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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

DISCIPLINE IS KEY

DALLAS LIU, CONTRARY TO WHAT HIS NAME SUGGESTS, IS A LA-BORN AND RAISED ACTOR WHO PLAYS THE MOODY FIRE PRINCE ZUKO IN NETFLIX’S LIVE-ACTION AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER SERIES. HE GREW UP DOING MARTIAL ARTS FROM THE AGES OF 5 TO 13 AND WAS DISCOVERED ON YOUTUBE BY HIS MANAGER. WHEN HE ISN’T OUT DOING CRAZY STUNTS WHILE SHOOTING THE SHOW IN VANCOUVER, HE SPENDS TIME WITH HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS, WHO HE DISCERNS HIS HUMILITY TO, AND IS GRATEFUL TO HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM AS LOYAL AS THEM. AS THE SHOW WAS  RENEWED FOR A SECOND AND THIRD SEASON, WE REFLECTED WITH DALLAS LIU ON THE FIRST SEASON THAT CAME OUT IN APRIL, AND HOW HE WANTS TO WORK ON HIS CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT FOR THE NEXT INSTALLMENTS.

Left Full look Diesel

Right Full look Kenzo

You grew up doing martial arts. What have they taught you in life?

Martial arts gave me a lot of discipline in the things that I take on. Whether it's in school or doing acting, martial arts taught me how to remain calm, to really think out my process and to have the discipline to focus and practice. I always felt like it helped me develop my own way of doing things. 

 

How did you get into martial arts? Do you have any idols whose careers you admire?

I wish it was that serious, but it was the Power Rangers, Avatar: The Last Airbender and a few different animes. There was one sports athlete who went by the name of Sugar Shane Moseley, my friend’s dad who was a boxer, and when we saw him on TV, I got really invested in combat sports.

Full look Yohji Yamamoto

 How did you juggle being a kid with having to be professionally present at competitions and on film production sets?

Martial arts is just like any other sport: you go to tournaments, you go to practices and then you go do your homework after school. And I think with acting, because I live far from Los Angeles, I'm like an hour’s drive out, and you would be surprised by how much it changes just by driving an hour out of the city. The world where I live is nothing like the online portrayal of what Los Angeles is. The people here, my friends and family, they kept me grounded so I don't think there's a real change in my lifestyle. I did treat it like something that I loved, so it didn't feel like work. I was still going to school, I was still hanging out with my friends on the weekends, it wasn't something that I moved across the world for. This was something that I cared for and that my parents were willing to support me in. But I wasn't working either, I was auditioning, don’t get me wrong, but I wasn’t like, “Yeah, man, just booked 5 seasons of a show and my parents are signing contracts for me.” It was nothing like that. I was very much a newbie actor. I think it wasn’t until PEN15 that I felt like I matured.

Speaking of PEN15, did you get what the show was about when you booked the role?

When I auditioned I had no idea that it was gonna be that funny, because with a concept like that, you really don’t know how it’s gonna turn out until the day of the shoot. But Maya and Anna are such comedic geniuses that they already knew, “Oh yeah, this is what we're doing,” and so seeing their confidence every day on set gave me a lot of comfort. When I was on set, I knew what was going on but it was weird because I was also the oldest of the actual teenagers, so they were making fun of me too. I was so confused, I was like, “Why do I feel old here too?”

Left Pants and belt Prada, jewellery The Diamond Plug

Right Hat Heurueh, top Lohavete, jewellery The Diamond Plug

 Your role in PEN15 is quite different to the other roles in your acting career, what would you say that role taught you?

I would say comedic improvisation. There were some times when Anna and Maya would just let a take keep on going and I was in the scene. I would think, “Oh my gosh, we're still going? Okay then, you kind of just have to figure out how to roll along with it.”  But it was really watching them do their thing that helped me develop my own particular way of going about comedy. I became comfortable with the unexpected.

You were inspired to start martial arts because of Avatar: The Last Airbender and now fast-forward a few years you play Prince Zuko in the Netflix live-action remake. Were you excited to portray Zuko?

When I got the job, it really was just worlds colliding because I think Zuko is one of the best fictional and animated characters of all time, and I think that his character arc is up there with some of the best character arcs in TV history. So when I found out that it was this role, I was stoked. Also knowing that I would be able to use my martial arts background in the series, that's why it felt like I was able to combine my present and my past, just because I spent so much time doing martial arts. I’d done it from the ages of 5 to 13, and now I'm 22, so it felt like a long time for me, and I'm glad that I was able to you know use both of my skills for something that I love. They tried to hide the identity of the characters in the script. They gave us fake character names. So for example, Zuko’s fake name was Juno. But with the way the script was written, it was very clearly his character –  nobody else has daddy issues as bad as Zuko, in my opinion. But I think because I knew that it was Zuko, it definitely helped that I understood Zuko already so strongly because I favoured him so much as a child.

Left Full look Amiri

Right Hat Heurueh, top Lohavete, pants Ashton Michael, jewellery The Diamond Plug

This is a long-awaited remake of a beloved animated series. How did you feel at the time it came out?

I was definitely more nervous than I had ever been in my entire life. This is certainly the biggest project I’ve ever done and also my first time being a series regular. I was terrified just because you carry a huge part of how people view the show and I am not sure I was ready for that. Leading up to that point, my character was always there for the other characters, to support the other characters, whereas then,  people were really going to be watching me. I was scared of being under a microscope for a very long time. It also didn’t help that the executives of our show didn't give us a sneak peek until like 2 weeks out. So we had no idea what our show was gonna look like for three years. We hadn't seen any playback footage. I was terrified, but knowing everyone else was also terrified, you know, me and the cast members really bonded and spent a lot of time with each other, finding comfort in those relationships that we had and also looking back at our hard work and effort. I started shooting the show when I was 19 and at the time of the release, I was 22. So not only did I feel like I had developed as an actor but I had just grown into a different person. I think I was scared but that pressure was a privilege in itself. I also knew that not many people would have the opportunity to feel responsible for the next generation of Avatar: The Last Airbender viewers that's why I felt also really excited for people to see my take on Zuko.

 

People often criticize remakes, specifically live-action ones. But as you said, when you’re doing a remake, you’re reintroducing characters to a newer generation, and that’s important to consider because kids nowadays maybe weren’t as affected and influenced by Avatar: The Last Airbender because it wasn’t an integral part of their childhood.

I was really excited for the new viewers. And with the original voice actor being so supportive of my take on the character, we just had a talk like a human being to human being and he told me…The words that he used were, “It’s your turn,” and it was sort of permission to make Zuko the way I see fit. Because some of the relationships might not be the same therefore that might change the character – he definitely has a little more attitude in our show, he’s a spoiled teenager. But that was also one thing that I had no idea how it was going to turn out. I was like, “Are we sure we like this version of Zuko?”

Left Full look Celine Homme

Right Full look Yohji Yamamoto

 Zuko is quite a complex and hard-to-embrace character. Where did you draw inspiration from to portray the role?

To prepare, I obviously rewatched the show a bunch of times, but I only stuck to the first season because that’s what we were shooting. And then a lot of research online. There are so many character analysis videos and essays that you can find on the internet about Zuko, about his past and about the way he thinks. I just lived with that every day, there was always something new I was learning about him. For example, which side of his head he likes to sleep on. Because his scar is on the left side of his eye, he would sleep on his scar so he could hear better out of the other ear when he was with people he wasn’t comfortable around. But when it was people he was comfortable with, he didn’t mind sleeping on his other side and having his scar out. That was something super unique to Zuko. A performance I drew from was probably Adam Driver’s Ky Loren. 

 

Wait, the way he chooses to sleep, was that in the script or the original screenplay?

It’s a fan theory, it’s never explicitly stated but it’s something the viewers paid attention to when he’d go to bed. When you truly love a series, you pay attention to so many of those small scenes and that's what it was for me growing up. From Zuko’s facial expressions to his mannerisms, those were all things that I thought about with a lot of intention, especially when I was working with some of my co-stars.

Full look Amiri

What do you want people to take away from watching the series?

As cliché as this might be, I hope that this gives them a lot of hope in the adventure that they take on in life, the adventure that is life. And I think enjoying the adventure is all about the friendships and bonds that you create along the way, whether they are there forever or not. Our show has many different elements, you've got the heroes and you've got the questionable villains, and there are so many characters that you can relate to.

 

You’ve played in dramedies, crime series, Marvel movies and Netflix remakes. In what direction do you hope to go next?

I’m drawn to anime remakes. Have you heard of Death Note?

 

Of course! Who would you play though?

I love Death Note, I would be ok with Light or L, they’re both great characters. I think another genre I’d be interested in would be a dark thriller. I really love the film Oldboy.

Left Full look Prada

Right Hat Heurueh, top Lohavete, pants Ashton Michael, jewellery The Diamond Plug

Interview by Gabrielle Valda Colas

Photography by Emilia Staugaard

Fashion by Donna Lisa

Casting by Imagemachine cs

Grooming by Tammy Yi

Stylist’s assistants Alex Levey and Sophie

INCOMPARABLE VIBRANCY

SOMETIMES A TRAUMATIC EVENT CAN BE A CATALYST FOR ENGAGING ART. THIS HAS CERTAINLY BEEN THE CASE WITH ISAAC DUNBAR, WHO AFTER GETTING HIT BY A CAR ON A NEW YORK NIGHT WROTE A RECORD INSPIRED BY THE LUST FOR LIFE HE GAINED FOLLOWING THE CRASH. IN HIS EP BEEP BEEP REPEAT, THE AMERICAN ARTIST MIXES THE EUPHORIA OF THE 2010S POP (DUNBAR IS A LADY GAGA STAN AFTER ALL) AND THE SOULFUL SONGWRITING OF THE 1970S AND 1980S. WHILE WORKING ON THE DELUXE EDITION OF THE RECORD, ISAAC CAUGHT UP WITH US TO CHAT ABOUT HIS NEW SINGLE TAKE IT SLOW, CRYING TO STEVIE NICKS AND ROCKSTAR’S GIRLFRIEND FANTASIES.

Left Vintage leather jacket and pants, shirt and tie Hugo Boss

Right Full look Yves Saint Laurent Archives

Last spring, you released your EP Beep Beep Repeat and you’re currently working on its deluxe edition. I read that the record has been inspired by the time you spent living in New York – how did the city’s energy influence your sound and lyrics?

The whole record is actually inspired by a time when I got hit by a car in New York and the lust for life that this event gave me. I was leaving the studio around 5 am and riding a City bike back to my apartment in the rain, and ironically enough, I was also listening to Outside the Rain by Stevie Nicks. Then, I felt a bang and it turned out to be a grey SUV. My afro saved my life, I think it took some of the impact. I couldn’t walk for three days and I was really sad and depressed. But as I looked outside my window, I saw people continue to go about their lives and I found that really inspiring, this idea that life goes on. It was a moment when I really had to choose happiness, as cliché as that might sound. It sparked my interest to be more of an extrovert and meet people and go dancing, go to parties and DJ sets. It lit a fire under my ass. 

Left Full look Celine Homme

Right Trench coat and pants Laquan Smith, shirt, tie and sunglasses Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, gloves stylist’s own

 So, as you’re working on the re-edition of the EP, did you notice any shifts in the narratives you’re drawn to?

Things have definitely shifted. I think that there’s a lot more to the story that needs to be told, especially when it comes to the after-effects of leaving New York and how a lot of its soul stuck with me even though I’m in LA right now. I feel like I really needed that time in NYC, as it was so healing for me. I’m from a really small town and the vibrancy of the city is incomparable.  

Left Full look Yves Saint Laurent Archives

Right Full look Amiri

Your new single Take It Slow talks about a man who gets too clingy too fast on a night out - what do you think is the appropriate way of courting someone at a club?

Well, I don’t have too much experience with romance in the club because I’m scared of people. But I think the best way is to walk up to the person, be upfront and say, “How are you feeling? I think that you’re sexy and I want to kiss you.” [Laughs] Something not serious. You can’t be doing too much.

Left Full look Yves Saint Laurent Archives

Right Full look Celine Homme

 Yeah, it brings up the question of, “Why are you being so pushy?”

Exactly. It’s terrifying. Some people adore being love-bombed but I instantly freak out and would rather stay in my apartment and paint my nails. [Laughs]

 

In both your sound and look you are inspired by the 1970s. What do you find fascinating about that era?

I love the ‘70s! It was definitely a moment when people could be free in their artistic expression. The decade was pure glamour. Personally, I feel like I’ve always been drawn to it on a more musical level. The chord progressions were beautiful, the melodies were gorgeous and there were such incredible singers and songwriters – my favourites are Fleetwood Mac and Queen. Stevie Nicks has been somebody that I’ve been really inspired by for the past 4-5 years. There was a lot of purpose behind what was being done [back then]. But honestly, in my recent studio outings, I have been a lot more inspired by the ‘80s. 

Jacket Adidas, vintage pants and scarf, sunglasses stylist’s own

 You’re progressing into the next decade. [Laughs] Have you ever seen Stevie Nicks live?

Yes, a few months ago. I went by myself when I first moved to LA. I was surrounded by many people who were much older than me, and I cried my eyes out like a baby. The first song that she played was actually Outside the Rain! Which is my favourite of hers and the song to which I got floored by that SUV.

Left Jacket Heowhan Simulation, shirt Ernest W Baker, tie Ralph Lauren, Pants MM6, boots Celine Homme

Right Coat, shirt and tie Ernest W Baker, vest Neil Barrett

Wow! It’s definitely some sort of sign. If you could transport yourself to the ‘70s or ‘80s, what would you want to experience first-hand?

There’s a sentiment that Gaga used to say back in the early 2010s about the whole rockstar’s girlfriend trope. So, I think I would like to be a rockstar’s girlfriend, a groupie, and travel the world with a really troubled band. And then in my seventies, I would put out a tell-all.

Left top Full look Celine Homme

Left bottom Coat, shirt and tie Ernest W Baker, vest and pants Neil Barrett, boots Celine Homme

Right Trench coat and pants Laquan Smith, shirt, tie and sunglasses Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, gloves stylist’s own

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography Emilia Staugaard

Fashion by Jake Sammis

Casting by Imagemachine cs

Grooming by Candice Birns at A-Frame Agency

Stylist’s assistant Natalie O’Campo

Special thanks to Jack at Stone Studio

QUIET THOUGHTS

K-RNB’S FAVOURITE SHY BOY JEY IS BACK, PREPARING TO RELEASE HIS BRAND NEW ALBUM POV. AS THE NAME SUGGESTS, THIS TIME AROUND, HE WILL BE SHARING MOMENTS OF HIS LIFE AND WHAT THE FUTURE MAY HOLD. HOPING THAT HIS SONGS REACH LISTENERS FAR AND NEAR WHO MAYBE AREN’T ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH KOREAN MUSIC, JEY ALREADY HAS A STRONG, DEVOTED FAN BASE WHO ALLOW HIS QUIET NATURE TO DISAPPEAR AS SOON AS HE PERFORMS FOR THEM. ALTHOUGH HE DESCRIBES HIS PERSONALITY AS RESERVED, HE WISHES TO BE ABLE TO OPEN UP MORE AND DISCUSS HIS THOUGHTS FREELY WITH OTHERS, AS HE CONTINUES TO GROW AS A PERFORMER.

Left Full look Prada

Right Leather shirt Zadig&Voltaire, shirt and pants Lacoste

We last spoke a year ago, what have you been up to since? You released another EP Contact last year, how did that project come about?

I had a strong desire to create emotional R&B music. Without overthinking, I wanted to make music that was very relaxed and had a soft vibe. That naturally led to the creation and release of the Contact album. Since then, I’ve been working on my upcoming record POV for the past year and a half. Of course, I’ve been touring as well.

When you were a child, how did you first discover that you could sing? Do you think training as an idol helped your growth as an artist?

Honestly, I was more interested in rapping than singing, but I started singing when someone suggested I try it. Since then, I’ve been doing it without much thought, and it turned out to be a great opportunity. Instead of the training as an idol helping me, I think it’s the fact that I’ve experienced such a variety of worlds that has been beneficial.

Coat and necklace Givenchy, pants Zadig&Voltaire, shoes stylist’s own

You were touring this year around Europe – what was the energy like during this time?

My usual energy level is quite low. I prefer quiet environments and don’t move around much. But when I’m performing, I tend to shout louder and move more energetically. The rush I get from performing is immense, and I naturally become more energetic.

Your performances go viral, I always see them on my social media and I feel like your fans love watching you perform so much. What goes into the preparation for a performance? Do you ever get stage fright?

I actually get very nervous before going on stage. I have to keep reminding myself to act like there’s no tomorrow. But as soon as I step on stage, everything feels fine, and I’m not nervous at all.

Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Recently, you released a few new tracks like Juicy and Close2U.  What goes into creating a track, are you actively participating in the production, sampling and writing? And do you have a favourite part of making music?

I mainly handle the melody and lyrics, while the rest of the composition and musical aspects are left to my producer, M/N. It’s like telling them what I want to wear, and they graciously dress me in something that fits perfectly.

Full look Lacoste

How do you film your visuals for songs? Who do you enjoy working with and where do you get inspired for the clips?

There isn’t a clear process for how I shoot visuals. I tend to go with whatever draws me in. Life itself is my inspiration, whether it’s my life or someone else’s.

Leather shirt Zadig&Voltaire, shirt and pants Lacoste

You've publicly posted some pics of your relationship online, which is something that is becoming more and more democratised in the industry. Was sharing that side of your life something complicated for you?

There wasn’t anything complicated about posting everyday moments with someone I love. The real consideration is in how I choose to share them.

What’s your favourite thing about Mayu Kitazawa, and what has your relationship taught you?

I love everything about her and cherish every moment. I’ve learned almost everything, and she’s the only person I want to experience everything with.

Coat and necklace Givenchy, pants Zadig&Voltaire

You’re quite a fashion icon, from your bleached eyebrows to various hairstyles that you change up every couple of months. Do you have a favourite look of all time?

Rather than focusing on what I’ve worn so far, I’m more excited about my future style, which is unpredictable but already something I love.

Left Full look Dior Men

Right Leather shirt Zadig&Voltaire, shirt and pants Lacoste

I admire you, I’ve always wanted to be fully bleached – wasn’t it hard to maintain your bleached eyebrows and hair?

Of course, it’s difficult, but sometimes when you stop worrying about the hard stuff, it actually becomes easier.

Left Full look Prada

Right Coat and necklace Givenchy, pants Zadig&Voltaire, shoes stylist’s own

You also post a lot of great outfits online, is there a fashion brand that you currently love? And a brand that you’d love to work with in the future?

I like brands like EgonLab and Alexander Digenova, and I’d love to collaborate with them in the future.

Left Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Right Full look Dior Men

Where do you hope to go with your sound in the future? Do you have any dream collaborations?

I want my sound to reach someone on the other side of the world who doesn’t even know what Korean is. If that happens, it means we share similar thoughts. There are always artists I want to work with. I’m always open and ready to reach out. Right now, I’m listening [a lot] to Tame Impala’s The Less I Know The Better.

