Hi Billy! Congratulations on Hell of a Summer – I got to watch it over the weekend. How did this project come about? Were you and Finn [Wolfhard] friends before getting to work on it?

We became friends first. I actually had met Finn very briefly on the streets of Toronto years and years ago, just as a fan. I had seen him posting online about a lot of the films and comedians that he loved that I also really liked, and I just had a sense that we would get along because our sensibilities were so similar. So when I bumped into him on the street, we just started chatting about movies and comedy. We spoke for like five minutes, I didn’t want to bother him. And then a little bit over a year later, I’d started acting, and I got a small part in the Ghostbusters movie, which he was the star of. I sat beside him at lunch, and he was like, “Do I know you from somewhere?” And I said, “Not really, we met for two minutes once.” But he remembered our interaction! So the friendship has really just started because we have the same sense of humour. Also, we both knew that we wanted to be directors from a very young age, so it was great talking to somebody who had the same goals in mind.

Top **Ouer**, denim **MM6 Maison Margiela**, shoes **Dior Men**

With this being your first feature, what did you find most daunting about the process of conceptualizing and executing a film?

I had written so many half-script and several short films before this one. Like a lot of young writers and filmmakers, I had started writing a number of features, but at some point, you hit a wall because it’s a very isolating and exhausting experience. The thing that I found so helpful about working with Finn on this one is that while we were writing the first draft together, we were doing it so quickly because we weren’t second guessing ourselves in any way – we were trying to make each other laugh and pushing each other to finish that first draft. So, getting over that initial hurdle was a huge relief for me. And then after that, we spent the next three years refining the script and getting it to a place of feeling confident about it.

From the production standpoint, it was really just obstacle after obstacle after obstacle, which I think is often the case with indie films. We filmed it in 19 days. It was a very hectic, short shoot. I had to do a lot of stuff that I think normally director wouldn’t have to do, but it was just the nature of the situation we were in and the resources that we had. The whole thing was a tremendous learning experience for me, and I’m so glad that I was so hands-on in so many different departments.

Left Tops **Fendi**
Right Top **Dries Van Noten**, pants & jacket **Sacai**

What attracted you guys to the slasher genre?

We felt that the genre would really elevate the comedy. We had set out to write a teen ensemble coming-of-age comedy that was set in the realm of a slasher movie – we wanted for both of those parts to be happening simultaneously. The idea was to take this cast of petty and insecure characters, then throw a killer into the mix, and instead of having all of their petty problems disappear once the killer spree began, we wanted to have them amplified. Every character can’t help but be themselves, and to me, the funniest moments in the script are born out of how they are reacting in this really awful situation.

Shirt **Hermès**, pants **Bluemarble**, tie **Fendi**, jacket **Isabel Marant**

Did you write with specific people in mind? Did you know that you wanted to play Bobby from the get-go?

Yeah, I knew that I was going to play Bobby and Finn was going to play Chris. Other than that, no, we didn’t really write with specific actors in mind – we based the characters off of people in our own lives or certain dynamics that we had.

There are elements of me in Bobby, for sure. And I don’t say that in a proud way. I’d like to think that I’m more self-aware than him, but also, he was a lot of fun to write and tap into. It’s the type of character that I would always do to annoy my friends.

Left Tops **Fendi**
Right Top & pants **Aubero**

Is there anything that you find charming about him?

I think he’s a very loyal friend, and that’s something that’s admirable about him. It sounds funny to be discussing it in such a serious way, but I always saw him as a character who didn’t have any positive role models growing up. He looked to all these action heroes and celebrities in search of this idea of what a man should be or should act like. He’s trying so hard to be like that, and he’s failing so spectacularly that I think there’s something endearing about him being such a coward in so many ways but wanting to be perceived as brave and cool. But he does mean well, and you can’t help but root for him in some ways, or at least that’s how I feel.

Top **Dries Van Noten**, pants & jacket **Sacai**, sneakers **Dior Men**

Left Shirt **Hermès**, pants **Bluemarble**, tie **Fendi**, jacket **Isabel Marant**, boots **MM6 Maison Margiela**
Right Shirt & tie **Hermès**, pants **Aubero**, coat **Ouer**

You talked earlier about sharing similar sensibilities with Finn when it comes to your favourite movies. What films did you guys look at while working on this one?

That’s a great question! We talked a lot about films like Superbad, The Graduate, or the early Wes Anderson stuff. We looked at a lot of films that were written by younger people about younger people. And then, from more of a horror perspective, we bonded over our mutual love for John Carpenter’s movies, specifically his earlier work. The original Halloween is a perfect slasher – there’s something so pure about it that is just brilliant.

I was actually very afraid of horror films as a kid. I didn’t watch that many of them until the end of high school, and I fell in love with the slasher genre through slasher comedies like Scream or Idle Hands. The last one I’ll mention was Shaun of the Dead – for us, it was the perfect example of a character-driven comedy set within the backdrop of a horror movie. It tells the story of a guy who’s trying to save his relationship, and it’s set within a zombie movie. And we wanted to do that with Hell of a Summer. It’s a movie about a guy who's coming of age and having to leave his childhood behind and step out into adulthood, but we’re using the backdrop of a slasher comedy and having this slasher spree be the thing that informs this massive change in his life.

Left Top **Dries Van Noten**, jacket **Sacai**
Right Jacket & boots **MM6 Maison Margiela**, pants **Études Studio**

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Gabe Araujo

Fashion by Sam Knoll

Casting by Imagemachine CS

EIC Michael Marson

Grooming by Mark Alan

Stylist’s assistants Daviel Castañeda & Alice Almeida

Michael Marson

April 17, 2025

Portrait, last

BRINGING FANTASY TO LIFE

Michael Marson

April 17, 2025

Portrait, last

Take one buff warrior with a chiselled jaw and striking golden locks, and put him in Prime Video’s blockbuster series, The Wheel of Time, and all your fantasies have come true, thank you TAYLOR NAPIER.

