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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

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LIFT OFF

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

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

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

Preparing for this movie must have been a dream…

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

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

Left Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello 

Right Full look Paul Smith 

Was there any training for this role then?

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

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

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

Sweater Comme Des Garçons Homme Plus , denim Levi's 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Left Full look Balenciaga 

Right Full look Sean Suen

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Left Full look Miu Miu 

Right Full look Prada 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

…

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

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Jonas Huckstorf

Fashion by Ingo Narhwold

Casting by Imagemachine cs

Production by Lauren Sloan at Lalaland Group

Grooming by Nao Kawakami at The Wall Group

Video Operator Max Buchheim

Post Production by Nitty Gritty Berlin

Post Production Video Trey Studio

Photographer’s assistant Emil Dietrich

Production assistant Bea Hatcher at Lalaland Group

GIVING THE WORLD

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

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

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

 

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

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

Left Full look Miu Miu

Right Full look Dior Men

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

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

 

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

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

Left Full look Versace

Right Full look Prada

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

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

 

I did!

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

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

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

 

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

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

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Right Full look Dior Men

 Yes!

 They were the soundtrack to my childhood in a way. 

 

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

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

…

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

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Amber Derrick

Fashion by Steven Huang

 Casting by IMAGEMACHINE Cs

Production by Sundial Li

Grooming by Tarik Bennafla at Stella Creative Artists

Set Design by Maf Ramirez

Photographer’s assistants Alex Sievers & Maya Aska

Stylist’s assistant Aaishah Perager

Set Designer’s assistant Jollibeth Soto

ON THE CASE

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

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

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

How's the filming going?

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


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

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

Full look Lacoste

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

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

Being an introvert, how has acting helped you?

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

Full look Lacoste

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

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

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

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

Left Full look Lacoste

Right Full look Miu Miu

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

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

Full look Lacoste

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

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


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

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

Full look Lacoste

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

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

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

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


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

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

Left Full look Prada

Right Full look Lacoste

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

Who’s your ult?


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

Oh, I love 2NE1 and Sistar!


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

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

Full looks Lacoste

Interview by Gabrielle Valda Colas

Photography by Emilia Staugaard

Fashion by Steven Huang

Casting by ImageMachine CS

EIC Michael Marson

Hair by Hiroki Kojima at Caren using Sam Mcknight

Make-Up by Maria Comparetto

Photographer’s assistant Andrea Brandt

Stylist’s assistant Daisy Hewett

BRACE YOURSELF

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

Full look Brunello Cucinelli

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

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

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

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

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

Sweater & pants Isabel Marant, necklace Krewe

Did you hang out with real storm chasers too?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Full look Loro Piana

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Doug Inglish

Fashion by Andrew T. Vottero

Casting by ImageMachine CS

Grooming by Galaxy San Juan

SENSE OF BELONGING

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dress, gloves & shoes Givenchy, tights Falke

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

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

 

Speaking of hearts, which playwright is closest to yours?

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

Dress, gloves & shoes Givenchy, tights Falke

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by John Armour

Fashion by Michael Miller at Stella Creative Artists

Movement director Dianté Lodge

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

Make-Up by Gina Kane at Carenm using Surratt Beauty

Photographers’assistant Myles Bailey

LIGHT FORCE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Right Full look Christian Dior

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

Well, I hope so, brilliant!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dress Dsquared2, tights and gloves stylist’s own

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

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

I would imagine music is also a great tool.

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

What’s on your playlist right now?

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

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

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

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

Exactly! [laughs]

Left Full look Fendi

Right Dress and shoes Jacquemus, tights stylist’s own

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Paul Whitfield

Fashion by Steven Huang

Hair by Josh Knight at A-Frame Agency using Oribe

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

Photographer’s assistant Luke Johnson

Stylist’s assistant Nathan Fox

NARCISSISTIC DESIRES

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

Left Sweater Loewe

Right Tank top Prada, ring Messika

Hello Arnaud, how are you?

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

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

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

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

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

Left Tank top and pants Prada, ring Messika

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

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

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

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


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

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


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

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

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

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

Left Sweater The Ace Club

Right Gilet Brunello Cucinelli, pant AlexanderMCQueen, ring Boucheron

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

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

Left and right Full looks Dior Men

Were you interested in fashion before starring in the series? 

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


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

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

Left Top and pants Lacoste, glasses Miu Miu

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

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

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


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

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


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

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

Left and right Tank top Prada

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

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

Interview by Gabrielle Valda Colas

Photography by Emmanuel Giraud

Art Direction by Flavie Gonin

Fashion by Thomas Turian

Grooming by Ludovic Bordas

Set Design by Frédérick Assez

Photographer’s assistant Pierre Drouin

FIRE IN THE BELLY

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

Left Full look Louis Vuitton

Right Jacket Fendi

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

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

 

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

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

Left Full look Fendi

Right Full look Dior Men

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

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

 

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

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

Left Shirt, jacket and pants Kenzo, belt Miu Miu

Right Full look Dior Men

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

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

 

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

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

Left Left Full look Louis Vuitton

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

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

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

 

What can we expect from your character this time around?