Left Full look Prada

Right Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

There are few interviews of you online, why do you choose to keep information about yourself as an individual but also as an artist private? Do you think that also allows you to detach yourself from interpretation and perception?

I’d love to do more interviews and openly share everything, but I think it’s just due to my personality that it hasn’t happened. I’m just living according to my nature. I’m not trying to separate my life as an artist from my personal life. The way others see me and the way I see myself aren’t all that different.

Coat and necklace Givenchy, pants Zadig&Voltaire

Interview by Gabrielle Valda Colas

Photography by Jingxiong Qiao

Fashion by Simon Dae Dissing Bacher

Casting by Imagemachine cs

Grooming by Bastien Zorzetto

RIDING THE RIDE

D’PHARAOH WOON-A-TAI IS FOLLOWING HIS DREAMS. AFTER AN INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL RUN AS BEAR IN THE GROUNDBREAKING RESERVATION DOGS, FOR WHICH HE JUST RECEIVED HIS FIRST EMMY NOMINATION, THE YOUNG ACTOR MAKES IT CLEAR THAT HIS PERFORMANCE WASN’T FUELLED BY A DESIRE TO WIN AWARDS, BUT BY THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ACCURATELY REPRESENT NATIVE AMERICAN LIFE. HE VIEWS THAT RESPONSIBILITY NOT AS EXTERNAL PRESSURE BUT AS A SOURCE OF UNMITIGATED JOY—HE’S EXCITED TO BE PART OF HOLLYWOOD’S LONG-AWAITED CHANGE. WITH A STARRING ROLE IN THE UPCOMING A24 FILM WARFARE, IT’S CLEAR WOON-A-TAI IS ENJOYING THE MOMENTUM OF HIS CONTINUED SUCCESS. WE CAUGHT UP WITH THE YOUNG ACTOR TO DISCUSS THE POWER OF ACCURATE REPRESENTATION, WHY ACTING IS THE COOLEST JOB IN THE WORLD, AND OUR DIVERGING OPINIONS ON HIS NEW HAIRCUT.

Left and right Full looks Emporio Armani

How are you? How’s LA?

Yeah, it’s all good man. Everything is lovely.

 

I was reading about you, and it struck me that you started quite young. Where did the acting instinct come in?

Yeah, I started when I was 15. I was attending a native community centre in downtown Toronto called Council Fire. I usually went there to practice drumming and singing. They had a bulletin board ad that was looking for Indigenous youth for a project… I don’t even remember what project it was; it was a long time ago. I was with my mother, and she said, “You know you’re not doing anything with your life, you should try it.” [Laughs] And then I fell in love with it.

Left Full look Emporio Armani

Right Full look Prada

 [Laughs] Damn, that’s the age to not do anything… I mean, I’m glad she pushed you in that direction.

Exactly. I mean at first, I was so nervous. It can be embarrassing. Acting is sometimes so embarrassing.

 

It’s interesting you mention that. I was listening to someone talking about how you need to break free of the fear of cringe to be successful in the entertainment industry…

Every single time I go on set I feel the same way I did the first time I went to set. There’s a sense of nervousness that never disappears. I feel that what separates actors apart from each other is how they push past that fear. Some let that stop them from continuing this path.

Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

 I really want to touch on Reservation Dogs. That to me has been one of the most special projects out in the last few years. How did you initially get signed on to it?

[Laughs] I wish I had a cool story. I just auditioned. I had two four pages, two pages for each scene. I just fell in love with Bear. It was strange actually. That was my first time reading a script and immediately feeling connected to the character. I found out about the project in late 2019 and I got to fly to California… That was my first time coming here. They had all of us for the last round of auditions in a big room together. I had been used to a small sense of competition in acting, the more Western approach to the craft - the “Oh, these guys are my competitors, don’t talk to anyone.” But that’s not what that experience was at all. I would be happy if any other of these Native kids got the role. That was my first time feeling anything like that.

 

As you said, you immediately connected to Bear, what did it feel like to have to say goodbye to the character?

dw: It’s definitely bittersweet. I remember the exact day they told us the show would be ending. It felt like we were all in an amusement park having the best time of our lives and, just as we were about to go down the rollercoaster our father told us, “We have to go.” And so, we were all so excited to go down the rollercoaster, but we also knew it was the last time riding the ride.

Left Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Right Full look Loewe

 I always think a project should have a graceful end rather than stretching it out, it always feels like a much more painful death…

dw: Yeah, and the ending was beautiful, with everyone helping each other out and putting their differences aside.  When I hopped on the project, it was supposed to be a limited series. It was COVID when we began, so the fact that we even got to shoot two more seasons after that just makes me so grateful. I knew it was supposed to come to an end, I know the writers behind this, it wasn’t a cash grab.

Left Full look Loewe

Right Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

 Bear’s parting gift to you was quite nice though, you got your first Emmy nomination for the last season. How do you feel about those kinds of accolades?

I don’t want to be like oh, “I don’t give a shit,” but I usually don’t take them too personally. But for Reservation Dogs, it’s very important to me. I never expected it to get picked up from the pilot. I knew it would be very important across Turtle Island, the native community across North and South America. I knew Native people would be able to hold on to this. It was the first time in Hollywood’s history that we’ve had a full Native writer’s room, directors, and main cast.  That was long overdue. I didn’t know how well the masses would respond to it, which is pretty stupid honestly. In telling our story truthfully, we’re telling a human story, and everyone can relate to that. So, when it comes to any award, including the Emmys, I’m grateful. But I want to acknowledge that the opinion I most cared about was the Muscogee Creek community, the people I was representing. I wanted to make them proud - that was my goal rather than, “I need to get awards.”

Left Full look Prada

Right Full look Dior Men

 It’s clear that you make constant efforts to highlight the Indigenous community in whatever you do. How do you go about picking the projects you’ll be involved in?

That’s a good question. Well, when it comes to projects in general, I aim to tell important stories that are not commonly heard. That was why I loved working on Reservation Dogs, we always brought out important issues that left non-Indigenous people with the knowledge of our lives. I pick projects that have meaning behind them. When it comes to Indigenous storytelling, and that’s something Reservation Dogs taught me, we can create our own stories and be successful. Anytime that I’m now moving forward on an Indigenous lead project, I feel like it’s mandatory to have a Native writer’s room, directors, and cast. 

Left Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Right Full look Emporio Armani

 I feel like Reservation Dogs changed the game in that way…

Yeah but, I mean, if we want to give credit it has to be where it’s due. These executives didn’t just think that the audience would love listening to our stories from thin air. The African-American community in the film industry led the way. They had success in telling their truth, so they wiggled in a chance for us.

Full look Givenchy

 You’re playing Ray Mendoza in the upcoming A24 movie Warfare. Does it feel any different playing a real person versus a fictional character?

I honestly saw Bear as a real person. I understand what you’re asking, and since Ray was behind the camera, there was an added element there, especially when he would give me notes after every take. [Laughs] But it’s not too far off from what Bear felt like. I’m half Native American, half Guyanese, Oklahoma is thousands of miles away. There are hundreds of different types of Native American tribes in North America alone, each with their culture, religion and customs. For me to play someone that’s not Anishinaabe, it’s a lot of pressure. I was telling the personal story of thousands of kids. I was telling the writers’ stories that, on our behalf, were telling the stories of so many others. I felt the same pressure working on both projects. But Ray is a crazy guy, he’s funny. I had to cut my hair off for that. I know I can rock short hair, but I prefer it long…

Left Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Right Full look Dior Men

 I think it suits you. How do you feel about having to undergo physical changes for your job?

I fucking love it. This is the coolest job in the world. I don’t know of any other industries that you can go off and find a hobby and it can contribute to your career. That’s what’s beautiful about being an actor. When I started out, I craved being tired from it, I wanted the biggest experiences and the biggest struggles. I want to feel like I deserve to relax. I’ve chased that high since my first job. I would never replace it for anything.

Full look Emporio Armani

Interview by Pedro Vasconcelos

Photography by Sam Ramirez

Fashion by Andrew T. Vottero

Casting by Imagemachine cs

Creative Direction by Ton Aguilar

Grooming by Martha Phela

SOCIAL BUTTERFLY

NOAH BECK IS SPREADING HIS WINGS. WHETHER THROUGH HIS ACTING ENDEAVOURS OR FOUNDING HIS BRAND, THE INTERNET STAR IS REACHING NEW HEIGHTS. DESPITE HIS ACHIEVEMENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, HE TAKES IT SURPRISINGLY LIGHTLY. PERHAPS THAT IS THE SECRET TO HIS SUCCESS: BECK MANAGES TO STAY UNPRETENTIOUS, AVOIDING THE PRESUMPTUOUS ATTITUDE ONE MIGHT EXPECT FROM SOMEONE OF HIS STATURE. INSTEAD, HE VIEWS EACH OPPORTUNITY AS A DOOR, A CHANCE TO BREAK NEW GROUND. TAKE HIS ACTING CAREER, FOR EXAMPLE. AFTER YEARS OF BECOMING COMFORTABLE IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA THROUGH HIS WILDLY POPULAR TIKTOKS, THE INTERNET SENSATION IS NOW DIPPING HIS TOES INTO THE COOL WATERS OF HOLLYWOOD. WE CATCH UP WITH BECK JUST AFTER HE FINISHED HIS FIRST MOVIE, THE EXPERIENCE STILL BUZZING IN HIS MIND. FROM THE SILVER SCREEN TO HIS ROLE AS THE CEO - WHAT THE INFLUENCER HAS ACHIEVED HAS REDEFINED WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

Left and right Full looks Brunello Cucinelli

What is your relationship with social media today?

My relationship with social media hasn't changed much. I still have fun with it and view it as a way to express myself and showcase my various passions. I try to not put too much pressure on my output and to just go with the flow. All my platforms showcase "me" in a different way. TikTok is a silly me. Instagram is more of a curated aesthetic. Honestly, I just use social media as a way to express how I'm feeling in an unfiltered way. If I'm having a bad day, I let my viewers know, but I try to keep it on the light side.

Left and right Full looks Brunello Cucinelli

You’ve just wrapped the shooting for your first film. How was it?

It was genuinely such an amazing experience. Almost too good to be true. The cast and crew were amazing to work with. Just for the plot, I feel like I now have to experience the horror stories of Hollywood that everyone talks about. But in all honesty, every expectation was met and exceeded, and I am so thankful to have worked with the cast and crew that I did for my first movie.

Left Full look Gucci

Right Full look Brunello Cucinelli

What interests you in acting?

I grew up always going to the theatre. My family is not in any creative industry at all... but we all have such a deep appreciation for the ability to take yourself out of the real world and be immersed in someone else's for an hour or two. I just want to create something bigger than myself and to be a part of that experience for other people. I feel like I'm a creative person and love to help bring other people's visions to life. I have grown really fond of the craft myself. Due to social media, I have become very comfortable in front of the camera, and weirdly, it prepared me for my first movie. I have become very passionate about this space and want to give other people that experience. I want others to feel how I felt when I watched a movie that changed my life. I want to make things that could have a lasting effect on someone.

Left Full look Brunello Cucinelli

Right Full look Miu Miu 

Social media is often presented as a platform to grow into other creative realms, like fashion, acting, or reality TV, of which you’ve dabbled in quite a few. Did you have that perception when you first started posting on social media?

Oh my god, not at all. It was all kind of out of boredom, because of COVID. It was truly to pass the time, while I did soccer training and school. It wasn't until I saw that I started to have an impact on social media, that I realised I could try to dip my toes in creative adventures.

Full looks Brunello Cucinelli

Do you enjoy the creative freedom that social media gives you?

The creative freedom, yes. But the overall freedom kind of drives me insane sometimes. I like structure and routine. I have things in my life that are constant… Like working out and morning coffee. So yes and no.

Full look Brunello Cucinelli

When you started posting I assume you weren’t expecting such rapid success. What was it like mentally to have the whole world watching you at 19?

I didn't know for the longest time, it just felt like a number on a screen. It didn't feel real. It almost felt like a glitch in my phone. There wasn't a crazy reaction until I started getting DMs and emails from people. I don't take anything personally, especially if you don't know me personally. I don't put too much emphasis on what other people think about me. I was just posting what I was doing in my day-to-day life. I was just being myself. I had a really good support system, so it happened too quickly for me to think about it even really.

Left Full look Gucci

Right Top Fendi

You’ve become quite present in the fashion industry. What do you enjoy about fashion?

I like how it bridges the gap between artists, athletes, and personalities. Whatever career you are in, you can be sitting at one of these shows. The overall "creative" of the show is genuinely like seeing art in real life. When you immerse yourself in it and think about it deeper, it's really fascinating. I like dressing up and believe when you look good, you feel good. When you put on a certain look, it’s almost like playing a character and I find that very appealing.

Left Full look Prada

Right Full look Brunello Cucinelli

You founded your underwear brand IPHIS last year, what was the purpose behind this launch?

I knew I wanted to try something entrepreneurial that not only engaged my passion in fashion but would have a true sense of community to it too. After years of being a walking billboard and creating EMV [Earned Media Value] for other brands, underwear was the natural place to start, with the added challenge of going about it in a new, inclusive format. It's been an incredible learning experience. Having people come up to me on the street and show me their waistbands – true story – and now we are branching out into apparel with socks, hoodies, and tanks just in time for summer.

Full look Brunello Cucinelli

I’m curious, you started posting on social media because of quarantine. What would you be doing in an alternate reality where the pandemic never happened?

That's easy... I would still be playing soccer. In a perfect world, in England.

Left Right Full look Brunello Cucinelli

Right Shirt Miu Miu

You’ve already done so much at such a young age. Do you struggle to find new ambitions?

Yes, I do. That's honestly a great question because that's something I've been thinking about lately. I’m a sentimental person and like to look at my past and see the things I've done. Sometimes, it scares me to think I've already peaked in a sense. It's a balance of finding what the next best thing is and being present with my current life and finding the joy in that. I always try to find joy in the little things regardless of what I'm doing.

Right Full look Brunello Cucinelli

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I would say, happy. With whatever I'm doing, I hope I'm happy, still creating, and at that point maybe in the early phases of starting a family. Overall, I just want to be happy doing something I love.

Left and right Full looks Brunello Cucinelli

Interview by Pedro Vasconcelos

Photography by Sam Ramirez

Fashion by Andrew T.Vottero

Casting by Imagemachine cs

Grooming by Ramsell Martinez at Home Agency

Photographer’s assistant Brandon Young

TRUTHFUL SELF

AYAKA MIYOSHI CHARMS US AS ANN – THE WISE, INTUITIVE AND PUZZLE-SAVVY CHARACTER SHE PLAYS IN ALICE IN BORDERLAND ON NETFLIX. WHILE SHE FIRST BURST ONTO THE SCENE SINGING IN THE JAPANESE IDOL GROUP SAKURA GAKUIN, MIYOSHI ROSE TO FAME AS A MODEL FOR JAPAN’S FASHION MAGAZINE SEVENTEEN, A PRACTICE SHE CONTINUES TO NURTURE TO THIS DAY.  WHEN SHE ISN’T TRAINING FOR HER TIME-CONSUMING AND PHYSICALLY CHALLENGING LEAD ROLES, OR MODELLING FOR BIG NAMES, SHE IS MOST LIKELY OUT FOR DINNER ENJOYING HER FAVOURITE ASIAN CUISINE, WHICH SHE AVIDLY SHARES ON HER INSTA STORIES!

Left Full look Zadig&Voltaire

Right Full look Fendi

Hi Ayaka, how are you doing?

Hello!! It’s been very hot but I'm managing it well. I've been horseback riding and enjoying spending time with animals. I don't think I'll be able to travel this summer but I'm looking forward to going to Europe for the next season.

Left Top and skirt Chloé, socks stylist’s own

Right Coat Msgm, dress, tights, earrings and shoes Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

You started modelling at a young age. What was it like being a child in an industry that is dictated by and for adults?

It was very difficult, but I believe that the experience was something that resonates with a lot of people, not just in this particular job. As an only child, I was very good at spending time alone which encouraged me to develop a wide range of interests to engage in by myself. I think this contributed to the personality I have today.

Left Top and skirt Msgm, jewellery Zadig&Voltaire

Right Coat Msgm, dress, tights and earrings Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

 We first discovered you in Alice in Borderland, a fantastic show that currently has two seasons on Netflix and gained a huge international reach. What was it like working on that show?

It’s the most important and meaningful project of my career. I am truly grateful to everyone involved in its production and for the opportunity to be a part of the show. From the action scenes to the story of Shibuya being transformed and the drama that unfolds there, I hope people enjoyed it as much as I did.

 

How did you physically and mentally prepare for your Alice in Borderland role?

Ann is a very intelligent character, so I focused on her thought processes and her situational judgement and what she would prioritise doing in various spaces. I also took a look at anatomy books to better understand how she functioned.

Left Full look Ann Demeulemeester

Right Full look Zadig&Voltaire

 The series has been renewed for a third season, is that already in preparation? What can we expect from your character in the upcoming storylines?

It’s in preparation…Things still remain a mystery...What does the Joker mean? Stay tuned. 

Left Top and skirt Chloé, socks stylist’s own

Right Jacket and skirt N°21, shoes Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

You often play strong female lead roles, whether that be as Ran in Knuckle Girl or Ann in Alice in Borderland. Why is it important for you to pick roles that showcase your strength and empower you as a woman? What would you like people to take away from the characters you play?

Since childhood, I have always wanted to be just that: a strong woman. It was both an aspiration and a way to protect myself from what was around me. I am drawn to roles in movies and dramas where women face challenges with strong will, which leads me to want to embody a unique kind of strength.

I hope that from the characters I portray, people can sense the various thoughts and feelings my characters hold. But that they also understand that what is shown is just a small part and that inside each person, there are vulnerabilities, fragilities, and sometimes even apathy—multiple facets that make up each character.

Full look Zadig&Voltaire

 You’re also a big foodie!! What's a dish you would recommend to someone travelling to Japan for the first time? And do you prefer a home-cooked meal or a restaurant meal?

I would recommend Warabimochi and matcha. I just simply love Japanese sweets... For a casual and delicious lunch, I suggest soba. Generally, I prefer home-cooked meals, but I also enjoy travelling to discover delicious food.

 

What’s your favourite food outside of your local cuisine?

I love Asian cuisines like Korean, Thai, and Vietnamese, and I often cook them myself.

Left and right Full looks Zadig&Voltaire

 What advice would you give to your past self? And to anybody else who wants to get into the industry?

Be more true to yourself – it's your life. Every industry has its glamorous sides, but it's not all sunshine and rainbows. However, the honour of living someone else's life as an actor, or expressing something beyond yourself as a model or performer, is an irreplaceable privilege.

