what we made, so we will keep making more of ‘em, fingers crossed! 


It must make you more excited about what you can do in the future because you were the executive producer too. It must feel like you have more openings to be creative. 

For sure! I don’t think I would have executive produced if it weren’t for the people I made this with because they’re some of my longtime friends and I trust them so implicitly. Given our budget and location, it really came out interestingly and I’m happy you had that takeaway. I’m also happy that Lionsgate has been really supportive, so it’s been a very special opportunity that has certainly opened many doors. 

Full look Yohji Yamamoto


You said in another interview that working with friends is easier because you have this shorthand so you can take more creative risks. Did you take any risks in this film given the comfortability on set? 

Well, here’s the good news, but it’s also kind of disappointing. I know a lot of people ask how much improv you do in comedy and the truth is you do as much as you need, generally. We didn’t do too much improv, but there are a few scenes. The scene where I’m talking to Denny [Love] about the fact that he loves me and we love each other as friends is improvised. The two writers [Justin Matthews and Luke Spencer Roberts] are great friends of mine and I’m meeting them right after this, funnily enough. Much of the legwork is done for you as an actor with a good script. You don’t have to pull from anything very deep. You’re drawing relatively from the surface. The way I like to think of it is fishing in a deep lake versus a shallow river, right? If the fish are right there and you see them, you’re throwing it out and you’re catching fish. 

They wrote such an iron-tight script that gave us the backbone to improvise and joke and learn from each other in formidable scenes. That’s why all great movies start with a really good script. I know it sounds cliché, but when you see an Oscar contender, the thought is that the actors are doing ninety percent of it, but the truth is that the actors are doing fifty percent. You’re doing a lot less if the script is really good because your character is very concise and it’s clear what you need to be doing with other characters. 

Full look Amiri

I loved the writing, especially of the characters. Obviously, there are huge themes in the film like masculinity, but what I especially love about it are the detailed interactions between characters. Is there a scene that sticks out to you that shows the “love story between friends”, as you’ve described the film?

Yeah, there are several different scenes. The script is very much a love story between friends and people can be shocked by how the movie ends. You know when you see friends do something stupid and you want to intervene, but you can't get to them? That's a frustrating phenomenon that is very universal, right? And that's something that we wanted to make sure we had in this movie. I think the love story between friends is in their duelling at all and the walking scene at the end when they’re all not speaking to each other. That's a special moment. Originally, it had dialogue through it, from Rachel's [Matthews] character, Abbie. We decided to shirk that for music instead because I think it added a little bit of drama. But the fact that Woody and Colin are doing this at all and going through with it shows how much they love each other. I also love the other walking scene when Woody and Colin are on the grounds before they meet Aphrodite [María Gabriela de Faría] when it's just a minute of silence. I love that, like, “Oh God, are they going to do it or not?” That's another one of those scenes that exemplifies the willingness of Woody to allow for that space. 


I like that you mention that walking scene and the silence in it. I like that we don’t see a friends-to-enemies type of narrative. Even at the end, they’re still talking very comfortably. The film made me think about how I deal with conflict, especially when Rudolpho [Ronald Guttman] tells Kevin [Hart Denton], “You would have nothing be done in this situation and just be resentful.” Did the film make you think of your relationship with conflict at all?

For sure. It's so central to the idea of this movie, right? I think one of our characters says something like, “Are we just supposed to do nothing? No one talks to each other anymore. It all means nothing if we don't do something.” And I think that's an important aspect of a lot of people's feelings, in general. I've experienced conflict in my life plenty of times. I've had arguments with friends and family. I'm not a guy who holds his tongue very well in situations that make me uncomfortable or make me feel a certain way. One friend asked me once why I did that. I think we should take those steps towards saying something even if it seems completely irrational or rude to act out in these moments. If conflict changes even one person's mind about how to live in a world that could be different, then that's worth it in and of itself. People can't keep getting away with everything. That's part of the theme of the movie, and our writers did such a good job exemplifying that. 

Jacket & shirt Dsquared2, pants KIDILL, shoes Diesel

Absolutely. I want to bring up my favourite scene which is when they’re at the dinner table, the “I’m chill?” scene. I thought that was so good. The pain in that scene shows a moment when someone describes you in such a surface-level way and it makes you realise how much they don't see you. Have you had an experience like that? 

Yeah, funnily enough, it happened last night. It's funny, you're never in control of what people think of you. That's just the truth. You're never in control. And this is certainly something that I've dealt with a lot in my life, being an identical twin too. People's takeaway of you is so dependent on what they either want to hear, see, feel, or are in the mood for. Actions speak very loudly, and so I'm generally a man of action. But even then, those lines can be crossed. I think you're right to notice in that scene the disappointment that comes across Colin and it’s not only disappointment, but it's a lot of pain. I think it was his big scene. The idea for the movie stems from Luke and Justin after this situation actually happened in real life. It didn't happen to them, but it happened to kind of a tertiary friend they have mutually. Let's say, like, a Kevin of the friend group called them up and was like, “God, man, something needs to be done. Nothing's getting done, but something needs to be done.” That is the moment that sparked it all. 

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I wasn't specifically going to talk about you being a twin, but you mentioned it impacting how people perceive you, which I relate to because I'm actually one of the quadruplet sisters. I understand completely. People like to categorise and ask insensitive questions. Do you feel like you still deal with people placing you into easy categories? 

For sure! As a quadruplet, you’ll know too. I'm not sure we'll ever escape that. I think that'll be something that will just be there. I find it more common than not when people meet me, having already known my brother, they encounter me like they're talking to my brother. They come up to me in an effort to relate to me like they've related to my brother, and it just might not work. That’s far too common. But, again, that's a perception thing. I think a lot of the time people want the story that they're already formulating in their head. They're not looking to actually find out anything about you deeply. They're looking to just have something that they already know and that's digestible. And then they are like, “Okay, I did it. So, with Tessa, she's just like her sister, but she has this thing. And that's how I know the difference between them.” It's very formulaic. I'm not sure we'll ever really escape that. It’s just best to look away from it. 

Yeah, unfortunately, it's very surface-level. You've said many times that you and Cole are very different. It’s almost like you're constantly having to prove your identity which is not something other people typically have to do. But I think there's also a lot of good that comes with it as well. I think growing up so intertwined in that way makes you a more empathetic person. Do you feel the same way? I imagine that would help with acting.

I definitely feel that way. I do notice that a lot of my friends who don't have siblings are quick to write off people at the door who they don't really like or have had bad interactions with. But when you're in such close proximity to someone who's very different from you, or in general you're encountering situations that you normally don't like to do yourself and you just have to stay in on the merit that they're your sibling, it does make you a more empathetic person. You can kind of understand the backgrounds of everyone and understand the positions that people are coming from. I generally do try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and try to validate their actions through what I know of them when I can. 

 I've always said that I think empathy is the number one trait of a good actor. If you can empathise with different groups of people, you can become those different groups on camera. I find that, far too often, the silver spoon actors, or the actors from a very particular background, are often bland on screen. They fall short a lot of the time, in my opinion. And I don't have names to name, but I find that oftentimes it just doesn't land. They don’t draw from something as real. If I have any advice for younger actors, just get out there and meet a lot of people.

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Yeah, that makes complete sense, and it’s something you feel as you’re watching. I want to jump back to The Duel. The characters are in a situation that’s so far from what they could have planned for. Have you found yourself ever doing something that you just would never have expected?

For sure! I'm a big believer in getting outside your comfort zone in general because that's what really keeps you locked in. If I take new scripts, I'll generally try to see if there's something involved in that character that will challenge me to be different from what I am and what I'm used to because that usually draws out the best in me. I like learning new skills. I think it's the fun of being an actor. It's maybe the only position in the world where you can learn horseback riding and sword fighting, and then next week, you're learning from a dialect coach about how to speak in an old-timey Louisiana accent. Now, whether I'd go so far as to say, do a duel to the death, I don't know. [Laughs] That seems a little bit too far to me, but that’s the fun of movie-making. 

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Is there any specific skill that you’ve kept going with after having to do it for a movie or show?

I’ve kept up with martial arts because it’s the most fun way to work out. You’re learning while you’re being physically active. As a very scatterbrained guy, that’s the best way to do it. If you put me on a treadmill for thirty minutes, I’m just bored out of my fucking mind. [Laughs] So that, and horseback riding. I still ride a lot and I rode growing up, but not the way that I had to when I was on a set. For me, that’s the best feeling in the world, just being on the back of a horse. 

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Right Jacket & shirt Dsquared2, pants KIDILL, shoes Diesel

Oh wow! To be honest, I can’t relate to that because I went horseback riding one time and would never go again. 

I mean, it is terrifying. Horseback riding is terrifying. They’re incredibly intelligent animals and after riding one for a while, it goes, “Why is this motherfucker riding me? I’m gonna see. Let’s just test this out.” [Laughs] And that’s the thought behind breaking the horse. To break the horse, you have to prove to it why you’re riding it, and that is a very terrifying thing. Now, I’ve ridden a few horses that have just tried to have their way and go crazy. Each time leading up I’m thinking, “Here we fucking go. This one’s gonna go crazy all of a sudden and I just need to stay on.” I don’t blame you. It’s not for everyone. If I can change your mind, if you ever get back on a horse, get back on a nice, old horse. A horse that’s been around the block that doesn’t feel like it needs to test anyone. Jump on one that just wants to walk around the block every once in a while.

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Maybe I should do that. When I went, they gave me the largest horse ever. I would need a very geriatric horse. 

Yeah, dude, the funny thing is that media in general makes horses look subservient to us. They always make them seem like they’re this object to be ridden and they’re our partners, but the truth is, when you’re standing up next to a giant horse, you very quickly realise that this thing is fully in control. It can kick me to oblivion and it has no mind to pay me any respect. But once you get it and you’re with a horse that you trust and love, it is truly the best experience in the world. 


I might get back on. You’re convincing me. We’ll leave this on a cliffhanger. What are you most looking forward to at the moment?

I think what I’m most looking forward to is the movie’s release on digital platforms. I’m excited to make more movies with these same people. I think Luke, Justin, Zach Spicer, Joe [Matthews] and I are looking to open up a company and start making some moves. I’m excited that I’ve found people that I really trust and love and I think we can do some cool things. I hope people like The Duel. And if they like The Duel, I hope they like what we make next.


That makes me excited because I genuinely loved it and I’m not just saying that. I cannot wait for what you have coming.

Thank you. I’m glad! I definitely can sense how genuine you are about it. I’m proud to say that this is maybe one of the only movies I’ve made in a very long time where I feel like I’m seeing how genuine the reactions are and how people are really taken by it. Again, I give so much credit to our team on this. I’m hoping it all works out!

…

Interview by Tessa Swantek

Photography by Emilia Staugaard

Fashion by Donna Lisa

Grooming by Candice Birns at A-frame Agency

Photographer’s assistant Jack Juliar

Stylist’s assistant Alex Levey

BAD BOY, BAD BOY

TOBY WALLACE’S REPUTATION PRECEDES HIM, OR RATHER, HIS ROLES DO. WITH A KNACK FOR PLAYING “THE BAD GUY”, THE AUSTRALIAN ACTOR DOESN’T STRAY FROM HIS USUAL PATH IN THE BIKERIDERS. THE JEFF NICHOLS FILM EXPLORES BIKER CULTURE OF THE 1960S, WITH WALLACE’S CHARACTER AS ITS CROWN JEWEL—A YOUNG BIKER WHO PERSONIFIES THE LIFESTYLE. QUITE THE CONTROVERSIAL FIGURE, THE KID IS AS MORALLY CORRUPT AS THEY COME. BUT FOR THE ACTOR, THAT IS WHAT MAKES IT INTERESTING. IT’S THE CHALLENGE OF CREATING THREE-DIMENSIONAL CHARACTERS THAT MOTIVATES HIM—WALLACE IS ACTIVELY MAKING THE MOVIES HE WANTS TO SEE IN THE WORLD. HIS GOALS ARE NOT PURELY ARTISTIC; HE CONFESSES THAT THE BEST PART OF THE JOB IS HAVING A NEW HOBBY WITH EACH PROJECT. FOR THE BIKERIDERS, WALLACE FOUND HIS POSSIBLY COOLEST ONE YET: RIDING HIS NEW VINTAGE HARLEY DAVIDSON AROUND LOS ANGELES. WE SPOKE TO WALLACE ABOUT HIS ROAD TO SUCCESS, THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE AUSTRALIAN AND AMERICAN MOVIE INDUSTRIES, AND THE EVER-INSPIRING YOUNG WILLEM DAFOE.

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How are you? I hope I didn’t wake you up too early…

[Laughs] No, you good man. I’m staying at a friend’s place, and I have to wake up super early to feed the pets. So yeah, you’re all good.

 

Do you like pets?

Oh yeah, I’m a huge dog guy but I’m on the road all the time, so I haven’t been able to have one for a very long time. But you know, once I land down somewhere I’ll for sure get some.

 

Speaking of the road, how’s the press tour going for The Bikeriders?

It’s going well. I haven’t taken the full brunt of it but the bits I’ve done have been pretty fun. The London premiere was fun and the Los Angeles one was crazy… I had a good time.

Tank top Gucci, jewellery Toby's own

 I’ve been following your career for a while and I’ve noticed you have a proclivity to play, for the lack of a better word, bad boys. What do you think attracts you to characters that are on the fringes of society?

I think those roles are just fun to play, I get the most enjoyment out of playing them. Weirdly, I just find them easy to play. I find it very difficult to do my job if I’m not completely enthralled by it. If I don’t, I’m just shooting myself in the foot because I will half-ass it if I’m not interested. I know that walking into something I need to be intrigued by it. I’m a bit of a pain in the ass with my agents because they’ll send me stuff and if I’m not completely immersed in it, I’ll probably do a bad job.

 

You also seem to have a knack for playing villains. Do you enjoy playing the bad guy?

My favorite films have those morally corrupt characters. I think it's that truthful telling lends itself to reality, morally dysfunctional people and values exist, and telling the stories of people who live hard lives is important. Those are some of my favorite films. 

 

In The Bikeriders, The Kid is someone who seems so charged with hate, that it’s a very easy character to despise. Do you need to find the humanity in a character before you play it?

I think it depends, but for The Kid, it was great because I had a rich backstory. There was so much dimension built into the character already. But I don’t think he’s just a pure antagonist, he had a full-colored idea of what he’s been through. I mean, the first scene makes it pretty clear what socio-economic and familiar background he comes from. He doesn’t have a huge amount of screen time, but you get just enough information to project the picture of his whole life - it’s just good writing. 

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 That’s what is so peculiar about The Kid, he’s not super present but he’s essential for the development of the story. What was your first response when you were approached to play the role?

I mean, I’ve always been in love with Jeff Nichols… As a filmmaker, not as a guy. [Laughs] I’ve been obsessed with his films since I was a kid. He has this very refined Southern sensibility; all his films mix this childlike innocence with a Southern masculinity. He reached out to me because of a mutual friend we have who told him about some of my work. When we had a meeting, I was on set for another movie, I didn’t even have time to read the script, but I just said yes anyway. I couldn’t believe it. I would’ve said yes to anything he would’ve given me, if I’m being honest. I think that’s why he always has such crazy casts in his films. Actors just want to work with Jeff no matter how small a role is… He’s just that guy.

 

What was your process like for getting into this character?

My process is always similar. I do a lot of accent work, so I always start with the voice because it leads me to everything else. I then watched a lot of video footage and recordings of anything specific to that time. I also watched The Loveless which is a movie from the ‘80s by Kathryn Bigelow that stars a young William Dafoe. It’s kind of a weird film, he just rides his bike around town and has these bizarre interactions. On the more personal side, I found The Kid through conversations with Jeff about what it would be like to come from that sort of background. I would also record long monologues. It started so I could practice the accent but ended in these long conversations through his point of view, it became a lot more philosophical.

I’ve talked to actors in the past who mentioned that having an accent created a barrier between the character and their emotional self. Do you find that that is the case for you?

I’d love to say yes. But sometimes I’ve thought that maybe if I find a character that is so different from me, I’m going to be more comfortable, I’d feel more hidden. But in all honesty, I feel terrified about every job I’ve ever done, whether it’s closer to me or not. 

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 How do you find that your relationship with that fear is evolving as your career progresses?

It’s gotten better. But I’m still very nervous walking on set all the time. I used to have a hard time bringing it home and beating myself up with that anxiety all day. I feel like now I’m much more relaxed than I used to be. I still get very nervous when I go on set but I’m better at leaving it there and forget about it when I go home. Maybe that is an age thing. 

 

You started out acting at quite a young age. When did you first figure out that was something you wanted to do?

When I was young, my dad won a video camera in a competition, so we just had it at home. I got obsessed with that camera, I filmed everything. I put commentary on top of that… I was annoying. I used to make short films with my friends. I just wanted to make movies, but I didn’t know what that meant. A couple of years later during school, I started going to a drama class. The guy who ran the class saw something in me and put me forward for auditions. I got lucky to grow up doing a few things.

 Do you ever consider picking the camera back up?

Yeah, as soon as possible. I need to finish what I’m writing. I’ve always wanted to direct, that’s my actual dream.

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 Do you find that acting is helping you on that path?

Absolutely. It’s kind of the best practice for it. For anything involving film, being on set is the answer. No matter what department you’re in, working in film somehow is the greatest training you can have.

 

Do you find that the Australian film industry differs from Hollywood?

I think it's very different. I think Australian filmmaking has a personable quality to it - you’re on a team, no one is more valuable than another person, and it’s all quite down to earth. I think that’s what makes it, so we have such interesting movies. But on the other hand, I do feel like if you have an ambition that escapes that scene, you’re going to get torn down. We’re afraid we're going to get too big for our boats which I think is just part of our culture. Whereas in America, there’s a well-oiled hierarchy, it’s less personal. But Americans seem to have this can-do attitude that we don’t have.