As the show nears its season three finale, the US actor who plays Maksim, the fierce, and dependable warder, has gained a new fanbase, and not just for his off-screen thirst trap Instagram posts, but for his trailblazing depiction of his character’s queerness. In a genre noted for its lack of LGBTQIA+ representation, the series’ groundbreaking portrayal of polyamory and male bisexuality has spoken to the eyes and ears of millions of audience members and reflected the true fabric of our society. Over zoom we spoke to Taylor about fantasy vs reality, being recognised on the tube and why he’ll never be the last one to leave a party.

Left Top & cardigan **Wales Bonner**
Right Jumpsuit, boots & belt **Isabel Marant**, glasses **Cutler and Gross x The Great Frog**

At the time of this interview, we’re nearing the end of S3, and I’m curious to know if during filming you felt like this season is the one where everything came together for you? You know, you’ve been filming for so long, and everyone kind of knows everyone on set, you’re like one big family and you know the world your character is part of.

We’ve been filming on and off for almost 6 years now, so in many ways the characters and stories are now landing and for the audience they’re getting to experience what we experienced when we first read the scripts all those years ago! You know we film and then we all go our separate ways for a while and then it’s like a reunion when we all come together again – certainly with this season it’s been great, and it feels like we’ve tied up a lot of things.

Top & cardigan **Wales Bonner**, boxer stylist’s own

Is the show’s success bringing new opportunities and fans for you, like, is going through the airport a lot harder now, trying not to be recognised or are you fully embracing your new cult status?

Haha, I wish!! It’s brought new opportunities for me though, and yes, I get noticed more.

I was on the tube yesterday and this guy was like, “Oh my god, I know you, my wife loves you!!”, and these things happen quite often all over the world, as I’ve been lucky enough to travel the past few years. I was in India visiting a castmate and we went to a random coffee shop, and it was hard to walk down the street without someone coming up to us. With these things you can play it cool as an actor and say you don’t really notice it, but it’s fun!

Left Full look **Dsquared2**
Right Full look **Emporio Armani**

‘One of the benefits of being in this fantasy world is that it’s our world and you’re able to make this reality of people just loving who they love.’

Well, let’s talk about the character you play, Maksim – can you describe some aspects of him that make him a joy and a challenge to play. What have you learned from him, especially as he goes on a pretty big journey of growth in this season?

I think Maksim has been an interesting character to play, as he’s on this journey, and he’s grown up a lot, but there’s still a naivety to him, to all of his outlook on the world; falling in love, joining the military out of love which is a big choice, and then being shocked by the realities of the world getting darker and more complicated as the seasons progress. With this season he’s trying to navigate this massive loss at the beginning, and he’s forced to go through the growing pains period and come out stronger on the other side. It’s weird, because he’s not always the most likeable character, he’s not a villain, but it’s been interesting to find a way to play his grief, anger and petulance and make sure it’s rooted so the audience knows where it’s coming from and be authentic to that, while recognising that maybe he is a bit whiny sometimes! [laughs].

Left Jacket & pants **Denzil Patrick**, shoes **Wales Bonner**, socks **Falke**
Right Hat **Wales Bonner**, scarf stylist’s own

I’m impressed by his posh British accent, a bit public schoolboy via Shoreditch.

Haha! Well, my idea for his accent was that he was a guy who went to Eton and then moved to Shoreditch and opened a yoga studio! [laughs]. There’s a specific kind of vibe to him; he comes from a place of privilege that he’s constantly running from and that trips him up a lot.

He’s also in a polyamorous relationship. How does it feel to be bringing that and bisexual male visibility to the high fantasy genre?

There’s a lot of queer and non-traditional relationships that are mentioned in the books, but they’re kind of underplayed as they came out 40 years ago and it was a different time then. In the show they’re being drawn out and have more of a focal point on screen. One of the benefits of being in this fantasy world is that it’s our world and you’re able to make this reality of people just loving who they love. There are a lot of TV shows with queer characters but a lot of the time it’s ‘a thing’; if you have a gay character the story must be about them being gay, but with this show, we made a conscious effort not to do that, they just are. That’s how it should be and is for myself as a queer person and my queer friends; I just wish sometimes I could live in that world, where you can walk into a room without the baggage that I’ve put upon myself in this world.

Do you feel a deeper connection to the queer community since being in the show, and how have they connected to you, what’s the response been like?

Yes, without a doubt, and the queer community always take to the fantasy genre, so having this representation on screen in the genre they love is so important. I get tonnes of messages from people, even someone messaged me today about having a similar storyline to the one on the show, and watching the series had helped them through their own situation. That’s what you really want to get from fans, to here that you’ve touched them and brought something to their life.

Full look **Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello**

As has the "Snack Warder” as you’ve been nicknamed! We can’t get away from Maksim’s total hunk status, and all the action stuff was another level this season, using every weapon imaginable…. you must have been swinging swords in your sleep.

When I was reading the scripts, I was like, “can’t we just pick one that he’s really good at?!”, you know, but warders are meant to be good at everything! I train and workout a lot so it’s a part of my daily routine, but I had to do so much more for this role. It can get tiring to be on a diet of grilled chicken and rice for that long when all you want to do is eat pizza, and after a long day filming all these actions scenes you just want a nap!!

Left Top & cardigan **Wales Bonner**
Right Full look Paul Smith

So outside of action and sci-fi, is there a world or genre you would like to dive into? What would that look like?

I would love to do something a little more intimate, maybe an Indie film. Wheel of Time is a machine, it’s so vast, so it would be nice to work on something where you get to hone in and work with the director organically on the character and figure out the story with the team and be part of the discussion. I would also love to do a comedy or a spy film too.

Is that James Bond I hear calling you in the distance…?

Haha! Yes, the first James Bond with an American accent!!

Left Full look **Emporio Armani**
Right Full look **Sacai**

Well, you do a pretty good Brit accent to be fair... and maybe the first queer Bond... imagine that!

Yes, imagine that... I can’t wait to read those reviews, haha!