Left Full look Zadig&Voltaire

Right Top and skirt Msgm, jewellery Zadig&Voltaire

Interview by Gabrielle Valda Colas

Photography by Jenn Kang

Fashion by Midori Oiwa

Casting by Shimana Casting

Production by Momoko Ikeda

Hair & Make-Up Yudai Makino

Photographer’s assistant Takuya Aono

Production assistant Rin Nagamoto

MEETING YOUR HEROES

FROM LAYING IN A POOL OF BLOOD AND BROKEN GLASS (SEEMINGLY DEAD) TO FRANTICALLY RUNNING AROUND TOWN IN JUST A PAIR OF WHITE BRIEFS A FEW MINUTES LATER, AUSTIN ABRAMS IS A TRUE FORCE IN HIS LATEST MOVIE, WOLFS. IN THE APPLE TV ACTION-THRILLER PRODUCTION, THE FLORIDA-NATIVE SHARES THE SCREEN WITH THE TOP-OF-THE-TOP OF THE ACTING LEAGUE, BRAD PITT AND GEORGE CLOONEY. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THERE WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE INVOLVED. SEEING THE FILM, HOWEVER, IT’S CLEAR THAT ABRAMS NOT ONLY MATCHES THE UNIQUE ENERGY OF THE A-LIST OLD PALS BUT IN MANY MOMENTS MANAGES TO STEAL THEIR SPOTLIGHT. FOR BTB, WE SPOKE TO ABRAMS ABOUT GETTING A FRONT-ROW SEAT TO THE BRAD AND GEORGE SHOW, WISHING HE DID MORE PHYSICAL TRAINING BEFORE THE SHOOT, AND DIVING INTO THE HORROR GENRE NEXT.

Cardigan,shirt & tie Bottega Veneta, shorts Random Identities, belt Youths In Balaclava

Hi Austin! Congratulations on your movie – you were a brilliant anchor of comedy in Wolfs. The role must have been a great challenge for you, considering you’re starring opposite Brad and George. What was your process like for this film? When did you begin to feel confident, or comfortable, in your performance?

I think that happened about two days before we wrapped. [Laughs] I’m not sure if I was ever exactly comfortable, but I got closer to it throughout the shoot. For me, the motel room scene was an important moment – usually [as actors] you have one scene in your mind that you’re really thinking about. And I think after that was wrapped, there was a sense of relief and it took some of the pressure out. But it took a minute to get to know them and feel out the dynamic between the three of us.

Left Shirt & pants Dior Men, tie Bottega Veneta

Right Full look MM6 Maison Margiela

 You got to do pretty much everything in this film — from being seemingly dead to running around town in briefs to giving a hilarious monologue. Which scene was the most enjoyable to shoot for you? 

There were a lot of enjoyable moments. For example, towards the end, when I’m trying to figure out where to put the drugs and set the crime scene. It was really fun and kinda felt like being a little kid, but with bricks of heroin, trying to make up a little game for myself. Also, all the stuff in underwear was just ridiculous.

Coat, pants & shoes Alexander McQueen, zip henley Dior Men, gloves Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

It’s a very physical role. Did you do any sort of training to prepare for it?

You would think that I did, huh? [Laughs]

Left Cardigan,shirt & tie Bottega Veneta, shorts Random Identities, belt Youths In Balaclava

Right Coat,jacket & pants Dior Men, shirt Maison Margiela, tie Prada

 Well, depends on how many of those stunts you did yourself.

I was doing it all myself because it’s kind of hard to fake that it’s me, considering I’m not wearing clothes. I didn’t really understand how long we would be shooting those running scenes, so I did a bit of training but not enough. I think we shot that scene for three/four weeks. And so, I was on set sprinting for my life every day. I definitely know now for the future [to prepare more]. 

Full look Thom Browne

 What was it like to meet Brad and George for the first time? Was it everything that you hoped it would be?

 I didn’t really know what to expect. I didn’t know if I’d be getting a call from a blocked number or what would happen. [Laughs] But I actually met George a day before we started and Brad on set when we were filming our first scene together. They are both very charming guys and they go out of their way to make you feel comfortable, probably partly because they know how disarming they can be. That said, I was certainly nervous because I’ve grown up watching their movies over and over like everybody else. And then to really see these faces that you’ve seen so much before [on screen], talk to them and answer questions that they are asking you, it’s a really crazy experience. 

Coat,jacket & pants Dior Men, shirt Maison Margiela, tie Prada, shoes Christian Louboutin

 They’ve known each other for decades. What did you notice about their dynamic, both as friends and actors?

They work off each other in a super unique way that you only can really see from two lifelong friends, it almost feels like they are two old college buddies. I think that a lot of what we love to see on screen from them is very similar to what their actual dynamic is in real life. They both have an energy that you just want to be around. And then to combine both of them, it’s just amazing. They are so witty and they bounce so quickly off of each other.

Jacket MM6 Maison Margiela

 You said that you grew up watching and loving their movies. Which ones stick out in your mind as your favourites?

Well, first off, Batman & Robin. I think George would probably hate me saying that, but I really loved it as a kid. There are so many! The Ocean’s movies, Burn After Reading, Fight Club, Michael Clayton, The Descendants. It’s pretty ridiculous how many inspiring things they have done!

Jacket, shirt & pants Dior Men, tie Bottega Veneta

 

Up next, you will be starring in Weapons by Zach Cregger. Are you a fan of the horror genre?

I love horror movies. I love the feeling that they create. Also, I think it’s really interesting to look at why we love it, why we love to be scared. And I feel like horrors are, in a way, a safe place to express our fears.

Full look Thom Browne

 Personally, I’m not a huge fan of getting scared. What is a horror you would recommend for me to see and face my fears?

I love Hereditary. It’s kind of a family drama, but all the “drama” is heightened and expressed in a horrific way. It feels operatic. 

I’ve seen Ari Aster’s other films but this one freaks me out for some reason. That said, I will attempt to watch it and get back to you!

Suit Random Identities, shirt & tie Bottega Veneta, shoes Christian Louboutin

Jacket, pants & belt Bottega Veneta, cardigan Comme Des Garçons

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photographs by Sam Ramirez

Fashion by Douglas VanLaningham

Casting by Imagemachine CS

Grooming by Jamie Taylor

Photographer’s assistant Andrzej Lawnik

READY TO CONFESS

YOU MAY REMEMBER GRACE VANDERWAAL AS THE BREAKTHROUGH UKULELE-PLAYING 12-YEAR-OLD WHO WON HEARTS AND AMERICA’S GOT TALENT IN 2016, BEFORE GOING ON TO RELEASE HER DEBUT EP, PERFECTLY IMPERFECT. NOW THE 20-YEAR-OLD MULTI-HYPHENATE IS FINDING FREEDOM IN REINVENTING HERSELF, WORKING ON A NEW ALBUM, AND APPEARING AS VIRGINAL TEEN POP SENSATION VESTA STREETWATER, IN FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA’S SCI-FI EPIC, MEGALOPOLIS. SHE HOPPED ON ZOOM WITH US TO TALK ABOUT HER ATTITUDE TO ARTISTIC SUCCESS, FAME AND VULNERABILITY. SHE ALSO REALLY LOVES HER CAT.

Dress and boots Zadig&Voltaire, jewelry Chanel

So firstly, let’s talk about Megalopolis, what drew you to working on the film with Coppola?

Well, I’m a big believer in things happen for a reason, and usually when my life brings me something I’m not expecting, it ends up becoming something I deeply appreciate and become passionate about. I gravitate towards people who celebrate what they don’t know, and Francis is one of those people, in that, he explores everything he wants to.

When he described my character Vesta, she sounded like me, but obviously in a very exaggerated way. The pledge of a musical virginity, this budding pop princess and it just made me think of this transitional point in my life, where I knew I was so cherished as a child star, but I felt awkward and pressured to stay this caricature of my youthfulness. I felt so inspired working with Coppola, and he really gave me so much freedom in this role to develop Vesta.

Coat Zadig&Voltaire, jewelry Dries Criel 

Acting and music are both equally vulnerable professions, as you’re putting yourself out there for others to judge. Have you found it hard navigating it all from such a young age?

I feel that so much of my life was screaming at me to explore the freedom I have and just be who I am. I’ve lived such a constricted life, and I feel everyone in the industry I’m in, just wants to be the person who knows the most, which is the epitome of limiting your knowledge and your learning. I know how fragile my feelings are, and I’ve waited a long time to lean into them personally, these untapped traumatic feelings inside and I was never ready until now to confront them. I just knew it was the right time to tell my story in my music, and it’s liberating to reveal a lot of pain, and I’ve worked a lot for someone my age, so now I’m doing this for myself, which gives me an invincibility to any fear of what people might think or say.

Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello 

You say this is the right time to release new music, but as a songwriter, is there a moment when you just know it’s time to turn an experience into a song?

Well, an experience and song can fester within me for a while and the greater the feeling, the longer it festers! I’m very disconnected from myself for someone who is a songwriter [laughs], but then that’s why I like writing, because it’s the only time when I can fully connect with my emotions.

Left Suit Zadig&Voltaire, jewelry Dries Criel 

Right Full Look Prada 

So, we’re seeing a reinvention of you as an artist, but an emotional evolvement of you personally. How will that play out in the new music, and the album?

I’m calling this album a project, rather than an album, because I want everything that’s gone into it, to feel like performance art and tell a story, and one of the central themes of the project is the pain of girlhood to womanhood, and the romanticising of girlhood into the resentment of womanhood.

Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

What form will that take visually, in terms of the storytelling, as it sounds like you’re moving away from the traditional standing up on a stage and touring live?

Well I’m imagining it as an art exposition, so it will have a title, the theme and each song is an art piece around the room, and that format will make up the spirit of the album, like you’re walking through a story, and there will be mixed mediums, from imagery and dancing, to my love of colours and colour theory, a lot of stuff I’ve never done before.

Left Suit Zadig&Voltaire, jewelry Dries Criel 

Right Dress Prada, jewelry Dries Criel 

Where did you take visual references from, were you making mood boards?

I’ve been exposed to so many different visual expressions and inspirations in my life, from art and painting, to acting, architecture, interior design, poetry and strong symbolism. I wanted to look within and deconstruct why things were impactful to me, like, when I read a poem, was it the words, or the flow that drew me in? Or looking at fashion and the juxtaposition in an Alexander McQueen dress, that feminine silhouette fighting against a restrictive material like leather or corsetry. I wanted to take that dagger of honesty behind everything and work out how I can bring that same intensity into a song, and that’s what’s really driven me in this project. I love Pinterest, I’m a very visual person, so it was great for making collages and finding the “that”, whatever “that” is [laughs], but you know it when you find it, it just happens, and it’s about trying to express that inside the performance.

Left Coat Zadig&Voltaire, shoes Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccerello 

Right Fur Zadig&Voltaire, jewelry Dries Criel 

Well, you’ve teased us with a couple of single releases already, and we can hear the new direction in your sound, so when can we expect the rest of the project to launch?

Early next year, that’s all the teaser you’re getting for now!

Left Right Fur Zadig&Voltaire, jewelry Dries Criel 

Dress and boots Zadig&Voltaire, jewelry Chanel

And will you be doing a Taylor Swift and taking your beloved cat with you for the performances, I know you two are inseparable!

We really are! I can’t do sleepovers with anyone or meet friends for more than 5 hours because we just can’t bear to be apart [laughs]. She’s such a coward though, she’s scared of everything and gets really overwhelmed, so I want to take her on tour, but I’ve got to work out how we can make this happen, how she can adapt, because I was away from her visiting family for two days, and I cried so hard!

Left Suit Zadig&Voltaire, jewelry Dries Criel 

Right Full look Chanel

I’m already seeing a cat with her own tour manager and security…

That is soooo going to happen!

Interview by Kate lawson

Photography by Menelik Puryear

Fashion by Aryeh Lappin

Hair by Gonn Kinoshita

Make-Up by Olivia Barad

Nails by Lolly Koon

Production by Home Agency - Luke Perron & Chloe Yang

Photographer’s assistants Chase Elliott & Nico Daniels

Stylist’s assistant Paris Perry

REBEL REBEL

RULE BREAKER, RISK TAKER. DANIEL MILLAR HAS NEVER BEEN SHY. IT'S NOT JUST HIS MOUTH THAT ASSERTS HIS REBELLIOUS STANCE ON LIFE; THE YOUNG STAR HAS ALWAYS USED CLOTHES TO SPEAK VOLUMES. FOR HIM, FASHION IS FAR MORE THAN A TOOL FOR SELF-EXPRESSION TO HIS LEGIONS OF FOLLOWERS; IT’S AN IMPORTANT MEANS OF COMMUNICATION. SO, WHAT IS THE actor and it-boy muse TRYING TO TELL US? WELL, FOR ONCE, HE’S READY TO GROW UP IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. DESPITE HIS OMNIPRESENT LOVE FOR FASHION, HE’S LOOKING TO EXPAND HIS RANGE. EVER SINCE HE WAS A KID, MILLAR HAS LOVED THE CRAFT OF ACTING, AND NOW HE’S COMMITTED TO DIPPING HIS TOES INTO THE WORLD HE’S ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A PART OF. AND HE’S NOT DREAMING SMALL—AFTER ALL, WHAT’S THE POINT OF DREAMING IF YOU DON’T DO IT BIG? MILLAR WANTS THE WORLD, AND THE WORLD WANTS HIM.

Left Full look Celine Homme

Right Dress Stefan Cooke, bag charm Prada Archives

Hi! How are you?

I’m good! Where are you based? Are you in Paris?

No, no, I believe we’re both in London.

Nice, we’re having a good day today, it hasn't been this sunny for a while.

Full look Loewe

I’m a bit fearful because we haven’t seen this much sun in a while. I feel like I don’t want to get my hopes up. Anyway, there are more hopeful things to talk about, fashion for example. When did you first realize you love fashion?

In school. We had uniforms up until the last two years of school. Those two years were the first time that I started dressing myself and feeling like myself every day. We were meant to dress smartly but I would always try and find the most farfetched way to circumvent the rules. I would wear leather suits. All the other boys would be in normal suits, and I would be in leather head to toe. It was a Christian school; I was using fashion as a tool to be rebellious. That was when I started caring about what I wore. I realized what you choose to wear says something about you.

Did you get in trouble for that?

Well, they didn’t love it. [Laughs] In that first year, I got a few detentions because of my outfits. But I think by the end, the teachers found it quite funny that I just refused to wear what I was being told to. I got progressively more aggressive with it. I was coming in crop tops while everyone was wearing suits. It pushed my centre of fashion further really. I realized that they wouldn’t kick me out for it because they never did, so I just kept going. I have gotten an email from one of the teachers who told me that since I left, they have changed the uniform requirements to make them more specific.

Left Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Right Full look Prada

Your legacy lives on…

[Laughs] My legacy is that now all the other students have to dress more strictly than I did. I don’t know if it’s an amazing legacy, but it’s something.

When did fashion become a desirable career option for you?

I was modelling throughout school. I started doing it when I was like 15 so I had seen a little bit of what fashion could do in terms of a career. Because of modelling, I got to see all the other jobs that come with that world. I was aware of the job of a stylist or a creative director, these are things that I have to do in my daily life when I’m making content. When you’re at school they talk to you about careers all day. Doctors, lawyers… but there’s this entire world of freelance creative careers that don’t get mentioned. I think because of the work I was doing as a model I got to open my eyes to what my future could be.

Coat Lacoste, pants and shoes Gucci

How has your relationship with fashion changed as it went from a passion to a full-blown career?

I think I’ve become more appreciative of the power fashion truly has. I’ve become a lot more conscious of its impact. Before I was just wearing stuff to be rebellious. When I wear something casual to a fancy event or vice versa, the impact of that decision is something that I’m aware of, there’s power in going against the status quo. And, of course, fashion history, the more I get to work in the industry and meet the people behind these brands, the more I understand this world.

You’re a product of the London fashion scene. Do you think it affects your sense of style?

You know, I don’t know if I’m particularly aware of the way London has affected me, even though it did, it’s undoubtedly that it would have done. I think, like in all big cities, there’s a degree of openness and expression. If you live in the middle of nowhere, you just can’t have the same exposure you have in a fashion capital. The amount of freedom is something we don’t even think about. When you see someone walking down the street wearing something crazy that subconsciously tells you you’re allowed to do that too.

Left Coat Givenchy, jeans Natasha Zinko, glasses Saint Laurent by Anthony Vacarello

Right Jacket Celine Homme

Left Coat Givenchy, earring Daniel’s own

Right Jacket, polo and skirt Fendi, boots Miu Miu

Speaking of fashion capitals, London is such a specific city in the circuit, it’s known as the incubator for so many of the industry’s legends. Is there anyone right now that’s catching your attention?

That’s a good point, such a big part of the [London] fashion calendar is new brands. There are a lot of experimental people trying to do something new. The New Gen program is the heart of the schedule, in my opinion. Names like Dilara Fındıkoğlu are so exciting… She reminds me so much of Lee McQueen, there’s so much gory experimentalism. Ahluwalia is also doing some super exciting things when it comes to brand ethos, she’s such a champion of sustainability and diversity. I was initially on track to go study politics at uni so that side of the industry is super exciting as well. CSM (Central Saint Martins) always has a beautiful rollout each year. I just wore Maximilian Raynor to the McQueen show. I saw it at the CSM show and wore it straight away.

The red look, right? I remember seeing that and loving it. It made so much sense with Seán McGirr’s direction for his debut show.

My stylist gets all the credit. She had spoken to Maximilian before and he previously worked under Sean, he did an internship under his supervision, so it felt like everything just fell into place.

Full look Dior Men

That’s amazing. Going to the other spectrum of the industry. You’ve talked openly of your respect for Saint Laurent. Where does that appreciation come from?

They were the first show I ever went to. It was the Marrakesh show in the desert. It was my first-ever fashion show. I was so overwhelmed and starstruck by the whole thing. It’s become a very important core memory. It was my first time being around celebrities, it was crazy, a very famous person let me hit their bong. People were treating me like I was someone when I so truly wasn’t. I feel an extreme sense of loyalty towards them because of it. They took a risk by inviting me, they trusted me to represent the brand, that’s something I’ll never forget. I owe them so much; they’ve opened so many doors for me.

How do you see your kind of career in fashion progressing?

Well, I’m moving into acting. I’ll always love fashion, but I want to make that transition my focus. It’s what I get up to do every day. But I would love to mix both passions. I was just talking to my stylist, and we were dreaming of the possibility of a red carpet for a movie. I admire the work Zendaya and Law (Roach) do in terms of method dressing. I think fashion will move more to being strategic, it will be about crafting an image. I see that being a lot more prevalent in menswear, I would like to be a part of that.

Dress Stefan Cooke, shoes Maison Margiela

Left Top Dior Men, earring Daniel’s own

Right Sweater Shushu Tong, shirt and shorts Eric, shoes Prada, socks Falke

What sparked your interest in acting?

I started acting when I was seven. I obviously had to stop with school and then modelling. Missing one day of school for a modelling gig is not the end of the world, but missing months at a time for a role wasn’t possible. Now that I’ve left school, it’s possible. It always comes down to me being an expressive kid, I needed an outlet to be creative. And, realistically, I can’t sing, I can’t dance, so I never had another option.

Do you have any actors in the industry that you look up to?