 

I’ve read that you got yourself a Harley Davidson. Was that preparation or just a wish of yours?

I never rode a motorcycle before I did the film. I got my license two days before I had to fly out to be on set. Suddenly I’m learning about all these 1960s Harleys and riding them everywhere. It was genuinely one of the best experiences I’ve ever had; I loved it. We were riding them everywhere, to get lunch, dinner, drinks… we were all together, all the time. I love this about the jobs I do. No matter what the job is, you get so invested as an actor. I always leave jobs with a new hobby, in this one, it was bike riding. I walked away from that experience going, “I want a bike now.” I was thinking about it for a year and then a buddy of mine that deals with vintage motorbikes got me one from this place in Dallas. We did some customization on it and now it's sitting in a shop in LA, it's my mode of transportation when I go to work.

Coat Miu Miu, Socks Falke

Interview by Pedro Vasconcelos

Photography by John Armour

Fashion by Steven Huang

Casting by Imagemachine cs

Grooming by Tarik Bennafla at Stella Creative Artists

Stylist’s assistant Aaishah Perager

THE LABOUR OF EASE

SOME PEOPLE TAKE UP SPACE, OTHERS LET SPACE TAKE THEM IN. SANTIAGO CABRERA, LIKE MOST GREAT ACTORS, HAS MASTERED THE LATTER. HE’S ALWAYS BEEN AN OBSERVER, A WALLFLOWER WHO MOULDS TO HIS SURROUNDINGS. AS HE’S GROWN THOUGH, HE’S LEARNED THAT A WALLFLOWER BLOOMS WHEN IT’S NURTURED SLOWLY THROUGH TRUST, EXPERIENCE, AND AUTHENTIC CONNECTION. WE TALK ABOUT ALL THE TIMES SPONTANEITY GROWS FROM SAFETY, EASE GROWS FROM LABOUR, AND SUCCESS GROWS FROM PERSISTENT LITTLE FAILURES. AS AMAT IN APPLE TV’S LAND OF WOMEN, HE IS IN DIRECT CONTRAST TO EVA LONGORIA’S CHARACTER, GALA, AS THEY NAVIGATE THE FICTIONAL SMALL VILLAGE OF LA MUGA IN SPAIN’S WINE COUNTRY. AFTER HER HUSBAND’S MISDEEDS FORCE HER TO FLEE NEW YORK WITH HER MOTHER AND DAUGHTER, GALA IMPOSES HER WILL ON THE COMMUNITY WHILE HER RELATIONSHIP WITH AMAT TEACHES HER TO TAKE A STEP BACK TOWARD THE WALL AND LET ROOTS TAKE HOLD. 

LIKE THE MINI-SERIES, OUR CONVERSATION HAS A SIMILAR BUOYANCY EVEN IN DEPTH AS WE TALK ABOUT JOHN TURTURRO LICKING BOWLING BALLS, BEING HIT BY A FRENCH BABYSITTER ON A ROAD IN CHILE, AND THROWING A BALL TO A DOG WHO WON’T BRING IT BACK TO YOU. 

Hi Santiago, it’s so nice to meet you! I first wanted to tell you that I watched Land of Women and it’s so good. I’m watching the finale right after this!

Thank you! I’m very glad to hear you say that. I get the sense that people are really enjoying it. I haven’t seen the finale myself so I’m looking forward to it! We did the premiere in New York and it was great to see it with a crowd in the cinema. People were laughing and it played really well. The comedy, moments of family dynamics, and emotional moments played well. It’s fast-paced, but when it breathes, those moments come to life.

It’s a great mix of everything but there are also a lot of deep, unexpected themes. I wanted to take some themes from the series and see how they relate to you. So, if you could travel back for an extended period to a place from either your past or your family’s past, where would you want to go? What do you imagine it would be like?

Wow! For my past, it’s something I always think about. People say, “What would you do differently?” and I feel like I would do the same things again since it’s me. I would be curious to go into my family’s past and to go to South America and Chile and see those first generations and what their lives were like. I’ve always been very curious about history and the beginnings of things, but at the same time, I could track down European ancestors. I would have to do one of those DNA tests to see if there’s Indigenous ancestry in there and do a whole tracking of my family history. I find that really interesting.

That makes sense because who you are is affected by your ancestry and your family’s past can impact you in ways you may not even know. When you think about times in life when you have found yourself in unexpected places, what comes to mind?

I moved around a lot as a kid so I was always in unexpected places. What comes to mind is new schools and new people. I was very intimidated by that. I didn’t see it like that at the time, but I look back now and realise I was terrified. I found a way to blend in and sort of camouflage myself. I didn’t want to stand out, so I think that really impacted me. At the same time, it allowed me to recognise similar types — what I’m fascinated by as an actor – human beings, cultures and countries. We can be so different in so many places, but then you see very similar archetypes everywhere no matter their race, how they’re dressed, what food they eat, or what culture they come from. I started to recognise human beings as so much more in tune with each other than we think.

I agree with that. You mentioned camouflaging yourself when you were younger. Some actors have a major difference between who they are as an actor and who they are as a person. Do you find there’s a big difference between you personally and professionally?

Yes, I think so! It’s kind of a contradiction in a way. You think actors are all extroverts who want to be the centre of attention and you definitely get those types in acting classes and drama school. There is also a cult of personality in being a celebrity. I’ve always been very intimidated by that — this idea that you have to be something away from the job. But, at least for me, I do tend to find that actors I look up to and have been lucky enough to meet can be quite shy. That’s when you observe. If you’re always the centre of attention and in charge, then when do you pay attention to what’s going on around you? When you sit in the back and watch, you get to take things in and as an actor, that’s all we have. Life is our training. If you’re observing people and taking things in all the time, you’re feeding your instrument in a way.  When I was younger, I was definitely intimidated, but now as I get older, I don’t care so much anymore about that side of it. If anything, you start to have fun with it. I’m really enjoying interviews now and even photoshoots. It’s a chance to be with new people, relate to new people, and promote stuff that you want the audience to watch. Life teaches you a lot of things. The difference that I’ve found is it’s good to observe, but you don’t want to close yourself off. You want to remain open and let people in.

I’m sure over time you progressively open up and that’s great that you are finding joy in the things that used to make you uncomfortable. A lot of Land Of Women is about trust and how it’s earned, especially for your character in being welcomed into the community. In acting, what role does trust play for you and whose trust do you look to earn first on set?

In acting, the best work comes when you trust the people that you're with. It’s like that thing when you're falling backwards and you trust that someone’s going to catch you. You’re failing all the time and I really like to try things out, so to be creative, you have to be willing to fall on your face and make a fool of yourself. I remember reading an interview with John Turturro when he did The Big Lebowski—he has this scene where he licks a bowling ball and it's such an iconic moment and it's ridiculous, the character is ridiculous. He said if he hadn't known the Coens and if they weren’t friends for years, he doesn't know if he would have dared to lick that ball, to make that choice. He felt safe. That’s what it is, if you feel safe with those people then you can just really be creative and not feel judged. It's very important to trust the director, co-stars, and the team of writers. You want to look for creative allies, that’s what I’m always looking for. In this show, it was definitely there. It was a nice group. It’s easier sometimes when it’s a movie or a mini-series where it's just two directors because you kind of create a small group. When you’re on a long-running, episodic show, sometimes someone pops in and you do a couple of takes and they say they loved it and you didn’t think it was the right choice, so you can just go, “Okay, for the next eight days, I’m gonna do my own thing.” In general, I just look for projects where I think I'm going to have creative allies because that's where the best work happens.

Do you have a “bowling ball licking” moment — a choice you made that comes to mind?

Well, a lot of the time it's just little ad-libs that you’ll add or moments of a look here and there. On this show, I think there were a few in the way that Amat would get sort of explosive. There were a couple of moments where I tried different levels of emotion. It’s nice to see when you watch something and a choice you made was there and it worked. And then you forget because, at the end of the day, a good idea is a good idea, no matter whose it was. I also like to watch something and I forget and I think, “Was that my look, did I think of that?” I don't really care anymore, so as long as it works, that’s the main thing.


Is there anything you discovered about your character while you were mid-scene or on set — something you didn’t explore when you were prepping?

Yes, it's always a discovery process, for sure. There is the lifestyle [of the character.] I remember wanting to spend some time at Amat’s house at the beginning when they were doing some construction on it. I rehearsed and read the script and I asked, “Can I just go and hang out at the house?” I just sat at the kitchen table, went outside, and sat on a log under a tree to read the script and go over the lines. That was very helpful and afterwards, when we were on set, it just felt like I lived there. It felt familiar and like I knew where to go. Those are little tricks you do to protect yourself. For me, the more the character is ingrained in you before you start, the more you can just forget about what you will be doing and you're not thinking things while you're on set. By then, you want to be free enough to just explore. I spent as much time as possible with the dog in the show, Golfo, whose owner was so great. I would just throw the ball to him. He was so loyal to his master though. She had to be on set so sometimes you'd throw the ball to him and he would go grab it and, as opposed to bringing it back to you, he would run off and give it to her. But you know, we bonded. So those little things were very important.

For The Cleaning Lady, you got a letter from the showrunners with a description of your character’s arc and background. I also read that you typically find acting very physical. What do you find most helpful when you're trying to access a character?

Well, that was refreshing to get because it meant you were working with people who had a real take on who this person was rather than saying, “Alright, we’ll see,” which happens sometimes. I come from theatre, from stage work, but since I did a couple of plays, I’ve been doing mainly TV and film. There is a distinct thing where you’re using different muscles like projecting on stage and having to reach the back row whereas the camera is much more intimate. But I still think the use of your body and the way you approach a role is the same because, at the end of the day, you need to be alive. In life, everything’s alive and your body is always reacting to everything, so in that sense, I don't distinguish it at all. It’s the same process. I feel it's very important, even if they're just filming you and framing your shoulders, your body always needs to be alive. What I hate that you see a lot on TV is when people are like machines and have a formula and just stand and talk. And in life, that never happens, especially when there's a heated argument between two people. It happens on the street sometimes when people bump into each other. I’m always paying attention to these things. I feel like it's almost a dance. If I'm using a prop or if I’m using something in a scene, I rehearse it a lot to practice the movement so when I get to it, it feels very natural. And sometimes you don't do what you did in the rehearsal, but at least you have made yourself familiar with everything around you and made it feel real. You have to own the space and everything in it so it's very important to be familiar with the space. It’s a crucial tactic.


That's a great way to describe it too because as a viewer, you can have a feeling when something isn't natural or when a character doesn’t feel fully real, even subconsciously.  You might not be able to pinpoint why because a lot of communication is in body language and not necessarily the dialogue.

That’s exactly right. You’re not doing it for the Thespians out there who say, [Mimics] “Oh, what beautiful technique!” It's really on a subconscious level. It’s the same thing when there's a good vibe on set when people are collaborating and connecting. When there's a good relationship on set and a really creative mind behind it, those things will translate and people won't be able to necessarily identify why, but the truth of it will come out from those things. A lot of actors sometimes feel so natural and you think, “Oh maybe that’s just you being you,” but behind that is a lot of work.


Absolutely.  I also have a fun question that is based on the show! We see Gala and Amat meet after she crashes into his trailer, so I wanted to know in real life, what is the weirdest way you ever met someone?

I mean, I had a crash moment once, but I didn’t maintain a relationship with that person. [Laughs] I was once blindsided a long time ago when I was a new driver. I was like eighteen and I had just gotten my licence. This was in Santiago, Chile, and someone made a mistake and didn't look one way and completely hit me on the side. I was so shocked but we ended up chatting for a bit. The lady who ran into me was a French babysitter who shouldn't have been driving, but she was literally just going two blocks down the road to buy groceries. They asked me if I could at least say that the guy she was with was driving because if not, she would get arrested and might have to leave the country. So they won me over, and it wasn’t a big deal in the end. So I had a “crash-in” moment and I related to these people for a couple of weeks and I ended up realising that the guy I had helped out, I knew his brother, so it was a cool connection there.

Woah, so interesting! I thought it would be an interesting question but it is hard to come up with an answer! I was thinking of my own life and if anything has ever happened similarly to that.

It just reminds me of how sometimes people project things and fantasise. I think in our minds we create these idyllic scenarios of what could have been. But you don’t know what it could've been like unless you go up to someone and make it happen. We sometimes drive ourselves crazy with what could have been or would have been, and I think it’s important to focus on the life we’re living and embrace it.

That is very true. I want to move to what’s to come for you. I read that you like to take on things you haven't done or things that challenge you. At this point in your career, what do you consider to be a challenge or outside of your comfort zone?

A lot of the time, people ask, “What would you like to play next?” I have no idea. I could say, “I wanna be a detective,” but then something else comes along, and all I want is well-written stories with well-rounded characters. I feel a challenge is a three-dimensional character and I love a good character-driven piece. They are hard to come by and they’re hard to craft well. So that’s always a challenge when you really have a journey with that character, and you see a change within the story and someone grows as you're watching that story. And I love all of John’s [John Turturro] characters.  I find that super exciting about the show. You don’t know what’s around the corner or what could be coming. I think it's so exciting when you read something and you’re inspired. That’s what makes you tick and keeps you going in this.

Yes! I always wonder how often something might come along that inspires you — if it's a rare thing or if you can be inspired by little pieces of everything. I know actors are usually at the front of public perception but so many other things and inspirations go into a project and you have to trust that everything clicks into place and you feel good about it.

Yeah, it’s kind of a fine line. The industry wants to know you and what’s the one thing you do, and a lot of work can come through that because they identify you. But in a way as an actor, you don’t want to be identifiable. You don’t want to be pinpointed because that allows you to do different things. Also, you want to maintain some kind of anonymity and mystery, so that other people can believe you as different things. If everyone thinks they know you exactly as one thing, then it's harder. It’s a great thing when someone’s like, “Oh, you can do anything, we can’t find just that one thing,” but on the other hand, it could hinder you. It’s a balancing act. Ultimately, you just want to do good work and keep going. I just love being on set with other actors, directors, and crews. I just love the atmosphere of being creative with a group of people. When you get a chance, you just want to do the best you can. The rest of it is out of your hands.

Interview by Tessa Swantek

Photography by Shane McCauley

Fashion by Christopher Kim

Grooming by Rachel Burney

MAIDEN VOYAGE

FOR SPIKE FEARN, HOLLYWOOD STILL FEELS ALIEN. BUT WHILE THE YOUNG ACTOR IS NAVIGATING THE UNKNOWN TERRITORIES, HE’S MAKING QUITE A NAME FOR HIMSELF. HIS ROLE IN ALIEN: ROMULUS MARKS THE BEGINNING OF A PROMISING JOURNEY. WITH A PASSION FOR CINEMA PASSED DOWN FROM HIS PARENTS, THE ACTOR IS A DEVOTED FAN OF THE ART. THIS ADORATION, COUPLED WITH HIS NATURAL COMEDIC TIMING, HAS EARNED HIM A FAIR SHARE OF ALLIES, ONE OF WHOM IS CAILEE SPAENY, ONE OF THE INDUSTRY’S MOST EXCITING RISING STARS. HAVING MET ON THE SET OF THE LATEST ADDITION TO THE ALIEN SERIES, THE TWO HAVE DEVELOPED A SIBLING-LIKE DYNAMIC. TOGETHER, THEY DISCUSS THE JOY (AND PRESSURE) OF CONTRIBUTING TO A PIECE OF CINEMATIC HISTORY, XENOMORPH-INDUCED JUMP SCARES, AND THE BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD FOR BOTH. THE TWO CATCH UP WHILE ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE WORLD – A LAUGHABLE CHALLENGE FOR DEEP SPACE EXPLORERS.

CAILEE SPAENY: Oh, hello. Hi. Are you in London right now?

SPIKE FEARN: Yeah. I just got back. It's so fucking hot.

CS: Why do you say that like it’s a bad thing? You guys only complain about the rain…

SF: My house is like a sauna, bro. I barely slept last night but I’m pretty awake, it’s just so hot… That’s why I’m awake.

CS: How was LA?

SF: It was warm there as well but at least they got AC, they have it everywhere.

CS: It’s the luxury of America.

SF: Do they have it on the East Coast? You’ve lived in New York for a bit, right?

CS: I mean, you have to install janky AC units onto your window… But yes, we do have AC. How was the shoot?

SF: What shoot?

CS: [Laughs] The one you’re doing this interview for?

SF: [Laughs] Oh yeah, I enjoyed it. I’m a bit uncomfortable in front of cameras…

CS: That is the biggest lie ever.

SF: No, like film cameras are fine but a camera that takes stills. I get a bit stressed out because you have to take yourself so seriously. Have you been working today?

CS: Not today, I had a big day on set yesterday. How are you feeling now that you’re back and we’ve finished the first chunk of the press with Comic-Con and everything? How do you think that went?

SF: It was insane. It was surreal to have 6000 people in the audience. I don’t know how you were feeling but I wasn’t that nervous until I stepped up on the stage. But it was so nice to be back with everyone. I don’t think we’ve all been together since your birthday.

Left Full look Giorgio Armani

Right Full look Prada

CS: Well, not really. I haven’t seen Aileen (Wu) since we wrapped. That was the last day, I think that was the last time we were all together.

SF: Yeah, but it was nice to have a reunion at Comic-Con. I got a little sad when I got back because I just felt like the party had just started kicking off and then it ended.

CS: But it was cool walking around. Taking pictures with people dressed in homemade Xenomorph outfits. One of them had a mouth that actually scared me.

SF: It was nice to see that side of Comic-Con as well, seeing everyone dressed up, taking pictures… It was just pure love from these people.

CS: There were a lot of great film posters as well. They had a cool one of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. You showed me that film.

SF: I did?

CS: Did you forget all the memories we’ve made?