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

Full look Prada

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

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

 

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

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

Left Blazer Fendi, sweater Brunello Cucinelli

Right Full look Emporio Armani

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

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

Full look Louis Vuitton

Left Full look Louis Vuitton

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

Interview by Pedro Vasconcelos

Photography by Debora Brune

Fashion by Steven Huang

Grooming by Josh Knight

Production by Debora Brune & Lea Bütefisch

Photographer’s assistant Lukas Kraus

Stylist’s assistant Nathan Fox

YEAR OF THE DRAGON

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

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

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

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

Right Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

Full look Dior Men

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

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

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

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

 

How else did you get into the character mindset then?

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

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

Full look Alexander McQueen

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

Right Full look Dries Van Noten

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

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

And is your family creative, any performers among them?

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

 

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

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

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

Right Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

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

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

 

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

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

Jumpsuit Kenzo, shoes Camper Lab

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

Full look Prada

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

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

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

Right Jumpsuit Kenzo

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by David Vail

Fashion by Steven Huang

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

Photographer’s assistant Emmet Banahan

Stylist’s assistant Damini Rehal

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FINDING A VOICE

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

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

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

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

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

 [Laughs] Absolutely!

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

 

They want you to perform for them.

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

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

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

 What do you find fascinating about playing an animal?

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

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

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

 What about Noa did you find most relatable?

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

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

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

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

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

…

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Hadar Pitchon

Fashion by Michael Marson

All clothes Celine Homme

HART OF ALL TRADES

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

Left Full look Celine Homme

Right Full look Acne Studios

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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Right Full look Bottega Veneta

What are the films that inspire you? 

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


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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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Interview by JoliAmour DuBose-Morris

Photography by Emmanuel Giraux

Fashion by Douglas VanLaningham at The Rex Agency

Groomer by Morgan Grimes

Photographer’s assistant Pierre Drouin

A MAN OF TWO FACES

IN THE SYMPATHIZER, HOA XUANDE FINDS HIS PLACE IN THE SUN. AFTER YEARS OF PLAYING SUPPORTING CHARACTERS, THE A24 AND HBO PRODUCTION MARKS THE ACTOR’S FIRST STARRING ROLE. IN THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED SERIES, XUANDE PORTRAYS A SPY, STRADDLING THE FENCE BETWEEN HIS HOME COUNTRY OF NORTH VIETNAM AND THE OPPOSING WESTERN SIDE, STEERED BY THE UNITED STATES. BUT HIS PORTRAYAL IS FAR FROM THE EMOTIONALLY ABSENT ACTION HEROES WHO FIGHT CLASSIFIED WARS. WITH THE ROLE OF THE CAPTAIN, THE ACTOR SUCCESSFULLY EXPLORES THE INNER TURMOIL OF A MAN WHO’S A VICTIM OF THE TRAUMA OF ARMED CONFLICT. THROUGHOUT THE SHOW’S SEVEN EPISODES, XUANDE NAVIGATES IDENTITY AS A FLUID CONCEPT AND LOYALTY AS AN UNBEARABLE PRICE TO PAY. DESPITE PROFESSING HIS LOVE FOR THE SOURCE MATERIAL, A BOOK OF THE SAME NAME WRITTEN BY VIET THANH NGUYEN, HIS PORTRAYAL OF THE STORY’S MAIN CHARACTER AND NARRATOR IS BASED ON HIS STRUGGLES GROWING UP STUCK BETWEEN HIS VIETNAMESE DESCENT AND AUSTRALIAN NATIONALITY. AND YET, DESPITE THE INHERENT TRAGEDY OF HIS ROLE, THE ACTOR FLEXES HIS COMEDIC MUSCLES, UNDERSTANDING HUMOUR AS A HEALTHY RESPONSE TO SORROW. THROUGH HIS PERFORMANCE, XUANDE PROVES HIMSELF TO BE WHAT HE’S ALWAYS BEEN: A LEADING MAN.

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Right Suit Dion Lee, tank top Calvin Klein, shoes Valentino

Congratulations on The Sympathizer, it’s truly incredible…

Thank you!


You said previously that you started reading the book it's based on before ever knowing it was going to get picked up for a show…

It was very random. I was just googling books to read, and I’d never heard of it before. I think I read the first three chapters, which now that you’ve watched the show is equivalent to the first episode. I remember reading the escape scene and feeling that moment, that really stuck with me. I was borrowing the book, so I had to give it back after that and I picked it up again when this project came around. I just remember how devastating the descriptions were, it moved me.

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Did your impression of the story change at all when you saw the script for the first time?

I wouldn’t say so. I’ve read the book many times now and I had these passages that were always playing in my head, even when I was acting. I just always knew how to feel in the moment because it’s how I felt reading the book.

That’s interesting, I know some actors confine themselves to the script and stay away from the source material.

They weren’t too far from each other. Obviously, there were differences because you have to adapt it to the visual medium, but the overall feeling and tone adhered to the book. I think that’s the most important, descriptions have to be adapted into visual cues so they can be digested by the audience. The emotion of what was happening stuck to the book. When I was reading the script, I felt just like when I was reading the book.

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Right Full look Versace

You’re working alongside some of the industry’s titans, like Robert Downey Jr. and Sandra Oh. What was it like to work so closely with them?