I don’t really have that with male actors, I aspire to have something closer to the career of an actress because I find they don’t get bottlenecked and are allowed to do different things. People like Viola Davis, Jessica Lange, Cate Blanchett… All the legends that have been doing it for a long time. They’ve progressed with the times at such an impressive speed. That’s what I want - I want a career that can adapt to whatever changes happen in the industry. Above all, a varied career. Even though I am fascinated by people who are known for a genre.

Left Full look Gucci

Right Full look Dior Men

Top Miu Miu

If you had to be known for a genre, what would it be?

If other people’s opinions didn’t matter, I’d probably say horror. I think horror gets a bad rep as something that isn’t academic or highbrow. You never see horror films nominated at the Oscars. But I disagree with that. I think horror is the furthest you can push your emotions - it’s the peak of human fear. Of course, I couldn’t do it forever, I need to win an Oscar and that’s not going to happen if I just do that. But whatever would be in that realm would be great. It pushes you to go somewhere else entirely different than yourself.

You’re setting up some big goals for yourself. What are some of the things you’d like to achieve in the industry?

 [Laughs] Well, if you don’t have big goals, what’s the point? So many people live in a state of ambivalence. If you’re not going to live aggressively towards life, then there’s no point. I want to be the youngest male actor to win Leading Man at the Oscars. I have until I’m 28 so I have some time to get there. I also want to be a guest editor at a major fashion magazine. I want to buy a house in a fashion capital so I can just make fashion week easier - that’s another one. Oh, and I want a cat and a dog: a black Doberman called Dante and a black cat called Diego. So then, we’ll be Daniel, Dante and Diego. Those are all my goals. Easy.

Sweater Shushu Tong, shirt and shorts Eric, shoes Prada, socks Falke

Left Coat Givenchy, earring Daniel’s own

Right Full look Celine Homme

Interview by Pedro Vasconcelos

Photography by Gregory Derkenne

Fashion by Steven Huang

Casting by Imagemachine cs

Hair by Terri Capon at Stella Creative Artists

Make-Up by Stèfan Jemeel at Stella Creative Artists using Rodial

Stylist’s assistant Aaisha Perager

A PLACE IN THE SUN

DANIEL SEAVEY IS AN INTUITIVE ARTIST. IN AN INDUSTRY OFTEN CHARACTERIZED BY SUBTLE YET INTENSE PUPPETEERING, THE YOUNG SINGER BRINGS A REFRESHING PERSPECTIVE. FOR HIM, MUSIC ISN’T JUST A SKILL TO MONETISE, BUT A GIFT TO NURTURE. SEAVEY FIRST REALIZED THE IMPACT HIS MUSIC COULD HAVE ON OTHERS WHILE BUSKING ON THE STREETS OF HIS HOMETOWN, PORTLAND. EVER SINCE HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE, HE’S BEEN CHASING THAT SAME HIGH. FROM AMERICAN IDOL TO HIS TIME IN A BOY BAND, SEAVEY HAS BEEN ORBITING THE MUSIC INDUSTRY FOR MOST OF HIS LIFE. NOW, AFTER NEARLY A DECADE IN THE GAME, HE’S RELEASING HIS SOLO DEBUT ALBUM, A PROJECT HE DESCRIBES AS THE PERFECT INTRODUCTION TO HIMSELF AND TO WHAT HE’S BEEN THROUGH OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. WE CATCH UP WITH THE SUNNY-DISPOSITIONED SINGER ON AN EQUALLY BRIGHT LA MORNING – HE IS, AFTER ALL, ENJOYING HIS MOMENT IN THE SUN.

Left Jewellery Dries Criel

Right Top, pants, and shoes Lacoste, earrings Dries Criel

Hey, how’s it going?

I’m good, I’m having a silly morning, leaving an allergy appointment…

 

How was it? Any good news?

Well, it was good because I got some clarity, but I did just find out that I’m allergic to all the trees and grass that exist. [Laughs]

 

[Laughs] Well, at least you don’t discriminate… It’s so sunny in LA, I’m so jealous.

[Laughs] You said you were in London, right?

 

Yeah, how long have you been in LA?

Well, I’m originally from Portland, Oregon… So I’m familiar with the rain, I know all about it… I love the sun a lot more, so I’m happy to be here. I’ve been here for six years now, so I call it home at this point. But growing up in Portland was fun, it has a quirky charm, and it was super fun being an artist there.

Top Adidas, pants Dasquared2, earrings Dries Criel

 What is the Portland music scene like?

You know, it’s funny I feel like, through my whole career, I’ve never found myself intentionally inserting myself into any situation. Things just fall out of the sky, or I just walk into them. Not to say I haven’t worked hard, but I’m thankful for everything that comes my way so I work my ass off in whatever direction I’m going. A lot of my opportunities have been this weird breadcrumb trail that I wake up to every day and follow. The first opportunity I had to play music in front of people was on the streets of Portland when I was nine years old. My dad was a pastor while I was growing up, so he managed to take the piano out of the church onto the main street in Portland. I performed like that on the street for about five years. I just fell in love with the effect music had on people. I think I understood, even at that age, that this was a gift of mine, something I wanted to protect and nurture. I will never forget the first time I was zoning out looking at the piano because I was so nervous. When I did, there were hundreds of people in the street. There’s a photo of that moment on my Instagram somewhere. My dad saw that, and he found other things for me in terms of opportunity… That’s when he found American [Idol]. We flew to San Francisco and stayed in a cheap hotel. I made it to the top nine but came out of that and thought that was the end of the road. I was trying to be realistic about it, I was applying for PacSun to have my first real job at 15. Then I got a call from my friend Jack Avery saying to me, “Do you want to come to LA and hang out with some cool guys?“ A week later, I was hanging out with these four guys, and we just made a band. Those years are some of the best memories of my life. But all good things come to an end. I felt like a fish out of water, all I knew was that I wanted to make people feel good about my music. Next thing I know, I’m opening for Benson Boone, then for Dean Lewis… I don’t know what’s going on but I’m enjoying it.

 

That’s very refreshing to hear, I sometimes have this feeling that the music industry works in such a calculated manner…

Yeah, I mean there’s nothing bad about forcing your way into success. That’s just not something I can do. Whether it’s a weakness or a strength, I can’t fake it. I think my approach resonates in my music. I wear my heart on my sleeve, for better and for worse.

Left Full look Prada

Right Jeans Dior Men, boxers Erl, jewellery Dries Criel

 I think that translates into your work. The music you make is incredibly personal, there’s a real sense of you in the music you write. Does your art have therapeutic value to you?

Absolutely. For me, music has always been about fun and escape. I think people can sometimes lose sight of how much fun music can be. It’s like this wild world where you can just let go completely. The best kind of music, in my opinion, is the kind that lets you not care about anything for a moment, you know? That’s what it’s always been for me, even from the beginning. Music was my escape, as cliché as it sounds. My mom used to call it "flow". I’d get into this state where I’d lose track of time and where I was completely locked into whatever I was creating. It’s honestly such a blessing to have this understanding of music and to hear it the way I do. I feel so grateful for that gift, and I also feel a responsibility to use it in the right way, with good intentions.

 

It sounds like your solo work was a very personal project for you, especially compared to being in a band. Can you talk about how that transition felt?

While I was in the band, I was also making personal music on the side. The band’s music is something I love and cherish, but it’s a collective effort - I'm only one voice in the conversation. So, naturally, the messages we put out are broader. I think that’s the right approach for a group, but the music I was creating on my own was different. It was just a hobby at first, something I did purely for the love of it, without any business mindset. For example, my first solo song, Can We Pretend That We’re Good? was sitting on my computer for a year before I released it. I made it while I was still with the band, not knowing if I’d ever put it out. When the band eventually broke up, I was like, "Well, I have this song, so why not release it?" It felt like I was putting out something so personal, and I wasn’t confident it would do anything big. But seeing how it has changed my life has been unbelievably validating and exciting. It’s lit a new spark in me to chase bigger things.

Left Top and pants Lacoste, earrings Dries Criel

Right Full look Emporio Armani

 It’s an exciting time in pop music right now, with a lot of artists who’ve been working for years finally getting recognized. How does it feel to be part of that movement?

Oh my gosh, it’s so exciting. I’m honestly honoured that you’d even place me in that category. It’s hard to put into words, but I’m just so grateful to have an opportunity to keep doing what I love. I never expected to find myself in a position where people would still talk about me in the current pop scene. I just wanted to keep making music. So for people to resonate with my work in this way, it’s really special. I feel more validated than ever that I’m right where I’m supposed to be.

 

I read somewhere that your mom was a writer. Given how personal your work is, do you think her writing influenced your music?

Yeah, my mom writes here and there. She had a blog for a while, and she’s working on some books. I think her influence is there, not just in how I write but in who she is as a person. She’s like this beacon of light for me – a role model for how to be the best person you can be. My parents raised me well, and I think a lot of who I am is because of them. My dad, for example, was a preacher, and even if you’re not religious, there’s a lot of wisdom there. So I had this amazing upbringing that shaped me. But when it comes to music, that part definitely didn’t come from them. My dad’s nickname in high school was "Tone Deaf Jeff", he couldn’t hold a tune to save his life. And while my mom can sing, she’s so shy about it that she won’t even sing in front of me. So yeah, the musical talent kind of fell out of the sky for me.

Left Shirt, belt and pants Givenchy, boots Dsquared2, sunglasses Jacques Marie Mage, jewellery Dries Criel

Right Top and pants Lacoste, earrings Dries Criel

 It seems like you’re riding a wave of momentum in your career right now. How does that feel, especially with your debut album on the horizon?

I can’t wait for people to hear what I’ve been working on. It feels so special and so authentically me, which is what I always strive for with my music. Even though I have all these cool tools and instruments at my disposal, I want to make something that genuinely resonates and feels true to who I am. I’ve been working hard to make sure this music matters and that it’s doing all the things I want it to do. It’s really exciting, and it feels like just the beginning of a long creative journey. I don’t think I’ll stop making music anytime soon, this feels like the start of something ongoing.

 

Without giving too much away, what would you say is the central theme or message of the album?

I’d say it’s about a boy who’s being forced by life to grow up but is holding on to all the good aspects of being young. It’s been a pretty wild five years for me, with so many stories to tell, and this album reflects that. There’s a wide range of stories and sounds, but when you put them all together, it feels like me, like Daniel. I’m excited for everyone to hear it and get to know me on that level.

 

I’m looking forward to it!

Thank you, Pedro. I appreciate it. And by the way, you have a great moustache, I'm so jealous.

 

Thanks, you should grow one too, we could match.

You know what, I might.

Left Jeans Dior Men, boxers Erl, jewellery Dries Criel

Right Shirt, belt and pants Givenchy, boots Dsquared2, sunglasses Jacques Marie Mage, jewellery Dries Criel

Left Full look Prada

Right Top Adidas, pants and boots Dsquared2, jockstrap Rough Trade NYC, earrings Dries Criel

Interview by Pedro Vasconcelos

Photography by Richie Lee Davis

Fashion by Jake Sammis

Casting by Imagemachine cs

Hair by Cameron Rains

Make-Up by Aurora De Leon

Stylist’s assistant Cole Norton

OUT OF BODY, OUT OF MIND

ALYCIA DEBNAM-CAREY, THE ACTRESS BEST KNOWN FOR HER CAREER-MAKING TURN AS ALICIA CLARK IN THE AMC SERIES FEAR THE WALKING DEAD AND AS LEXA IN THE DYSTOPIAN SCI-FI DRAMA THE 100, NOW STARS AS NIKKI, A SELF-ABSORBED YET SAVVY SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER IN THE NETFLIX MOVIE THRILLER, IT'S WHAT'S INSIDE. WE ASKED THE AUSTRALIAN-NATIVE TO TAKE THE ZOOM HOT SEAT, TO SPILL THE BEANS ON BODY SWAPPING, FIERCE FEMALES AND TRIGGERS OF HOME.

Left Coat & shoes Fforme, necklace Loren Stewart

Right Jacket Acne Studios, necklace Alizee Quitman

So, you play Nikki, a glammed-up social media influencer in the movie It’s What’s Inside. Did you lean into any real-life influencer content to help build up your character?

Well, it didn’t feel difficult to understand Nikki’s world, it was seamless and unfortunately innate to be a part of it, because I’ve grown up with Instagram and it’s become this barometer for what our lives are supposed to look like, a gauge of an ideal of something.

Greg Jardin, our director, let me take the reins with Nikki, in terms of her style and attitude and how savvy and self-absorbed she is; she’s an opportunist and exploits what she can and has somewhat good intentions but is misguided. I even created her IG page, so I looked to other influencers in more of a macro sense, for a sense of tone, or style and colour palette, and it’s all so controlled, but people like Hailey Bieber or Matilda Djerf were interesting, not that I would describe either like Nikki, but I love how they curate and what they share of their worlds.


Speaking of influencers, how does it feel to be Dior’s first Australian brand ambassador, and has that influenced your own IG look content-wise?

I’m so excited and proud to work with Dior, and I try to be intentional with what I post on social media, I use it as a tool that goes hand in hand with my work, and my life, to express what’s meaningful to me. I think it also needs distance, it’s healthy to do that.

Left Coat & shoes Fforme, necklace Loren Stewart

Right Dress & shoes Proenza Schouler, necklace Loren Stewart

It’s interesting, because Dior’s S/S 24 show celebrated another kind of influencer, in that it chose rebellious and fearless women as its theme. Who inspires you?

I wouldn’t say one person comes to mind, there’s always been an amalgamation of different people as I’ve grown up, but I’m always inspired by female directors, like Sofia Coppola. I remember reading once, how she chose to wear very feminine clothes to set, because she wanted to make a point that she could direct and still embrace her femininity, and neither needed to cancel each other out.

I also love that one of Georgia O’Keeffe’s works is the most expensive painting by a female artist ever sold at auction, that’s mind-blowing. Then there is Angelina Jolie, an actress turned UN ambassador and amazing humanitarian. Like all of them, I want to be able to do what I do well, and look good doing it, that pioneering feminine spirit!

And how will your pioneering spirit shape the work you want to do going forwards?

I’m in this nice pocket of my life right now having worked in the apocalyptic worlds for so long, and genre-bending, that I want to explore everything in the opposite direction, like dramedy or a period piece, as it’s a world that’s so nuanced and the stories have held up for ages. I was on shows that were their own commercial giants, so what’s been appealing is doing something unique and different and working with visionaries. It’s about a director’s vision or a script’s point of view for me moving forwards.

Dress Acne Studios

What about body swapping with someone for a day, just to see what might suit you, project-wise or even career-wise? I’m asking obviously, as there is quite a bit of body swapping going on in It’s What’s Inside.

Oh, Rihanna for sure, so I can release her next album which she just never seems to want to do! [laughs]. I would just get in the studio and be like, let’s do this!


Yes, Rihanna if you’re reading this, we’re waiting! Ok, well, we’re staying with influencers, because you’re playing another one in the new series, Apple Cider Vinegar, about the rise of the wellness influencer.

Yes, it’s the story of disgraced Australian wellness influencer, Belle Gibson, who scammed her way into the industry claiming she had cured herself of cancer which was untrue. I play Milla, and her character is fictional but inspired by Jess Ainscough, the first Australian alternative medicine influencer or ‘wellness warrior’. It’s a heartbreaking story of the damage they both caused with what they led people to believe, but an extraordinary insight into how some people profiteered from the industry. It's punchy, showing the balanced influencer culture we saw in the 2010s, but then the dark underbelly of it all.


And still we see these influencers use the backdrop of aesthetically pleasing, pastel-coloured posts to weave together conspiracy theories with calls for users to buy their supplements or services.

Exactly, and while there might be more guardrails for influencers now, with the rise in A.I. and misinformation, you worry about what images can be doctored and proliferated.

It’s alarming and pushing towards certain demographics, so we seem to be going through a new iteration of it all, and it’s concerning.

Left Coat & shoes Fforme, necklace Loren Stewart

Right Dress Chloé

On a more pleasant note, the series is shot on location in Australia where you were born. What are the triggers of home, the moment you know you’re back on Aussie soil?

The cockatoos near my parents’ home, they’re like Jurassic and they squawk like mad! The smell of the eucalyptus, and the damp soil and the salty ocean, the freshness in the air, and the coffee. I go back there quite often, and I have very fond memories of home, like every time I go there, my Mum will put out a vase of Jonquil flowers in my bedroom, and that’s the first smell that hits me.

What about writing or directing some homegrown Australian stories yourself, to celebrate the diverse culture and landscapes of the country we don’t always see on screen?

One hundred percent! It’s something I’m actively trying to do. I grew up with a version of Australia that felt very stuck in the 1980s, like some stereotype on TV, and then this Americana of culture took over in the 1990s, all about sitcoms and movies and cartoons, and none of it explored the other side of modern or young Australia.

I’ve started writing things myself and want to bring some projects there as we have such an amazing industry there, and crews and locations. For me it’s about finding the right stories that aren’t overdone, as I grew up in an urban inner-city environment that was incredibly diverse and full of life, and that’s what I want to share.

Left Jacket Acne Studios, necklace Alizee Quitman

Right Dress & shoes Proenza Schouler, necklace Loren Stewart

How about sharing some other inspirations in your life, are you artsy at all, or into books or a real muso?

I like watching movies and documentaries, and reading non-fiction, and I also draw a lot as I find it calms me. I love interiors too, I live in a Spanish style bungalow in LA, with lots of feminine curves, because I’m such a visual person, it’s all about the sensory, experience. I really enjoy music, and I go through phases of what I listen to during different times, and honestly… I would love to be that person who goes to art galleries more.

You don’t have time for galleries, you’re too busy body-swapping with Rihanna, so you can release her new album.

Haha! Exactly, it’s a full-time job trying to get that off the ground you know!


Maybe next time we speak, you can tell me all about the new album then?

Obviously, you’re welcome, Rihanna, it was all me!

Left Coat & shoes Fforme, necklace Loren Stewart

Right Jacket Coperni

Left Fill look Chloé

Right Jacket Coperni

Coat Fforme, necklace Loren Stewart

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Shane McCauley

Fashion by Heather Rest

Hair by Candice Birns

Make-Up by Miriam Nichterlein

Nails by Stephanie Ida

SOUL VIBRATIONS

SAM CORLETT HIT IT BIG WHEN HE LANDED THE ROLE OF HOT PRINCE CALIBAN IN THE NETFLIX SERIES THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA, WHICH MADE HIM AN OVERNIGHT SUCCESS, AND A CERTIFIED HEARTTHROB. THEN, IN A CHANCE TO FLEX HIS RANGE (AND MUSCLES) AS AN ACTOR, HE RAISED TEMPERATURES AGAIN, THIS TIME AS THE COURAGEOUS AND ENIGMATIC EXPLORER, LEIF ERIKSON, IN THE EPIC HISTORICAL SAGA, VIKINGS: VAHALLA, WHICH HAS REACHED ITS FINAL JOURNEY WITH THE THIRD SEASON. NEXT UP, WITH CHAMELEONIC ABILITY, HE ALCHEMISES INTO THE SKIN OF AN ADDICT, STRUGGLING WITH COMPLEX TRAUMA ISSUES, IN THE GRITTY INDIE DRAMA, HE AIN’T HEAVY, AND AS WARRING SIBLING MARSHALL LAWSON, EMBROILED IN A BATTLE FOR LAND AND LEGACY IN NETFLIX’S NEO-WESTERN OUTBACK-SET SERIES, TERRITORY. WE GOT ON A ZOOM CALL WITH THE ACTOR OF THE AUSTRALIAN PERSUASION TO UNPACK HIS PROCESS, COMPARE POETIC AWAKENINGS AND SHINE A LIGHT ON WHAT IT MEANS TO BE TRULY HUMAN.