SF: No, no. Not at all. But we did watch a lot of movies in Budapest.

CS: What else did we watch? Oh, Midnight Cowboy. That’s such a Spike film.

SF: We have very similar tastes in films. But I think you know a little bit more than me though.

CS: Well, I’m older and wiser. [Laughs] I have to start asking you some Alien questions. That's what we’re here to do, to promote our damn film.

SF: Yes, I’m not the best at this.

CS: If anyone can get it out of you, I think it’s me.

SF: I feel like when we were at Comic-Con, I was looking at you for what to say. You’re great at it.

CS: Most times. It’s happened so many times that I get asked a question and my brain just goes completely blank. I think once I completely blanked out on a stage at a Q&A for one of my first films. I have a bad habit of starting a sentence with no idea of where it’s ending. I just blanked out on that stage.

SF: Have you seen that interview back?

CS: Oh no, thank God it wasn’t recorded. Anyway, back to it. For Alien, I actually don’t know how you got on it. Was it a traditional audition process or a self-tape situation?

SF: If I remember correctly, it was a dummy side. I wasn’t told what it was. But I think your name was attached to it.

Full look N21

CS: Oh, I was? I love that I’m making this interview about me as much as possible. But did it say Alien: Romulus?

SF: No, it just said you were attached. But I might be making it up.

CS: What scene was it that you auditioned with?

SF: It was that first sequence when we all talk about the plan, which I actually think is a great scene.

CS: You’re great in that scene, you’re a master improviser. Did you improvise in the audition?

SF: I remember I did it in an American accent. It was Valentine’s Day. And then I met Fede [Alvarez], and he let me improvise and say it how I wanted.

CS: Did you know you could do it in your own accent?

SF: That’s what made me think, “I might get this one.” I was like “they’re interested because they don’t want it in American.”

CS: I think that was because Fede wanted everyone to feel grounded. He didn’t want anyone to be putting on an accent. I know Archie [Renaux] was going to do it in American too, he shot it on the first day with an accent. But then Fede just wanted everyone to be as close to who they are off-screen. It felt like he was trying to meet us and get a sense of who we were to inject it into the characters. So, when did you find out it was Alien?

SF: I knew it was Alien from the night before the audition. Right after my audition, Fede was showing me stuff on the original movies and kind of what was going to happen.

Full look Giorgio Armani

CS: How much knowledge did you have of the Alien films?

SF: It was very weak.

CS: Had you seen the first one?

SF: I did with my dad like back in the day…

CS: Your dad is a real lover of ‘70s cinema and music…

SF: I have to say my mom too, can’t mention my dad without saying her. She studied cinema so she was constantly recommending me movies, or they were just playing them in the house. But it was my dad who showed my friend Brad and me Alien when we were very young to scare us. I think he actually said, “This will scare the shit out of you.”

CS: How old were you?

SF: I might have been 9 or 10. Brad was a year below… Either way, too young to be watching that film. I remember watching with my hands over my eyes. Brad enjoyed it though.

CS: Do you remember the chest scene? Did you make it that far?

SF: You know, I’ve revisited it since, and I can’t remember it that young. I think I was so young and scared. My eyes were covered the whole time. I don’t even think my dad put it on. It was on the telly. You know how movies used to just run on the telly? I used to watch the horror channel quite a lot when everyone else had gone to sleep.  I do remember that guy… Oh, what’s his name… I forget the character’s name but it’s Harry Dean Stanton. Such a legend.

CS: They’ll put the character name for us, because if we don’t know everything about this franchise…

SF: We do have a fan base.

CS: They should be tough on us actually. I watched every single film before I did this movie. Did you dive in before we started? Before I got on, I had only seen Alien, which I loved. I hadn’t seen Aliens. Again, it had popped up on TV when I was a kid, but I had never properly watched it. I came back to it when this project was circulating. Then I just watched all the Alien films. But I remember watching Alien: Covenant when it was in the theatres when it came out. It’s a perfect “night out at the movies with friends” movie. The best thing to watch when you’re with friends or on a date is a horror film because it makes such a visceral reaction. There’s something about seeing other people get scared around you that is great.

SF: The theatres where I grew up were never that filled. You go watch a movie on a Thursday night and there are two people in there. In my hometown, you have to drive 30 minutes to any cinema, they’re ghostly. I remember my grandparents used to take us to watch Harry Potter. We would go now and then but we had a draw underneath our stairs that was just filled with DVDs. My mom used to take us to Blockbuster…

CS: I remember there was this boy I had a crush on who lived next door to the house I grew up in. I used to beg him to walk to Blockbuster with me. I was probably like five or six. We would go with his mom and rent scary movies.

SF: What kind of scary movies were you watching at 6?

CS: I tried to be brave and watch The Goonies. I remember the part with the creature… Have you seen it?

SF: Of course.

CS: I forget his name in the film, but he’s the one you think is going to be the terrible monster, but he ends up being the good guy… I was so terrified at that moment that I just got up and ran away. I just said, “I’ve got to go,” and I ran out.

SF: [Laughs]

Full look Miu Miu

CS: Do you remember when we first met?

SF: It was at that restaurant on the corner…

CS: Yeah, the corner where my apartment was in Budapest. We all met in that place.

SF: I walked in because I messaged Archie. I met him on the first day. I thought you were all staying in my hotel, so I was just standing in the lobby waiting to see everyone. Archie explained where you were, and I think we both went to meet you. And then David [Jonsson] came.

CS: I remember meeting you guys and thinking, “Oh my god, these boys are trouble.”

SF: Did we have schnitzel?

CS: The schnitzel was so good over there; I ate as much schnitzel as I could. In terms of the filming, how was it for you?

SF: I’d never filmed inside a studio like that before. We shot a lot during the daytime because of that… The wires were a learning curve. We had to learn how to do flips and build up our core strength. Even the zero-gravity stuff, I think my stunt double ended up doing most of that part of it.

CS: Shout out to the stunt doubles.

SF: They were lifesavers. I wanted to do it but…

CS: Oh god, it’s impossible. I was completely discombobulated. You have no way to hold yourself up. I found all that difficult. It’s a different ball game. You’re using different tools in your actor’s tool belt. I think what’s interesting about Alien is that you mix that with proper character study and interesting performances. The first film establishes it so well. It’s almost like an indie film with a sci-fi horror wrapped around it. I think Fede wanted to come back to that.

SF: You put it perfectly.

CS: I think your performance could almost be dropped into the first film. It’s so natural… you’re hilarious. You keep the audience on their toes because you’re so in the moment. The improv you add is so smart.

SF: Wow. Cheers. Thank you for that.

CS: I want to know about the creative side of Spike Fearn. Why do you keep coming back to acting?

SF: You know, going through school and seeing everyone achieving higher things made me struggle. I think having dyslexia and struggling made it so that when I found a passion that people told me I was good at, it made me go, “I’m in.” The more I explored acting and worked with actors and filmmakers, the more I understood that passion. Working with you, and seeing your career and how great it is, made me want to keep chasing. I’ve gotten really lucky working on Alien and Ella McCay.

…

Discover the full story in our upcoming FW24 Issue - release next End-October.

Conversation moderated by Pedro Vasconcelos

Photography by Jason Hetherington

Fashion by Steven Huang

Casting by Imagemachine cs

Hair by Josh Knight at A-Frame Agency

Set Design by Maf Ramirez

Photographer’s assistant Andrew Mayfield

Stylist’s assistant Dominik Radomski

Set Designer’s assistant Jollibeth Soto

LOYALTY COUNTS

DOES YOUR NOSE BLEED WHEN YOU’RE TOLD EXCITING NEWS? WELL, THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED TO RAIKO GOHARA THE DAY HE GOT THE CALL TO PLAY ZACH IN A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER. SILENT AND MYSTERIOUS, RAIKO’S SECRET WEAPON TO MASTER HIS CHARACTER WAS WHAT HE CALLS A “SUBTITLE FACE” –  EMBODYING EMOTIONS WITHOUT HAVING TO SAY A WORD. PREVIOUSLY STARRING IN A LEAD ROLE IN THE FAMED MUSICAL GEORGE TAKEI’S ALLEGIANCE, HE HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF REPRESENTATION IN ENTERTAINMENT AND THE TOPIC OF RACE IN THE PROJECTS HE EMBARKS ON AS A JAPANESE-AMERICAN. BTB SPOKE TO THE BUBBLY ACTOR LAST SUMMER ABOUT BEING MENTORED BY IMPRESSIVE A-LISTERS, HIS ADDICTION TO CROCHETING ACCESSORIES ON SET, AND HIS UNDENIABLE LOVE OF FASHION AND THRIFTING UNIQUE PIECES.

Left Full look Simone Rocha

Right Tunic and pants Courrèges, shoes Celine Homme, necklace Sonia Petroff, gloves stylist's own 

Hi Raiko, tell us a little bit about yourself, how did you get into acting?

I grew up in the US and I moved to the UK in the early 2010s. I was struggling to make friends at school because I was different-looking. I'm Asian, I had darker skin than everyone and people would take the mick out of my accent because it was very American at the time. And so my mum signed me up to an after-school theatre club to build confidence and just hang out with people, and I fell in love with that. I enjoyed it so much but it was never a future that I had really planned for, I mean at one point I wanted to be an accountant, so this is very different from what I imagined.

Oh, so you had an American accent?

Yeah, I did. I had a thing called a dual accent which is when you, because of your background or your heritage or your parents, you swap in and out of accents. My mum is from the UK but my dad is from Orange County, California, so depending on who I'd speak to, it was heavily American.

Coat Diesel, gloves Paula Rowan, necklace Shaun Leane 

You starred in George Takei’s Allegiance, a musical on the West End. What was that experience like?

That show means so much to me. It was a Broadway transfer and I was in the London original cast which is insane and the project meant so much to me because it's about Japanese Americans, and I am Japanese American myself. It was the biggest and most professional thing I've ever done! I was going into this without any real musical theatre training, and the cast, who's an all-Asian cast, was so phenomenal and they looked after me incredibly well. If I ever had a question or a query which may sound silly to other professionals, they would never belittle me. It was also absolutely phenomenal having an A-list Hollywood actor like George himself in the room. He was the oldest one in the cast and I was the youngest one, but he just talked to me, mentored me and we would have conversations about anything from professional to personal. He really looked after me.

Getting mentored by George Takei must have been amazing, how does preparing for a musical compare to acting in a series?

The amount of preparation for something live is insane, it was like training to be an athlete. I had to learn so much about how to look after my voice and my body because you're doing performances every night for six days a week, eight shows a week, and I had to learn about stamina and how not to burn out. I have so much respect and love for musical theatre performers because they are actual powerhouses and I look up to them so much. The show was a lot easier to prepare for, it was just like reading the book, having insight into what the character looks like. Studying what Zach was like inside the book and how he's written in the script, I had to find a middle ground with all of it because I wanted to do justice to the character and also to the absolutely amazing and adorable fans of the novel.

Left Jacket, shorts and necklace Simone Rocha, socks Prada, shoes Celine Homme

 Right Hat Prada, necklace Shaun Leane, earrings Raiko's own

I finished the show and let me tell you it was a rollercoaster - it is quite dark and tackles challenging themes. How did you lighten the mood on set?

We had to keep the mood on set really light and all of my scenes were a break from all the drama which is very good because it's so plot-intense and heavy that you kind of need to breathe. So luckily, there is the friend group which acts as a little bit of a breather for the viewer. But it was a really long shoot, we were filming from June all the way to September so it was really important to keep ourselves happy on set. We would play card games, and Emma, Jude and I brought our Nintendo Switches down. Also, I love crocheting and I found out that Orla who plays Ruby was also into crocheting at the time, so we would hang out and just crochet crazy things like hats, socks and bags.

Can we spot any of your crocheted treasures in the show?

No. But every time I would crochet a hat, I would bring it to the costume department and they'd be really impressed by me, which is really cute. And I would always bring it to the makeup trailer and I would share the hat around and people would be like, “Oh, let me try it on,” and they would wear it. I have so many pictures of all the different hats that I crocheted on that set.

Left Tunic Courrèges

Right Tunic and pants Courrèges, shoes Celine Homme, Necklace Sonia Petroff, gloves stylist's own

Next season,  just sneak it onto the costume rack…

Definitely! I have such a great relationship with Charlotte, the costume designer, so I really do think that if I said, “Hey, do you want to just put this in the background,” she might!

How do you relate to Zach, the character you play?

We're both Asian and I think we are incredibly loyal to our friends. I am incredibly loyal to my friends and people I love, almost to a fault because I wear my heart on my sleeve. We are both such observers in conversations, we just sit there and let our friends talk and get everything out, without judgment. To be able to answer if they're looking for one but if they're not looking for one we're just happy to listen and observe. I think that's how we're very similar. I would kill to be as insightful and read as many books as Zach.

Left Jacket and necklace Simone Rocha

Right Shorts DSQUARED, shoes Diesel 

The show and the book treat the complexities of teenage murder, and consequential suicide, in a small town. What do you think it raises awareness on?

First, as a young audience, you can become aware of what the signs of behaviours such as grooming look like. And I think that this isn't just any suicide, it's a really important one because it's the suicide of someone of colour. You can see how race is portrayed in the media and by journalists in the show, where Salil is painted out to be a monster and because he isn’t white like Andie, his death is seen as more insignificant. I think that it is really important in current affairs right now to see how other races are portrayed in the media especially surrounding death or suicide, and the show highlighted people of colour in their tragedies as well.

That’s a really good point because it seems like his suicide is literally just a background happening and that it's not as important, because he's just seen as this evil person. But we have to remember that his death is also a loss for a family. Colourism really plays an important part in how the media treats crime.

Exactly, they dehumanise him because he's a Brown guy and they suspect him to be the killer so quickly without really looking into it, which I think is very accurate to how real society functions. They had to look into this murder to find out that the Brown boy was innocent and you see the change in people's attitudes, people who jumped the gun and considered the Brown guy a monster. I think Holly's written it so well and done such justification, it's very heartwarming, for lack of a better term, or just a relief to see that being written down.

Left Full look Prada

Right Tunic Courrèges, necklace Sonia Petroff

Your outfit to the premiere was amazing, what goes into an outfit choice? Do you have any dream brands you want to collaborate with?

I enjoy fashion and styling. I try to bring personality into what I'm wearing so people can understand who I am as a person in my outfit. For the premiere, I wore a brand called FIX and Louis Vuitton. Hopefully, one day, I'll get to work with people like Vivienne Westwood, Maison Margiela, Céline, Thom Browne, or Gentle Monster.

And what do you do on your days off?

I really love going thrifting and going to markets. I'm really lucky that I get to do modelling abroad as well, so every time I go abroad I like to go around to the local markets and find really cool stuff.

Left Full look Celine Homme

Right Shorts DSQUARED, shoes Diesel

What roles do you hope to play in the future? Is there an actor’s career that you admire?

To work all around the world with directors and writers from every walk of life. I’m really excited that I've got my dual citizenship and I really want to be able to use that in my career moving forward. I would like to follow the same career path as Leonardo DiCaprio, he's got one of the biggest and most diverse bodies of work. Jesse Buckley, her talent on stage translates so well and the way she can swap that out and be a film actress is incredible. And Jodie Comer – I would kill to have an ear for accents like she does. 

Left Shorts DSQUARED, shoes Diesel

Right Jacket, pants, shoes and belt Celine Homme, gloves Paula Rowan

Interview by Gabrielle Valda Colas

Photography by Hanna Pallot

Fashion by Steven Huang

Casting ImageMachine CS

Grooming by Chad Maxwell

Photographer’s assistant Lauren Hillsdon

Stylist’s assistant Sabrina Leina

LIFT OFF

ARCHIE RENAUX IS ABOUT TO LAUNCH INTO THE STRATOSPHERE, QUITE LITERALLY, IN HIS LATEST ROLE AS TYLER IN THE NEW ALIEN: ROMULUS MOVIE, WHICH CENTRES AROUND AN INQUISITIVE GROUP OF 20-SOMETHING SPACE COLONISERS WHO DISCOVER AN ABANDONED SPACE STATION AND DISTURB A NIGHTMARISH NEST OF FACE HUGGERS, CHEST BURSTERS AND THE ICONICALLY MONSTROUS XENOMORPH. IT’S NOT THE ACTOR’S FIRST JOURNEY INTO ORBIT, HAVING PLAYED ALEX IN THE 2021 FILM, VOYAGERS, WHICH HE THEN FOLLOWED UP WITH AN APPEARANCE AS MAL, THE ENIGMATIC SOLDIER WITH A MYSTERIOUS PAST IN THE HIT NETFLIX FANTASY SERIES SHADOW AND BONE. AS THE CHARISMATICALLY GROUNDED BRITISH ACTOR’S STAR CONTINUES TO RISE, THE QUESTION IS, WHERE ON EARTH DOES HE GO FROM HERE?

Hey Archie! Let’s talk about face huggers and chest busters, as of course, you’re starring as Tyler in Alien: Romulus. This movie is passing the torch to a new generation of Alien stars. How would you sum up your character?

He lives on a colony with his sibling Kay, in a group of young adults who are trying to find a better life for themselves, as the colony has low life expectancy with lots of new diseases and there’s no daylight. So, Tyler and his cousins Bjorn and Navarro discover an opportunity to get to a planet with a better quality of life; and Tyler is the captain of the crew, orchestrating a plan of how to get there.

Preparing for this movie must have been a dream…

Completely, just getting to watch all the Alien films, not hard work at all! [Laughs]

I just wanted to get the feel of what Alien represents and means to people, and how to capture that tone and make it my own, as it needs to be familiar to audiences, but you also need to have your own stamp on the character. In the other Alien films, the characters were marines, but in this film, none of us have any combat experience, so it’s interesting to see how that plays out.

Left Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello 

Right Full look Paul Smith 

Was there any training for this role then?