It still amazes me that they’ve done so much work over the decades and at the same time manage to be so down-to-earth, supportive, and generous. They were always willing to give me their time as scene partners as opposed to just doing their own thing. It wasn’t just to me, they cared about the people that were doing the scenes with us. It speaks to how committed they are to the story. I remember my first scene with both, it was the first week of production, and I was so nervous when I saw them. This was my first time working on this level, but Sandra practised with me. At first, I thought we were just having a conversation, she made it so real and natural. It inspired me to forget about the whole idea of what acting is. Robert was having fun which helped remind me to also enjoy the process and not get bogged down in the emotion of the story we were telling.

As you’ve mentioned, this is your first starring role in a production of this scale, what were some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned?

Oof, there’s so much. I never worked on this level before… Leading a show, especially an A24 and HBO production, I didn’t know what to expect, I wasn’t aware of what the boundaries were. I’m so used to learning my script, doing my research, bringing that to the camera, and then just disappearing. When you’re on it every day, doing scenes day in and day out, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. You have to look after yourself, make sure you’re sleeping and eating right, dedicate time to do prep but also find time to release all of it and not think about it for a couple of hours. I had to create a routine. Sandra was so nice, she would speak up on my behalf on set or to producers when she felt I wasn’t getting what I needed. Robert could tell how tired I was, so he always brought a light-hearted energy to set. They were all supporting me because it was a long race, you can’t get caught too early.

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Right Left Suit and belt Acne Studios, shirt Bottega Veneta

Besides the production’s length, I would imagine it’s quite challenging to play a spy that’s constantly plagued by their inner moral turmoil.

When you say playing a spy, some images come to mind. If you think of double-crossing and lying, the typical Hollywood action hero comes to mind. I wanted to veer away from that. When I read the book, the scenes that struck me were the passages on the absurdity of the trauma and devastation of war. I tried to hold on to those emotions by diving into the psychology of what it would’ve been like to be torn apart by your countries, by your friendships, by the love that you have for different people. Those were the emotions I thought were pertinent to the character. I leaned into the emotions of a human being like me instead of trying to play a double-crossing spy.

You’ve said in the past that your experiences helped you play The Captain. In what ways did your life story bleed into your portrayal?

The duality of identity is something I inherently understood when I was reading the book. He’s obviously Vietnamese but he’s been Westernised by his upbringing in America, there’s a fascination and liking for that culture. He never felt like he fit in Vietnam because of his mixed race, but when he went over to the States, he didn’t belong either. I was a Vietnamese kid growing up in Australia, I never felt like I was Vietnamese enough to be part of the culture, I didn’t really speak my language, and I wasn’t around the Vietnamese community. But then being Asian didn’t make me Australian “enough” either. I felt like I was walking that thin line of my duality.

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The show is very intense at times, but it does strike an interesting balance with some comedic moments. Did those moments of levity help you balance out the more emotionally raw scenes?

Of course. You know, the book gets dark and devastating simply because of the trauma of what a human has been put through. I think humour is a coping mechanism with which The Captain can deal with the conflict between his beliefs and ideologies. It gets to the point where you’re either going to curl up and cry or you’re going to have to laugh it off so you can keep moving forward. Director Park (Chan-wook) was able to encapsulate that a lot through Robert’s characters, something about their outrageousness.

You mentioned you grew up in Australia. What sparked your interest in acting?

I didn’t grow up wanting to be an actor, it wasn’t something I thought I could do. I was into sports but after graduating I found out that wasn’t a realistic path for me. It took me a while to figure it out. I knew I didn’t want to do science or math, I sort of enjoyed writing, but it was a lot of trial and error. I got into acting because of some friends I made while working at a bar. They were all creatives in the amateur theatre scene. I didn’t know what passion meant, I had never felt that intensity of, “This is what I want to do for the rest of my life,” until I found out about this world. It’s something I found out later in life.

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So, now that you’re done with this titanic project, what do you see yourself doing next?

That’s a great question. [Laughs] I’m still trying to feel this out and see how people respond to it. I would love to be able to jump back into another project with a similar nature, something deep and emotional. But honestly, I’m happy to do whatever comes my way. But, above all, if this show does well, I would love to be able to continue telling The Sympathizer story. The second book of the series is out there…

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Right Full look Kenzo

Full look Alexander McQueen

Interview by Pedro Vasconcelos

Photography by Sam Ramirez

Fashion by Alexis Kossel in collaboration with Julie Furman

Casting by Imagemachine CS

Creative Direction by Ton Aguilar 

Grooming by Anna Bernabe

Photographer’s assistant Lexi Haslem

A LOVE POEM SITS SHOTGUN

THERE’S A REASON CUPID SHOOTS ARROWS. LOVE IS SHARP, AN ALL-CONSUMING PANG OF PAIN AND PLEASURE. CHASE HUDSON IS PIERCED THROUGH FROM EVERY DIRECTION. HIS NEWEST EP, LOVE BITES, IS THE BLOOD-RED PROOF. IT’S BANDAGED IN CHEETAH PRINT. IT’S CHEMICALLY EXPLOSIVE, DRIPPING NEON. THE OPENING TRACK, MUGSHOT, IS INSPIRED BY BONNIE AND CLYDE AND SETS THE INTENSITY OF THE ENTIRE EP, SPLATTERED WITH INTOXICATING GUITAR SOLOS AND DEEPLY CUTTING LYRICS. CHASE TELLS US THAT HIS EP SHOWS THAT LOVE ISN’T ONE THING. NEITHER IS HE. LISTENING TO LOVE BITES IS LIKE WATCHING A HIGH-SPEED CHASE, WHEREAS TALKING TO CHASE IS LIKE WATCHING BONNIE WRITE POEMS SITTING SHOTGUN IN THE GETAWAY CAR. A SELF-DESCRIBED “INTROVERT AT HEART”, BUT AN EXTROVERT AS AN ARTIST, WE ALSO CHAT ABOUT THE QUIETER SIDE OF LOVE - ITS UNSPOKEN SAFETY, NIGHTLY DEBRIEFS WHEN THE WORLD FALLS AWAY, AND RAISING PUPPIES.