Left Polo Alix Higgins, jeans Acne Studios

Right Jacket and shirt Acne Studios, tie Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

All epic sagas must come to an end, of course, we’re talking about Vikings: Valhalla. Was the overall journey on that show a ride that will forever leave an impact on you, particularly the mythology and the spirituality of it all?

So much. It did take a while to shake Leif off. It was good to be able to jump into another project quite soon after, as I think being pushed into another world helps you to shed your last skin, however, there is so much to be grateful for the experience I had on Vikings. The relationship with Jeb Stuart was so sincere, we really hit it off from the start and he allowed me to come along for the journey and pitch a lot of ideas and weave lots of threads, getting involved in all departments working with make-up designing tattoos, re-shaping and redesigning costumes as we travelled through different lands, and the many visionary directors who were involved. Soulfully, Leif has been so in touch with his integrity, and that’s something I appreciated exploring.

What are the challenges of playing historical characters in a way that feels realistic? How much of yourself can you put into the character? 

I think that’s why historical, or fantasy stories are going to continuously be told, because it allows us distance to watch and receive ideas, wisdom, thoughts and feelings that are so relevant. I didn’t really need to think about the history aspect so much, as that was all in the writing, and I suppose we see the same story in a different dressing all the time, and this dressing happened to be so primal and got in touch with nature and spirituality. At the core of all of it was a human just trying to find his way and that’s relatable for everyone.

I read that you’ve always had a keen interest in photography as a creative outlet, and you’ve often taken your digital camera on set. Did you capture many behind-the-scenes moments this last season, for posterity’s sake?

Absolutely, and I’ve been going through all the photos. I have a lot of film photography as well as the iPhone shots I take on set because I try to come in with my camera when I’m not working or in a particular scene, and shoot. I was very excited to share all the behind-the-scenes photos for the final season!

Left Top Zegna

Right Top and pants Giorgio Armani, sneakers Nike

Well, now you've gone from one epic drama to another, in the Neo-Western action series, Territory. Tell me about your character Marshall Lawson (great surname, by the way), who is part of a family dynasty in decline, and how you immersed yourself in the role. Did you read about Australian frontier life, read any 19th-century journals, dig into archives, hike old trails, or visit cattle ranches?

I feel very lucky to be part of projects with such cinematic scope. This one is really special to me. Being able to come home and work with some of the greats of the Australian industry, I feel very lucky. As far as research goes, for me, Marshall feels like Australia’s son. He very much represents a youthful rebellion against tradition, which comes in the form of cheek, charm, and grit. I spoke with Timothy Lee, our writer, and we would discuss themes that have had a profound impact on culture throughout history, from Shakespeare’s Henry IV to the Arthurian stories, and how we can ground those epic sagas in Australia’s rugged outback.

 For Marshall, the loss of his mother and the relationship with his alcoholic father are traumas he is seeking to heal from, and he knows he isn’t going to get that at the station. I thought of his many attempts to try to fix or forgive his father, all the while searching for a true role model he could follow. Like Prince Hal in Henry IV, he leaves the ‘kingdom’ behind and finds family among the outcasts and rebels of society, which grants him a new outlook on life.

It's all high stakes and fighting for power in the outback, which is a part of Australia you don’t often see on screen unless some poor unsuspecting American tourist is being killed in a movie because they got lost! It's creating a new visual genre for Australian TV and audiences, would you agree?

Actually, Greg McLean, our director, did Wolf Creek! But truly, I know when I read the scripts, it was the most grounded and honest view of Australian culture I’d come across. And with Simon Duggan on board, the legendary director of photography of films such as The Great Gatsby and Furiosa, I knew this was going to be a visceral experience to be part of.

 

How challenging was it to film in such a rough and remote landscape, even if you're used to it? I imagine nearly everything can kill you!

That country definitely breeds a certain kind of person, and you simply need to slip into that way of being. Chatting with the folks that live up there, they see such beauty in that harsh nature, and I loved that. The times when it was tough were toward the end of shooting when the heat was brutal. Shooting these huge action sequences, we had people fainting left and right, but as far as the animals go, there were plenty of snakes, which are always a shock to find, but we're all kind of used to it. The crocodiles are a different story, though!

Left Jeans, top, belt and boots Acne Studios, tank top Charlton

Right Top Dior Men

 That wildness and untamed nature in the outback, its distinctiveness, has come to symbolize much about Australian culture and history. It's embedded in the national psyche. What book or film for you best summons the spirit of the outback and the mindset of those who live there?

I suppose the book/film The Dry first comes to mind, as I was lucky enough to have that as my first project out of drama school. I could point to some of the music and poetry that paint a very romantic view of the outback too, but mainly it’d be the stories my dad told me. He spent a lot of time in the Victorian outback, then left school at 16 and became a jackaroo in far North Queensland. The things he got up to, like rolling cars for fun, left an indelible mark on me as a kid. To experience that life firsthand was pretty awesome.


You mentioned how you prepared for this role, but would you say that you have an acting style or method? How do you physically and mentally transform for a role; do you sit and listen to music, podcasts, interviews, and accents, for character study?

Preparation is my favourite part, and my go-to is exploring the childhood of a character and diving into dreamwork and seeing what the subconscious has to say, exploring what resonates inside me about the character and attempting to close the gap in the differences. 

I constantly read the greats, and listen to people like Uta Hagen, Stella Adler, Terry Knickerbocker and I worked with a coach called Shelley Mitchell for this third season of Vikings and she’s done some incredible things working with people like Gerry Grennell who also worked with Heath Ledger. I’m a big advocate for coaching, as I loved the training and reading aspects of drama school and it all serves when you come to something like Vikings, where you can expand the domain to help serve the text that’s in front of you.


How did you get to the place you need to be in your latest project, playing an addict in the gritty indie movie He Ain’t Heavy? Your character Max has many complex trauma issues. How was it inhabiting a troubled persona as an actor, and do those sorts of characters live in you?

I feel a familial or ancestral connection with those types of people, and when it comes to Max, there were lines in the script that I had heard in my real life. So, rather than it being effortful, it was quite cathartic, a gift to explore those areas and shine a light where I would otherwise not have the opportunity to. Even with Leif and having so much distance between the Viking life and our lives today, I do see relations to similar experiences in my life, but I didn’t ritualise enough, and his headspace sometimes affected mine, in a not-so-positive way. With Max, he’s more troubled and wrapped in trauma but the core of him is such a playful, loving, bright light, which is the way I had always heard my uncle described by my mother, and he was also an addict like Max. My uncle has kind of been my spiritual guide in my artistic world and so there was really nothing I wasn’t willing to do for him with this project.

Left Full look Prada

Right Blazer, trousers, shirt and boots Acne Studios, belt Harley Davidson, tie Giorgio Armani

Do you feel in some way then this movie was meant to come to you, to allow that personal catharsis?

For sure, I really do believe that. With a lot of our generation, our consciousness is becoming a lot more aware of the circumstances that have gone before us to be where we are today. Many of us just want to see what the new path is for us and attempt to alchemise the generational trauma into something artistic that transcends and unites. A mantra I had in my head every day that I went to set was that this drama isn’t an answer, but an arm around those who have been through something similar.


He Ain’t Heavy is not really about drugs, it’s about the price we pay for love. That’s really the soul of the film, isn’t it? 

You’re spot on. I really like looking at it in the sense of the frustration of love, in the beautiful way that you so want the light of that person to remain on, not shrouded in darkness, and you know what exists at the core. Max so wants to be free of that and be understood and he’s not, and he doesn’t know how to articulate that, and in the helplessness and hopelessness, he reaches for a substance that makes him feel free. That community often resonates with the same frustrations. It was easy to not pass judgement because of what I’ve been through personally in my family.


It was shot in Western Australia, and I wanted to ask how your Australian roots play a part in informing what you do. How does your culture fuel your work?

I love that you’ve asked that, because I’ve been writing some scripts… I live in a small coastal town in Australia, and very rarely do I see my Australia on screen, and so the recent projects I’ve done here have made me want to tell Aussie stories, as they mean so much. I feel there’s a new wave coming in Australia, of voices that have been held back a bit, and there’s a beautiful frustration that’s about to explode.

Blazer, trousers, shirt and boots Acne Studios, belt Harley Davidson, tie Giorgio Armani

Going back to your childhood, when was it you first decided you wanted to act, and were your family supportive?

My family were very supportive, and I started drama in high school because I used to have trouble speaking in front of people. Sport was my thing, and as captain of rugby and basketball, I had to give speeches in assembly, and I used to get nervous. So, my mum told me, “Why don’t you do drama, go and make a fool of yourself in front of people and get over that fear?” That’s when I fell in love with the idea of embodying empathy, and loving these characters to life.

So, what’s driven your inherent curiosity with the roles you choose, and is there a story or character you’re really craving to portray and elevate on screen, or dream directors you want to work with? 

I feel like each character finds me at different points in my life. My preference is to pivot from what I’ve just done at any given time. There’s a cool Franz Kafka quote that says, “I never wish to be easily defined,” and that’s why I think I have such an affection for variety.I love a broad range of styles from fellow Aussies like Baz Lurhmann to Derek Cianfrance, but over the years, when you just miss out on things you go up for, with hindsight, you’re like, well that wasn’t meant to be. I lost out to one of your fellow countrymen for the Marvel universe [Laughs] but had I done that film or another project, I wouldn’t have been able to do He Ain’t Heavy, and that’s really where my soul is. It won’t be seen by nearly as many people as a Marvel film, but it’s a story that meant so much for me to be able to tell.

 Jacket, jeans, shirt and boots Acne Studios, tie Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Speaking of where your soul is, you’ve been practising meditation for years. How has it helped you stay sane and steady in this business? 

I’ve been practising meditation since I was younger, as my mum battled cancer three times when I was growing up, and the first time I meditated at 15 or 16, to help put myself in the right place in my mind, I had such a beautiful experience. I do it most mornings and evenings. I think what matters to me is when I’m on set, doing the work, and in terms of “the industry”, I don’t like the facade of the events side, or when work I’ve done finally comes out, I find it hard to celebrate it, and when your followers go up on Instagram, you’re not feeling that reception, because it’s not a personal thing. Being home with my friends who do a 9-to-5 job and playing basketball and hanging out just grounds me too and I love that.


I read that you also work with the jewellery brand Merchants of the Sun who create collections and donate profits to causes you care about, including cancer, mental health and homelessness. Do you have other passion projects?

I do, I release art, some of which was donated for the floods in the Northern rivers of Australia and in the Ukraine, and I want to release more prints. All the auxiliary things I do are done with giving to other things and projects at the same time.


What kind of art do you create?

I do one-line drawings, and I’ve been painting a lot recently too. There’s a bit of a Picasso influence because we have Picasso-esque sculptures and prints of him at home that we’ve had since I was a child.

Left Full look Tods

Right Top and pants Giorgio Armani, sneakers Nike

I read somewhere that you write poetry too, is there a particular poet or poem you always return to?

Yes, I got into it at drama school because I was a slow reader, and instead of reading entire plays or scripts, I would find myself reading poetry. I remember the satisfaction I felt because I had got through a page, I was so elevated as if I had read a whole script! I love T.S. Eliot, E.E. Cummings, and Carl Jung, I know he’s not a poet but his words insight a lot in me. I love the quote: “The human heart yearns for contact - above all it yearns for genuine dialogue - to be recognised in our uniqueness, our fullness and our vulnerability.” It’s about recognising that so many people’s behaviour is just an attempt to be seen, loved and accepted. But then there’s also a quote I like in T.S. Eliot’s The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock about the masks that we put on to try to receive love, but it’s only when we take them off that we fully feel it.

As an actor, you’re always wearing a mask of sorts, but as Oscar Wilde would say, “Give a man a mask and he’ll show you the truth.”

Exactly, it’s a bit of a contradiction! I do think there’s something about playing a character that really allows you to show through. I am happy being home here in Australia, but I think I’m also happiest when I feel like I’m being of service. I’ve only shown my writing and art to a select few, but I may eventually share it on a wider scale, to express myself more. Ultimately when they call “action” on set, it’s the best feeling, to just be present in that moment, creating something special with other people.

Left Polo Alix Higgins, jeans Acne Studios

Right Full look Tods

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Rob Tennent

Fashion by Thomas Townsend

Casting by Imagemachine cs

Grooming by Sarah Tammer

HOPEFUL ESCAPISM

CHARLIE VICKERS'S DIDN’T KNOW WHAT IT FELT LIKE TO BE PART OF AN ENORMOUS FANTASY FRANCHISE, UNTIL HIS MAJOR BREAK-OUT ROLE IN AMAZON'S MEGA LORD OF THE RINGS PREQUEL THE RINGS OF POWER. HE’S HAD A LOT TO DO SO FAR AS CHILLING VILLAIN AND EVIL DARK LORD, SAURON, NAMELY BEING THE HERO OF HIS OWN JOURNEY TO CREATE LASTING PEACE FOR MIDDLE EARTH, RETURNING IN MULTIPLE FORMS, WITH MIND-CONTROLLING POWERS, AND SOME EPIC BATTLES ALONG THE WAY. WE CAUGHT UP WITH THE AUSSIE ACTOR TO DISCUSS THE MAGNITUDE OF HIS SECOND SEASON FINALE, AND JUGGLING HIS SKYROCKETING ACTING CAREER WITH LIFE’S OTHER PASSIONS.

Full look Paul Smith, ring stylist’s own

Congrats on the season finale of the show, and Sauron was busy, what with killing Celebrimbor — and nearly slaying the Elf commander Galadriel too. When you read the script, were you like, yeah, I’m ready for this!

Yes! It was so cool, there was so much exciting stuff in the later part of this season, it’s a battle that goes on for two episodes and I got to do so much cool stuff, like the device that shows Sauron’s power that puts people in a mind prism, and he kills a lot of people, so getting to be that evil was quite fun!

Did you ever read any of Tolkien’s letters, about his perspective and the things that influenced him and how he envisioned his characters, to get into his mindset for the role of Sauron?

I did read his letters, and I found them useful for Sauron as he was very specific in how he imagined him and what he represents in the story. His intentions for Sauron were to create this evil character, but then he also wants him to heal, reform and rehabilitate middle earth, so I found those character-specifics were the parts of his letters I latched onto.

What about Sauron’s ability to shift into different forms. That must be great fun as an actor to find a different energy within the same show, challenging you to find new layers or dynamics?

That’s been the real joy of doing this role, being able to jump around and change forms, because it’s one of Sauron’s powers, and to lean into that makes it fun for me and the audience. I never thought I would be in a role this early on in my career where I would have the opportunity to transform and play around with this toolbox of stuff I have, it’s like being at drama school again, in terms of talking and walking differently and how he interacts with the world.

Full look Zegna

What do you hope for him in Season three?

Well, I don’t know what’s coming next! But if you look at it logically, he goes to Númenor, and he must make the one ring which will be a definitive point as it’s the ring that creates the whole LOTR mythology; all the Peter Jackson films revolve around that moment, and the trilogy of novels and The Hobbit, that all stems from Sauron making the ring! I think that would be exciting and iconic to see on screen.

What about the pressure of being in such a role?

This has been a new journey for me, learning to be part of a show with all the publicity that comes with it, and living in this world hasn’t come that easily to me. But I do try to forget about the project and the character once I’ve finished filming, I find it simplifies life. I’m not really involved in the industry unless I’m working on something.

Tolkien wrote work that was incredibly nostalgic for the past. Are you a nostalgic person?

I’m more excited about the future and what’s coming next with my family, my wife and baby. I don’t spend too much time looking back, but then recently I walked past a place in Kennington Park where I used to live here in London, and it made me nostalgic, thinking how things were back in the day. Weirdly, I remember spraining my ankle playing basketball there, not so nostalgic really!

Jacket, top and pants Fendi, watch Montblanc

What about those days when you first moved to London from Australia to go to drama school, what do you recall most?

It was a seminal moment that changed my life, it was my way into the industry, and that’s all I knew. I was going to the theatre every night and it felt like I was ‘in that world’, and that was my identity. The older I’ve got, the more I’ve learned not to wrap my identity up in being an actor, you’re just setting yourself up for a career of rejection! I find fulfilment in my life in other ways. But when I got an Australian agent and started doing small projects, I started learning more about the industry out there too. I think Australian film and TV keeps getting better and we do see more diverse stories about the country now, things that haven’t been seen internationally that much, and I would love to make my own projects out there, that’s the goal.

You obviously love theatre too; would you consider a stint on stage here?

I would like to try it for sure, but I’ve got a baby now, so it would have to be the perfect project to take me away from being at home with family every night, because it’s a few months commitment!

Well, having now played a fantasy villain, and Clem in the miniseries, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, who was a troubled character, are you looking to do something a little lighter?

I would love to do a comedy or play a nice guy for once! But for me, it’s project-specific, and when the opportunity comes, if the character excites me and I can see myself going on that journey, then I know that it’s right for me.

Left Coat, pants and shoes Giorgio Armani, hat Emporio Armani

Right Full look Prada

Do you like taking something from each character you get to play and learning more about yourself in the process. The cherry picking?

You always subconsciously keep things with you I think, but I don’t specifically take things over from other characters. There might be times when I will do something and maybe think, ‘oh, there’s a little bit of Sauron in that’, but I think that comes from living with a character for so long.

Any directors that would be a dream to work with?

I would love to work with Ari Aster or Christopher Nolan, there’s something about the way he makes films that excites me and reminds me of why I go to the cinema.

I never saw myself on screen in characters I saw in films as I didn’t think it was possible to be an actor, but I do remember when I was a teenager, going to see Nolan’s film, Inception, three times at the cinema, which is so rare for me, but I loved it so much. It was so inspiring, and I don’t usually get inspired by film, that inspiration usually comes from elsewhere.

Such as…?

I seek inspiration outside of work, from life really and the things that get me excited. I’m into sport, well, obsessed with football, I’m a spurs fan, have been all my life!

I’ve also just done a marathon read of books by the Australian author Tim Winton, and I love music, listening to all kinds of genres, like Jordan Rakei, who I saw at the Albert Hall the other night. I also play guitar, but just for my own enjoyment, I’m not about to unleash my music onto the world!

Full look Louis Vuitton

Let’s say a music biopic came along, who would you want to have a crack at playing?

Mika! I look a bit like him, if I shave my beard off! [laughs] But I don’t know if it’s too early to make one about him yet, or maybe do it as a musical, but I would definitely play him!

Well maybe Sauron will come back as Mika in his next guise! Either way he wants to conquer Middle Earth; what do you want to conquer in your own life?