We had a few stunts to rehearse, and there’s a zero-gravity scene where we’re on wires and you’ve got to have good core strength for that, to really sell to the audience that you’re weightless in space. So, we had a few weeks of training for that, and it was a learning experience, as you really need to find your balance, otherwise one wrong move and you tip one way and end up spinning around on the wire!

What’s your first memory of seeing the original movie, and did that instigate a fear of aliens or a total love of them?

I watched the film with my dad, and I loved it, but I was probably too young when I saw it, maybe 8 or 9 years old, and I remember him saying to me, “Don’t tell your mum that I let you stay up and watch this.” [Laughs] Now, having revisited the film as an adult, I realise how pioneering it was for its genre, especially with Sigourney Weaver paving the way for women to play an action hero rather than a damsel in distress, which was often the case in movies back then.

Sweater Comme Des Garçons Homme Plus , denim Levi's 

That must have blown your mind a little, having watched the original with your dad all those years ago, and now here you are, part of the next chapter in that iconic movie franchise.

To be a part of this legacy is surreal, and for my dad, it’s also building on something he and my mum loved, as they both watched the original movie together. My dad has also told all his mates I’m in the film, so he’s amazed and proud!

How was it when you saw the iconic Xenomorph for the first time? Was there a real heightened moment of proper horror?

It was like seeing a celebrity! It was amazing within the narrative of the film, which was shot chronologically, to have all these practical effects, certainly with the Xenomorph, face huggers and chest bursters. It helped with following the narrative of the film, as you don’t have to pretend or imagine, it’s all there. It was the best immersive alien experience anyone could ever wish for.

Speaking of which, the director Fede Álvarez revealed that he used sound effects to frighten you all in the cast while filming. How did that play out and did it help you find the character more in your scenes?

Well, not so much frighten us, but he did have this big speaker, and he would play the noise of the Xenomorph through it, and other details like the sound of the spaceship docking. It all helped to really feel part of it without using any green screen, like having to talk to a tennis ball and pretend it’s someone!

Left Full look Balenciaga 

Right Full look Sean Suen

How was it shooting on a soundstage in Budapest?  It must have felt such a contrast to anything you’ve done before because the scale of this movie is so huge.

It was so intense! We had to come out of the soundstage every now and then, as it’s so dark in there and your body clock gets all messed up, so you need sunlight and fresh air.

What about costumes and props, how did they help inform your character? Will we see you wearing any Sigourney-esque Reebok Alien Stompers?

All my costumes were very rugged! They felt very lived in and my character works as a miner, so his clothes are quite worn and distressed, and I had to wear a gilet that I loved. Most of the costumes we’re all wearing are very similar to the sort of things you’ve seen in the other Alien movies, which fit in with the set design too, as this movie is set in between the first one and the second, so there’s a very 1980s feel to it, like stepping back in time, for me anyway!


Now you’re making me feel old. Talking about time passing and style, watches… I heard that you’re a real collector of fancy wrist pieces.

As a kid, I remember my dad showing me some of the pricey designer watches when we were on holiday once, and he said, “You’re doing well if you can afford one of those.” So then, I became fascinated by them, and the untouchability of them, and now I’m lucky to own a couple for myself. But it’s also the design, mechanics and engineering of these watches that fascinates me and they’re like an extension of your personality. I also like watches inspired by my favourite TV or movie characters, like Del Boy would wear an ‘80s yellow gold timepiece, and Tony Soprano wears a Rolex Day Date 36, which I would love to own!

Del Boy and Rodney became millionaires, thanks to a vintage watch they found in a garage. So, keep collecting…

Exactly, you’ll see me one day on Antiques Roadshow with my vintage collection! [Laughs]

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Ok, this is getting too geeky. Speaking of which, there is a cult Alien fanbase who will want to know any behind-the-scenes gossip or facts about this new film. So, did you discover anything revealing about the filming experience or aliens in general?

Put me on the spot, why don’t you!! Well, what you see in the original Alien movie with the Xenomorph is exactly what you see in this one, in terms of the animatronic version, the puppetry version, and a guy in the suit version when more specific movements were required. Each one has its own purpose, be that for more speed, or to be more menacing, is that factual or interesting enough for you? Well, I think that’s exciting to know, quite geeky!

How about an alien group chat, not literally, but between you and the rest of the cast – what kind of stuff do you all send one another?

Haha! Well yes, we do have a group chat, and I’m probably the one who sends all the memes still! It was good to have the chat to bond while filming in Budapest for ⅘ months, and there was a real camaraderie between us all, a bit like that scene in the original Alien movie, where they’re all sat around eating and chatting, telling stories!

Left Full look Miu Miu 

Right Full look Prada 

How was it doing the promo trail for the film at Comic-Con? I imagine there were plenty of fans dressed casually in face-hugger masks?

It was daunting but exciting, and we all know how much the franchise means to people, and I think fans will really enjoy this film. Seeing the reactions there was great, and they were all given face-hugger masks at the end of the panel discussion, so afterwards when we were leaving, there were all these people walking along the streets with face-huggers wrapped around their heads, so funny!

This movie is not your first time doing sci-fi. It must be interesting to see the similarities and differences between the projects you’ve worked on. Does the genre agree with your sensibilities?

I am drawn to sci-fi, in fact, I’m fascinated by it, like the, ‘What if?’ scenarios; are there aliens out there…? These kinds of films and shows deal with real-life subjects because there are people researching if we can colonise Mars and find new home planets. So yes, I love the genre.

You’ve done rom-coms too and more recently starred in the TV drama The Jetty, but is there a role you would love to play, maybe an indie?

Well, I’ve just done a project where I’m playing a character that was a challenge and someone quite far away from who I am, in terms of relatability, which I can’t give anything away about! I think the weirder a character is, and the more thought-provoking, the more they’re on my radar to play. I’m also starting up a production company with my friend who is a great writer, so there are ideas floating around behind the scenes and we’re hoping in the next couple of years they’ll start to take off.

What about making something for your daughter? You’re a dad, that must influence and inspire the sort of projects you want to personally make or put out there?

Completely. I would love to voice a character in a kid’s movie before she gets too old to watch those kinds of films. I would also like to make something meaningful and sweet, like Tim Burton’s Big Fish, which I watched the other day; I love the relationship between Ewan McGregor and his dad, there are similarities to me and my dad in that, so it was quite an emotional viewing experience. I want to make something beautiful that my daughter can one day relate to.

…

Discover the full story in our upcoming FW24 Issue - release next End-October.

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Jonas Huckstorf

Fashion by Ingo Narhwold

Casting by Imagemachine cs

Production by Lauren Sloan at Lalaland Group

Grooming by Nao Kawakami at The Wall Group

Video Operator Max Buchheim

Post Production by Nitty Gritty Berlin

Post Production Video Trey Studio

Photographer’s assistant Emil Dietrich

Production assistant Bea Hatcher at Lalaland Group

GIVING THE WORLD

NEWCOMER ZAIN IQBAL SAYS THAT STARRING IN BBC’S SERIES A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER HAS BEEN MORE THAN JUST A GREAT WAY INTO THE INDUSTRY. FOR THE MANCUNIAN ACTOR, GETTING TO PORTRAY A ROMANTIC LEAD AS A SOUTH ASIAN MAN CARRIES A LOT OF MEANING AND OPENS A PATH FOR HIS PEERS TO BROADEN THE NUANCED REPRESENTATION IN THE MEDIA FURTHER. THE SHOW, BASED ON A BEST-SELLING MYSTERY NOVEL BY HOLLY JACKSON, FOLLOWS THE STORY OF PIP, AN INQUISITIVE TEEN INVESTIGATING THE MURDER CASE FROM HER TOWN AND CREATING A BOND WITH IQBAL’S CHARACTER, RAVI, IN THE PROCESS. A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE THE SHOW’S RELEASE, WE CAUGHT UP WITH IQBAL TO TALK ABOUT THE SERIES’ APPROACH TO DIVERSITY, GROWING UP WITH THE SOUND OF WESTERNS AND BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS BY HIS CO-STAR, EMMA MYERS.

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A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is your breakout role. What drew you to this story?

 I mean, first of all, for someone that looks like me, this part is gold – we don’t get opportunities like these often. I’m sure that many Asian actors were after this project because it’s a sweet romantic lead and we’re not [usually] written like that. So just in terms of representation, this feels quite big. 

 

Especially since the representation doesn’t seem to be the point of the show. The diversity is simply there.

 Yeah. It’s weaved in there but it’s not about that. The show touches on a variety of subjects – race, drugs, sexual assault, and the way that kids our age deal with it. Also, it’s just a well-written story, in my opinion.

Left Full look Miu Miu

Right Full look Dior Men

 Which aspects of Ravi’s personality did you relate to the most?

 I think I’m quite a generous person – I can give the world to people. And I feel like I can relate to Ravi in that way. That said, I’ve not been through it like Ravi has. He’s had a hard time and a lot of struggle. But despite that, he’s kind, sweet, humble and friendly.

 

As this is your first big role, did you feel a lot of pressure throughout the process to get it right?

 I thought I would but there was so much going on that I didn’t really have the time to think or worry about it – I just wanted to get it done. Also, having the rest of the cast and crew believe in me gave me the confidence to think I could do it. 

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Right Full look Prada

 The show’s lead, Emma Myers, plays a teen who’s obsessed with solving a mysterious case. In your personal life, are you a fan of watching crime shows?

 Have you seen the first season of True Detective with Matthew McConaughey?

 

I did!

 I loved everything about that! The story, the performances, the interrogation room scenes mixed with flashbacks to the scenes of crime… I find it fascinating to look at all the links and details and see how they all tie together.

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 A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is based on a best-selling book which a couple of years ago blew up on TikTok. Have you ever found a book you loved through the app?

 I’m not really on TikTok but Emma did recommend me a book called Tender Is the Flesh, and I heard that it was quite big on there. I loved it! It’s based in this post-pandemic dystopian world, where people resort to eating other humans.

 

What are your earliest memories of movies or TV shows that you have connected with as a child?

 The first thing I remember seeing in the cinema was Spiderman 2 with Tobey Maguire. Also, there’d be a lot of classics on in the house all the time, you know, the classic movie channels you get on Sky. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is one that I remember so well. You know those classic Western movies sounds?

Left Full look Loro Piana

Right Full look Dior Men

 Yes!

 They were the soundtrack to my childhood in a way. 

 

Last one – what’s your hidden talent? Any skills you’re proud of?

 Well, I’m double-jointed so I can bend my arms both ways! I’m also a left-handed Gemini which apparently is a common thing for us. I’ve met a lot of Geminis that are left-handed and I think they’re very special people. Including me. [Laughs]

…

Discover the full story in our upcoming FW24 Issue - release next End-October.

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Amber Derrick

Fashion by Steven Huang

 Casting by IMAGEMACHINE Cs

Production by Sundial Li

Grooming by Tarik Bennafla at Stella Creative Artists

Set Design by Maf Ramirez

Photographer’s assistants Alex Sievers & Maya Aska

Stylist’s assistant Aaishah Perager

Set Designer’s assistant Jollibeth Soto

ON THE CASE

AFTER GRACING OUR SCREENS IN WEDNESDAY AS THE EAGER WEREWOLF ROOMMATE, EMMA MYERS CONTINUES TO EXPLORE THE MYSTERY GENRE AS A YOUNG DETECTIVE IN A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER.   BASED ON THE BEST-SELLING NOVEL SERIES, MYERS PLAYS PIPPA, A DETERMINED AND SELF-APPOINTED INVESTIGATOR WHO IS SET ON RESOLVING HER TOWN’S TRAGIC MURDER CASE FOR A HIGH-SCHOOL PROJECT. WHILE SHE HAD LITTLE TIME TO NAIL HER ACCENT AS A BRIT, EMMA ADMITS THAT SHE AND HER CHARACTER HAVE A LOT MORE IN COMMON THAN ANY OF THE ROLES SHE PREVIOUSLY PLAYED, WHICH PROVED TO BE MORE OF A CHALLENGE FOR HER AND LED HER TO READ THE BOOKS 4 TIMES, IN TRUE BOOKWORM FASHION. WE SAT WITH EMMA TO DISCUSS THE COMPLEX THEMES OF THE BBC AND NETFLIX, AND HOW LORD OF THE RINGS AND K-POP GROUP SEVENTEEN HAVE INFLUENCED HER LIFE.

Hi Emma, nice to meet you! How are you doing? I hear you’re in Dublin.

I am in Dublin! Shooting season 2 of Wednesday right now, so super busy but very excited. 

How's the filming going?

I can tell you that I love the script so much this season, there’s definitely gonna be a lot of fun stuff to look forward to, but that’s about all I'm allowed to say or else I’ll end up on the news.


Were you a Tim Burton fan before getting onto the project?

Oh yeah! Huge Tim Burton fan. I grew up watching his movies and I feel like he was a huge part of my childhood. When I heard that he was doing this, I was so excited. And flash forward to booking it, it's just kind of a crazy dream come true, shooting with a director of films you’ve been watching since you were a kid, it’s such a crazy weird feeling.  

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At just 22, you’ve got an array of acting gigs and roles already. How did you fall in love with this craft? 

I was a huge Lord of the Rings fan, I loved fantasy movies and books, and I remember that Peter Jackson used to release the behind-the-scenes videos from the shooting of the Lord of the Rings movies –I remember watching them and being like, “Ugh, that’s what I wanna do. That's what I wanna do so bad!”. So that’s been plan A from the beginning. Being an actor is always what I wanted to do. And it's worked out so far.

Being an introvert, how has acting helped you?

I’m definitely still introverted, but I think acting, especially because your job is being surrounded by people 24/7, helps to have better people and communication skills. You always have to be talking to someone you don’t know because it's part of the job. It’s definitely helped with my social skills a little bit.

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Let’s talk about Netflix’s upcoming show A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. You play the role of the series’ protagonist Pippa who we often watch solo exploring gloomy and forbidden areas. Do you have any favourite moments that you shot?

The ones that stuck with me were the Hastings party from the first episode, the scene in the chemistry lab with Max and Naomi, and then all the scenes that we did in the police station with Dan Da`Silva and Elliot – those were so fun to shoot. 

You had to change your accent, how did you prepare for that? 

I had a dialect coach. Honestly, I didn’t have long to prepare because I joined so late.  We had about 2 weeks before filming to get the accent down, which was the trickiest bit of this job. But we worked with my dialect coach together twice a week, and she was always on speed dial if I needed anything. I also had an entire English cast and crew who could help me out if I needed help figuring out how to say certain things.

Left Full look Lacoste

Right Full look Miu Miu

 I thought it was interesting that whilst your family life was getting out of control, one thing that Pip always kept on track was resolving the case. How would you say Pip has used the case as a form of escapism?

I think at first, it starts off as just a school project, she’s not really thinking that much about it, she’s thinking it’ll be interesting enough to get into a university. But as it goes on and she gets more involved in it and she finds out that the people she knows in real life are actually involved in it, that’s when it starts to become more personal for her. She definitely uses it as an escape from her own personal life, but really, she’s not escaping much because she’s just as involved in that as she is in her own family life. I don’t think it does her any good.

Full look Lacoste

She’s so intrinsically linked to the murder, so she’s not escaping from anything in the end. And with what happened to Barney, I think it was at that moment that Pip realised the danger and the gravity of the situation she’d gotten engaged in.

I think you can feel so far away from something and think, “This can never happen to me,”  until it does. And that’s where Pip runs into some trouble as she thinks it's so far from her, it's whatever, it's not a big deal. Yet she ignores all the warnings she gets and then ends up losing her dog as a result of it. And this is a turning point for her, realising that this is very real stuff happening and at any given time it could turn onto her. That is a very pivotal moment and I think the show portrayed it in the right way.


The show depicts and explores the topics of grooming and suicide. Why do you think it's important to discuss these issues on television in a teen show?

Well, I think that a lot of the time TV shows and movies struggle not only with bringing light to situations, but they sometimes end up glorifying it. We didn’t wanna do that in the show. These are very real things that happen and people think, “Oh, that only happens on TV or in movies,” and you think it’s never gonna happen to you till it does happen to you, and I think it's good to have these things you show people, real situations that happen, and don’t take them too lightly. They’re very serious topics and it's good to draw attention to them without glorifying them for entertainment.

Full look Lacoste

And the way they approached it was done in a way where it made sense, without coming off as gimmicky. How would you say playing Pip challenged you as an actor? 

Pip is a lot different to any character I’ve played before, she’s a lot more like myself. And maybe you think it should be easier to play somebody that’s a lot like you, when actually, it is a lot harder. It definitely challenged me, this whole script has challenged me, this job has challenged me.  It challenges your mindset, your work ethic and how much you actually want to do this job. But it’s been such a great time, I’m so glad I did it. I’m glad for the things you have to think about when you play these sorts of roles. Pip has really brought me a lot in my life to think about.

The show was filmed in the UK. Did you experience any culture shock when moving to the UK? What did you miss the most about the US?

I miss ice, man, in my water. I miss iced drinks. That is the thing that kills me. It gets hot in the summer, I mean I’m from Florida so it's not as hot, but it does get hot and nobody drinks over here. And when you ask, they look at you like you’re an idiot, when it’s literally boiling outside. 


You’re into K-pop – who’s your ult and how did you get into it?

Seventeen is my ult. And I got into K-pop… Well, when me and my best friend were 15, back in 2017, there was a cover of Charlie Puth by Jungkjook and Jimin, and I remember watching it and that opened the door. We got into Seventeen and it's been going strong ever since.

Left Full look Prada

Right Full look Lacoste

I feel like that era of BTS was everyone’s gateway into K-pop, like when DNA came out…

Exactly, I think when DNA came out that was the first K-pop music video I’ve ever watched, me and my best friend were like, “ What is this, what’s going on?”