You’re passionate about writing too, having written the screenplay and produced your own short film Atacama…

I’ve written and produced a few things, and Atacama is a thriller and it’s a sexy, fun little 15-minute piece and I hope to expand that idea more, maybe into a series. There’s something nice about writing as I get to play all the characters in my head, and since I’m doing that, I also don’t have to eat the grilled chicken diet non-stop! [laughs]

Left Full look **Blue Blue**, glasses **Cutler and Gross x The Great Frog**
Right Full look **N21**

Well, exactly! And what about travel, you seem to like jetting off around the world…. is that a passion?

Atacama came from a travel experience in the Chilean desert, and I think there are so many beautiful things about travelling; being immersed in a world that’s not your own and having to adapt. I like seeing the word through different eyes, it’s like playing a character, finding out a different history and understanding it and diving into it. As an actor I like travelling solo too, when you can land somewhere and be whoever you want to be for a day or a week, it’s good to step out of yourself and the culture you grew up in.

I also like cooking and going to bed early, my other passions!

That’s the second time in this interview you’ve mentioned how much you like a good nap! Is that why your Insta bio reads, “30ish on the outside, 80ish on the inside.”

Haha, yes! I wish I had a story about something crazy or interesting that I do, but I really like going to bed by 9.30pm. There’s a running joke among my friends that if we’re at a party or go somewhere and it’s getting late, you’ll always find me in a corner somewhere, fast asleep, so just wake me up and take me home! I worry that people may think I’m rude or think they’re boring, but it’s just that I can only focus on one or two people talking at a time and then if there’s lots of noise, I lose focus and want a nap!

Thanks goodness it’s only me and you on this zoom then… and I’ve not seen you stifle a yawn yet…

Haha! Give me another 10 mins… and you know, maybe…

Left Jacquet **Miu Miu**
Right Jumpsuit, boots & belt **Isabel Marant**, glasses **Cutler and Gross x The Great Frog**

We’re at the end anyway, so you can take a nap soon, after you’ve told me what’s coming up for you?

I have an iHeartRadio drama in the US about Apollo 11 and I play one of the astronauts, and I’ve also done a guest spot on the show Ride or Die with Hannah Waddingham and Octavia Spencer, Hannah’s playing a spy, and I was told that I was her first ‘Bond boy’, so that was fun.

There’s Bond again, see, it’s written in the stars, 007 is calling to you… so long as this Bond has a good nap instead of a Martini.

Exactly!

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Dean Ryan McDaid

Fashion by Steven Huang

Casting by Imagemachine CS

Grooming by Nadia Altinbas using Oribe & Sisley

Set Designer by Archie Lorch at Lorch Studios

Stylist’assistant Harley Thompson

Martin Onufrowicz

April 15, 2025

last

EASY ACCESS?

Martin Onufrowicz

April 15, 2025

last

BRANDON SKLENAR WANTS TO THROW HIS PHONE OUT THE WINDOW. THE AMERICAN ACTOR, WHO FIRST GAINED WIDE RECOGNITION WITH HIS APPEARANCE IN LAST YEAR’S IT ENDS WITH US (A FILM THAT STAYS IN THE HEADLINES UNTIL TODAY), SAYS THAT HE FEELS WARY OF THE CONSTANT ACCESSIBILITY THAT THE DEVICE PROVIDES TO HIM AND CHOOSES TO PRIORITISE LIVING IRL. WORRYING ABOUT THE DESTRUCTIVE POWERS OF AN IPHONE MIGHT BE A RESULT OF HIS LATEST ROLE IN DROP – A THRILLER IN WHICH HIS CO-STAR MEGHANN FAHY PORTRAYS A WIDOWED MOTHER WHO’S BEING HARASSED BY THREATENING MESSAGES THAT ARE FORCING HER TO MURDER HER DATE (PLAYED BY SKLENAR) IN ORDER TO SAVE HER SON’S LIFE. FOR BTB, THE ACTOR CATCHES UP WITH US ABOUT THE FILM’S PREMIERE IN AUSTIN DURING SXSW, PUTTING BACK ON HIS COWBOY BOOTS FOR THE RETURN OF THE WESTERN SERIES 1923, AND HIS LOVE FOR CALAMARI.

Left Shirt **Brunello Cucinelli**, denim and belt **Celine Homme**, bracelets **Peyote Bird**
Right Jacket **Stan**

You have just premiered your new film Drop at SXSW to rave reviews. What can you tell me about your experience there and how the film has been received by the festival’s audience?

I love Austin. I shot season two of 1923 there. The audiences at SXSW are very kind and full blooded film lovers. That was the most vocal audience I had ever seen – they were shouting and cheering. It took me by surprise. I hadn’t heard an audience that vocal since I saw Rocky Horror at a midnight showing in New Jersey years ago.

Jacket **Frame**, tank top **Calvin Klein**, denim **Levi’s**, belt **Artemas Quibbl**e, jewellery **David Yurman**

The film depicts an avalanche of things that go very wrong on a first date. What’s your worst first-date experience? Does thinking about it still give you anxiety?

It’s been many years, so I honestly couldn’t tell you…

Left Shirt **Todd Snyder**, tank top **CDLP**, jewellery **David Yurman**, sunglasses **Moscot**
Right Vest **Dior Men**, tank top **Calvin Klein**, belt **Artemas Quibble**, denim **Levi’s**, jewellery **Peyote Bird**

Your scene partner in the movie is Meghann Fahy. What did you enjoy the most about getting to work with her on this film?

Meghann is a great friend, an absolute ace of a human being, and the best scene partner any actor could dream of having.

Which of the scenes in the film have been the most fun acting experiences for you?

Probably the scene where I order calamari. I love calamari.

Shirt **Brunello Cucinelli**, denim and belt **Celine Homme**, bracelets **Peyote Bird**

I read that during the premiere, you were asked about your relationship with your phone following this project and answered that it’s getting worse by the day. What is an app that you’re addicted to? Do you want to break this addiction?

It’s not so much a specific app, it’s the phone in general. Accessibility annoys me at times – how accessible we all are. Work is 24/7 because you can always be reached. Emails, texts, Zoom meetings, etc.. I try to make a conscious effort to literally separate my body from my phone. My screen time meter hits a certain point, and I wanna throw this thing out of a moving vehicle (I’m doing this interview on it right now).