Haha! Well, professionally I don’t feel any sense of ambition to conquer anything, there are no goals to achieve certain things. I just want to keep working for the rest of my life on projects that excite me!

Not even winning an Oscar?

Oh yeah, that would be cool! [laughs] I do have to say that personally though, my goal is to swim the English Channel.

Left Full look Dior Men

Right Jacket Zegna

Are you mad?

Random right?! I know someone who’s just done that, and I would need to live near the coast for all the training, and you’re not allowed to wear a wetsuit either, as that’s not deemed an official crossing if you do.

I’m imagining all those Sauron fans turning up on the beach at Dover…

Haha! He would have to wear his bathers!

Jacket, top and pants Fendi, sunglasses and watch Montblanc

Left Coat Giorgio Armani

Right Shirt Dior Men, sweaters Brunello Cucinelli and Hermès 

Full look Dsquared2

Left Full look Prada

Right Jacket Dsquared2

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Jack Chipper

Fashion by Steven Huang

Grooming by Lachlan Wignall at Stella Creative Artists using Hair by Sam McKnight and Haus Labs

Photographer’s assistant Alex Sievers

Stylist’s assistant Aaishah Peragerzain

MAN IN THE MIRROR

FOR ALMOST A DECADE, LUCA FERSKO HAS MAINTAINED A TOTALLY UNIQUE PRESENCE IN THE SPHERE OF SOCIAL MEDIA. FROM HIS EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH TO MAKING SHORT FILMS TO HIS SIGNATURE STYLE BUILT ON REINVENTING THE CLASSICS OF MENSWEAR WARDROBE, THE NEW YORKER HAS BEEN AN INFLUENCE ON A WHOLE GENERATION OF FASHION FANS (THIS WRITER INCLUDED). WITH HIS LATEST ENDEAVOUR, HOWEVER, LUCA IS FOCUSING ON WHAT’S UNDERNEATH THE CLOTHES. AS HE’S WORKING ON PROTOTYPES FOR HIS 1950S-INSPIRED UNDERWEAR LINE (THINK HIGH WAIST, THINK MARLON BRANDO), HE CALLED US FROM A CAFÉ IN NORTHERN ITALY TO TALK ABOUT EATING GELATO, BLUSHING IN PALERMO, AND LEARNING TO PUT HIMSELF FIRST.

Hi Luca! How’s it going? Where in the world are you right now?

Hey! I’m good, brother. I’m in Italy.

What are you up to there?

My mom is Italian and she lives in the north of the country. I actually lived here for about five years from 2011 onwards, I went to high school here. But now, I randomly had a [modelling] job in Palermo, so I decided to fly up north after and spend two weeks with my family.

What’s the first thing you like to do when you come to Italy?

My mom gets the first hug. In the summertime, we usually go for a walk and get some gelato, in winter, some mulled wine.

What do you miss the most about Italy when you’re in New York?

My house when everyone’s there: my mom, her partner, my three siblings, and our dog. When everyone’s there, the house is like a sitcom. In New York, I live completely alone, but when I’m here, there’s always some drama [Laughs], you know how Italians are. They’re very expressive. So there’s always this commotion that I love.  Also, my mom does my laundry when I’m here, so that’s nice.


[Laughs] That’s always nice! And what do you miss about New York when you’re in Italy?

My motorcycle. Here, I rely on others to drive around, while in New York I’m completely free. 

Let’s talk a little about your film work on YouTube – it has been quite experimental lately! Which part of the process of working on the videos do you find most enjoyable?

The revelations, the breakthroughs and the uncertainty. Making films is like having a child. Bear with me. There are three stages. First, you decide you want to have the baby and you have the ideas of how it will be raised. Similarly, with films, you have ideas of how you want to make them, who the characters will be and what the scenery will look like. Then, you get pregnant. You begin to film, you try to stay away from certain substances so you don’t go off track from the original plan. But as we know, there are many influences and constraints. You might be stressed. You may smoke a cigarette here or there. There might be a global pandemic.

[Laughs]

In the case of making a film, the lighting might be off, you might have to switch cameras, the audio may get corrupted… And then the film has a completely new mood because you recorded it differently. Then, the final stage is the editing, the delivery. Is it a premature baby? Is it a C-section? Did you change your mind and decide that you wanna scrap the whole project? Did you run out of money? The surprise of the final project is what keeps me engaged when I’m making these things.

What sort of YouTube videos do you find yourself watching the most?

There’s a comedy show that comes out every Monday called Kill Tony. I find it pretty funny and would definitely recommend it!


Do you have an item of clothing that has been on your mind a lot lately?

I’m making underwear at the moment, a hundred percent natural cotton underwear. I’ve been working on that for a few years now, so it has been on my mind a lot, how to make a product that I’m proud of. 

What’s the shape of underwear that you’re an advocate of?

I wish I had them on now, I would show you. [Laughs] It’s a boxer, more flowy than tight. The inspiration came from a pair of boxers produced in the 1950s that were high wasted. The material is like a button-down shirt and it’s completely organic cotton. A lot of people are now going towards that direction because there have been some studies about underwear [that’s made with synthetic fabrics] messing with people’s hormones. So that’s very important to me as somebody who’s very conscious of what he eats and what he puts on his skin.

Where did this desire to be mindful about things that you use come from?

I think it was because my father passed away in 2011. He had a brain tumour. And I could never understand how that could happen because he was so robust, you know, he was on the rowing team. So since then, I have been trying to understand how that could happen to somebody and how do I make that not happen to me. And so I went down a path of trying all different kinds of diets, trying to heal myself from things that a lot of people struggle with, be it skin issues, stomach problems or energy fluctuation. Today, I feel like I have things in order and that’s a good feeling, to know what works for me and how I can give myself energy for certain things.

Who is your style guru?

Me. [Laughs] I think style is all about the man in the mirror. That said, Marlon Brando is one. I like to look at older, timeless silhouettes: classic pants, beautiful shirts, quite formal stuff. I used to care much more about wearing brands that were popular, but now it’s more about certain pieces that I know will work for me.

Whose advice do you trust the most?

I have a friend, his name is Vladi and he’s 65. He’s from Montenegro but he has lived in New York for a long time. I met him on the street about three years ago and we’ve been good buddies since. Recently, he told me that I need to put myself as number one in my life. And that was very important for me.

What’s a quote that’s stuck in your mind right now?

I love this question. “A failure to plan is a plan to fail.”

Where did you come across it?

I don’t know, I can’t remember. Who said that? Let’s Google it. Okay, maybe Benjamin Franklin…

[Laughs] Or maybe someone repeated it after him. But it stands true.

It does. I’m trying to be better at planning. My family was always late to everything, we missed flights all the time. And so I’m trying to break that curse and be more structured.

Do you have any skills that you want to learn?

There’s this guy who puts his chin on the pull-up bar and he’s just able to hang from there with no hands.

That’s crazy!

I wanna learn how to do that. [Laughs] I have been always attracted to these physical feats.

Okay, what is your latest obsession?

Coffee. I quit every few months but when I’m on it, I’m really on it. And now I’m on it. And I love it and look forward to it. [Laughs]

Maybe it’s because you’re in Italy, you have no choice.

Exactly.

What do you think about in the shower?

Again, love that question. It’s usually an act of emptying my mind, sort of washing away excess thoughts. And in doing that, something usually comes up that makes me think, “I need to remember that and write it down.” Something in the subconscious. Something about the shower opens up a world I can’t access otherwise because there’s so much distraction [around]. So maybe we should take more showers, creative people.

What’s a movie you can watch over and over again?

Goodfellas. Also, Tom Ford’s A Single Man. I love that film, especially the costumes. It’s so beautiful. The Lobster by Yorgos Lanthimos. That one made me realise that you can make a film about anything, there are no rules.

Which sport reigns supreme in your eyes?

Climbing, and specifically, free soloing. Do you know what free soloing is?


I think so!

It’s climbing with no ropes and no protection. It’s so physical and primal. And your focus has to be so sharp.


What was the last thing that made you laugh?

Probably my brother, Henry. We crack each other up. We don’t see each other very often, but we have the same sense of humour. When we’re together, we’re always laughing.


What was the last thing that made you blush?

There was a pretty girl in Palermo that I was hanging out with just last week. I was smiling at her and she asked me why I was smiling. And it made me blush because I thought, “Ah, she caught me.” [Laughs] But I couldn’t help it. I was just looking at her like, “Oh, wow.”

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Torian Lewin

A LESSON IN EMPATHY

RECENTLY, THE CASE OF LYLE AND ERIK MENENDEZ – TWO BEVERLY HILLS BROTHERS SENTENCED TO LIFE FOR MURDERING THEIR PARENTS BACK IN 1989 – HAS BEEN RESURFACING IN THE MEDIA. THIRTY-FIVE YEARS AFTER THE VIOLENT CRIME, PUBLIC OPINION HAS BEEN GRADUALLY SHIFTING DUE TO A RISE IN SENTIMENT CONSIDERING THE IMPACT THAT GROWING UP WITH AN ABUSIVE FATHER HAD ON THEIR DECISION. NOW, THEIR STORY IS TOLD IN MONSTERS: THE LYLE AND ERIK MENENDEZ STORY – THE SECOND SEASON OF RYAN MURPHY’S HIT NETFLIX SERIES. FOR COOPER KOCH, WHO PLAYS ERIK, THE SHOW FOCUSES ON EXPLORING IN DETAIL THE ROLE THAT THEIR EXPERIENCE OF FACING CONTINUED ASSAULT HAD ON THE FAMILY DYNAMIC, AND THE HEREDITARY NATURE OF TRAUMA. WHAT STANCE DOES THE SERIES TAKE? “YOU SEE ALL ANGLES AND EVERYONE’S POINT OF VIEW – THE BROTHERS, THE PARENTS, THE LAWYERS,” SAYS THE LOS ANGELES-BORN ACTOR.  “IT COLLECTS THESE PERSPECTIVES AND LETS THE AUDIENCE DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES WHAT THEY BELIEVE.”

 
 


Hi Cooper! Your portrayal of Erik Menendez in Monsters is incredible, it feels so nuanced and compassionate to what he’s been through in his life. How did you prepare to play a part with such a painful arc?

My main thing was watching the testimony. The whole trial is on YouTube so I would constantly watch or listen to it – it was playing when I was driving or I would put it on next to my bed and fall asleep to it. I would watch it over and over again, not only to pick up his mannerisms, the cadence of his voice and how he carries himself, but also to deepen my empathy for him and Lyle, and for their story. The more I watched it, the more I cared about him and Lyle. 

 

What was the priority for you while showcasing Erik’s story?

I think that Erik’s journey is one of self-discovery. He doesn’t know who he is because of what’s been happening to him his whole life. When you go through that kind of trauma and you’re part of a family with these dynamics, it’s hard for you to form a sense of identity when you’re being told what to do and who you are or who you’re supposed to be. And so I really wanted to, especially in the first half of the show, I wanted him to be mouldable – he doesn’t know who he is or what to do. Then, once he starts being more honest and real, that evokes his true sense of self. 

 

We get to speak in the week following the show’s release – what has that hectic time been like for you? Has it been overwhelming?

I got to watch the show with my family and friends. We rented an AMC theatre and we binged the entire series. That was an amazing experience! But then I was also definitely nervous before all the press stuff started happening because it has been so controversial and people have a lot of opinions about it. But now I actually feel great and super calm. I’m glad I was able to speak my mind and share my truth, and talk about how I feel about the brothers and the whole situation. 

I saw one of the interviews that you did in the past week and I really liked your reaction to Erik’s statement on the show and what he deems as a harmful portrayal of Lyle. Obviously, he’s unable to watch the series, so his opinions are purely based on what’s been relayed to him. But you said that you understand where he’s coming from, which I think is the best thing you can really say because it is his life [that’s shown on screen]…

Yeah, it’s the only thing you can say. It’s his life and it’s his story, and so of course it’s going to evoke difficult feelings for him. Generally speaking, there has been a bit of confusion about the show. It’s constructed in a way where there are different perspectives on the matter and some of them are obviously outrageous, but I think people took them literally.

 

In the past week, you also got to meet Erik and Lyle in person! I read that it happened quite spontaneously, with Kim Kardashian reaching out to you after she watched the series. What were you feeling? Were you anxious before meeting them?

I had spoken with both of them before the show came out, which I’m so glad that I was able to do because I just wanted them to know before they saw anything that I support them, I care for them and I believe them. And so that was great. But yeah, Kim Kardashian and Scott Budnick do a lot of prison reform work, and they had a trip planned to go down to the prison where the brothers are. Kim saw the show and she reached out to me through my stylist. And then we got on the phone and she started asking me all these questions about Erik and what my thoughts were, and she asked me if I wanted to go to visit them. And obviously, I said yes. I was super nervous to go in but the first person I saw was Erik. We embraced and we had an amazing conversation. We also sat around in a circle with other inmates who shared their stories and what they’ve done. And something really interesting was that they all came from dysfunctional families…

Jacket & pants Emporio Armani, sunglasses Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Meeting Erik and Lyle, what in your view is the state of mind that they’re in today?

They seemed super light. They were cracking jokes, they were very charming, very kind, and very sweet. I remember Erik looking at Kris Jenner and being like, “You just don’t age, do you? You’re so beautiful.”

They’ve done so much work in prison reform. Erik teaches meditation classes, they both got a college education in prison, and they are working on this Greenspace project. They painted a mural around the prison yard so that the surroundings are not all just gray – there’s light and colour and life. And I think they have that within them too. They’re filled with light and they’re truly upstanding individuals. 

 

Let’s talk about The Hurt Man, the fifth episode of the series which is a 33-minute long single take of Erik giving an account to his lawyer of the abuse he faced throughout his life. How did you prepare for this episode?

Well, I grew up doing theatre so I knew that it was gonna be something that I could wrap my head around. I read the script over and over and over again, and I took all those stories and memories that he shares, and I just really tried to get super specific with what they all looked like – what the room looked like, what was the weather that day, what day was it… That way, when it came down to shooting, it would all just be real for me when I started talking about it. This also in a way became my entire prep for the character because that’s basically his whole life story, that episode is the entire history of his life [at that moment]. So in building that and constantly working on it, I was creating research that would ultimately be the foundation for my character. 

Sweater Loro Piana

How many takes did you do?

We did eight takes and shot it over two days. And they chose the very last take. 

Well, it was all worth it then. [Laughs] Something that we have to discuss is your friendship with Chloë Sevigny, who plays Erik and Lyle’s mother on the show. I saw that you went to the Sweat Tour together.

Chloë is so wonderful. She came in and had a really clear idea of how she wanted to approach her character. You know, she showed up in every scene with some nuances, she wasn’t trying to do anything crazy. She trusts herself. She’s also very kind and she took care of me. She would check in with me and make sure I was doing okay throughout the shoot. We had a good little buddy system on set and we definitely became friends. One day, she came to me and said, “They asked me to do this Charli XCX video, do you know her?” And I was like, “Yes, you have to do that!” And she did. Then, when I saw that the Sweat Tour was happening at the same time as we were in New York for press, I was like, “Hello, I think we should go.” [Laughs]

Lastly, what are you looking forward to once this busy time of press for the show comes to an end?

I want to find my next thing to do. I want to find another project that I will feel a similar type of passion towards, a story that I feel that I have to tell. I’m excited to work again.

Shirt & pants Gabriela Hearst, shoes Vans

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Nino Muñoz

Fashion by Seppe Tirabassi

EIC Michael Marson

Casting by Imagemachine Cs

Grooming by Ericka Verrett @ aframe_agency

Photographer’s assistant Kurt Mangum

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SURVIVAL INSTINCT

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VANCOUVER-NATIVE MACKENZIE DAVIS CONTINUES TO GENRE-JUMP, FROM ROM-COMS AND FEMINIST INDIE FLICKS TO SCI-FI AND HORROR, WITH TV CREDITS INCLUDING HALT AND CATCH FIRE, STATION ELEVEN, AND BLACK MIRROR'S BELOVED "SAN JUNIPERO" EPISODE, TO MOVIE BLOCKBUSTERS SUCH AS TERMINATOR: DARK FATE AND BLADE RUNNER 2049, AND THE COMEDIES TULLY, IRRESISTIBLE AND HAPPIEST SEASON. THE 37-YEAR-OLD ACTRESS IS CURRENTLY MAKING US JUMP OUT OF OUR SEATS, IN THE REMAKE OF THE TENSE AND EERIE DANISH HORROR MOVIE, SPEAK NO EVIL, IN WHICH A DREAM HOLIDAY SOON TURNS INTO A PSYCHOLOGICAL NIGHTMARE FULL OF COMPLEX GENDER DYNAMICS. DAVIS INFUSES HER CHARACTER LOUISE, A MOTHER AND WIFE IN A TROUBLED MARRIAGE, WITH AN UNCOMFORTABLE BLEND OF SOCIAL ANXIETY, DIVORCED FROM HER INSTINCTS. WE CAUGHT UP WITH DAVIS TO TALK ABOUT RELYING ON HER INTUITION, CRAVING LIGHTNESS, AND HOW SLEEP IS ON HER WISH LIST FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.

Full look Celine by Hedi Slimane

Left Full look Prada 

Right Coat Miu Miu, skirt Maison Margiela, shoes Dries Van Noten, socks Falke 

Ok firstly, this movie has made me never want to be a host or house guest again! What about you?

Not at all, I love hosting, but it’s maybe not that wise to spend three isolated days with some people you only met on holiday in a dreamy location!

Full look Celine by Hedi Slimane

You can say that again. Let’s get under the skin of your character Louise, as I imagine she was quite complicated and layered to play – she’s a bit of a balancing act. Was that one of the things that attracted you to the movie?

Yes, I found her challenging in that I didn’t like her right away, and I found some of her behaviour frustrating, and the more I looked at her, the more I wanted to create a reason as to why she was the way she was. I feared that she would be a passive character who turned into the “strong female character archetype” at the end and there wouldn’t be a true line between the two, and so I tried to figure out a way into her that pushed against my initial judgements.

Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

I’m assuming you didn’t see yourself, or aspects of yourself, in your character, as is often the case with acting, because Louise entirely goes against her instincts?

I initially didn’t see myself in the character as I couldn’t understand her reticence to call the shots when it was clear she had the instinct, impulse and intuition to read the situation clearly; I kept thinking, “Why is this woman always looking at her husband for answers?” What was helpful was building a framework where I could understand that reticence, that this couple were in therapy. It’s a relationship where she’s trying to atone for an indiscretion and is constantly in an apologetic, backfooted place. I think resolutions can come out of couples therapy that aren’t necessarily healthy or equal on the surface, but are stepping stones to solving a marital problem, and in this case, it was important that Ben (Scoot McNairey’s character) got to be the leader in public situations, and I hesitate to use the word “emasculated” because it’s my least favourite word on the planet, but it’s that feeling of him needing to have that power bestowed on him. So, once I figured all of that out, it made more sense to me why this smart, capable woman was constantly looking to her husband for approval, guidance or support in a situation where she clearly already knew what to do.