And then you start to watch all the lives and you can’t stop obsessing…

You watch all the shows and all the fun YouTube compilations. I remember I was doing the K-pop stuff when you couldn’t get the English translations for anything, you had to wait a week. I’m a veteran.

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What’s the best advice K-pop has taught you?

I wouldn’t say K-pop in general, I would say Seventeen specifically. They are such genuine people, I’ve met them and they are the sweetest guys ever – they really go to show you that no matter how famous you are, no matter what you do for a living, you just have to be kind to everybody. You can tell that they're such genuine people and they treated me with such kindness, and I would definitely say that Seventeen has been the most authentic group I’ve encountered.


But I guess that's why we as fans latch onto certain groups, because of their humility and kindness, it’s rare to see that in the industry.

Who’s your ult?


It varies, but I’ve always loved 2NE1 and Sistar.

Oh, I love 2NE1 and Sistar!


Are there any other projects or roles that you’re getting into?

I just finished filming Minecraft with Jack Black and Jason Momoa. We had a great time filming that, of course, if you’ve ever played Minecraft, you know that it’s based on a video game, I’m really excited about that.

Full looks Lacoste

Interview by Gabrielle Valda Colas

Photography by Emilia Staugaard

Fashion by Steven Huang

Casting by ImageMachine CS

EIC Michael Marson

Hair by Hiroki Kojima at Caren using Sam Mcknight

Make-Up by Maria Comparetto

Photographer’s assistant Andrea Brandt

Stylist’s assistant Daisy Hewett

BRACE YOURSELF

IT’S GAME ON FOR ANTHONY RAMOS, THE PUERTO RICAN-BROOKLYN RAISED ACTOR WHO’S GONE SO WORLDWIDE THAT IT’S HARD TO PIN HIM DOWN FOR A ZOOM CALL THESE DAYS. THE BREAKOUT STAR OF MANUEL-MIRANDA’S STAGE HIT  HAMILTON AND MUSIC ROM-COM IN THE HEIGHTS, WHOSE APPEARANCES ALSO INCLUDE PLAYING LADY GAGA’S BESTIE IN A STAR IS BORN AND HUMAN PROTAGONIST NOAH DIAZ IN TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS, CANNOT BE STOPPED. NEXT, HE’S LITERALLY WHIPPING UP A STORM AS JAVI IN THE DISASTER SEQUEL MOVIE TWISTERS AND TAKING THE MUCH-LOVED ANIMATED CHARACTER BOB THE BUILDER TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL. WE GOT ON A CALL WITH RAMOS TO TALK ABOUT CHASING DREAMS, FIRST LOVES AND FLYING COWS.

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Let’s talk Twisters, the follow-up movie to the ‘90s hit flick, in which you play Javi, a storm chaser. I imagine working with director Lee Isaac Chung was the big draw for you, as he’s brilliant at building the heart and soul between characters. How did that play out for you with this movie, working alongside Glen [Powell] and Daisy [Edgar-Jones], in helping to shape your character?

Before we started shooting, I really felt that I was going to learn so much from Isaac and grow as an actor, and he was going to bring the best out of all of us, and he confirmed that to me times ten! He can make a big movie feel small, like an indie, treating it with love and attention and caring about the characters so deeply, like you do when you’ve got no budget, because the characters are really all you’ve got to hold the movie, no special effects and all that. 

Javi, my character, wasn’t on the page when I first read for the film as I was auditioning for the part of Tyler originally. Then after reading for Javi, who used to be called Nathan, I realised he wasn’t as prominent on the page, not like he’s ended up being in the movie, as I told Isaac that I could do something really dope with the part, and we could expand the role and explore more ideas and possibilities for the character. 

Well, this movie may have an indie heart, but it’s got a blockbuster budget with all the CGI-filled action. What was it really like being part of storm chaser culture in Tornado Valley?

We were right there, slap bang in the middle of it all, with weird things happening like the sky would suddenly turn green, and when I first arrived in Oklahoma for a costume fitting, I was sitting with Isaac having dinner, and suddenly the windows started rattling in the hotel. I looked at him and said, “Yo, bro, is that normal, that shit is rattlin’.” He looked at me and said, “Yeah, I guess so”, and then he’s offering me water like, “Still or sparkling?” It was so crazy!! [Laughs]

Sweater & pants Isabel Marant, necklace Krewe

Did you hang out with real storm chasers too?

Yes, and we had some on set, one guy called Sean, who works for Oklahoma University, where they have the biggest meteorology set up in the US. Meeting him was the first time outside of this movie we’re making that I realised people do this for a living, you know, being a storm chaser, this is his actual job, collecting data and waiting around, sometimes for days, weeks, until something happens.

I guess when a flying cow appears, that’s the signal a storm is coming.

Haha! When the cow starts flying, you know some shit’s going down! Follow the flying cow! [Laughs]

Had you seen the original ‘90s movie, with flying cows, before you signed up for this follow-up?

I only saw the original a month into filming, as we all watched it at a movie theatre the director rented. Our movie is just as scary, terrifying in parts but thrilling, and heartfelt and fun too. I love that we get to be the second part in this franchise, and I hope we get to make more, and explore how far and deep we can go into this storm chasing world. 

You’ve played a mix of characters now throughout your career, from theatre to film, and along the way there must have been great mentors who helped build your confidence as an actor and performer?

Mentorship in my life has been so pivotal, from my teachers to my uncle who I’ve just been hanging with today, just connecting with family and people that know and love me and really have my best interests at heart, that feeds my soul, and I can bring it to my work. 

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And being part of seeing your community and culture represented on screen too, with starring in Hamilton and In the Heights, that must feed the soul and give you the drive to keep perfecting your craft and the confidence to keep achieving your goals?

I’m Puerto Rican from New York, Bushwick, the hood, and the odds of someone like me achieving what I have are like zero. To be able to do this for real and give hope to kids like me is so important, and to have role models like I did when I was 10 years old. I had actors like Rick Gonzalez and a few others to look up to, who played the lead role in different things, and they gave me hope to think maybe I could do that. I’m in a pool of Latino actors that are expanding the industry, and I feel really blessed to be a part of it all.

Speaking of giving young kids hope, you have a great relationship with Opening Act NY, who provide free theatre programs for underprivileged kids to achieve their dreams. What about bringing success stories, like your own, to the big screen yourself, from behind the camera?

Yes definitely, I think directing is next for me, I’ve been really feeling a desire to do it, it’s the next big mountain I want to climb. I’m actively looking for stories that I connect with and I’m really looking forward to diving into a script. 

And are there directors you’ve really enjoyed working with who have inspired you with their own process?

Totally, I want to work with Spielberg again, he’s produced three movies I’ve been in, and Reinaldo Marcus Green and Jon Chu. Karena Evans is also a young director I worked with on a music video, I think she’s incredible, and I want to do something more longform with her.


Suit & shirt Fendi, sunglasses Jacques Marie Mage, shoes Sebago

You’re also producing and voicing the lead character in the big screen debut of Bob the Builder; you must be excited about this fresh take on such a beloved animated character?

It’s so dope to be a part of this, and I’m super involved with the soundtrack too - I’m already talking to my friends in the industry to come up with songs for it. To be able to play, voice and reinvent this lead character that everyone’s grown up with over the years is amazing, as he’s been one thing for so long. Now it’s Bob the Builder 2.0, let’s take him to another level!

What about Bob’s get-up, he’s been in those same dungarees and shirt for so long, he needs a style revamp. Can we fix it? “Yes, we can!”

Well, he’s gonna look like a builder, not like he just walked off the runway, but trust me, Bob’s gonna look fly in this movie!

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You mention music, and of course besides theatre and movies, you’re also a musician. Is music your first love? What are your earliest memories of making music?

It started in junior high school, I was in a group with my friends, and we would sing songs by a group called The Temptations in school assembly, and it was my first introduction to performing. I also did improv shows during the holidays with my cousins for our families, like you do! and that’s how I ended up in musical theatre school eventually. 

Then you got a record deal after taking the world by storm in Hamilton, and later became a mentor on The Voice US. This is a show you auditioned for originally, and there you are, as the star giving advice to hopefuls. Life moves in mysterious ways, right?

It’s wild. I waited out in the cold to audition for that show and the bottoms of my feet were hurting so much for months because I wore the most uncomfortable shoes in the blistering chill of winter! I didn’t even make it past the first round, and all these years later there I am being a mentor for Reba’s team, and the guy we mentored eventually won, it’s crazy how things go.

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Artistically, what does music give you that acting does not?

When you go into a studio, you have complete control over what that song becomes, nobody tells you what it should be, and you start with a blank page but leave the studio with something, a melody or the words. There’s a part of music that’s mine, my vision, my story, I can sing it and express myself how I want, unless you’re writing for someone else, then you try and tap into their heart and whatever’s going on with them. So, it’s cool being a songwriter but also an artist, and having those two things be equally synonymous and separate when they need to be, and often the inspiration for me, comes from helping other people. It’s dope, with acting you get a script and there are so many other opinions and control, but with music it’s about what you want to say and how you want to say it.

If you had to choose a song that describes where you are in your life right now, what would it be?

Wow, what a great question! Adoption Song by Brandon Lake sums up where I feel I am in my life right now. Accepting all the things that God has told me I am, and not believing anything other than that. I also wrote a song called Don’t Wait for Yesterday, it might be my next single release, and that title is a message to myself, and everyone really.

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Discover the full story in our upcoming FW24 Issue - release next End-October.

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Doug Inglish

Fashion by Andrew T. Vottero

Casting by ImageMachine CS

Grooming by Galaxy San Juan

SENSE OF BELONGING

IT’S HARD TO TOP ALIEN EROTICA-ENTHUSIAST AS YOUR BREAKOUT ROLE, BUT TANYA REYNOLD’S TURN AS TV HIT SEX EDUCATION’S SCI-FI-LOVING LILY IGLEHART WAS THE SPRINGBOARD FOR EVEN MORE EYEBROW-RAISING CHARACTERS SUCH AS THE PRETENTIOUS AND VULGAR MRS ELTON IN AUTUMN DE WILDE'S JANE AUSTEN ADAPTATION, EMMA; AND AS CHARLIE IN THE TV SITCOM, I HATE YOU, IN WHICH SHE SAYS THINGS LIKE, “GET READY TO HAVE YOUR MIND AND TITS BLOWN.” DON’T EXPECT ANYTHING LESS THAN SPIKY IN HER NEXT APPEARANCE AS LOYAL-BUT-NOT-REALLY SERVANT LICISCA IN THE PERIOD DRAMEDY FROM NETFLIX, THE DECAMERON, SET IN THE 14TH CENTURY AND LOOSELY BASED ON THE COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES BY BOCCACCIO. REYNOLDS IS ALSO NO STRANGER TO THE STAGE, HAVING STARRED IN SCENES WITH GIRLS AT THE ROYAL COURT, AND A MIRROR IN THE WEST END, FOR WHICH SHE RECEIVED AN OLIVIER AWARD NOMINATION FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS. HERE, SHE TELLS US ABOUT PLAYING OUTSIDERS, SHABBY CHIC AND THE BOOK THAT CHANGED HER LIFE.

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In The Decameron, the characters within it are like the free-thinking punk rockers of their generation, but aside from all the debauchery, it’s a story about a time and place and the human stories behind it.  Would you agree?

 Yes, because it’s about a group of supposedly civilised people and what happens when they all believe they’re going to die quite soon, and having lost so many loved ones, you see some of them have this desperate scrambling for power, the need to survive at whatever cost; whereas others are like, “Fuck it, we’re all going to die, so I’m just going to do what I like in the time I have left!” As a group, through all the varied circumstances that brought them together, and their desires and fears, they realise at their heart, they’re not that wildly different from one another.

 

You play Licisca, she’s a devoted servant, but quite cunning and outrageous and maybe the heroine of the day. How would you describe her?

 She’s spent her whole life working as a servant, devoted to this family and doesn’t know any other life. Gradually, the family die from the plague, and she’s left with her least favourite member, Filomena, having lost the only person she loved, Eduardo, the household master. She and Filomena travel to the villa [Villa Santa] and feeling like she has nothing left to live for and sick of being a servant, she makes a snap decision and then ends up on this journey of freedom. She’s unshackled from the chains that have bound her and she embraces that wholeheartedly. She’s mischievous, cunning and outrageous with a heart of bronze, and she’s real, in that at her core, she’s a good person, but she’s messy and complicated and makes the wrong choices and can be selfish, just like anyone!

 Dress Alberta Ferretti, underwear What Katie Did, shoes Prada, earrings Butler & Wilson

 Was it fun to play her, because there’s a myth that female characters have to be likeable… and she is, but she’s also unpredictable…

 I loved playing her! It was so much fun for that exact reason, because she’s not likeable all the time, and I think that’s what makes the character, because nobody is likeable all the time. Human beings are messy and complicated and sometimes hypocritical and contradictory, and we make mistakes, and we all have spiky and soft sides, and she’s all those things as she’s had a tough life. She can be defensive and out for herself and has her quirks, but she’s a good person, and I would trust her. She doesn’t mean to hurt anyone unless they’re a baddie! 

 

We’ve seen this format of a bunch of rich people living in mansions with servants before. But this puts an entirely new spin on it for modern audiences with some interesting ideas and personas. It makes you think and then rethink what’s going on, did you feel that reading the script?

 I loved when I was reading the script, how you feel you’re going in a certain direction, and then the script would do a hard left turn, and suddenly you end up somewhere you really weren’t anticipating at all. I think that’s what is exciting about the writing and the show as you feel you’re maybe getting one thing, and you end up with many more things you weren’t expecting. I think on the surface the show can look like a kooky period dramedy, but it goes so much deeper.

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 The stories of these individual characters and their relationships with each other deliver some great moments and dialogue. Were there any pairings you could relate to or resonate with personally, in terms of the dynamic?

 There’s a moment in episode five, where Filomena says to my character, “Why aren’t you scared,” and Licisca says, “Of course I’m scared, I’m terrified”, and Filomena replies, “You’re taking up all of the fear, there’s none left for me.” There is an energy in that conversation that I think a lot of people will relate to; when you’re with someone who is very raw with their emotions and you end up appearing a lot more stoic than you feel, having to counter that person’s terror and anxiety by being rational and calm, even though you don’t really feel that way.

 It’s obviously set in a time around the black death, and now we’ve all lived through a pandemic and experienced that cabin fever setting in, this take on Boccaccio’s short stories will be even more relatable with modern audiences.

 Yes, we’re all freshly familiar with that feeling of tip-toeing on the verge of madness, when you’re forced to remain indoors and it’s terrifying and people are dying. This show takes a bunch of rich people to a villa in the countryside to wait it out, who try to make something positive out of a terrifying thing, turning it into a holiday almost, because they have the means to. I think people will relate on many different levels.

Dress, gloves & shoes Givenchy, tights Falke

 I couldn’t help but think that Lily, your much-loved character from Sex Education, would’ve absolutely loved being stuck indoors, probably doing cosplay or drawing erotic alien comics.

 Oh, Lily would’ve used the pandemic to write some incredible graphic novel about a virus wiping out the entire human race, and lone survivors going up to Mars and starting an alien society up there, she would’ve been perfectly happy sitting in her room! [Laughs]

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 Lily was always portrayed as the outsider, but she ended up being the show’s real eccentric. Do you find it more interesting to play the outsider in a role, as they’re always more complex and challenging?

 I love playing outsiders; someone who doesn’t feel comfortable in certain situations or environments, and outside of whatever society deems “normal”. I’ve always felt drawn to characters like that, on the outside looking in, and that’s how I’ve felt all my life, and I think everyone feels that way at some point. In fact, I think feeling like an outsider is completely normal, and there’s so much to mine from that experience of feeling like a fish out of water.

Knit Loro Piana, underwear What Katie Did, tights Falke, shoes Malone Souliers

 Is that maybe why your Instagram bio says, “awkward hugger”?

 Haha! I am an exceptionally awkward hugger! I feel like that description tells you everything you need to know, I’m that person where the greeting is going to be awkward and everything else following from that greeting will be awkward!

 

It’s hard to imagine that, as you’re so personable in real life, so I wanted to ask about theatre, because your play A Mirror, is like The Decameron in that the characters are not what they seem, with many layers. Whether it be a black comedy, or period drama, most of the roles you’ve played have engaged with people politics in some way. Is there a role or genre you’re hankering to try?

 

I don’t know if there is a particular genre, but it’s always about the script and if it’s exciting, or it thinks outside the box, or it’s a story that’s not been seen before, those are the things that really draw me in. I’ve been so lucky with the projects I’ve done, particularly A Mirror and The Decameron, as I had not seen anything like them, and couldn’t imagine what the final product would look like, as they were so well-written. That’s what made me want to go on the journey with both those characters and see where they end up. 

Dress Miu Miu, gloves Costume Studio, earrings Butler & Wilson, knee high stockings Falke, shoes Casadei

Between stage and screen, do you prefer the intimacy and instant reaction you get with a live audience?

 I love the instant reaction and there’s a lot about theatre that does suit my natural sensibilities more, like being in control of your own performance, putting blood, sweat and tears into it for the duration of the play, and then you go home, and you come back the next day and you can try it a bit differently, or rectify things that didn’t go as well the night before. I love that process of feeling like you’re constantly working on the same role and there’s a lot I love about working on screen too, but I think lots of actors start off in theatre, and that’s where their heart is.  

 

Speaking of hearts, which playwright is closest to yours?

 Sam Holcroft, who wrote the play A Mirror, She’s not only an extraordinary playwright and a kind, brilliant, funny, wonderful human being, but it’s fate that we worked together, as at the end of my drama school training, I chose one of her early and obscure plays as my showcase monologue for agents and casting directors, so it’s a beautiful 360 that I got to work with her.