Hi Chase! I listened to your new EP, Love Bites, and I want to congratulate you because it is so well done! On X (formerly Twitter), you wrote that 21 captures who you were at a moment in time. Now that you turn 22 with the EP release, do you think a song about being 22 would sound totally different?  

It’s funny you mention that because 21 captured such a moment in time, it stands alone and can’t be rewritten. I couldn’t go on and be like, “I’m 22 now…I’m 23 now…” for each year. Being 21 was such a fulfilling age for me. Being in LA, I couldn’t do much before I turned 21. I couldn’t get into clubs. I never had a fake ID. I wanted to turn 21 so badly, and as soon as that happened, I was thinking how it’d be embarrassing if I didn’t have a licence. People were like, “Are you sure about this ID?” because it wasn’t horizontal, like how a driver’s licence looks. I thought to myself, “Dude, this is so embarrassing! Get that damn licence!” [Laughs] I needed to grow up completely. I live at home with my girlfriend now and my two dogs are my world. It’s such a turn-around compared to what I was doing at 18 with all my friends and partying. Now we live through each other and talk about our days at lunch. I’m starting to slow down and get to the core of who I want to be. When I was going through things, it was so much easier having my friend group around telling me it was okay and that they would have my back when I wasn’t able to have my own back. Now, I feel like I’ve finally stood up for myself and I’ve grown into myself. Turning 21 felt like a coming-of-age movie, I feel like I’m there.

Yeah, it really sounds like a turning point for you! I think it’s a great mentality too to let music be a moment in time because sometimes artists are reluctant to finish a song because they worry about how it will carry forward rather than letting it be a singular moment. In 21, some lyrics are, “Yesterday is a burning picture of the past.” You seem like a very in-the-moment person. If that is true, how does that affect your overall artistic process?

I’m an introvert at heart but an extrovert as well because I was forced to be, in a way. I have ADHD but I’m an introvert. Having those two things balance each other out always made me quick on my feet. Now, I’m seeing the world from a different lens. I’m trying to be self-aware and process how I feel about things. I feel on a deeper, heavier scale than a lot of people do. I’m very protective of my heart and feelings. So when I started this new relationship with my girlfriend, I wanted to go into it with self-awareness. I wanted to know that it was right before I sealed the deal and asked her to be my girlfriend. I was very careful because these days people date for whatever reason but, for me, I’m dating for marriage. I’m dating for a life-long partner. Giving myself space before dating somebody helped me understand what I really wanted. 


You’re mentioning being really intentional and careful with your relationship which obviously underscores a lot of the EP. I really enjoy how cohesive Love Bites is. It feels like watching a short film from beginning to end which goes along with you saying that 21 is like a coming-of-age movie. Was it intended as a story from start to finish?

It’s funny you say that because actually, no, we didn’t have a plan for it to have a storyline. I think these are songs that are in different chapters of the book. It’s meant to make you feel like you are in a story but at the same time, there’s so much more to the story and many more songs that I wish I could have put on the EP. There’s a unique storyline where it feels like you’re picking it up in different places and hearing it from a different perspective. One thing I realised over the last couple of years was that theatre and drama are the foundation of my lyrics that come from telling a moment that I can shape a song around. So [lyrics] usually come with a concept and a moment that stuck with me. I keep a list of the things that really stood out to me in my notes app and think about it for weeks, maybe months. When I work with somebody who I think could bring that story to life, I am very careful about it. Certain producers couldn’t make what I made with Love Bites but could totally make what I did with 21 and Mugshot. There are different genres that I am tapping into with this EP so it’s really cool how it all shaped together. The songs are four different worlds but also live within each other. 

Absolutely. I want to go back to you saying that you are an introvert at heart, but in terms of the music, the theatre and drama that you mention come across much less reserved. In what ways do you think your introversion comes out in your music? 

Being an introvert in real life isn’t the same as being an introvert in the studio. For an introvert, being in the studio is where you can express yourself. It’s almost like free therapy. Showing up to a session and saying what’s on my mind means I have to have a different level of confidence and charisma in the studio to help orchestrate a room to work in the way I want it to. You have to leave your shyness at the door. It’s being able to express yourself in a way you wouldn’t normally and put yourself in a place you would never be in on a normal Tuesday with your friends. You bring out everyone’s mood in a room. You have to tell them the story, with all of the context. Whereas, when I’m home by myself, I’ll just be thinking about it in such a small sense. In the studio, I open my mind about what that idea means to me for everyone to get it. You can’t be an introvert in the studio. You have to show your artistry. Being an introvert is a great thing though because you are keeping your thoughts inside and then maybe writing them down or telling them to your safe person. But I also think you shouldn’t share your ideas with everybody. You need to preserve them in the way that they originally felt to you. You want to go to the studio with full confidence, but if anything, I’ll talk about my ideas with my girlfriend. She’ll give me very honest feedback and I appreciate that. Even if she were to tell me she didn’t love an idea, I would still give it a shot. 