Left Full look Louis Vuitton

Right Sweater & skirt Fendi, boots Prada

For a lot of the movie, she’s trying to keep the peace and then she just can’t do it anymore. That will be relatable to many of us, trying to be all things at once. I liked that what she’s feeling is not always delivered through dialogue, but rather expressions or silence. That’s always interesting to explore on screen.

Behaviour is the most revealing aspect of your feelings or character and it was important to me to know that Louise wasn’t going to be overly vocal, and that our director James Watkins was interested in those moments of silence; not that she was absent from proceedings, but that her silence was spoken in other ways. I’m always interested in couples or families with a long relationship history, which is thick with subtext like past hurts, game playing, traps to see if ‘they do that thing you expect them to’, you don’t always see it all in dialogue, but those silences or looks are the most interesting.

Left Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Right Sweater Maison Margiela, bottoms Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

The film takes viewers on a rollercoaster ride, from cringe laughing to feeling so unsettled, and what elevates it, I think, is a lot of the story explores digging into what it means not to speak up, so there is an emotional journey audiences can connect with, that feels logical. Would you agree?

I think the experience of trying to be polite, keep the peace, and trying to survive in society and not alienate people all the time is one I definitely relate to, as we’re constantly censoring ourselves, and sometimes it can feel like the stakes of offending or not are as high as being killed! To make some really insensitive misstep will cause you to get cast out of society in a way that could be like a death. I know I sound dramatic but this response to social situations can feel extremely high stakes. Then that’s also funny too, as comedy and horror are dealing with the same things, that tension and then release, you either scream or laugh, and you get both with this film, the social panic and mortal panic.

Left Full look Prada 

Right Coat Miu Miu, skirt Maison Margiela, shoes Dries Van Noten, socks Falke 

It's interesting you mention social panic, particularly with this fear everyone has of being cancelled for speaking up. What’s your take on it all?

I think society swings on a pendulum and sometimes we overcorrect in a way to rectify something that hasn’t been corrected for centuries. Some people may bristle to current culture as we’re correcting a system of order or power structure that kept people silent rather than speaking up against what the norm was deemed to be. People are having strong reactions to what they see as militant political correctness now, or cancel culture. But I think it’s also natural to swing to one side and not to feel the need to overcorrect, even though the impetus seems to be a radical empathy, at some times it feels like it’s neutered our impulses and intuitions as we’re constantly checking ourselves to make sure we’re not offending. I like to think I’m an empathetic person, but that there is also space to make a mistake and follow your intuition without being penalised for it. 

Left Sweater Maison Margiela, bottoms Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Right Full look Balenciaga

In relation to your character Louise’s fear of not speaking up, but empathising with her logic, have you ever had to mute your intuitive responses in real-life experiences?

Yes, there are so many times I’ve had to mute, as I’m really sensitive to certain pejorative words, such as “emasculation”, as it doesn’t have a parallel for women, it’s a straight off panic of men not being able to rule the world and it’s such a stupid word. But then if I’m in a social situation I probably won’t call it out every time I hear it, I’ll give myself a few opportunities not to say what I’m thinking [Laughs], but then the weight of being the killjoy outweighs the other part of you that wants to just survive and not correct people and move on.  So that meeting out of an allowance of intuitive responses, or not having free reign is part of surviving socially, but it does mute your sensitivities. 

Full look Louis Vuitton 

Speaking of intuition, I imagine the obvious thing with taking new roles is not to repeat yourself. What does get you excited when it comes to a script? And what type of roles do you automatically turn down? Is there such a thing?

It’s hard to say what I turn down, but there is a genre of speculative sci-fi, it’s not the genre, but easy dystopias can sometimes feel like something I don’t want to do, but so many things are a reaction to the last thing you did. So, I’m craving lightness rather than darkness right now, and often when I read a script, I think, “Can I feel the words in my mouth?” Sometimes things are great, objectionably wonderful, that I would love to be in, but it’s not going to fit in my body for some reason and it’s a strange litmus test that’s hard to describe to another person. I can just feel if something is going to fit with me or not and it’s a rhythm, understanding the tone and point of view of the writer when you’re reading something.

Full look Loewe

In the eclectic and complex mix of characters you’ve already played over your career, how has the feeling of being in front of a camera changed for you since your first screen role?

It’s changed a lot. I always felt comfortable acting between action and cut, even on my first movie, but I would say working on character and advocating for character has changed a lot, having grown up and found more authority and a right to advocate. It felt inappropriate when I was younger to be more strident or raise things that I had trouble with, like the way a scene was written, and if I got pushed back, I would be like, “Ok, moving on.” Now, I’m more loyal to my point of view because I trust it comes from a good place and that I have good instincts most of the time. I guess I’ve become a lot more annoying to work with.

Full looks Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Before your on-screen break came, were there movies you watched growing up that helped fuel your passion for acting?

Well, every Sunday we would go to Blockbuster and choose a film, then cook a roast dinner and we were allowed to eat it in front of the TV! There were so many movies we watched all the time at home, like Beetlejuice, Drop Dead Fred and Father of the Bride. I wouldn’t say there was one movie or performance that moved me or ignited my passion, but those kinds of films were on constant repeat in my house!

Left Sweater Fendi

Right Full look Louis Vuitton 

What’s home life like for you now, after being on set for hours… Are you still watching movies? How do you relax?

Well, I just started running, which really scares me because I always end up injuring my ankle, but it’s been really helpful, as I’m shooting a show right now that’s really full on, and all I want to do when I get home is eat and watch something and tune out. So, I’ve been forcing myself to go out and run instead. I also love watching my dog, she helps me be in the moment because she’s so fascinated by things and emotionally available, and she also has a hair-trigger temper that I have to watch out for, so she keeps me excruciatingly present! [Laughs]

And the show you’re working on is the forthcoming Netflix series The Undertow?

Yes, I finish that soon and then I’m going to sleep more than anyone thought possible! After that, I’m going on vacation too, not sure where, and then it’ll be Christmas, so lots of cosy fires, reading, and more sleep!

Left Coat Miu Miu

Right Full look Prada

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Hadar Pitchon

Fashion by Michael Andrew Rosenberg

Make-up by Olivia Barad At See Management

Hair by Erin Piper Herschleb At L’atelier Nyc

Assistant Loulou Shafran

FAMILIAR FACES

 
 

Zachary Quinto is going back to his roots – starring in NBC’s latest hit show, Brilliant Minds. The decision to return to network television felt natural – the universe was giving him unmistakable signs of approval. Filming began during a solar eclipse, which was coincidental, given that an eclipse was the catalyst for the narrative of what he calls his big break, the iconic Heroes. In Brilliant Minds, Quinto plays Dr. Oliver Wolf, a character based on one of the most important neurologists of the 20th century, who was instrumental in advancing our understanding of prosopagnosia, commonly known as face blindness.

Ironically, BTB assigned the interview about his latest role to Matt Bomer, one of Quinto’s oldest friends. The two met at 18 when they were both in college, and they’ve been supporting each other through all the success they’ve achieved ever since. On an early morning in Toronto, the two catch up as Quinto prepares to shoot his final scene of the show. But both are on the brink of change – Bomer is getting ready to send one of his children off to college. Amid Mercury retrogrades, tight schedules, and the pride they have in each other, they reconnect like the best pals they are.

- August 2024 -

Zachary Quinto: Hey honey, thank you so much for doing this.

Matt Bomer: Are you kidding me? I’m so glad I’m doing this with you. I’m so proud of you.

ZQ: I’m sorry I’m a bit late. But I know if there’s anyone who understands what it’s like to have a busy schedule it’s you. I think I get it now in a way I didn’t before. When you and I would talk when you were doing White Collar, I always thought, “Oh yeah, Matt is busy,” but I couldn’t quite fathom what that meant, I get it now that I’m on the other side.

 MB: I know, which is why I’m so grateful you made time to be with me.

 ZQ: Thank you. I was having a lot of technical difficulties… For how much longer is Mercury in retrograde?

 MB: Ok, so, it’s usually three weeks at a time, this time is from August 5th to the 28th…

 ZQ: We’re right in the middle of it…

 MB: How is Toronto?

 ZQ: Toronto has been great. I can’t believe it, but after I finish talking to you, I’m getting in my car and going to do the last scene of the show for the season. They had to move it to a Saturday and then after that, everything is wrapped. I’m going immediately to the barber… But I loved it, I’ve had a really great time. I hit the right time of the year to live in Toronto, it’s been a wonderful summer.

 MB: When did you start?

 ZQ: We started on April 8. I know because it was the day of the eclipse. It’s funny because the job that changed my career was Heroes. The whole inciting incident of the pilot of that show was a solar eclipse. To be back on NBC and to start filming a show on the day of an actual solar eclipse, I couldn’t help but notice the thread. 

 MB: How did this show come into your orbit?

 ZQ: The project has been kicking around for a long time, it was being developed before it got to NBC. I remember reading a different script of the same project, maybe seven years ago. It didn’t resonate with me at the time but when it came around this time it was different, it drew me in a way it didn’t the first time. I spent some time with it, I didn’t know if I wanted to go back to a network environment. And then I talked to Michael Grassi and the creative team, and I loved how they were talking about the show and what they wanted to do with it.  We did the pilot in March 2023 and then we waited to see what happened. The strikes happened right after, so there was no movement. In the middle of that, the head of NBC left… That’s never been a good sign when you’re waiting for a project to be decided upon, but we survived it. We got picked up the week before the strike ended… I feel grateful for that timing.

 MB: You’re fantastic in the show, it’s a great role for you. It’s wonderful to see you in every scene. I know that’s a very unique experience as an actor. How do you pace that all out? Are you carving out time to be a human being for at least 12 hours a week?

 ZQ: I've never had an experience like this before, so it was a real learning curve for me. Ultimately, we had a pretty reasonable schedule. I felt like I was able to generate the necessary stamina. I never felt overwhelmed, incapable, or so exhausted that I couldn’t see the road ahead. I kept a low profile during the downtime in Toronto. I wasn’t very extroverted or social. When I had free time, I made sure to take it. It was important for me to maintain a sort of monastic existence if you will. As I reflect on it, I think "monastic" is a fitting description. It was crucial for me to do things for myself when I had downtime, to maintain balance. I scheduled activities like banjo lessons, massages, and workouts on weekends. Friends visiting was nice, too. As for the work itself, I found it helpful to go from macro to micro. I would read the episodes as they came out, discuss them with the showrunner, raise any questions or concerns, and then review the revised drafts. I couldn’t afford to think too far ahead because there were so many intense days with a lot happening. So, I concentrated my energy on what was right in front of me, and I think that approach worked for me.

 MB: You know, I was thinking, we met at 18 years old. We were in college together and you’ve always been a huge inspiration to me, not only as an artist but also as a person. You inspired me to travel abroad for the first time. When we were starting in the business, I remember we used to have trailer talk. I mean, we did Broadway together… It's worth taking a moment to reflect on, especially since I've been thinking about it even before our conversation. So much has happened for each of us, and while we've experienced much of it together, we've also had significant individual journeys. To go so far back with someone and share such a foundational experience, like our time at drama school and our personal awakenings, makes watching your success and taking pride in it even more meaningful. There are many great Hollywood friendships and relationships, but to me, the best ones are those that trace back to before the flashbulbs and excitement. It's about the moments when we were there for each other in everyday ways, like driving to a doctor's appointment or just being present. I feel incredibly grateful for that.

 ZQ: I do too. You were really the first friend of mine who became famous, and seeing how you navigated that with such grace and kindness was incredibly inspiring. I remember how tactfully and graciously you handled interactions with people who approached you on the street, it was truly admirable. Also, I recall our conversations about our sexual identities back in college. We were among the first to discuss these topics openly with each other, and to see how you've embraced and expressed your identity with such power and confidence is remarkable. Fellow Travelers is a testament to that. Witnessing this aspect of your life is just as inspiring as anything I could have shown you when we were younger. I was reflecting on how intense the schedule can be on a show like this, and yet you managed to balance it while raising three children. Meanwhile, I have my dogs who come to work with me. You were working in Toronto and flying to LA every weekend while White Collar was in New York.

 MB: Jesus, right… I was flying home every weekend.

 ZQ: I literally don’t know how you did it.

 MB: Me neither, I think if I were doing that now it would be a different situation, but I was young and in love.

 ZQ: It’s pretty thrilling to think about. How old were you at the time?

 MB: I was 30 but my co-star would do the same thing and he was a little bit older than me, so he was a great accountability partner. Thankfully, we worked great hours in that show. In six seasons, I think we did two overnight shoots.

 ZQ: Yeah, it’s like what we’re doing. It helps to be a studio show, everything is on a sound stage so it’s a much more controllable schedule. The hours are much more civilised.

 MB: It’s funny to think about our time at college and the solace we found in each other in terms of our sexuality in the context of your character on the show, Oliver, because the real Oliver Sacks was celibate for much of his life… He had a hard time with his sexuality. Were you inspired by his life to play this character?

 ZQ: It's this unique hybrid of portraying a character who is, yes, largely inspired by the real-life Oliver Sacks, but exists in a contemporary and entirely fictionalized world. I get to draw from all the inspiration and source material related to Oliver Sacks’ real life, while also imagining what his life might have been like if he had come of age in a different time. His relationship with his sexuality was deeply influenced by the cultural and social expectations of his era. He passed away in 2015 at the age of 83, having grown up in the 20th century it was so different from what we know now. I think compounding that he had a very complicated relationship with his mother, which is something we explore in the show in a meaningful way. This might be a bit of a spoiler for the pilot, but Donna Murphy does play my mother.

 MB: Legends only, babe…

 ZQ: Legends, we’re bringing them in. But we do get to imagine what someone like Oliver might be like in the modern world. I think that standpoint motivates a deep desire to celebrate and amplify his legacy because he was such an incredible person. Almost every aspect of my character is true to the real-life Oliver Sacks, so I get a sense of who he was.

 MB: I get that. I think the way his sexuality is treated in the pilot is well done and unique, the way he’s talking to Carol… That was chef’s kiss. I love that relationship. We all need a Carol in our life. That first conversation when we think she’s talking about your sexuality but it’s about your face blindness.

 ZQ: There’s an aspect of him that’s very split off when we first meet him that moves through that over the course of the first season. A lot happens quickly on our show. It's fascinating to blend the narrative forms of medical procedural and character drama, and I've learned to anticipate how the stories will evolve. Almost every week, we introduce a new patient while continuing the ongoing stories of the doctors and hospital staff that viewers invest in. The cases are incredibly intriguing. I can't tell you how many times I’ve read a script and thought, "That can’t be real," only to find out that it is. Oliver Sacks wrote detailed case studies of his patients, and many of the stories on the show are drawn from those, as well as other similar cases. It’s remarkable to be part of a medical show that focuses exclusively on neurological disorders and mental health issues. At a time when mental health is more openly discussed in mainstream culture, it's important to continue examining and addressing this. I’m proud to be involved in something that contributes to this dialogue. The medical community often operates within a rigid framework, where thinking outside the box or proposing alternative approaches can be seen as a threat to the establishment. This reflects broader issues within the medical system, which is driven by profit and, in many ways, is broken. Oliver Sacks had a spirit of caring for his patients above all else, even if it meant challenging the system or disregarding rules he saw as obstacles. I've played characters who are rebellious for the sake of themselves or their own agendas, but it's nice to be playing a character's rebelliousness on behalf of other people in a magnanimous, compassionate way.

 MB: Prosopagnosia, I believe I’m pronouncing that correctly… face blindness is such an interesting thing to approach from an actor’s standpoint.

 ZQ: I’m going to be straight up, it’s weird to play because it’s a hard thing to comprehend. How could I imagine looking at you and not seeing my dear friend? I read a lot about it to try and incorporate that into my experience doing scenes. The other valuable thing was Lee Toland Krieger, who directed the pilot and some other episodes. He’s wonderful, he’s such an experienced and generous director. He came up with a visual vocabulary for sequences that we play throughout the season. It was interesting to see how it pays off. At first, I was a bit unsure of the value of the dramatization of that disorder in relation to the character. But they did a beautiful job. I don’t want to give too much away, but they don’t make a meal out of it.

 MB: How was working in Toronto? I love Canadian crews. I have a special place in my heart for it after doing Fellow Travelersthere.

 ZQ: That’s right, I forgot you shot down here. They’ve been nothing short of phenomenal, they’ve been amazing and hardworking. Everybody was on the same page; we all came together to tell the story. I’m so grateful for that experience, I hope we get to do more. But I am looking forward to a little break. I’ll have a change of pace in the next few months.

 MB: I hope we can manage to share a meal soon; we need to catch up. By the way, I’m loving the look here, love the beard.

 ZQ: I’m going to immediately shave my head after this. [Laughs] But I’m not mad at it, I just need a little change right now. But I want to enjoy a little of the end of the summer. I’ll be in LA at the beginning of September.

 MB: I’ll try to see you there. Are you going to be back in NYC?

 ZQ: Yeah, I’m going to be doing a play in the fall, at the end of October. I’ll do that until March.

 MB: You’re giving us a holiday run.

 ZQ: Giving you a holiday run. The play takes place on Christmas Eve. But anyway, I’ll be in LA before that, and I cannot wait to catch up with you. I can’t wait to know what’s been going on with you.

 MB: I’ll tell you this, I’m leaving tomorrow to drop a kid off at college. I wanted to watch your mind get blown for a second.

 ZQ: That’s insane Matty… My god. I just felt that in my stomach. Well, congratulations on that, it’s incredible.

 MB: I’m glad we had the chance to chat. I’m not sure if it’s a good or bad thing that we have to do this to talk, but I’m grateful it happened. Anyway, I’m excited for the world to see Brilliant Minds. I can’t think of anyone else who could have played this role. I feel like the nuance and the care and the subtlety that you bring to the character is moving,

 ZQ: I appreciate it so much. Thank you for watching it, and for the talk. I can’t wait to see you. I love you.

 MB: I love you. Good luck with your last scene.
…

DOING IT JUSTICE

JOSH RIVERA’S LATEST ROLE HAS BEEN A HIGH-INTENSITY WORKOUT. STARRING AS A LEAD IN AMERICAN SPORTS STORY: AARON HERNANDEZ – A NEW FX SERIES FROM RYAN MURPHY – WAS CHALLENGING BOTH WHEN IT COMES TO THE SHEER AMOUNT OF SHOOTING HOURS (AND THE DAILY CALORIE INTAKE TO BULK UP), AS WELL AS THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE DEPICTED SUBJECT MATTER. AFTER ALL, HOW EASY CAN IT BE TO PLAY SOMEONE WHO IN THE MINDS OF MANY IS A HOT-HEADED AND RUTHLESS KILLER? IN HIS PORTRAYAL, RIVERA SUCCEEDS IN SHOWCASING THE OTHER SIDE OF THE INFAMOUS NFL PLAYER – AN INSECURE YOUNG MAN WHO FEARS THAT HIS SEXUALITY WILL BE EXPOSED, AND WHO WILL DO ANYTHING TO KEEP HIS IDENTITY A SECRET. FOR BTB, RIVERA TELLS US ABOUT DIVING DEEP INTO HERNANDEZ’S TRAGIC LIFE STORY, FEELING AFFECTED WHILE FILMING THE BRUTAL SCENES, AND LEARNING HOW TO CATCH A BALL.