 What about other passions outside of acting, I know you’re a bookworm, thanks to those brilliant recommendations you share on Instagram. What were your formative books, and are there any you feel helped you begin the journey you’re now on in life?

 Quiet by Susan Cain. It only came into my life a couple of years ago, but it really altered the way I see myself and the world for the better. It was the first extensive thing I read that said it’s ok to be quiet and introverted and that those qualities are strengths, whereas I had previously spent my life feeling that those things are weaknesses and I had to be a very different person. Now, thanks to that book, I realise having the ability to be quiet and listen rather than talk, is a superpower.

 

You’re a brilliant photographer too, with very mood-evoking imagery. How did you develop your interest and what’s your camera of choice?

 I got into it because I was a teenager with all sorts of feelings and I didn’t know how to express them, and I knew I wanted to do it creatively. My aunt is an amateur photographer who inspired me, and I had this tiny point-and-shoot digital camera, and I started taking pictures and just loved it. As I got older, I’ve just bought better cameras and eventually found this film camera in a second-hand shop and fell in love with shooting film photos. I love the slow pace and thinking about every frame and the excitement of getting them developed.

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 Is fashion a big interest for you? You really rocked that Bardot-style gown on the red carpet at the Olivier Awards, it was stunning! 

 Thank you! Well, I like fashion, but not in a way that’s “fashionable”, most of my clothes are second-hand and from places like Beyond Retro and none of them fit me properly, which is the way I like it. For my 30th birthday, I was thrown a surprise party where everyone had to come dressed as me, and it was a rude awakening, to say the least! [Laughs] Everyone looked really shabby, and I turned up, and having got over the initial shock of seeing all my loved ones together in one room, my next thought was, why does everyone look so terrible, and realised after, yes, that’s how I dress! So erm, fashion…. Let’s say, I know what I like. [Laughs]

Dress, gloves & shoes Givenchy, tights Falke

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by John Armour

Fashion by Michael Miller at Stella Creative Artists

Movement director Dianté Lodge

Hair by Jon Chapman at Carol Hayes using Hair Rituals by Sisley

Make-Up by Gina Kane at Carenm using Surratt Beauty

Photographers’assistant Myles Bailey

LIGHT FORCE

SPANISH-BRITISH ACTRESS, DAFNE KEEN, HAS MOVED FROM ONE FANTASTICAL UNIVERSE TO ANOTHER, FROM HER ROLE AS THE YOUNG MUTANT LAURA KINNEY / X-23 IN MARVEL’S LOGAN, TO PLAYING THE MUCH-LOVED LYRA BELACQUA IN THE BBC-HBO DRAMA HIS DARK MATERIALS. AND NOW, SHE’S OFF AGAIN, FAR, FAR AWAY, LIGHTSABRE’ING HER WAY INTO THE NEW STAR WARS PREQUEL SERIES, THE ACOLYTE ON DISNEY+, AS JEDI APPRENTICE JECKI, WHOSE LOOK MORE THAN CHANNELS 1970S DAVID BOWIE, ALBEIT A SHORTER VERSION WITH MINI HEAD HORNS.

THE 19-YEAR-OLD TALENT JOINED US ON ZOOM TO TALK ABOUT MAKEOVERS, PASSION PROJECTS AND WEIRD SONGS THAT SUM UP HER LIFE RIGHT NOW.

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So, we’re in the High Republic era of Star Wars, where the Jedi are the most powerful, and you’re playing Jecki Lon, a Jedi Padawan apprentice. Did Leslye (Headland) the showrunner give you more creative freedom to explore this character as it’s a time in the Star Wars story that hasn’t been explored before?

Leslye’s a very humble and collaborative director and very good at navigating others’ opinions and ideas, in a generous and thoughtful way. She’s good at saying no to you if an idea doesn’t fit the story, but also saying yes, and listening, as I was always giving my thoughts on why I thought Jecki might be saying or thinking something, so that was great to be in that space and be able to do that.
It also made it more fun as an actor to be able to play a role in this time that people haven’t seen before.

As Jecki’s a young Jedi, is the character’s arc going to be a coming-of-age story, thrust toward their purpose and fate in the Star Wars universe?

Well from what we’ve seen so far, in Jecki’s life, she’s been living in this temple for like 17 or 18 years and then she’s on this mission with her other Padawan friends and not aware about the enormity of what’s to come, and suddenly finds herself in this big situation, and we’re talking about the dark side. I hope I’ve done a good enough job with this role that it’s visible with Jecki that her life as she knows it, is changing.

Obviously, I’m going to ask you, probably for the millionth time like every other journo, about the Bowie similarities. Did you envision the character like that when you read the script?

Well, Leslye had initially told me when I first met with her that I’ll probably be an alien in the show. So, when I got to rehearsals and went into my costume fitting, and saw my character design for the first time, I looked human, like myself, just with short hair. So, I thought, they must have canned the alien idea. But then later I had my make-up test, and they had blocked out 2 hours for it, and then I saw all the prosthetics and wigs and horns, so that’s when I realised, yes, you are an alien! When Leslye and I saw my whole completed look together, we both instantly thought, David Bowie!

Then you blasted a Bowie playlist on set to get you in the mood?

Completely, because I realised the look really helped informed me who Jecki was in a way. She’s such a specific type of alien human hybrid, so having that little fun Bowie crutch to lean on made her more enjoyable to play.

Left Dress Simone Rocha, shoes Christian Dior, tights stylist’s own

Right Full look Christian Dior

You do also realise you’re going to be a Halloween costume and dress-up for fan conventions now forever!

Well, I hope so, brilliant!

I imagine working with prosthetics is great because you don’t have to have that fear and self-consciousness like actors do around what you visually look like on screen after finishing a film?

100%, especially as a young woman, your looks are always a topic of conversation, so having my vanity completely stripped away from me was so refreshing. I didn’t need to worry about how I looked or sounded because Jecki was a completely different person, well, alien, and totally not me. Everything that was characteristic to me was covered up, I had no eyebrows, it wasn’t my hair. It’s very easy as an actor to be vain and think about yourself, but there’s none of that in playback when you have prosthetics on, so I could just inhabit the character and not think about myself at all.

This series is also unapologetically female-centric with female producers and a female lead and cast. So, I don’t want to ask what excites you about breaking down those Star Wars barriers, but what excites you about breaking down those Star Wars barriers? [Laughs]

We unusually had a lot of heads of department that were women on this show, which is rare in crew, from costumers and first ADs to the camera crew and obviously Leslye writing and directing. It was so fun and incredible as a young woman to watch all these women behind the camera in positions of power, all navigating this typically male-dominated world and industry. I receive a lot of scripts, and the role is always for an “empowered woman” which is a character breakdown you just don’t get for men, and so with this show, one of the big things that drew me to it, was that it’s full of women in it and behind the scenes, but we didn’t have to acknowledge that, we didn’t need to make a point about it, it’s about the characters and the story.

Speaking of wielding power, you’ve worked on some great projects so far, what kind of role are you craving next, if you could veer off-road into uncharted territories?

I really want to do Indie films, and I did one after I wrapped Star Wars actually. There’s a different and fun energy on set and it works differently, and there is a real camaraderie between the actors and crew, because you don’t have the money and support like you do with making a big blockbuster movie.  I love the kinds of characters in Indies too, they’re gritty or they can be so fun or comically odd, I mean, I love the movie Three Colours Blue and Gena Rowlands in A Women Under the Influence, that type of character would be amazing to play.

Coat and shorts 16Arlington, tights stylist’s own, shoes Jacquemus, necklace Sweet Lime Juice

Your parents are both actors too, so growing up, did they inspire your rich love for the big screen?

My Mum had this rule that if I watch one bad film, I should make up for it by watching two good ones! [laughs], like watch a silent film and then an arthouse one or something! But both her and my dad told me I should watch Singing in the Rain, and after I saw it, that was my favourite movie for years, and it really inspired my passion for acting. As a kid, when I watched films, I didn’t see actors, I saw characters, but for the first time, I was so impressed by Gene Kelly as an actor, and Make ‘Em Laugh was the greatest feat of choreography, it impressed me so much. That film opened my eyes and world to actors and acting. I then watched Some Like It Hot and fell in love with Jack Lemmon and thought he was a genius. I learned more about the acting process from my parents too, as I was always around in their rehearsal rooms and my mum was also my acting coach for the first few years on set focusing just on my performance, like a school of acting just for me!

And you’re bilingual, as you were born in Madrid. So, what about doing a Spanish language movie in the future?

I would love to, I’ve never worked in Spanish, and Hispanic cinema and TV now is doing such an incredible job, and it’s so exciting as a Spanish person to see how it’s growing and evolving and being consumed internationally.

A lot of young actors like yourself are also moving more into producing their own projects, and setting up production companies, so that they get more of the opportunities they deserve – is that something you would like to do, to connect more with your craft while maybe amplifying issues or ideas you care about deeply?

I’ve always been a creative person, and acting is just one side of that. I like writing and making short films with friends and writing poetry and seeing art. I would love to be behind the camera more and direct in the future too. I’m already producing a project later this year and I’m in preparation for that. It’s fun to be in the position where I can have a say in the script and create a world around it.

Dress Dsquared2, tights and gloves stylist’s own

You mention art, does that interest play out in your writing or ideas for projects then?

Yes, with acting I know how they would have shot a scene or whatever, but with art it’s the unknown for me, imagining how something came to be, the creativity and story behind it. I like to draw from art and photography when I’m writing and planning, the colours, or moods, as it’s a great visual tool. I go to lots of exhibitions with a friend who is studying the history of art, and my appreciation of art and sculpture, comes from travelling a lot with my family, we would always visit museums and galleries.

I would imagine music is also a great tool.

Totally, I can’t exist without music! All my friends are musicians and I have playlists for all the characters I make as it helps with thinking about what that character would be listening to. So much that I do when I’m writing is informed by the music I’m listening to at that time, and it also helps me to process the world around me.

What’s on your playlist right now?

I’m listening to a lot of Jeff Buckley and then I’ll mix it up with Charli XCX or Billie Eilish. I have such a wide taste in music, I can go from the most niche and weird thing ever to the hottest track on Spotify! I love watching people walking around with headphones on and trying to imagine what they’re listening to, music can really change and effect you and the way you carry yourself, it’s always a way in as an actor.

Ok, so give me one song that perfectly sums up where you are in your life right now?

The Enchanted Sea by Martin Denny. It’s a weird choice, but it’s quite stimulating for my brain, the sound is playful and mysterious, like something’s brewing, undertones of this unknown story or world. It speaks to me being 19 years old, I can relate to it, because my world is growing and its unknown right now, but I’m starting to understand it more, which is part of life, but being so young I probably think I know more than I actually do!

And that takes us right back to Star Wars, and Jecki’s own life journey through the light and dark, the unknown. Bowie’s Starman will probably be her song choice though.

Exactly! [laughs]

Left Full look Fendi

Right Dress and shoes Jacquemus, tights stylist’s own

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Paul Whitfield

Fashion by Steven Huang

Hair by Josh Knight at A-Frame Agency using Oribe

Make-Up by Talia Sparrow at A-Frame Agency using Dior Beauty

Photographer’s assistant Luke Johnson

Stylist’s assistant Nathan Fox

NARCISSISTIC DESIRES

Arnaud Valois takes his characters to heart, so playing the tumultuous role of Yves Saint Laurent in Disney+ Becoming Karl Lagerfeld was no simple feat. Months of preparation studying the tastes, passions and demons allowed Valois to embody another side of the iconic French designer. Whilst it took him some time to re-adapt to normal life outside of the YSL aura, the actor explains that he lost the taste for acting, having been so consumed by this insurmountable role. Now more than ever, he is ready again to take on new challenges, go back to the front, and explore other creative ventures, both locally and internationally. BTB sat down with the Valois to discuss his interpretation of YSL, as well as the complexities of fame, loneliness and sophrology. 

Left Sweater Loewe

Right Tank top Prada, ring Messika

Hello Arnaud, how are you?

We just finished the press tour. It's been a really great marathon. It started with the Cannes Series Festival, where we presented the series as a world premiere. And then it just kept going. We sensed a lot of expectations for the series, so we gave it our all.

Fashion Week is on at the moment, do you have a busy schedule?

Yes! Right now, I'm on my way to the Louis Gabriel Nouchi show. 

What made you want to become an actor? It's a complex job that involves cutting into a lot of different parts of yourself.

I think it was a desire to play people other than myself. There was also a narcissistic desire, I really enjoyed it straight away. The idea of being watched, of putting yourself on stage, of playing other characters. But also to fight shyness and to learn how to be with other people. Strangely enough, no matter how good you feel on stage, you're not always at ease with people in real life. That's the paradox of being an actor.

Left Tank top and pants Prada, ring Messika

First right Sweater Loewe, shirt and jeans The Frankie Shop, socks Jimmy Lion, loafers Isabel Marant

Second right Sweater Loewe, top and jeans Givenchy, socks Jimmy Lion

It hasn't always been easy. What made you want to continue? 

Well, actually, I stopped. I started when I was 20, stopped when I was 26 and then started again when I was 27. What made me want to start again was when I was offered the role of Nathan in 120 Battements Par Minute. That really changed everything.


And it was a worldwide success. How did you feel at the time?

Very lucky, very surprised. We felt a certain responsibility for the story we were telling about these courageous people, most of whom are now dead, and I don't think we really expected the global impact it was going to have. We knew that there would be an audience for this film, but not to that extent. 


I read that when you put aside your desire to be an actor, you explored a career as a sophrologist. What did sophrology teach you about acting? 

I think it helps me with my acting because I'm more connected to my heart. But mostly, it helps me with the other moments like when I'm not shooting. It's easier for me to regain my energy, to find my centre, my focus in all of this. So that I don't get consumed by acting.

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How did you prepare for the role of Yves Saint Laurent? Both physically and mentally? 

I prepared by immersing myself completely in it. In all the biographies, extracts and archives. There was Raphaëlle Bacqué's book... well, it was about Karl but it was also about that time period. It was fascinating. I watched a lot of the films he liked to watch, and the music he liked to listen to. And, of course, his work: his fashion shows. I tried not to immerse myself in the work of Pierre Niney and Gaspard Ulliel, who were remarkable and I'd seen the films when they came out, but I tried not to get hung up on that. To try and find something else. Maybe even put some of myself into Monsieur Saint Laurent to make it stand out even more and offer something different. 

Left Sweater The Ace Club

Right Gilet Brunello Cucinelli, pant AlexanderMCQueen, ring Boucheron

In the series, you play another face of  Yves Saint Laurent, different from the one we've seen in cinematic biopics. How do you feel about the reception of this Saint Laurent?

I was very scared when I was approached for the role, and asked myself what I was going to offer that was new. And then when I read the script, I had access to the first three episodes and I understood straight away that it was going to be something completely different. What the series wanted to show about Saint Laurent, and also about Karl, was really to show the part of humanity in them with all its complexity of being human and not just them as great fashion icons, geniuses and so on. To be in something much closer to them, closer to their torments, to what makes them tick. From the get-go, I felt that there was something powerful to tell. But even so, the fact that I was following in the footsteps of such great performances by such great actors put a lot of pressure on me. And for the first time, I worked with a coach, who was my teacher at Cours Florent. I had the intuition that he was the best person to prepare me for this because I didn't know how to tackle such a complex character, so far removed from myself, on my own. I think I've done roles... Not necessarily characters that resembled me but that I understood very well. We really got to the heart of the scenes to bring out what he really wanted to say at the time. We also worked with Pascaline Chavanne, the costume designer, who was another very important element in finding the gestures and the postures. All the costumes were made to measure and I'd never had the chance to do that before, so that was another very important part. I never experienced a character like that, with such collegial effort between the costumes, hair by Sébastien Quinet and make-up by Valerie Chapelle, the chief make-up artist. All that was really important for me in finding my Saint Laurent and really digging into it.

Left and right Full looks Dior Men

Were you interested in fashion before starring in the series? 

I've always loved fashion. All that work for a 20-minute show. But I know that behind the scenes is not always a perfect world, far from it. There's something fascinating in the representation that it gives, and a costume, a garment, can also help me in promoting, obviously in a role, but even in my job as an actor, it gives me power, strength. For me, it's a creative work that can be likened to a certain form of play. 


There's a line in the series where Karl says, "Paris is a constant lesson in humility." I read that you're from Lyon, how did you feel about Paris when you first arrived here?

I think for him it's special because he's German and at that time, being German in Paris in the ‘50s must have been quite a thing. For me, Paris was more like a breath of fresh air, everything was possible, everything became possible, everything became great. The anonymity that it gave me was very galvanising at the start. I was dreaming of leaving my city, so it was different. 

Left Top and pants Lacoste, glasses Miu Miu

Right Top Lacoste, pants Alexander McQueen, Ring Boucheron, bag Brunello Cucinelli

There's another moment when Yves is at a party surrounded by friends, admirers and collaborators, and he throws himself at Karl and asks to let him “buy” Jacques, this humiliating scene where he pleads his misfortune, his loneliness… What does it represent to you? 

I didn't experience it as a humiliating moment, I really experienced it as a moment of despair, of reaching out... It's a real pivot for the character who's sinking into something lost. They are all in a cage, a golden cage of course, but in a cage. And this love that Jacques refuses him is unbearable for him. He dreams of leaving. It's a great moment of sadness... And then he ends up in a psychiatric hospital.


It's interesting how this series highlights loneliness, and perhaps gives us another dimension on fame and adulation.

It refers to a celebrity in power. I think...I saw Diam's documentary Salam where she explained that being at the very top is cold, lonely, there are wolves. I'm not really convinced that being at the top of the pyramid makes you happy. And I'm not sure that the human nervous and cerebral system is designed for it either. Extreme fame, extreme power, I don't think it's possible to resist the temptations of that. 


What kind of projects would you like to work on next?   