Left Shirt **Todd Snyder**, tank top **CDLP**, jewellery **David Yurman**, sunglasses **Moscot**
Right Shirt **Brunello Cucinelli**, denim and belt **Celine Homme**, bracelets **Peyote Bird**

You’re also back with the second season of 1923. What do you find fascinating about your character, Spencer Dutton? What can we expect from his arc this time around?

Spencer is a very interesting and noble human being. He’s a WWI hero, he’s a prolific big game hunter, he's a cowboy, he’s a man of principles which are guided by his love for his family and wife. Fans can expect him to not “ go quietly into that dark night.”

Left Vest **Dior Men**, tank top **Calvin Klein**, belt **Artemas Quibble**, denim **Levi’s**, jewellery **Peyote Bird**
Right Jacket **Stan**

What do you find most helpful when it comes to tapping into the period in which the series takes place?

I love doing period pieces. It’s not very difficult once you’ve got the clothes on and see the set design and production design. It all just makes it very easy to play pretend when you’re immersed in the environment.

Shirt **Lucchese**, denim **Levi’s**, belt **Artemas Quibble**, jewellery **Peyote Bird**

Were you a fan of Westerns growing up? If so, which ones were your favourites?

Both of my grandfathers loved Westerns. I grew up on them. Once Upon a Time in the West is up there. The Man with No Name series from Sergio Leone. That’s a clear topper. Searchers. High Plains Drifter. Can’t really argue with Clint’s impact on the genre and what he embodied in those films.

Jacket **Frame**, tank top **Calvin Klein**, denim **Levi’s**, belt **Artemas Quibbl**e, jewellery **David Yurman**, shoes **Lucchese x Nick Fouquet**

Your film It Ends with Us has been a hot topic ever since it came out last year. What do you hope fans take away from watching it?

A staggering number of women I know have experienced some form of abuse from a man. Whether it be emotional or physical. That film is for all of those women. It’s meant for those who watch it to feel heard, seen and validated, and in that validation, give them courage, strength and hope.

Shirt **John Varvatos**, denim **Brunello Cucinelli**, belt **Artemas Quibble**, bracelets **Peyote Bird**, sunglasses **Moscot**

Up next, you will be starring in Paul Feig’s new movie, The Housemaid. Why did you want to work with him? What about the way that he approaches humour speaks to you, both as an actor and an audience member?

Paul is a wonderful human, and I have genuinely loved the films he’s made over the years. He’s responsible for some of the most iconic films and TV shows in the last 20 years. The Housemaid, however, is not a comedy. It would be a pretty dark one if it were… I’m really excited for people to see it.

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Shane McCauley

Fashion by Seppe Tirabassi

Grooming by Kristen Shaw

EIC Michael Marson

Casting by Imagemachine CS

Martin Onufrowicz

April 11, 2025

last

FOLLOW THE LEADER

Martin Onufrowicz

April 11, 2025

last

SUBTLETIES CAN BE RESOUNDING. ON THE PERIPHERY OF OUR CONVERSATION, MARCUS RUTHERFORD SOFTLY, YET STEADFASTLY, PRAISES AS MANY FELLOW THE WHEEL OF TIME ACTORS AS POSSIBLE. BEFORE HE EVEN MENTIONS THE TRIUMPH OF HIS CHARACTER, PERRIN AYBARA’S FOCUS EPISODE THIS SEASON, HE HIGHLIGHTS TWO CORE CAST MEMBERS WHOSE SEASON-TWO SPOTLIGHT EPISODES WERE NOT PROPERLY CELEBRATED DUE TO THE 2023 SAG-AFTRA STRIKE. HE SPEAKS OF HIS OWN LEADERSHIP WHILE FILMING, BUT NOT WITHOUT ALSO PRAISING ANOTHER CASTMATE’S LONG-STANDING LEADERSHIP, SENSITIVELY NOTING HIS DOING SO IN HIS SECOND LANGUAGE, A CONSIDERATION HE SAYS, “PEOPLE DON’T [OFTEN] REALISE.” MUCH OF OUR CONVERSATION CENTRES AROUND LEADERSHIP THAT IS STILL AND SYMPATHETIC; HE REFERENCES VIGGO MORTENSEN’S ARAGORN AS THE “PINNACLE” EXAMPLE. AS WE EXPLORE MORE OF PERRIN’S ARC THROUGH PRIME VIDEO’S THIRD SEASON, WE FIND A LEADER NOT UNLIKE ARAGORN WHO UNITES THROUGH HUMILITY AND EMPATHY…AND BECOMES LESS OF A “SAD BOY” TO MARCUS’ RELIEF. LIKE PERRIN, THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARCUS THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO FOLLOW.

Left Full look **Dior Men**
Right Jacket **LGN Louis Gabriel Nouchi**, shirt **Denzil Patrick**, pants **Brioni**, shoes **Manolo Blahnik**

Hi Marcus! I was already a fan of The Wheel of Time, but season three is insane!

I always think it takes so long to come out, and [once it did] I was like, “People still remember!” It's been a really nice response so far.

It has been so long since you filmed that I imagine you could almost forget about the outcome. How does it feel now that you get to see the result?

So much changes [between filming and release], and you don't know what the appetite will be for certain things. The landscape of TV shifts quite quickly, and you wonder if people still want to be watching fantasy. There are so many different storylines as well. Some people didn't film in places like South Africa, where the Aiel Waste and Rand’s storyline is. Some people were just in Prague. You're kind of watching the episodes like, “Where the fuck was that? Where is all this being shot?” So it's quite nice to see that the characters have gone completely different places, and when those episodes come out, I’m like, “Oh, okay, that's what they were up to!” [Laughs]

It must also be odd because when season one was released, it was during COVID, and then season two was released during the SAG-AFTRA strike. This is the first season where you've been able to experience a bit more of an uninterrupted reaction.