I think it’s great to put yourself first creatively like that and to trust yourself. I want to talk more about some themes on the EP. Mugshot has a very Bonnie and Clyde feel and I thought a lot of the record did as well. There is an adventurousness or a danger to the love represented in it. In Worst Way, the lyric is “viciously in love” which is so interesting. How do you think the EP defines love as you currently feel it?

This comes back to the title of the EP, Love Bites. “Love bites” can be a kiss on the neck or a hickey, but it can also mean that love can actually bite you in the ass in a way that you’re not prepared for. There’s such a double meaning to it. I think people have to see that love is not easy. Love is never easy. If it was, everyone would be in love, you know? I think it’s something worth fighting for and I think from the get-go you have to lay it all out on the table and tell them your flaws, what you’re good at, what you’re not good at. Being able to have that openness, even in music, is important. Love is never something you just start and never change - there are so many ups and downs. I mean that in the kindest way possible because so much intensity goes into love and I think you need to make note of when it might be harmful to your mental health. Like, “Oh my God, they texted me this, what does this mean!?” You’re trying to figure out what it means with your friends and those little things will mess with your head. You have to know what it means to be in love and understand how much it takes over your mind in every way. It is always a full-scale of emotions. If it’s that, you’re in love. The EP is about the fact that yes, there is a soft side but there’s also a sexy side and a mature side. Love is never just one thing. 

The music videos for Love Bites and Mugshot both have a very ‘just the two of us’ energy. Can you tell me more about the idea behind these videos and what it was like to film them? 

I always had a real idea of what I wanted Love Bites to be. It’s fully centred around the night Chiara and I met. It follows the storyline of our meeting. We met on Halloween at a club, and the music video looks nothing like that but if you would have seen how ridiculous my outfit was, you would understand! [Laughs]

Wait, now I need to know exactly how you were dressed!

I was wearing a Beetlejuice costume when I met her. I had the full makeup, the moss on my skin, and the crazy green hair. When we met, we hit it off right away and I felt like I was seeing her through the costume. I was just me. I was trying to make her laugh and as soon as I was like, “Oh my gosh, there’s something here between us,” I realised how stupid my outfit was. It made me think about it so much more throughout the weeks. But the music video storyline follows from being in the club to going home that night and waking up and thinking how insane it was. I woke up at 6 am the next day and was ecstatic, “Oh my God, what just happened!?” I picked up coffee and came back to the house and saw her again. I was all dressed up and she was in her nighttime outfit. That’s how the storyline unfolds but we were also there with our friends so we wanted to include them in the music video. The colours are a big part of the emotions - it’s red and blue, neon colours of Chinatown at night. There was a disco ball at the club which I loved. Seeing it all come to life was surreal because it felt like I was reliving that moment. 

That’s so beautiful. How about Mugshot? 

For Mugshot, we didn’t have a concept in mind. We knew we were going to shoot a Bonnie and Clyde-esque music video and rented a car. We just drove it around and shot in a studio. We messed around in a parking lot and took it as it was. That was a really fun style because that’s something you should get out of love - not expecting what is going to come next. So I liked the idea of not planning it also because it was shot on film. I wanted to describe love in a way that you shouldn’t have a plan. Bonnie and Clyde were on the run, they just knew they were going somewhere together. The general idea was to take the chaos as it came at us. That’s also how our relationship developed - by not knowing what was going to come next and figuring it out. 

Yeah, you can’t get much more unexpected than meeting someone while you’re dressed as Beetlejuice! Some of the lyrics in Worst Way seem to be about going against the norms of traditional romantic love. In a similar vein, do you feel like you went against any musical norms in this EP?

I think it goes against norms sonically, at least compared to my past music. This EP is guitar-leaning and more pop-alt. We leaned pop heavy and we wanted to expand on the idea that love isn’t just one thing. We had Love Bites and we knew what that was meant to be. I want love to come at me from all directions - someone to love me in the worst and best way. There is a lot in the song that caters to it being an intense relationship for me. We have great moments and reminisce together on the night like, “Wow, that was such a crazy night but now we’re just back at our place and happy and nothing’s going on, what do we do now?” There’s just such weird, crazy shit happening in LA all the time! We go from doing so much together to returning to our home as homebodies. It’s like, “Wow, it’s a crazy world out there, I think I like it better here.” We have to do a debrief on the night every time we go out.

I love a good debrief! When I listened to the EP, one of the first things I noted was that I can really imagine these songs played live. You’ll be performing at Lollapalooza in August. When you were creating the EP, were you thinking about how they will live on stage? 

I did my first tour in 2022 and after that, I realised what it meant to have a song that you put out and a song that you perform live, and how those worlds intertwine. Ever since I went on tour, I’ve been making music to make live music. I’ve been seeing music in a new way and energy in music means so much more to me. I want to make music that people can appreciate live with lyrics that sink in. When I performed, I noticed certain lines people loved. People would be like, “That's the chorus!!” or “That’s the line!!” Seeing people take in the music live changed my perspective on how I wanted to write. In the gap between when I put out Teenage Heartbreak and now, I was able to understand what I wanted to say. It took a long time. Getting to the EP, the first song that made me feel like, “This is what I wanna say!” was Love Bites. Normally, the song that shapes the project is what I make the title track because we expanded from there. I knew there was so much more to say. We drew from different references and made a record that’s cohesive and stands alone. 