I actually needed a long time to get out of this role. To even want to act again. It was so powerful. It was so incredible that it took me a good six months and now I've been reconsidering the offers. There are other things in the pipeline. I've been concentrating on myself and then on my personal artistic work. Right now, I'm working on a second short film as a director that I'm going to make this autumn. That's going to come back, but it took me a long time to even want to read a script. I found everything bland compared to what I'd been through during the almost 7 months between shooting and preparation. Then there was this experience with Dan Levy's Good Grief, which came out in January on Netflix, which also opened doors.

Left and right Tank top Prada

So now you're keen to explore more roles internationally?

Yeah, it was a really great experience making Dan's film in English, I really liked the way he worked, very professional, very focused on the game. We have a bit more of a troupe approach in France, even on a film or series shoot we have a much more familial approach. I also liked the very professional international side. I don’t have expectations – there are things that are coming up and I welcome that with a lot of pleasure and a lot of gratitude.

Interview by Gabrielle Valda Colas

Photography by Emmanuel Giraud

Art Direction by Flavie Gonin

Fashion by Thomas Turian

Grooming by Ludovic Bordas

Set Design by Frédérick Assez

Photographer’s assistant Pierre Drouin

FIRE IN THE BELLY

IN HOUSE OF THE DRAGON, HARRY COLLETT HAS GOTTEN USED TO SOARING THE SKIES ON TOP OF A DRAGON. BUT FOR HIM, THE CHALLENGE ISN’T MAKE-BELIEVE - QUITE THE OPPOSITE, REALLY. THE YOUNG ACTOR IS DEDICATED TO MAKING THE FANTASTIC LAND OF WESTEROS AS HUMAN AS POSSIBLE. THE CHALLENGE ISN’T LABORIOUS FOR HIM; HE SEES IT AS AN ESCAPE. HAVING STARTED HIS CAREER AT JUST SIX YEARS OLD, COLLETT IS STILL WAITING FOR HIS JOB TO BECOME JUST THAT, A JOB. SO FAR, THE ACTOR STILL HAS THE FIRE IN HIS BELLY, EXCITEDLY PONDERING THE FUTURE OF HIS CAREER. JUST LIKE HIS CHARACTER, HE’S STILL LEARNING THE ROPES, FINDING HIS WAY THROUGH AN EXCITING YET INTRICATE WORLD. WE CAUGHT UP WITH COLLETT TO DISCUSS HIS EARLY START IN THE INDUSTRY, THE CHALLENGE OF SCREAMING GOATS, AND TO TEASE THE MONUMENTAL SECOND SEASON OF HIS HIT SHOW.

Left Full look Louis Vuitton

Right Jacket Fendi

You’ve built your career from such a young age. What was it like to be a professional child actor?

I wouldn't call myself a professional. Even now. I was six when I started. I didn’t have the easiest time in primary school, so I picked up dancing at an early age. It would help me take my mind off a bad day. Once, I did a show at a shopping centre and an agent spotted me and went up to my parents and just told them he thought I could be good at acting. My parents sat me down and I thought I could give it a go. At my first audition, we went up to London and made a family day out of it. We were waiting in a lobby; I remember being super nervous. I turned to my mom and just said “I don’t know if I want to do this.” My parents have always been quite understanding so we started to walk out. Right as we were at the door, they called my name. It was just one of those deciding moments. I went back and I got it, it was my first role, in the Billy Elliot musical. From there it all just snowballed, it’s an escape for me, I genuinely love acting.

 

So, acting doesn’t feel like a job to you at all?

Well, all my friends work in finance. I always see that as a “real” job. Of course, there are aspects of what I do that can be draining, like the long hours. But it’s still hard to believe this is an actual job because what I do really is just dress up as different people for a living and take a step into their lives. At the minute I ride dragons for a living… How could I ask for another job? It’s weird for me because I love it so much, it’s hard to call it work. I wake up every morning excited to go to work.

Left Full look Fendi

Right Full look Dior Men

 Your career started in the West End, is that something that you’d return to eventually?

I think eventually yeah. But for now, I’m enjoying the film and TV aspect. I enjoy this way of shooting. I would like to do a play; I’ve never done a playbook before. Musicals I feel like I’d revisit later in life.

 

I was snooping through your Instagram, and I found out you are also a DJ. Do you miss expressing yourself musically?

I think you have a point there. I think acting and music are very different but they both come from a similar creative route. What I love about DJing is the pure enjoyment. I don’t do it for the money. When you drop a song and see someone going crazy, it’s a feeling I can’t describe but it is similar to being in front of an audience doing musical theatre… I guess I never really thought of that.

Left Shirt, jacket and pants Kenzo, belt Miu Miu

Right Full look Dior Men

 We have to discuss House of the Dragon – did you know that you were stepping into that role when you auditioned for it?

Not at all. The first two self-tapes I did just said “Untitled HBO series” and the character was called Jack. It could be anything. I only found out two days before the last audition. You can imagine, from an untitled HBO series to a spin-off of Game of Thrones, that’s quite the jump. It got me stressed out. [Laughs] When I did end up getting it was the same sort of pressure, it never goes away. I’m in a spin-off of Game of Thrones, I have to do really well here. In the first season, you never know how it’s going to go. Obviously, we read the scripts, we knew it was beautifully written. But you never know how it’s going to go down with the fans. 

 

But it did go very well, it was received so well by the audience. Did you feel like the pressure was renewed for season two?

I don’t know actually… I think I’ve become more confident. There were things that I spotted in season one that I changed, there’s always room for improvement. In the first season, you’re new to everything: to the sets, to the crew, and to the directors. And within that time from season one to season two you build a relationship with the cast and with everybody else that gives you a different sense of confidence. When I go on set, I don’t think of the millions of people who are going to watch the show. Obviously, you have to consider that, but you can’t stress yourself out.

Left Left Full look Louis Vuitton

Right Blazer, pants, belt and necklaces Versace, sweater Brunello Cucinelli

 The show is very dark, both in its story and its atmosphere. How is the energy on set?

Not at all, it’s a party on set, the complete opposite of what the show is. Which is lovely because if it was like the show all the time, it would be upsetting. Everyone gets along, it’s such a nice atmosphere. It might be very cliché but there’s not a horrible person on set.

 

What can we expect from your character this time around?

I think for Jace specifically, this season he goes through a lot of real feelings. His arc is essentially him turning from a boy into a man. Even in a fantasy world, his journey is so human. I’ve had fun this season figuring out how to communicate things like grief. People need to relate to him amongst the massive battle that’s happening both inside and outside of Jace’s body.

Full look Prada

 How do you think people are going to react to the first episode of the second season?

I think we’re kicking things off right away, there’s no wasting time. I’m still gobsmacked by the end of that first episode, and I’ve seen it now about five times. It’s a beautifully done episode and, obviously, everybody’s performances are so good. You get a good sense of what the stakes are for the rest of the season.

 

You’ve mentioned that you prefer acting on set versus on location. What is it about it that you prefer?

 I mean, the sets are just so cool. [Laughs] Obviously, when you’re on location, there are beautiful landscapes and it's amazing to see, we were just up in the mountains in Wales. But when you’re in one of those rooms and it’s completely silent it’s just something else. The last time we were on a mountain there was a goat behind us that was just screaming so loud. We were filming a sad scene so that just throws you off. You get to be immersed in the studio.

Left Blazer Fendi, sweater Brunello Cucinelli

Right Full look Emporio Armani

 You’ve established a pretty solid range, from musicals to fantasy. What else do you see yourself doing?

I’ve always said that, at the end of my career I want to be able to say that I’ve done everything I could do. When I was younger, my dad used to make us watch an old-school movie every week. I started to look up to people like Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, actors who have done so many different genres and types of characters. I want to experiment, to throw myself off the deep end.

Full look Louis Vuitton

Left Full look Louis Vuitton

Right Sweater, blazer and pants Tod’s, cardigan Loro Piana

Interview by Pedro Vasconcelos

Photography by Debora Brune

Fashion by Steven Huang

Grooming by Josh Knight

Production by Debora Brune & Lea Bütefisch

Photographer’s assistant Lukas Kraus

Stylist’s assistant Nathan Fox

YEAR OF THE DRAGON

THE WORLD HAS BEEN WAITING, GAGGING EVEN, FOR THE SECOND SEASON OF HOUSE OF THE DRAGON, HBO’S SPECTACULARLY FIERY GAME OF THRONES SPIN-OFF. AS OF THIS WRITING, THERE’S NOT MUCH KNOWN ABOUT 22-YEAR-OLD SURREY-BORN ACTOR TOM TAYLOR’S ROLE IN THE SHOW, EXCEPT THAT HE PLAYS LORD CREGAN STARK, THE CURRENT LORD OF WINTERFELL IN THE HOTD TIMELINE.

IF FANTASY EPICS AND CGI DRAGONS AREN’T YOUR THING, THEN YOU CAN CATCH TAYLOR IN HIS PREVIOUS INCARNATIONS, AS JAKE CHAMBERS IN THE DARK TOWER, TOM FOSTER IN THE BBC ONE HIT SERIES DOCTOR FOSTER AND AS LUTHER JONES IN THE NETFLIX MOVIE LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.

THE RISING YOUNG TALENT ZOOMED IN FOR A CHAT WITH US ABOUT WHY HE’S A NATURAL FIT FOR THE HOUSE OF STARK.

Left Jacket and jeans Marine Serre, coat Emporio Armani, shoes Dior Men

Right Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

So, Tom, how did you land the role in HOTD? Were you a GOT fan before getting the gig?

I was 11 or 12 years old when GOT came out and it was such a massive thing culturally, and I was always hearing about it from my friends, as we never had the channel it was shown on at home. So, when I started preparing for this role, I caught up with the GOT world! I did watch the first season of HOTD though, and I was completely in love with the show.

 

You’re joining S2 as Lord Cregan Stark. How would you describe your character?

He’s the Lord of Winterfell during that period that we see him in the show, and he’s got a lot of pressure on his shoulders, and he’s very loyal. I won’t give away any more than that, haha!

Ok, so what was it that jumped out to you right away about Cregan’s story arc? Was there a specific thing that you were like, “OK, I could hold onto this”?

Everything really stood out to me, and I completely love the Starks anyway, and I have a kind of connection there with the North, as my family is from up North, my dad’s family is from Manchester and the surrounding areas. So, I’ve always grown up with that gritty Northern influence in my life, and it’s such an amazing opportunity to play a Stark in this series, and I’m up for wherever the journey will take me.

Full look Dior Men

No spoilers there then! So, did you get to wield any weapons for the role, and were any parts of it challenging?

I would say the weight of the sword on my back was something to get used to, it was extremely heavy! When I went into the show, I thought those kinds of things along with the costume, would be made for an actor you know, easy to use or wear on set, but no, it’s totally the real deal! But that really helped me to get into the right frame of mind to play the part and put myself in that period all those years ago.

You mention costume, so that affected how you approached the physicality of a scene?

Oh yeah, completely. Just from the costume fitting I could feel myself transforming into Cregan Stark, and when I looked in the mirror once I was dressed up, it totally made me carry myself in a different way.

 

How else did you get into the character mindset then?

It’s interesting, before you take on a role, especially one of this size, you can go into a tunnel of overthinking everything, from the way a person moves to the inflections in the way they speak. It really comes together on the day, when you’re on set, in the moment and you’re no longer thinking about it, you’re just there and it all becomes real. I think having watched Sean Bean play Ned Stark in GOT was also a big influence on me.

There’s a scene in the Winterfell in this new season, and just being on that set itself, with all the snow around me, and everyone else in costume, it was just so extreme. It all really helped me fall into that Stark mindset, the Lord of the North, and become my character, it’s also so much fun too, like an actor’s dream!

Full look Alexander McQueen

What was it like to be involved in a production of this size and scale too?

I feel like it was the perfect time for me to be involved in a project this size. Like with most actors, it’s been an up and down journey for me, starting off in TV shows like Casualty and then I played young Uhtred in The Last Kingdom, and I’ve done other TV and films too. I feel now that I’ve got all the necessary tools to really do this role justice and give it what it deserves.

 

So many young U.K. actors like yourself were in the first season of HOTD, did you speak to any of them before taking this on, for advice?

The process of joining the show was quite quick for me, and by the time I got there, everyone was pretty much settled in and had been filming for a while before me. So, I came in and was kind of like, “Er hello”, [laughs] but everyone was so nice, and I was lucky enough to meet most of the cast and we all got on well. It’s a little weird though being part of this other family; I recall Harry (Collett) who plays Jacaerys Velaryon asking me, “Are you ready to be part of this crazy world we’re all in!?”, and I definitely am.

Do you feel any pressure at all in waiting for the fans’ reaction to Season 2 and your portrayal of Cregan?

Of course, yes, I want the fans to be happy, it’s an honour to play such a character and there’s nothing worse than fans not liking what you do! But it’s all about being in your zone and trying not to feel the pressure, and just have fun and enjoy what you’re doing. I can’t wait for people to see it, and I’ve had great experiences in the build-up so far.

Left  Shirt, jacket and jeans Guess Originals, coat John Lawrence Sullivan, belt Hermès

Right Full look Dries Van Noten

So, with your family being from up North, what was their reaction when you got the role – did you ask them to address you as Lord of the North from now on?

Haha! They couldn’t believe it, and people up North have a great sense of humour, it’s quite dry. Whichever project I’ve done before, they always downplay it, but this is the third time I’ve played a role with a Northern aspect to it. I think maybe they don’t realise how much my upbringing has influenced my ability to portray those sorts of characters.

And is your family creative, any performers among them?

We’re all performers! [laughs] but none of them went to drama school or anything, my dad used to be in the navy, but he would always be coming home singing after the pub, he was a right performer! My brother plays the guitar well and I play the drums, and we would always be putting on a performance, showing off and annoying the neighbours!

 

You’re a music producer outside of acting too, how did that all come about?

It was Idris Elba who helped me, as he was working on making music in between filming on a project we were on. I kept asking him about the software he was using, and then I started making my own stuff. It’s something I want to continue doing, and pursue more seriously later, as I’m focused on acting for now, but I would love to make music for other people. I love the idea of a collaboration at some point too, I just like being creative.

Left Coat, jeans, shoes and belt Isabel Marant, waistcoat Emporio Armani, necklace Sweetlimejuice

Right Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Is that why you designed your own fashion line too, what happened to that then?

I was 17 years old, and it was called Tom’s Yard because I was drawing illustrations in my garden, and I wanted to print the drawings onto T-shirts. I only got so far on the collection, and then got scared and ended up not releasing anything! But maybe someday there will be a music and fashion collaboration of sorts, that would be cool.

 

So, speaking of Idris (Elba), you’ve worked with some great actors so far. Which do you think has been the most interesting to observe in terms of your own takeaways for perfecting your craft?

I do observe a lot, and I learned a tremendous amount from Tom Hollander, particularly his professionalism. He would finish work and then go back to his hotel room and learn lines and he gave up a lot of his free time at weekends to go over scenes with me, to help me more than anything. That was such a great lesson to learn, to be able to give yourself to others in this profession and have empathy. One other thing I’ve noticed as an actor, is that I’ve always been surrounded by older people in terms of who I’ve worked with, so that’s really helped me to mature in the way I approach things and just being professional on set.

Jumpsuit Kenzo, shoes Camper Lab

What type of role would you like to tackle next then?

I’ve always wanted to play Fagin in Oliver Twist…

Well, you’ve got the hair for it, maybe grow it a little longer!

Exactly! [laughs] I’ve always loved him, he’s a right old twisty miser, and I like the way he sings too.

 

Are there any real-life figures you’d like to portray?

Funnily enough, I do get a lot of people saying I should do Kurt Cobain, maybe one day!

Full look Prada

Maybe Kurt Cobain as Fagin the Movie! So, what’s next for you this year?

Haha! Well, I’m off to Cape Town for just over a month to work on a project, which is where I filmed The Dark Tower with Idris. I was 14 years-old back then and with my dad who was looking after me, so now I’m an adult, it’s going to be a new experience! The character I’m playing is so completely different to Cregan Stark too, and it’s so exciting. I just want to keep challenging myself, and the weirder a role the better. I never want to be comfortable or be typecast. 

Left  Shirt, jacket and jeans Guess Originals, coat John Lawrance Sullivan, belt Hermès

Right Jumpsuit Kenzo

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by David Vail

Fashion by Steven Huang

Hair by Josh Knight at A-Frame Agency using The Ordinary

Photographer’s assistant Emmet Banahan

Stylist’s assistant Damini Rehal

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FINDING A VOICE

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PLAYING AN ANIMAL WAS ALWAYS IN THE CARDS FOR OWEN TEAGUE – AFTER ALL, THE FIRST CHARACTER THAT HE WAS OBSESSED WITH AS A KID WAS THE PRINCE TRAPPED IN A FURRY BODY FROM DISNEY’S CLASSIC ANIMATION, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. NOW, THE AMERICAN ACTOR IS GETTING TO REVISIT HIS CHILDHOOD FASCINATIONS IN KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES – THE LATEST TAKE ON THE CLASSIC FILM FRANCHISE. THANKS TO PERFORMANCE CAPTURE TECHNOLOGY, TEAGUE INHABITED THE ROLE OF NOA, A YOUNG CHIMPANZEE GOING ON A LIFE-CHANGING JOURNEY OF GROWTH. SHORTLY AFTER THE MOVIE’S BIG PREMIERE, WE CAUGHT UP WITH TEAGUE TO CHAT ABOUT GOING TO APE SCHOOL AS PART OF HIS PREPARATION AND HOW NOA’S TRANSFORMATION MIRRORED HIS OWN EVOLUTION INTO THE CHARACTER.

Hi Owen! Recently, you taped your very first talk show appearance with Jimmy Kimmel. What was that experience like?