Left Full look Loro Piana 

Right Top & pants Lacoste, shoes John Lobb

Hi Josh! I saw the first five episodes of the series and I’m completely hooked! I have been really interested in the case of Aaron Hernandez for a while now and I think you did a great job in capturing the intricacies of his tragic story.

Did you follow the trial along as it was happening?

 

I got into it when the Netflix documentary on the case came out in 2020. 

That was my first exposure to it as well. I saw a bit of it because a buddy of mine was watching it at the time. But when I found out that this show was getting cast and they wanted to see me for it, I devoured it. And since then, I have watched it a few times, as well as listened to the podcast that it’s based on.

Full look Lacoste 

Once you were confirmed for the project, what was the preparation that you had to go through for the role?

It was so tough. The physical training wasn’t anything to write home about – it was four days a week. But I was eating a ton. I’ve never eaten so much. I had these meals prepared for me that were thousands and thousands of calories because the priority was that I get big.

 

Did you do a lot of football training as well?

Yeah, I worked with a company called Game Changers Sports. They had coaches that taught me a lot of techniques. I used to play football in high school but I was in a different position – I was a linebacker and a guard, and Aron was a tight end. I’d never had to catch a ball in my life. I was terrible at it [before this]. 

Top Zadig&Voltaire, pants and coat Prada & shoes John Lobb

Would you say you know how to catch a ball now?

I’m certainly better at it. That said, whenever we had the sexy, one-handed catches, that was somebody else. I didn’t do that. I can’t do that stuff. [Laughs]

In the process of learning Aaron’s story, what were some facets of him that you discovered that you found particularly helpful with your portrayal?

Coming from a place where I didn’t know much about his story except the fact that he committed a murder, something that stuck with me was how a lot of people said that he was a wonderful guy. A lot of people really liked him. They thought he was charismatic, easy to talk to, and lovable. That made me think a lot about the sides of a person and how one is inclined to act around people who could benefit his career, his friends, and his family, versus the people who might not mean much to him or who might not have any stake in his life. And I had to analyse that from my perspective. How do I treat people differently? How does my disposition change depending on who I’m talking to? I’m sure that some people think I’m funny, and some probably think I’m annoying. And I think in his case, that was probably a lot more of a spectrum compared to most people. We had access to some phone calls that he made in prison and you can hear the difference in the amount of tenderness towards some people, versus the amount of swag that he imbues in his speech depending on who he’s talking to. I thought that was really important to bring to the character because that’s what makes his outbursts and the sudden temperature changes make a little bit more sense.

Left Top MSGM, shorts & sock Lacoste, shoes John Lobb

Right Top Zadig&Voltaire, pants and coat Prada

Left Top Zadig&Voltaire, pants and coat Prada & shoes John Lobb

Right Sunglasses Chanel vintage

A lot of it was coming from these feelings of paranoia and being scared about his true self coming out. Was Aaron’s family involved in the process? Did you get in touch with them?

No, I didn’t feel that it would be conducive to building the character. It’s an adaptation and we cover many areas that are largely speculative and not publicly known on a factual level. And so that required that I build something from the ground up, so I didn’t want to complicate it with that resource. 

 

Which scenes or episodes did you find most challenging to work on?

I have never been a lead on a show before, so I was very surprised at how much goes into that and the sheer amount of effort it takes to be present with the kind of hours [that I was doing]. Something that was really difficult for me to film were the Odin [Lloyd, a player that was murdered by Hernandez] scenes – those really affected me on an emotional level, not in an “acting challenge” way. It was difficult to absorb the gravity of these kinds of things that are happening in the world. Re-enacting on such a level… It was hard to be the perpetrator. And I’ve never really felt that way before because I [usually] have a very good grasp on acting as pretend. It really affected me and it made it difficult to proceed, but I think the show turned out the way that it was meant to.

Full looks Lacoste

I think that it does a great job of showcasing all of the complexities of his situation for sure. Following this high-intensity experience, what are you craving right now in terms of roles?

Something funny. [Laughs] Looking back, I’m always the guy that everybody feels bad for or most horrible things happen to. I just wanna crack some jokes, you know?

Left Full look Loro Piana 

Right Full look Lacoste

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Ritchie Jo Espenilla

Fashion by Aryeh Lappin

Grooming by Jessica Ortiz

GOING UNDERCOVER

WITH JUST THREE WEEKS LEFT OF ACTING SCHOOL, JULIEN DE SAINT JEAN FOUND HIMSELF IN A CYCLE OF ENDLESS AUDITIONS, STRUGGLING TO SECURE A ROLE. IT HAD BEEN OVER A YEAR SINCE HIS LAST ACTING GIG, BUT THEN, IN WHAT HE DESCRIBES AS A MIRACULOUS TWIST OF FATE, HE WAS CONTACTED TO PORTRAY ANDREA IN THE COUNT OF MONTE-CRISTO, ALONGSIDE PIERRE NINEY. DESPITE ONLY HAVING SEEN A BRIEF TRAILER OF HIS WORK ONLINE, THE DIRECTORS WERE CONVINCED HE WAS THE PERFECT FIT FOR THE VENGEFUL ADOPTED SON OF THE COUNT. ALTHOUGH HE HUMBLY REFERS TO THIS OPPORTUNITY AS A BENEDICTION, JULIEN HAS CONSISTENTLY PUT IN THE WORK. HE JUGGLED ROLES IN PARALLEL PROJECTS LIKE LIE WITH ME AND LE PARADIS, A PERFORMANCE THAT EARNED HIM A CÉSAR NOMINATION. HE ALSO TREASURES HIS TIME COLLABORATING WITH CLASSMATES AND TEACHERS ON SHORT FILMS, SUCH AS LA PIQURE BY LENA DANA. HIS GUIDING PHILOSOPHY? “MAKE THE CHOICE WITH YOUR HEART.”

Hi Julien, how was your summer? 

If I compare it to last year, when I shot The Count of Monte-Cristo, I have to admit it felt good to be in full-time holiday mode because it's been a pretty busy year. I need to start getting back into the swing of things, learning scripts again, working on my auditions and my next projects. I'm always happy to get back to work, I can't wait. 

As you said, last summer you were filming The Count of Monte-Cristo, what was it like to work on such a big production and have it be shot, produced and released in such a short span of time?

We started shooting in July 2023 and finished in November. The editor edited the film at the same time, so by the end of the shoot we already had a big cut with at least 3 and a half hours of film. Then there was this gamble of, “Should we send it to Cannes?” because the film was due to be released in December 2024. Finally, they said let's go to Cannes, so they had to finish the editing and the special effects in less than 4 months. It's great, because films like this, big-budget ones, are rarely celebrated at film festivals like Cannes or at the Césars...So just the fact that we got to be there was great, and I found the welcome from the audience and press to be so warm.

What does this event and this experience mean to you as a young actor? A standing ovation that lasted 12 minutes...that's huge!

People often talk about the Cannes vortex: you get there and you have two days where there's a huge number of things happening every hour. When you see your film, it's like a dream, you can't believe what's happening. On the way out my agent said to me, “Julien, I don't think you realise what's going on.”


All the critical acclaim is well deserved, you can tell that there's a lot of work behind it, and I have to tell you I had a great time. 3 hours just went by!

It was scary for us because it's true that 3 hours of film in French cinema is quite rare. We were afraid that it would stop people from going to the cinema. But in the end, through word of mouth, the reviews were so good that people thought, come on, let's go watch these three hours. 


How does your character differ from Alexandre Dumas’ novel?
Summarising 1400 pages in 160 pages of script is quite difficult. As the character is pretty different and we didn't want to start getting mixed up, I wanted to read the first part of the book, to immerse myself in Dumas' work and his writing, but I really only based myself on my character, and on his trajectory. I don't think there’s much difference in how I approached the role compared to any contemporary character [that I’ve played].

But I imagine there are a lot of written things to take into account when you play it. What did you like when you read the script and Andrea’s lines?

First of all, he's pretending to be an Italian prince…So he's lying, he's manipulating, and with the help of the Count, they’re going undercover. There's nothing more enjoyable as an actor because these characters are a bit like actors, they're playing a role. That was also part of the complexity of the role...because the viewer is always aware of the plot and our plans, you don't want to show too much and at the same time you need to show enough to show that you're deceiving... It was a question of finding the right balance. For me, what most attracted me was my character’s sensitivity. 


Do you see a bit of yourself in Andrea?

I don't know if I'm very close to my character, but in general, there’s this desire for justice. It's a fairly universal feeling, but I can understand all the things Andrea does, going to great lengths to take revenge. 

The Count adopts Andrea and teaches your character everything. Would you say you've also had a mentor like that in cinema?

I think it's all the people you meet, whether they're professionals or friends. Or like my mother who told me, “Ah, you should try the Conservatoire in Lyon” And maybe if she hadn't said that to me, I wouldn't have gone to school, met teachers and other students who made me realise that it's possible to be an actor. There are lots of people I've met along the way, encounters that hopefully lead you to your goal. And sometimes people say that the profession is a bit of luck and that's true, there's also work, there's rigour, but it's also about meeting the right people at the right time. I've spoken to actors who've had a career of 40 years and they've told me that the hardest thing is to stay. And that means making the right choices, diversifying your roles, not locking yourself into one type of role and continuing to be fulfilled in the profession.


You also gave a wonderful performance in Olivier Peyon’s Lie with Me where you played alongside Jeremy Gillet. You seem to enjoy playing roles where you hide part of yourself, how do you approach this duality in your characters? And what inspires you to play such damaged characters? 

It's funny, I'm often projected into characters who are tough, who have anger inside them and who have a very dark side. In life, I'm rather the opposite of those characters. So when I play, I try to imagine how they would present themselves to the world as these rather dark characters, and then I re-inject something gentler from myself. And it's this duality that I put into them.

Do you have any plans to explore roles abroad?

I've been in my first English-language film, coming out on Netflix, called Delicious. It's a German film about a German family who arrive in France for the holidays. We're going to be a group of French people, and we're going to get involved with this family. It's a bit of a thriller and this is the first time I've played in English. Frankly, it was a great experience. The film will be released in 2025.  I also have a role in La Réparation by Régis Wargnier and Merteuil for HBO MAX, where I’ll be reunited with Anamaria Vartolomei who plays my sister Haydée in The Count of Monte-Cristo.


Did you notice a big difference when filming in English?

Sometimes when you're acting in English, you don’t look at yourself as much, it's as if the accent or the language barrier is a bit in the way. Let's say you look at yourself less because it's not your mother tongue. But I know I'd like to continue in an international career, there are more and more international projects and castings. I'm not closing my doors, even though I know there are so many great projects in France.


You've already shot with some of the biggest French actors in this film, who would you like to work with next? And in what types of roles?

I'm curious and I want to try my hand at everything. When you're a young actor, you want to do lots of films. I'd love to play with Noémie Merlant, who was my godmother at the Césars. I love her choice of films. She's an actress who moves me. And I'd love to play with her. And on top of that, we've got the same mole on the face on the right side, and I frankly told her that we should play brother and sister. The future is so uncertain, we could get life-changing news any day and life usually has more imagination than we do. So I'm rather looking forward to seeing what happens next. If there's a character, a director you want to work with, or an aesthetic you want to try out, if you really feel deeply in your heart that it's a good choice. If you make the choice with your heart. Even if you realise after the film that you're a bit disappointed, at least if you've made it with your heart, then that's the most important thing. At least that's my motto at the moment. Make the choices that please me. Not do roles because I'm told to do them. Films are bets, you never know. Sometimes it'll be a huge success, sometimes it won't work out, but it’s ok, we can always make more films.

Interview by Gabrielle Valda Colas

Photography by Lucca Dahan-Fletcher

Fashion by Candy Hagedorn 

Stylist’s assistant Juliette Lamet 

All clothes Louis Vuitton

TWISTS AND TURNS

ARTHUR CONTI’S VERY FIRST FEATURE FILM OPENED THIS YEAR’S VENICE FILM FESTIVAL – TALK ABOUT A DREAM DEBUT SCENARIO! CONTI’S LUCK DOESN’T END THERE. IN BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE, TIM BURTON’S SEQUEL TO THE CULT DARK COMEDY FROM 1988, THE ACTOR GOT TO PRACTICE HIS ACTING CHOPS ALONGSIDE INDUSTRY LEGENDS (MICHAEL KEATON! WINONA RYDER! CATHERINE O’HARA! WILLEM DEFOE! MONICA BELLUCCI!), AS WELL AS JENNA ORTEGA, ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING YOUNG TALENTS IN HOLLYWOOD. WE CAUGHT UP WITH CONTI A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER HIS RETURN FROM THE FLOATING CITY TO CHAT ABOUT THE MOVIE’S GLITZY PREMIERE, THE JOYS OF PLAYING AN UNSETTLING CHARACTER AND BURTON’S IMMERSIVE SET EXPERIENCE.

Left Coat John Lawrence Sullivan, shirt Connolly, tie Celine Homme

Right Suit John Lawrence Sullivan, shirt and tie Oliver Spencer, shoes Manolo Blahnik

You just attended the premiere of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice during the Venice Film Festival. What did it feel like to have your very first movie screened in such a prestigious context?

I had a surreal, amazing time in Venice, and it felt like a real honour to be there opening the festival. I was incredibly anxious at times though, as someone who’s never been to anything like that – I kept having to look at my castmates to know when to clap and when to stand and all that kind of thing.  I felt I needed to be on my best behaviour. Seeing close-ups of my face on that big of a screen in front of that big of an audience, knowing people like Sigourney Weaver and Isabelle Huppert were watching it, was very exhilarating and a bit horrifying. I was ridiculously happy though. 

 

What’s been your favourite part of the Venice experience? Any moments that you think will stay with you forever?

In the best way possible, it was hard to believe the whole thing was happening. I also hadn’t met a lot of the cast until Venice, so that was lovely. I think just being there alongside these people that I’ve grown up watching and idolising as the film got a standing ovation was something I’ll never forget. 

Left Full look Ferragamo

Right Coat John Lawrence Sullivan, shirt Connolly, tie Celine Homme

 How did this role come about for you?

I sent in a self-tape, and a few weeks later I got sent the whole script. When I’m going up for things, I normally try very hard to not get too excited and put too much pressure on myself. This was a rare occasion where as soon as I read it, I decided I needed to get it and thought about nothing else for weeks. I did one re-call on Zoom with Tim [Burton] and Jenna [Ortega], and I found out about two hours later that I’d got the part.

 

Were you a fan of Tim Burton’s work prior to being chosen for this project? If so, what do you enjoy the most about his films and the signature visual language he has built over the years?

I was very much a Tim Burton fan before this film. I’ve told this story a few times now, but I was terrified of him for a long time as a child because I saw a trailer for Coraline when I was 4 and couldn’t sleep for days. He didn’t direct or have anything to do with that film, my mum just thought he did and so he was blamed, unfairly. I do now love his films, Sweeney Todd and Ed Wood being favourites. It’s obvious that so much love and care and attention to detail goes into Tim’s films, and they’re all incredible to look at. The great thing about this film being mainly practical effects was that you got instant gratification on set. You’d look around and be completely immersed which definitely helped with my performance. 

Full looks Celine Homme

 Which aspects of your character were the most fun to explore?

I will now spoil the film because it’s hard not to when talking about my character. The reason this part was so fun to play and why it would be a gift to any actor was that there are so many twists and turns to him. You essentially get to play two characters in one. I’d never played evil in anything before, and I enjoyed it immensely. I was debating whether to have him sort of switch up and become this maniacal serial killer once the twist is revealed, but I decided it would be more unsettling and more fun to have him stay this sweet, giggly weirdo throughout the whole thing, and hopefully that translates.

 

In the movie, you play a love interest to Jenna Ortega’s character — what was it like to work with her on this?

She’s as lovely and as talented a person as you could hope to meet. I think she was an ideal person to act alongside and to ease me into what it’s like working on a film set, being my age and having had similar experiences. She made going to work a lot less intimidating than it could have been - she is so easy to talk to and just as easy to act with. Her performance in the film is so grounded and funny and good, and I’m happy to have shared the screen with her. 

Full looks Celine Homme

 Which of the cast members made you feel most starstruck?

I had a moment very early on, probably only two weeks after getting the part, coming in for a costume fitting and sitting in a makeup trailer with Winona [Ryder] and Jenna, and thinking how insane it was that I was there. The film has a ridiculously star-studded cast, so meeting every one of them was almost equally hard to get my head around. What I realised very quickly is that everyone is so sweet and normal and there is really nothing to freak out about. Didn’t stop me from having a heart attack the first time I saw Willem Dafoe though. 

 

Given this great debut, what sort of roles you’re hoping to do in the future? Any genres you’re particularly keen to explore?

I want to do everything. It’s hard to pick one thing. My favourite films tend to be comedies, that have something strange, unsettling or experimental about them. I recently loved The Curse with Nathan Fielder and Emma Stone, and I love everything that Ruben Östlund, Ari Aster and Charlie Kaufman do. To work on something with that sort of tone would be a dream. It’s also a bit of a goal of mine to work on a sci-fi film. I grew up watching and am quite nerdy about Alien, Blade Runner and Star Wars, and it’s always been a genre very close to my heart. 

Left Full look Celine Homme

Right Jacket, trousers and boots Marni, shirt and tie Paul Smith, belt Moncler, gloves Dolce&Gabbana

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

I’ve always been interested in it, but I think the moment I realised I wanted to properly pursue it was when I was in a school production of The Drowsy Chaperone aged 13, playing the best man George. The cast was supposed to be Year 10 and older, but they let me be in it when I was in Year 9, and that genuinely could have been the little ego boost that made me think I could do it as a job. 

 

Who are the actors you look up to the most?

There are so many and I want to name them all, but I’ll try not to. Philip Seymour Hoffman is my favourite actor of all time. His performances in Doubt and Synecdoche, New York to me are two of the best ever. More recently, I would say Kieran Culkin in Succession. Sometimes he’ll deliver lines in such a lifelike and yet weird and interesting way that I have to keep rewinding to watch him say things again. Nicolas Cage and Mark Rylance are two others that have that same effect on me. 

Coat John Lawrence Sullivan, vest Moschino, glasses Gentle Monster

What’s one movie you can watch over and over again?

I’m not a big re-watcher of things, but there’s a horror film called Creep which is my most rewatched film on Letterboxd. I think it’s because it’s short and simple but very effective, it’s good to watch with other people and it’s my favourite combination of funny and scary. Very rewatchable indeed.

Coat and brooch Moschino, knit, shorts and belt Louis Vuitton, shirt Paul Smith

Coat John Lawrence Sullivan, vest and pants Moschino

Jacket, trousers and boots Marni, shirt and tie Paul Smith, belt Moncler, gloves Dolce&Gabbana

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Jason Hetherington

Fashion by Michael Miller

Grooming by Nadia Altinbas

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