Yeah, for sure. It was really weird with COVID. We had a premiere, but you could only have a certain number of people. It was quite hard with people isolating. You couldn’t celebrate anything. And then for season two, you couldn't share trailers and all the behind-the-scenes images. It was really sad, particularly with Zoë [Robins] and Maddy’s [Madeleine Madden] characters, because they had standout moments in season two. The people who saw it loved it, but there wasn’t a push there. I think it's really hard for the crew as well and the production team when you feel as though it's such a long process, and then it's just out on Amazon, but you haven't had a real physical moment to celebrate it. Social media is quite weird, but it is good for those things. You can start to get people to make noise. If you have a show like The Wheel of Time, where it's so international, you all start posting and sharing stuff, and just create a nice energy for the fans. For season three, we did a little fan screening in London. It’s been nice to celebrate it.

You mentioned it being particularly hard for people who had standout moments in season two, and obviously, you have a spotlight this season in episode seven. Your character, Perrin, goes back home to the Two Rivers. Before we get into Perrin, as Marcus, what do you think of first when you think of home?

I think there's an idea of comfort. There's a protection. I think that's actually why Perrin decides to go back home in the show. He steps away from the duty of everything that he's been thrust into in seasons one and two. I think there's something in knowing your identity in going home. You feel connected. It’s weird; I've got family in Jamaica, and I didn't grow up there, but if I go there, I feel connected. I think there was something about the character going back, but also myself as an actor, going back to that same 2019 set. We had different cast members, and it was pre-COVID. There were so many things that happened in the world since then. People on the show have since gotten married or had kids. There was a sort of mirroring of my experience and Perrin’s. I didn't think I'd changed, but I realised I had when I came back to the set. I think Perrin doesn't think he’s so different, but he is this worldly guy now who's been travelling. When he returns to his village, people look to him now as someone who's seen and done other things.

Blazer, shirt and pants **Giorgio Armani**, scarf **N°21**, shoes **Grenson Shoes**

The parallel is interesting, especially in that you didn’t think you had changed but realised you had. Do you remember the first vivid thought or feeling you had going back to the Two Rivers set?

There’s an episode where we all walk back into the village, and I remember walking onto that set. I remember knowing it. I knew quite a lot of the crew, and I knew how the cameras were going to work and the placement of things like, “Oh okay, we've got a smoke machine there,” or “There are animals there.” In 2019, there were just so many people. It was the pilot episode, and you had people from Sony and Amazon there just making sure everything went well. This time, it almost felt quieter and still, even though a lot is going on in the storyline. When I was twenty-four, I remember thinking there was just so much going on and so much to act. There were a thousand people behind the monitor, watching the performance. It felt a lot more intimate this time because of the different storylines throughout the season. It felt like we'd gone back to this quiet little village, and there was crazy stuff happening elsewhere.

Something so interesting about The Wheel of Time in terms of that intimate nature is the internal monologue that you get from a lot of the characters. Do you remember a very prominent inner dialogue of your own that you had while filming a particular scene?

There's a scene in episode three where the villagers want to go back to their farm. Perrin says, “You’ll die if you go,” and they're not really listening to him. I think it required a different vocal tone and physicality. Until then, I hadn’t really raised my voice to that extent. I remember one of the young lads — Wil [al’Seen] played by Iman [Marson], says, “What do we do?” And there's this moment where Perrin has a load of people looking to him. I think it mirrored that conversation with Rand in episode one, where he's like, “I can't do that. I can’t have people looking at me and asking what to do and what's next. I just don't have that in me,” but he does have that in him. I think that's what's quite nice when he meets Faile. She sees that there's something in him that he can't see in himself.

There was always this inner monologue of leadership. I didn't want him to be this big king, warrior-type leader all of a sudden. There’s something amazing about leadership that can be quiet and subtle. I've always loved Viggo Mortensen’s performance of Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings; it’s the pinnacle. I think he's the ultimate leader, but there's something so still and calm about it, which almost demands more respect. Perrin has also been quite uncertain about himself, and now there's a bit of certainty in how he looks and how he acts, and his eyes have changed. There's something a bit more complete about him. He's not like, “What am I?” or “Where are we going?” or “What are we doing?”

I like that you mentioned the leadership part. What specifically about Perrin would make you want to follow him as Marcus?
There were moments when I asked myself if he should have these massive rallying speeches or if he should shout more. There are moments when it happens, but I think what's so lovely about him is that he just knows what to say to everyone. I think that is the ultimate kind of leadership. There’s versatility in being able to talk to Alanna and Marin and Loial and have these nice conversations. There's such strength in being able to adjust yourself and to talk to people on their level. That's a social skill in life that is incredible. Perrin can make these little kids not scared anymore, or make Loial feel seen, or make the boys feel proud to be from the Two Rivers, or help them know that the Thuatha’an philosophy does make sense even if their people are dying. I’d be drawn to that.

Left Jacket Kenzo, shirt **Denzil Patrick**
Right Shirt, sweater and tie Fendi, pants **Filippa K**, shoes **Jimmy Choo**

This is earlier in this season, but I think his conversation with Alanna is particularly striking when they talk about grief. How would you describe the way Perrin’s relationship with grief changes this season?

That’s one of the scenes that a lot of people have reached out to me about. I think it was really beautiful because I hadn't filmed much with Priyanka [Bose] before, but there's something really exciting about different characters crossing paths. You've got someone like Alanna who is very fiery and flirty and fun, and Perrin’s quite different, but there's something really beautiful about their dynamic. Perrin has been carrying around such weight and guilt around his grief. There's something quite cyclical and symbolic and cathartic about actually returning home. He visits his wife’s grave and places the ring in the burial ground. Through previous seasons, I was initially quite worried that he’d meet Faile too quickly because he just buried his ring, but then you realise he’s been grieving for so long.