What references did you draw from?

The only LA show I did was with Billy Idol and I really got into his music after I performed with him. Seeing him live made me understand his music more and how it made people feel in a live audience. I felt like I needed to make music like that. I referenced disco and rock. I was also looking up to older artists in the punk scene. My favourite band is Pierce The Veil. Their lyrics hold such depth. I got into Deftones over the past year or two. Lenny Kravitz is also a big inspiration and I recently got to be a part of his music video. I’ll also be appearing in Palaye Royale’s music video directed by Mod Sun so I’ve had the privilege to work with some of my idols. There is room for such diversity in music. There isn’t a box that I’m trying to fit in. I was able to accomplish that by listening to so many artists over the past few years. 

Yeah, I think genre is becoming a much more fluid thing and it gives artists a lot more freedom. I want to end on a more personal note - other than music, what do you feel happiest about at the moment?

Over the last couple of months, getting a puppy changed my life. I got a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who is the cutest thing in the world. My other dog really needed a best friend to have someone to play with. Seeing how they’re meshing really well makes me so happy. They’ve been the centre of my whole world for the past couple of months. My girlfriend has been such a great help with raising her. Her name is Lady. Another thing that makes me happy is that I’ve been able to get close to all of my family. I’ve been hanging out with my cousins a lot recently. I’ve been talking to my sisters a lot more. Having the time to step back and figure myself out has helped me get closer to them. Everyone lives such busy lives so being able to catch up with them brings me back down to earth. I never realised how much I needed guidance while I’ve been in LA. I have really been able to rekindle how close I was to my family when I first moved here. I’ve even gotten close to my girlfriend’s family which makes me so happy. I’m going to her niece and nephews’ baseball games and they’re excited to see me and listen to my music! I’m able to show them my songs before they come out and they get so excited! And spending all the time in the world with my girlfriend is so important - we take on life together. That’s why Love Bites is what it is. We’re such a force and we want our lives to work together. The industry is tough so talking with her helps us progress so much as a couple. 


It’s so nice to have such supportive people in your circle and it’s really radiating from you. That’s a lovely note to end on. Thank you so much. 

Interview by Tessa Swantek

Photographer Hannah Sider

Fashion Nico Amarca

All clothes DIOR MEN

Groomer Chris Miles

Stylist’s assistant Kylie Dillon

CREATING A WORLD

THIS SPRING, DRUMAQ IS GOING BACK TO HIS ROOTS. AFTER YEARS OF WORKING IN THE MUSIC SPHERE, THE LOS ANGELES-BASED CREATIVE DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO TAKE A BIG STEP TOWARDS HIS OTHER FAVOURITE AVENUE OF SELF-EXPRESSION – FASHION. AS A GRADUATE OF LA’S FASHION INSTITUTE OF DESIGN & MERCHANDISING – A CHOICE OF ALMA MATER WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN INFLUENCED BY THE HILLS STAR, LAUREN CONRAD – DRUMAQ KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT CONSTRUCTING A GARMENT. NOW, HE WILL PUT THOSE SKILLS TO USE WITH HIS OWN COLLECTION, LAUNCHING IN THE COMING MONTHS. ALTHOUGH THE DETAILS OF IT ARE FOR NOW KEPT SECRET, BASED ON DRUMAQ’S PENCHANT FOR INTERESTING SILHOUETTES (HIS CURRENT GO-TO BRANDS ARE ACNE STUDIOS AND Y/PROJECT), WE’RE CERTAIN THAT THE LOOKS WILL BRING A FRESH TAKE ON HOT BOY DRESSING. FOR BTB DIGITAL, HE TALKS ABOUT HIS FASHION BACKGROUND, THE COQUETTE AESTHETIC, AND BEING A RIHANNA STAN FOR LIFE.

Left Top, shorts and pants Acne Studios, bracelet Dries Criel, shoes Dior Men

Right Catsuit Menagerie Intimates

This year, you will be releasing your clothing collection. Was this something that you always wanted to do?

Yes, it’s something that I’ve been wanting to do for a while now, but honestly, I have been scared. Then finally, I was like, “You know what? Screw it, now’s the time.” So I’ve been working pretty intensely on that. It’s really cool to hold stuff that you have drawn on paper. When you’re creating music, it’s not something that’s tangible. So to be able to hold something that came from your brain is such a trippy experience.

 

What made you feel like now was the right time to get into designing a line? 

 Honestly, I just wanted to wear it. I feel like what I’ve created doesn’t really exist right now, so the only way I was gonna be able to put it on my body was to make it. That was the main push. And I just feel like if I’m drawn towards it, then there’s gotta be other people that will feel the same way.

Blazer Fendi, necklace Dries Criel, shorts Loewe, glasses Bottega Veneta

 What has the process been like for you? Have you ever dabbled in design before?

 I actually went to fashion school!

 

There we go. [Laughs] Which school did you go to?