It was good – very strange and very surreal. [Laughs] Honestly, I don’t remember much of it because I kind of blacked out. But apparently, it went well. The whole crew was super lovely to me, they were like, “Jimmy’s great, he’s gonna make sure that it goes well, don’t worry about it, kid.”

 I watched it and there was a lot of ape jokes. [Laughs] Has that been happening for most of this press tour?

Yeah, this is my life now, lots of ape jokes. People call me a monkey and that’s okay. Something that has been really interesting throughout this experience is that you’ve got a ton of people just screaming your name and screaming at you to smile. When I was standing on the red carpet during the LA premiere, I was like, “Oh, this is what it feels like to be a chimpanzee at a zoo.”

 [Laughs] Absolutely!

I was like, “Yeah, I get it.” This is the experience of a zoo animal. You have loads of people with cameras staring at you and yelling things.

 

They want you to perform for them.

Yeah. I remember there was one guy in LA, who was like, “Gimme a big smile!” And I just started cracking up because it was suddenly so absurd to me that here I am playing a CGI chimpanzee, and now I feel like an actual chimpanzee. It was bizarre but all you can do is laugh.

It’s a very singular experience, for sure. [Laughs] I read that Beauty and the Beast was your favourite movie when you were a young kid. What did you love about it?

I was three years old when I saw it for the first time. And the Beast was really fascinating to me. It was the film that made me want to get into acting but I didn’t really know what I could do with that at the time because I understood it was an animated character. And it wasn’t until I saw King Kong that I realised I could actually play an animal [in the future], when my mom explained to me who Andy (Serkis; the actor portraying the role of King Kong) was and what he did.

 What do you find fascinating about playing an animal?

I think it’s almost easier to look at ourselves through the lens of another species. That’s why they teach animal work in drama school. And I love that kind of stuff. I think it allows us to get out of our own heads a little bit, experience things and feel stuff without overthinking it. 

 You went to ape school to prepare to portray Noa. Which aspects of the preparation helped you the most with tapping into this character?

The movement was really crucial. The way that Alain Gauthier, our movement coordinator, approached teaching us felt very organic. It wasn’t about impersonating apes or trying to get every little manner right, it was about creating a specific physical character that worked within the format of whatever ape we were playing. And so, obviously, there was a lot of studying. There was a lot of going to the Sydney Zoo, looking at YouTube, and watching documentaries. But when it actually came down to preparing for shooting, it was about creating a body that was reflective of what our characters were going through and what their internal life was. Additionally, I’d say that I didn’t really know who Noa was until I found his voice. And that was something that Alain was very adamant about introducing early in the process, which was really smart because it’s one thing to move and act like a chimpanzee, but it’s an entirely different thing to try to add human language on top of that and still make it feel real. It was really tough at the beginning, which I think was actually good because he starts out with being under a lot of pressure from his father; he doesn’t know what’s going to become of him or if he’s going to be able to do the things that he feels like he needs to do. And then, he’s basically forced to take this journey during which he finds his voice. So you can hear the voice gradually fall into place as he starts to feel more confident.

 What about Noa did you find most relatable?

My God, everything! [Laughs] That was part of this epiphany when I was wondering if I could play this character. And then I realised that he’s kind of me. [Laughs] He’s got this scientific brain and he’s always fixing something or carving something with his little woodworking tools. And that’s what I did as a kid – I loved woodworking and building stuff. He’s got this deep sense of wonder for the world which I think I have as well, especially when it comes to nature. Also, he starts out very unsure of himself and that’s how I felt at the beginning of filming. And so the journey that Noa takes in the movie kind of mirrored my own journey of making the movie.

 What have been the biggest adjustments in regards to coming from indie cinema to this big blockbuster production?

The funny thing is there wasn’t really that much of an adjustment. The only thing I had to adjust to was the knowledge that I was leading a however-many-hundred million type of movie, which as soon as you start shooting you forget about. It actually felt like a big indie movie. [Laughs] You know, in indie movies, you gotta love what you do in order to do it because nobody’s making any money. And this is how this experience felt, of course with the exception that everyone was getting paid more than they would on an indie movie. But it had the same kind of spirit of a bunch of friends getting together and making something – in this case, it was more than a bunch, it was a village of friends. [Laughs] The way that Wes (Ball; the film’s director) works is very collaborative and his vision is very clear.

Following this big breakout role for you, what are the genres or types of characters you would like to explore next?

 I really want to play a musician. I’m a huge Nick Cave fan and I have always wanted to play him!

…

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Hadar Pitchon

Fashion by Michael Marson

All clothes Celine Homme

HART OF ALL TRADES

HART DENTON IS A JACK OF ALL TRADES WHO’S MASTERING THEM ALL. BORN IN LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS, AND RAISED IN CONWAY, ARKANSAS, THE ACTOR STANDS UPON HIS SMALL-TOWN BOY ROOTS, EMBRACING HIS ARTISTRY AND CRAFT WITH HUMILITY AND UTTER JOY.  FROM GRACING OUR SCREENS IN RIVERDALE TO THIRTEEN REASONS WHY, AND NOW COMING FRONT AND CENTER IN AMERICAN CHERRY AND DELTOPIA, THE LITTLE ROCK-NATIVE IS SHOWING EVERYONE THAT HE WAS BORN TO PERFORM. TO SOME, HE’S AN ACTOR, TO OTHERS, HE’S A MUSICIAN—SIDE BY SIDE WITH KJ APA IN THE BAND, MOTHERLOVER. AND ONLINE, HE’S A PAINTER, LETTING US INTO HIS WORLD THROUGH CANVASSES. NONETHELESS, TO EVERYONE THAT COMES ACROSS DENTON, FROM ARKANSAS TO LOS ANGELES, FROM NEW FANS TO OLDER ONES; WE CAN ALL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HE IS A TRUE ARTIST. DENTON’S OVERNIGHT RISE TO FAME—OR, THREE-DAY VENTURE IN HIS WORDS—IS A MEET-CUTE WITH SUCCESS AND A REMINDER THAT THE PURSUIT OF DREAMS WILL ALWAYS BE WORTH IT. SOON, THE ARTIST WILL BE ABLE TO ADD “DIRECTOR” TO HIS DECK OF CARDS. IN A CONVERSATION WITH DENTON, WE SPEAK ALL ABOUT HIS LOVE FOR CREATING, HIS APPRECIATION FOR SMALL TOWNS, AND THE BEHIND-THE-SCENES FUN THAT MADE HIS NEW FILM, THE DUEL.

Left Full look Celine Homme

Right Full look Acne Studios

In a Teen Vogue interview, you said your life after getting the part in Riverdale changed in a matter of three days. Can you describe what those three days were like and how it happened?

 A lot was going on at that time, I was couch surfing and primarily living out of a car. And I had less than one dollar in my account. I didn't own a printer, because I didn't have a place to live. So I would go and print out my audition sides from the FedEx print places. I was getting ready for the audition two days before, I went to FedEx and tried to print out my sides.  But I didn't have enough money to cover the dollar and thirteen cents that it was to print the sides out. And so I thought, “Well, I'm just gonna have to memorize this thing completely and not be able to glance down at my sides at all.” I memorized every bit of it. I remember sitting in the waiting room for the audition, and everybody reading their sides and looking at them. And I’m just sitting there with nothing to look at. I also didn't have a phone at that time, I was primarily communicating with my managers and agents through email. So, I didn't have a phone to look at them either and did the audition. And it's the taled story of thinking, “I screwed it up. It was awful. I did bad.” And I thought, “I definitely didn't get that.” A couple of days later, my manager called me and said, “Hey, you got it.” And I went, “Oh, no way!” But I had flown home to Arkansas because that's where my family is from. I just needed a break from LA and my aunt had gotten me a flight home, she got me a ticket because she knew I was just really in a tough place. And then, I didn't have any money to fly back. So she got me another ticket, thank God. I flew back to LA and then went to shoot the show in Vancouver, and finally had more than a couple of dollars in my account. So yeah, everything was completely different for me after that.

 

When it comes to red carpets, how did it feel to be immersed in that kind of spotlight so quickly?

 I have used a little bit of training because I was all over the place. Some of them made me so anxious and nervous that I would have a couple of drinks prior. And then I would watch it back later and I was just like, “Oh my, what a mess.” Because I could tell that I was so uncomfortable. I wasn't used to any of that. I mean, I grew up in a really small town. But I have a very supportive family and they were always encouraging me to sing and dance and do all sorts of things in front of them. So, I got comfortable performing. But whenever I would do carpets, that wasn't performing—that was just me. So, that is a weird thing to embrace and to this day, I still don't know how to really operate them. 

Left Shirt and pants Tod’s, sunglasses Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Right Top Celine Homme

When was the last time you visited Little Rock? And what are the memories that are so potent when you think about it?

 Oh, I go back all the time. There's a stretch every year from January to March that I'm not there. And then the rest of the year, I'm there every other month—I go back so much. I love being in Arkansas, it's home to me, and my family's there. It's such a familiar place. And it's such a slow pace of life that it allows me to just take a breath and not be sucked into this monster that is Los Angeles. I appreciate LA for the opportunities that it can provide. I'm not ignorant about it.  And some of my best friends are here, who are like family to me. But being in Arkansas gives me such a calm feeling and a sense of being grounded and safe. Los Angeles has never felt like home to me. It's always felt like this temporary place. Whereas, Arkansas feels like home. It feels right. And it feels secure. I'm going back in a couple of days. I can't wait. 

 

Do you have any recommendations? If someone visited Arkansas, where should they go?

 Well, northwest Arkansas is growing a lot right now. Because you have families like the Waltons who made Walmart and you have Tyson Chicken, they're putting so much money back into Arkansas. There's an incredible museum called Crystal Bridges - it's getting a lot of notoriety for how great it is. And I feel like the film industry is starting to boom there. I just finished writing a movie, it's set in Arkansas, and I'd love to shoot it this fall. That would be quick, but I'd be excited [to do it]. I want to build a production studio there. I want to shoot movies and TV shows there and use a lot of local people. Because there are so many talented people. I did a movie in Arkansas a couple of years ago, and it was mostly local crew members - they were incredible. I want to make Arkansas this hub of film because it's so untapped. There's hardly any sort of infiltration of anything there. It's just so natural and beautiful. And there's so much you can do, so much you can shoot there. That’s my dream.

Full look Miu Miu

Speaking of smaller towns, most coming-of-age films and shows take place there. As Deltopia, American Cherry and Riverdale follow the coming-of-age genre, what about those stories do you like or relate to so much?

 Well, the throughline with all three of those is that I've been fortunate enough to experience and get to play characters that are so far from who I am, that I've enjoyed each one of them differently, but it's been so fun to explore a side of life that I've never experienced in my reality. And it's been really fun to not just go in and be like, “Oh, well, I'm just playing me.” They've been big leaps away from who I am as a human, which I've enjoyed a lot. It's exciting,  it feels like I'm getting to actually be a character. I'm getting to make up a character and live truthfully inside it. And I've been very fortunate to do that. Yeah, the towns I’ve shot in within the film or show were pretty much rural towns. And I like that, because it doesn't become based on what's going on around it, instead, the story centers around the characters and the relationships between them. All three projects were not really about being in a city. You're in the middle of nowhere. And I think that brings out different types of people and shows you what different types of people are out there. And more people - I would say - connect with that in the world more than they connect with big cities. Because the majority of people that are in big cities know what it’s like, so they want to see something that's outside of that. And people that are in those small towns, I would say for the most part don't necessarily want to see big city stuff. That's why they don't live in big cities. They don't really like them all that much. They want to see something familiar. 

 

Could you see yourself doing other genres, either as an actor or as a director?

 I would love to touch into some action. I did a small short film with Joe Matthews, who is a director and a writer, that was fun to do. It was the first fight sequence that I'd ever done. And I really enjoyed that. I would love to do that in a long format. Also, I desperately want to do a music film because it combines two of my loves into one thing. And I'd love to do a comedy—I've done so many heavy things. It'd be nice to do some lighter things too, and I love watching comedies. I mean, I have a film coming out this summer called The Duel, where there's definitely a comedic element to my character that mixes with a lot of drama and seriousness, but it's the first time that I got to touch into some comedic beats and some comedic elements that opened me up to be like, “This was a lot of fun.” I was given a lot of free rein to go back and forth with my friend, Denny Love who is also in it, and he's a great comic. We would go off the script and play around. And it was so challenging, but also so much fun, I would love to do a whole film with Danny. 

Left Full look Acne Studios

Right Full look Bottega Veneta

What are the films that inspire you? 

 Number one for me is The Shining, I’m obsessed with it.  I just love that descent into madness in the middle of nowhere. And I love that it's only a couple of characters but it's such a story. That's another thing I would also love to do, something in a thriller sense, something in a way that brushes right up against horror but mostly stays in the lane of thriller. And that's a film that has been a huge part of my life along with The Wizard of Oz. That's huge for me. And I've recently watched it where—if you start the Pink Floyd album, Dark Side of the Moon, at the third roar of the MGM lion, it syncs up with the film in such an incredibly beautiful way. It’s like a 45-minute music video. It’s amazing. I was heavily influenced by that film as a kid. I was The Tin Man for several Halloweens growing up - my mom made me the costume. I was obsessed with The Tin Man because he had his heart on the outside of his chest and it just resonated with me, being named Hart—I was just obsessed with that film. And then on the comedic side, from a young age, I was obsessed with Beetlejuice. I was also a huge fan of the Austin Powers trilogy. As a kid, I would watch those all the time, and just quote them constantly – they heavily shaped my humor. Wayne's World was huge for me too. And Spinal Tap. And Big Lebowski.


How long did it take to shoot The Duel? What was that process like?

 Well, that was a strange process, because it was right in the middle of COVID, so everything was shut down. Nothing was running, we were one of the only films that was up and going during that time. It was in the middle of nowhere in Indiana. And there, I lived on a ranch-like farm home with three of the other guys that are in this movie with me. We would have a driver pick us up and take us to set where we would shoot and then we would have to go right back home. So, it enabled me to get very close with the other leads in the film:  Dylan Sprouse, Denny Love, and Callan McAuliffe. The four of us are still very close.

 That was such a bonding experience and a thing to go through together and it was the most fun I've ever had doing a film, it was a blast. The house we were in was so cool, it was this barn or farmhouse that had a movie room and basketball court outside. Denny and I played basketball constantly. I grew up playing basketball, but he would beat me every single night. And I would stay out til 2 am just putting up shots. Denny is a prolific trash talker. He’ll get inside your head. We almost got in a fight— like day two, it was a full-on thing. And now he's one of my best friends. 

Left Full look Valentino

Right Full look Bottega Veneta

What's your favorite part of shooting? What makes the acting experience so special?

 You know, you're given a scene. And you, for the most part, didn't write it unless it is something that you created. It's someone else's vision of the person that they want you to be. And it's never going to be exactly what they envisioned. But to bring your life circumstances into this character, that bubbles out from this thing that you're trying to be and become, I think it's super rewarding. On an emotional level for me as a human outside of shooting that makes me understand different areas of life that I've, maybe, been ignoring before without even meaning to. But then once doing it, there's almost a therapeutic element to it, especially after doing something for a month or longer where you live with this thing for so long because you prep it, and then you live it. And then there's this thing where, when you're done, you separate away from it back into who you are. But there's still a part of that thing that's there with you. Hopefully, it's the good parts and not the bad, but it definitely still lives with you, where you're aware that this type of person does exist somewhere out there, or has existed before in some capacity, and it just connects you with the world a little bit more. It's so fun to go and play make-believe, it's the greatest job on earth because you're creating something. I feel very fortunate and grateful to have the job I have. Doing what you love is fantastic. I really love acting. I love playing music. I love painting. I just love creating things. I love everything that doesn’t suck away at your soul. I like the stuff that opens me up and makes me feel things. And I’m lucky enough to do them as a career.

 

How does your identity as a musician differ as an actor?

 Well, to a degree, they're both characters. For the most part, I would say because I don't necessarily try to write lyrics about my own life—I mean, little things come out in them. But I try to think in the mindset of a character, of another person I actually know. That allows me to sort of dissociate some of my problems and traumas in this way. There's a familiarity of, “Oh, someone else is going through this.” Even if it's a person I've made up in my head, there's something that allows me to connect with that a little bit. That makes me feel less alone, I guess. And, yeah, little parts come out, just as it does with acting, I'd say they're very similar in that regard, where some real things come up, but for the most part, I'm being someone else, something else. 

Left Full look Valentino

Right Full look Celine Homme

So you're known as an actor, designer, model, car collector - which of these feel closest to you? 

 If you look at time spent doing things out of desire, I would say, across the board, the most I've done is music. Because growing up I did music so much as a kid, I had a band in middle school, a band in high school, and a band in college, and then I moved out here to Los Angeles and I was doing music and writing for other people before I did any of the acting. Also, I did some musical theatre growing up so there was still an essence of music there.  Acting would be a close second, if not tied. And then art, in regards to painting and drawing, would be number three. I just love doing stuff with my hands. My buddy KJ [Apa] really got me into painting about a year ago.  We started painting together a lot. And now, it's become something that I want to do every day. I love listening to music and watching concerts while I paint. I love it because I can glance over and watch them, and I can see the crowd and feel the crowd. And it’s just—it's so raw. And yeah, I also collect cars here and there. I knew nothing about cars about two years ago, and then really got into it during the pandemic. Now, I have an old Ford truck. I have an old ‘80s Mercedes. I have a 1972 Honda CB 350 motorcycle. I have a 66 Mustang. And then sometimes, I'll sell one and get another one. There's nothing that feels better than cruising down the highway in one of those machines that's 50 years old. It just feels great.

Full look Celine Homme

Interview by JoliAmour DuBose-Morris

Photography by Emmanuel Giraux

Fashion by Douglas VanLaningham at The Rex Agency

Groomer by Morgan Grimes

Photographer’s assistant Pierre Drouin

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