We had a joke on set that Isabella [Bucceri] is so small that when she’s standing, she’s the same height as I am sitting down. [Laughs] There’s a scene where she says a line, and Perrin is eating dinner and just looks up at her. I think that’s a very changing moment. He’s no longer this head-down, grief-stricken, guilty dude. Faile comes in, and it reminds me of when Aviendha came and had a bit of a flirt with Perrin, but his brain doesn’t really process what’s happening. He's just not there yet. I remember talking to Justine [Juel Gillmer] and Rafe [Judkins] about Perrin meeting Aviendha, and we knew I was going to play it awkward, but I didn’t know if Perrin should throw some [flirtiness] back. We decided not to, which was kind of risky because we didn’t know if we’d get another season. I remember thinking, “If we get to the point that Faile comes in, that’s probably the time when he’s ready to throw flirty jabs back.” So yeah, I think that grief has been a whole cycle. It was quite a debilitating thing in him not wanting to hurt anyone or even pick up a weapon. I think that affects his leadership as well. He hasn't felt like he deserves to smile or be confident or enjoy himself. Faile slaps that out of him, which is quite nice.

Absolutely, and he gets to a place that he probably would not have expected given his fear. Is there anything this season that you did as an actor that season one Marcus would not have expected?

It’s funny, I think actors like to pretend that they’re really different from their characters, but there’s something about this show where each actor is very much like their character. Some things are different, like Josha [Stradowski] can be quiet, and I can be a bit of a joker. This season, there were a lot of actors just thrust into a big role mid-season, like Rina [Mahoney], who plays Marin al’Vere. She is exceptional in the show. A lot of younger kids came in too, and of course, Isabella as Faile comes in. I think I looked after everyone in a way, at least I hope I did. If I look back at myself in season one, starting a show, I think I was probably a bit overwhelmed. I don't think I had someone to look to or turn to. Everyone was probably focused on not getting fired. [Laughs] There was a lot of pressure at the start, but you didn't really know how to talk about things like your hair or if you should need a wig or costume fittings or stunt riding. I’d think, “I might need more horse riding lessons,” or “The fans are trolling me online. What do I do about it?” No one was really there for that aspect because we were all so new. When someone new comes in now, I've tried to be the person I would have liked to have at the start. I tried to be there and help as much as possible, really. Without trying to create too much of a comparison [Laughs], that is similar to Perrin’s leadership. It’s also something I would not have been able to do in season one.

Coat **N°21**, pants Filippa K, shoes **Grenson Shoes**

That is something I was thinking about while watching the episode, in that you have a lot on your shoulders as both an actor and a character when you have a spotlight episode. Rand’s Rhuidean episode just came out, which is incredible. I actually had an interview with Josha recently, and he was saying that he felt like he had to push himself really far for episode four. Did you feel similarly about your episode?

Definitely. I think Josha came on set one day because there was one sequence that was filmed in the Two Rivers in the revolving camera sequence in episode four. We didn't really cross much, but he went up to Hammed [Animashaun], who plays Loial, and he goes, “I don't know how you do it with these prosthetics,” because Josha had to play so many characters — Hammed is an absolute trooper. I think Josha had an emotional leadership role, but if I'm honest, I think he probably won't say it, but he's been doing that since season one. He's had big moments. When some of us were finding our feet, he was leading the show in a second language — his English is obviously amazing, but there’s a difference in how you communicate or humour, so he was working double time.

Episode seven did push me. If someone had said in that first episode of season one, “You’re going to have an episode that doesn’t have Rosamund [Pike], Daniel [Henney], Madeleine [Madden], Zoë [Robins], and so forth, I wouldn’t have believed it. I know the character warrants it, and so does the storyline, but I just felt like there was such weight from the other characters in the show. I thought, “How are we going to get this character who’s got a slower development and is nuanced and doesn’t speak as much to hold his own episode?” When you have a character who doesn't say as much and there are a lot of storylines, you can kind of chop bits around them or take things out. But I think what was quite nice about episodes like mine and Josha’s this season, or Maddy and Zoë’s episodes in season two, is that you don’t have to jump to another storyline. You can just let them breathe and allow for a few extra bits like the villagers preparing to fight, and scenes with Faile or Loial. When you’ve got three, four, or five storylines going, you might have to sacrifice because it's not specifically plot-driven. You might lose nice moments about friendship, love, grief, or fear, even if they’re the best-written scenes. It was quite nice having an episode where I knew Perrin’s story was going to be allowed to breathe, and that we could show his friendship and his funny side, or his leadership side. It was scary, but so nice.

It really did develop Perrin in such a beautiful way. Before we go, I also want to talk about September 5. It's so different, but there’s also something to it where there's a quiet intensity that adds a lot of tension. Is that tension something that you felt very conscious of while filming?

Yeah, we shot it all inside a few rooms; the set was built like that. If you walked out of that main control room, there was a proper editing suite with all the old machines from that time, or a recording studio. It was all set in that '70s decor. There was a tray that had sandwiches and coffee from that time. It kind of felt like a play. Tim [Fehlbaum] and Moritz [Binder] — the writers and directors — did something amazing. I’m trying to do my own short film at the moment, so to see them execute it so well was incredible. Even some of us on the set were a little bit like, “Is this going to be a bit slow?” But they treated the archive footage like a character, in a sense. When I went to the screening, I was like, “Oh my God, this is intense! This is a high-paced drama.” I think given that, plus having to learn to do everything manually, like put film into cameras, creates the tension because it's not like everyone can go out and live record, you know what I mean? There’s the physical aspect of putting the logo on and cutting the film, and getting it back out. I think trying to operate in the time frame that people do now with news, where you have to quickly get the story out, but in that analog setting, makes it very tense to watch.

Left Blazer, shirt and pants **Giorgio Armani**, scarf **N°21**
Right Coat **N°21**, pants Filippa K

When I was watching, I was so interested in the analog setting and those details. I hadn’t even thought about you essentially having to learn that!

It was crazy, from recording the sounds to soldering wires to hooking up the walkie-talkies; it took real skills. The idea of getting something live had just made it so much harder. The task of all those jobs probably supersedes their ethical judgment of what they're doing. They have to get the film and shoot, and physically pull the camera out, which is really heavy. You can see the ethical questions of, “Have we thought about their families?” or “What happens if someone gets hurt?” or “Whose story is this?” It’s quite interesting because I think that's what happens now. Today, it’s just about being the first person to have the story, or getting the most likes or tweets, or traction. Having the story kind of supersedes the investigative journalistic aspects of it nowadays. I think the film does really well at showing that.