 I went to FIDM [Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising] in LA. It’s the school from The Hills. [Laughs] 

Left Top and scarf Acne Studios, necklace Dries Criel

Right Shirt Bmuet(te), tights Fendi

I was just gonna say that! [Laughs]

 No, literally, that’s why I went.

 

It was the Lauren Conrad school.

 Literally. I was so obsessed with her, so because she went there, I didn’t apply anywhere else. And I got accepted! I was like, “Cool, I’m gonna be Lauren Conrad now.” [Laughs]

Left Boxer Snow’s pond, shorts Kenzo

Right Briefs Louis Gabriel Nouchi

So how does your music practice influence your design process? Do you see any parallels?

 Yeah, I feel like I can’t do anything without wanting to create an entire world around it and tell a story. Everything has to be deeper than what it appears on the surface. It’s really fun for me because I like to immerse myself in a world and I’m drawn to artists and brands who do the same thing. But it can also be tough at times because not everything needs to be so complex all the time. So I’m battling that a bit and trying to figure out how to let things develop naturally.

 

What are the aesthetics or looks you’re into right now?

 I love the coquette boy look – the mix of frills and bows paired with more masculine pieces like athletic jerseys. I just love the contrast of those two styles together – it’s so playful.

Briefs Louis Gabriel Nouchi, socks Doublet

 Who is your ultimate fashion icon?

 Rihanna, always and forever. She’s just so effortlessly cool. I often find myself thinking, “How would she wear this?” And I feel like she challenges the ways in which garments are meant to be worn a lot. You know, she’s mixing a fur coat with a jersey, ballet flats and a baseball cap – things that don’t necessarily go together – and she just looks so sick! I want to mimic that attitude as much as possible in every outfit that I put on.

Left Catsuit Menagerie Intimates, pants and belt Diesel, shoes LOEWE

Right Shirt Bmuet(te), tights Fendi

Left Shirt Bmuet(te), tights Fendi

Right Earrings Dries Criel, shirt and belt Maison Margiela, tie Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, pants Sean Suen, scarf Acne Studios

Boxer Snow’s pond, shorts Kenzo

Briefs Louis Gabriel Nouchi, socks Doublet

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Sam Ramirez

Fashion by Douglas Vanlaningham

Casting by Imagemachine CS

Grooming by Hee Soo Kwon

SUPERNATURAL HIGH

THERE’S A GOOD CHANCE THE NAME GEORGE REXSTREW WON’T REGISTER WITH TV FANS, BUT THAT’S ALL ABOUT TO CHANGE WITH DEAD BOY DETECTIVES, NETFLIX’S NEW SANDMAN SPIN-OFF, THE LATEST – AND MAYBE MOST INCLUSIVE AND DIVERSE – INCARNATION OF DC COMICS’ AND NEIL GAIMAN’S UNIVERSE. FANS ARE BOUND TO FALL IN LOVE WITH REXSTREW’S PORTRAYAL OF THE COMPLEX EDWIN, THE “BRAINS” OF TWO GHOST-BOY BESTIES FROM DIFFERENT ERAS, WHO USE THEIR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE LIVING AND THE DEAD TO SOLVE SUPERNATURAL MYSTERIES. WE CAUGHT UP WITH THE RISING BRITISH STAR AND LAMDA THEATRE-GRADUATE, TO CHAT ABOUT THE THEMES OF LOVE, GRIEF AND PERSONAL GROWTH THAT SWIRL THROUGH THE FIRST SEASON.

Left Full look Louis Vuitton

Right Full look Givenchy

Firstly, have you ever had a pesky ghost haunting you and are you scared of ghosts?

Not to my knowledge! And yes, I would run if I saw one! I have a fear of the unknown.

 

Well, you play a rather brainy ghost in this new series, who didn’t have the best experience at boarding school in the 1900s which led to your death, and as a spirit you’re now really into the occult and casting spells. There’s a lot to unpack right there for Edwin! If the spirit world had Instagram, what do you think his bio would read?

‘Established 1900, re-established 1989’, because when he escapes hell and meets Charles for the first time, he experiences a kind of re-birth, a new life and existence in ghost form.

So, how did you prepare to play a ghost of a young boy whose life ended so horribly too soon, because among all the supernatural drama, there is that complex darkness about grief, love, loss, friendships. Aside from the original source material, the comics, and the scripts, what kind of research did you do?

I was aware that these two young boys have a very complex background story, in many ways, Edwin has a simple existence, he’s a detective with a best friend, but what lies underneath is very complicated. So, I made sure to factor that in as I was gearing up to film, and I drew on my own personal experiences, grief, loss, they’re all relatable, and that’s why it’s important to see that on screen.

Left Full look Fendi

Right Shirt and shorts Valentino, necklace Sweet Lime Juice, belt stylist’s own

Costume plays its part in informing a character, but how did you find the physicality of Edwin, in terms of performance? He’s quite stiff and upright and serious, unlike the laid back, casual Charles.

I leaned heavily on my drama school training from LAMDA, and I was fortunate to have had a very physical theatre training with study in screen, so in the early stages of filming when the imposter syndrome was at an all-time high, I really used that knowledge, expertise, and advice of my teachers. Having filmed a TV show as lead though, I will say that as an actor the medium of being on screen is one you do have to learn by doing it, [laughs], you know, they can’t teach you how to act with cats or imagine giant spiders or do stunts and be part of special effects! It was like a Disneyland and the best kind of learning process.