Yeah, there is this weird dissonance between such an awful outcome and an objectively huge achievement in process. It made me think on a smaller, not-so-ethically-questionable scale: is it sometimes hard not to judge the process in hindsight by the outcome in acting?

Yeah, it’s really interesting. Before The Wheel of Time, I was doing a lot of indie films where I would be very close to the director, and they had their director’s edit and cut. It was a lot of passion projects. Most of the stuff you did would be there and untouched — maybe the timing or chronology of it would change, but that’s it. With The Wheel of Time, you can shoot something on a mountain in Slovenia, and it would be your best shot ever or best performance, and two years later, you’re watching the screening, and it’s just not there. [Laughs] The editor doesn’t know you had that little smile there or said this little line. You might be referencing something from another season. That is a long process that I wasn’t used to. One director might edit it like a handheld movie, and another might do it like a sci-fi genre. You have to have some sort of cohesive look. I think it’s been tricky, but a really big learning process. That’s why I think episode seven is really special. Some things obviously still got cut out of the edit because of the writer’s strike; they couldn’t rewrite stuff, so they just had to film differently. A few things changed, but I know what the episode looked like for the most part. Like I said before, there was that level of pressure, maybe that Josha was referring to, that it's not like they could just put in a Dónal [Finn] scene or something. It is mostly just you. So if you’re thinking, “This thing doesn’t really work,” it still has to be in there. [Laughs] It really does make you lift your performance. I think Perrin has always been the one for the quiet and serious stuff, whereas in episode seven, he's kind of carrying the emotional beats or romantic beats.

Left Jacket **LGN Louis Gabriel Nouchi**, shirt **Denzil Patrick**, pants **Brioni**
Right Shirt, sweater and tie Fendi

I know I've said this, but you truly did such a great job, especially with the range of emotions.

Thank you! Through a lot of seasons, there are times when you just want to play something bigger, more confident, or have fun, especially if that's the only thing you'll have for like twelve months. [Laughs] For example, in the scene with Aviendha that I mentioned before, I thought, “I could play that a little bit more cheeky” or “I could make him a bit tougher or confident there.” So you get a lot of payoff with the focus episodes because it's all been brewing underneath. I was talking with someone yesterday, and just saying that the landscape of TV is tricky now. If we didn't get season three, I’d have just played someone who's been a sad boy for two seasons [Laughs], so it's nice to have that character arc. It’s five or six years in the making to get there. I really appreciate that so much, and I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Interview by Tessa Swantek

Photography by Sylvain Homo

Fashion by Steven Huang

Make-Up by Lachlan Wignall at Stella Creative Artists using Olaplex and Elemis

Video by Paul Leimonas

Stylist’s assistant Olly Cook

Hanna Pallot

April 8, 2025

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IMAGINARY WORLDS

Hanna Pallot

April 8, 2025

last

WITH AN OTHERWORLDLY AND MESMERISING LEAD TURN AS DANNY IN C4’S SOMEWHERE BOY, ALONGSIDE HIS TAKE ON COMPLEX TEENS IN THE TV DRAMAS DEADWATER FELL, SHETLAND AND GENERATION Z – ACCLAIMED YOUNG SCOTTISH ACTOR LEWIS GRIBBEN HAS HAD EVERYONE TALKING FOR A WHILE NOW.

AHEAD OF UPCOMING ROLES IN BLADE RUNNER 2099 (A TV SPIN-OFF OF THE ICONIC SCI-FI FILM), AND THE NEXT SEASON OF CULT ANTHOLOGY SERIES, BLACK MIRROR, WE CAUGHT UP WITH THE GLASGOW-NATIVE TO TALK IMAGINARY WORLDS, DREAMS OF PLAYING A BADDIE AND WHY HE’LL ALWAYS STAY GROUNDED.

Left Full look **Miu Miu**
Right Full look **Fendi**

Hi Lewis, you’re in Glasgow, is that still home for you? Aside from family and friends, what do you love most about it?

I love the prices, it’s cheaper than London! I like the culture; I think we’ve got a good art culture. I think the people are very grounded, and you need that. I think sometimes when you’re an ‘artist’ you can get carried away in your own grandiosity. In Glasgow, obviously we appreciate art, but we don’t keep going on and on about it like we don’t want to be too big for our boots, kind of thing. It’s a very nice place, with lovely hills, walks, castles. And yeah, we’ve just got a good sense of culture and art, and we’re quite funny!

Well, I read that when you were younger growing up there, you used to enjoy playing fantasy games and being in your own imaginary worlds, like all of us! Did you like storytelling, and do you think that’s where your love of acting began?

Yes, I really like storytelling, the idea of the infinite possibilities of all these worlds of video games, or stories or movies I read, watched, or played and I got enveloped in all of that. I think there’s a part of me that wanted to be a part of those imaginative worlds that are created through all forms of media. I think I had a sort of desperation to be a part of something that’s not the ordinary, which I think influenced my direction towards acting. I loved stories and how detailed and rich they could be, and I felt that I would love somehow to be a part of that, and acting was the way to do that.

Left Full look **Paul Smith**
Right Full look **Prada**

Were there performances on screen or in theatre you remember growing up that really moved you?

I’d say a performance that really moved me was ‘Boo’ in Monsters, Inc. She was such a sweet, innocent little child, and she evoked such a great emotional reaction out of me when I watched it at 7 or 8. I had never seen such vulnerability played so effectively like that in a film before, and it evoked a kind of longing for that friendship she had with ‘Sully’, and I felt really connected to that desire and longing for a friendship.

I also remember watching The Pianist at about 15, and how Adrien Brody’s character went through such devastation and loss, and the persecution of the holocaust and how he transforms throughout the course of the film. I found it so moving, and it's always stuck with me, and each time I think of a ‘memorable performance’ I think of that. Everything he did in that film really encapsulated for me what it is to be an actor.

So, how did you then get into theatre and drama, was there a teacher or parent who encouraged you; and once you began, what was it like being able to connect and relate to other kids like yourself who enjoyed playing pretend?

As I kid, I was very animated and active in the imaginary world, speaking in difference voices, and acting out different characters, but I wouldn’t really interact with other children in primary school. My Mum saw in me that I was imaginative but quite shy with other kids. So, she just decided that “well he likes to pretend so I’ll put him into theatre classes!”. I joined the youth theatre programme at the Citizen’s Theatre in Glasgow, and I just fell in love with it from there. My Mum thought it would be a good outlet for my shyness and to help me grow in confidence and connect with other kids who also had active imaginations, and it worked!

What I loved about connecting with the other kids, was that it was a gateway to opening up friendships for me and realising there were others who were also into the idea of pretend. Imagining these worlds, the idea of devising scenes and making our own stories and organising them into scripts with our teachers. I felt like I found a tribe I could belong to.

Left Full look **Paul Smith**
Right Full look **MM6**

Your breakout role as Danny in Somewhere Boy, was also the point we learned how that character helped you identify and bring authenticity to the part of someone feeling like they’re an outsider – you were diagnosed with Autism and Asperger’s and have spoken of how it can make you feel on the periphery. How have you navigated your diagnosis in terms of your life and career?

The thing with having Autism and Aspergers, is obviously sometimes it's tricky to fully identify something that’s foreign to you, or that you don’t fully understand in a character or in a world. When you are trying to give your own interpretations of these worlds, sometimes it’s a bit more difficult to get a full insight into how to play something you have never been before. But it does allow me to see the human elements of someone who is different or unusual. I think for most people, including myself, who have Autism and Aspergers, it gives you a uniqueness to something, it adds a sense of charm, or otherworldliness in ‘Danny’s’ case, and it can help make that feel grounded in our world. More abstract and ‘weirder’ characters don’t feel as difficult for me to gain an insight into, in how to play them or how they will be. I think it’s the characters who are more charming and rogue-ish, that take a lot more work for me to capture. What it does help me realise is that I can add that twist and give it more authenticity, and it adds an emotional clarity for roles that works quite well.

How was it moving onto Masters of the Air, after filming Somewhere Boy, playing a World War Two bomber pilot – going from something mentally so immersive into this historic drama with lots of imaginary blue screen on a giant soundstage?

It was a very weird transition, because I finished Somewhere Boy in October 2021 and I had spent 4.5 months doing that show, and prepping, keeping in the accent, and allowing myself to blend all the emotional vulnerabilities of my own life and lending them to the character. So, it was a bit of a draining process, and I didn’t really know who I was for a while after that part, and being a kind of weird mix of me and ‘Danny’ for a while.

Going into Masters of the Air, even though it was a small part, was fun and weird with this giant Apple show with an all-star cast! It was a part of the industry I hadn’t had the chance to see before and gave me a great insight into how those bigger sets are run. It was a great exercise in imagination, because I’m firing a German airplane that doesn’t exist, and it’s only on this big projected screen. The two projects couldn’t have been further apart but in a way, it took me out of the mourning I felt from Somewhere Boy and gave me something fun to do.

Well, you’ve now done horror, comedy, drama, history and next up is fantasy, with the epic Blade Runner 2099! What are you allowed to tell us about your character and what we can expect from the series?

Very little but being a part of Blade Runner is something I never expected to happen. It’s a mad, unreal, and very otherworldly experience that I think will be very entertaining for fans!

You’re also in the long-awaited next season of Black Mirror. Any teasers?

I can’t say too much, but getting to be a part of the series was incredible as I’ve been such a huge fan since the beginning and really wanted to be a part of it!

Jina Jay, the casting director had seen me originally for the first revival season, and then again in 2022 for season 6. I was gutted not to get the roles, so when the opportunity came around again in 2023, I was thrilled to get another chance to be a part of it. My character is quite like me, so I felt like I really understood him right away.

How did you feel on set for Black Mirror, and is it always different, again in the way you transform through the preparation and process?

Initially I was nervous as I am such a big fan of the show, and I didn’t want to mess it up and be crucified online, but I had to let that go and be the best version of myself I could give to the team I was working with. With my character, it's about exposing vulnerabilities, finding something that he cares for that he wants to keep at all costs. There are a lot of similarities to past characters, so it wasn’t very hard to draw from those and my own experiences.

In terms of your process with acting, is it instinctual, you’re finding your own flow, it’s not rigid? Do you make playlists, look for the scent of a person, read and research?

I try and keep it as instinctual as possible as I don’t want it to feel bogged down in research or too rigid. I want it to be as free flowing and, in the moment, as possible. I try to keep it as playful and authentic as humanly possible, within a scene, like when I was still a child, play acting. Sometimes I do write down objectives for a scene so as not to stray off course but mostly I try to give my own interpretation of the character.

What about next roles – what drives you when it comes to choosing parts?

I think for the next stage of my career; I would like to try and do things I haven’t done before. I am trying to actively look for parts that have a sense of danger to them, I’d like to play someone who is not a very nice person if I could. But at the same time, it comes down to the story and the script, and if the script is very interesting and grabs me, then I will want to do it. I’m trying to push myself to do roles that, even if I want to run away from them, I try to go for them to challenge myself. Ultimately, I would love to play someone who is just evil, and a bit shitty, something I haven’t seen me do yet.

Well, it’s a new year, 2025, there’s a lot of new energy. Do you feel that way? Who are you in this moment right now as opposed to one year ago today?

I am a spaceman going through the unknown realms of possibility. I’m having my weird artist moment of two crossroads and trying to pick the right one. I think there's an energy of having done nice bigger scale jobs in Blade Runner and Black Mirror, and I feel a bit more confident about hopefully doing it again one day. I’m not about trying to big myself up into getting the next big part, the next big thing that will make me more famous or make me more money. I think for me; it’s about picking something that artistically speaks to me regardless of role or size. A year ago, I never would’ve believed this could happen, my hope is that it will happen again, but I’m not going to put any time pressure on it. My process is to be an artist and grab what I get, be it ‘Soldier One’ or the face on the poster.