It’s such a unique story in that your character and Charles exist in different eras but have been friends for 30 years. I read that you both only met before filming so to have the kind of chemistry we see on-screen between you both is amazing, it’s so organic. What do you think it is that sparked this bromance between you?

We just hit it off straight away, chemistry is an organic thing, it’s not something that can be curated. We were just very lucky that we were the Yin to the others’ Yang. People would often comment on our chemistry during filming, so luckily that was one of the things that I wasn’t conscious of while shooting the series.

Left Full look Dior Men

Right Suit and shirt Kenzo, necklace Sweet Lime Juice

What about how the boys will evolve within the story, and your character arc, because It’s interesting that they never got to grow up, so they still have a teenage mindset and are finding their identity, and then they meet Crystal the clairvoyant, who is a living girl. So, will there perhaps be some bittersweet romance along the way, or maybe some jealousy, within yours and Charles’ dynamic?

Edwin has a really established routine and relationship with Charles, and Crystal comes in like a grenade, and there we have our show! What I will say is, they butt heads immediately as she poses a threat to his work with her modern technologies, and his relationship with Charles. But over the course of the series, they develop a lovely friendship and she’s the catalyst for the journey Edwin goes on, her arrival forces him to confront a lot of demons and pain that’s been suppressed for decades, and I would go as far as to say that of all the other characters in the show, Crystal is the most similar to Edwin, he experiences an unravelling with her and then Niko helps soften him.

And within all that emotional complexity, the series heavily represents inclusivity too, and I wanted to find out how that felt for you, to be able to delve deeper into positive role models for diversity on screen?

What I feel most proud of about Dead Boy Detectives is its depiction of male love, it’s one I’ve not seen a lot of on screen. I worked with a director once who told me about her young son’s weekend playdate and she said she realised that when we’re young, often our first love is with the same sex, and that was my experience and it’s quite common. Our show really speaks to that experience, there’s something about the inner child that permeates the entire series and the backstory behind it. The series is set in a world where the characters are free of labels, such as in Episode 5, when Jenny goes on a date, it’s with Maxine, and there’s no grand announcement, it just happens. When we put writing into our shows like that, as an audience, we naturally have the same response, which is important. Steve [Yokey – showrunner] has always said he wanted to make a show that reflects the world we live in, and sometimes the world that we would want to live in, but not necessarily with giant squid or floating spiders! [laughs]. 

Left Shirts Miu Miu, pants Prada, ring Sweet Lime Juice, belt stylist’s own

Right Full look Louis Vuitton

Is there a favourite episode that really resonates with you?

Episode 5, that’s my favourite, it’s Edwin’s turning point and it goes back to what I was saying about the inner child and our first love, and I know we’ve touched on sexuality in this conversation, but for me with Edwin, it was always a little deeper. His journey was always about learning what love is and how to love, and there is a scene at the end of Episode 5 with Charles where you see him learn, love, and it’s a moment I’m really proud of.

And in the words of Haddaway (rewind back to the 90s there), what is love to you George?

Love feels like relief, like a warm hug!

And are you in love?

I’m in love with my dog, Raffy!

Speaking of love, is there a particular movie or theatre show growing up that really kicked off your passion for acting?

I remember seeing a video at school of Donny Osmond in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, and little 5-year-old me was so entranced by the whole thing!

Left Suit and shirt Kenzo, necklace Sweet Lime Juice

Right Shirts Miu Miu, pants Prada, ring Sweet Lime Juice, belt stylist’s own

And as this is your first major TV role, having worked in theatre mainly, how does it feel to be in the DC comics and Neil Gaiman universe, are you excited or nervous for what fans will think of this first season?

I hope people love and enjoy the show, but I’m not too fussed if it’s not their cup of tea. I would love people to have an opinion on it, that’s great because it means it’s spoken to them in some way. But in all honesty, it’s not something I’ve thought about too much because it’s so outside of my control, all I can ever focus on is playing the scene, especially when you’re just one cog in a giant wheel. So, I’ve stayed in my lane as much as I can really!

Has being part of this project made you hungry for more on screen roles as well as stage? Is there a dream role for you?

I’m just grateful to have a job as an actor! So many of my nearest and dearest are fellow actors, and I know what it’s like to experience the silence, and so I will take what I can get! I would love to do both screen and stage, as they’re both different, but the fundamentals are the same. I would love to do an Indie film, as the writing on indies has a very specific point of view and the characters are often complex, which is an actor’s dream. There’s a Belgian director called Lukas Dhont and he’s written a film called Close about two boys and their friendship, with themes of love and it really spoke to me, and maybe even try French or Italian cinema as that’s my favourite.

 

Well, yes, I read that you’re fluent in both languages, and that you’re also trained in stage combat too, in saber and sword fighting! There is no end to your talents obviously.

Haha! We had a module in stage combat as part of theatre training, and I was taught how to stage fight, and LAMDA holds a ‘Fight Night’ competition every year, and my fighting partner Christian and I entered and were runners up! I’ve been pestering Steve [Yokey] to write a scene for Edwin where he’s fencing, because in the comics he does, and I felt strongly about doing that because Edwin loves to disarm and parry, so it felt like an appropriate physical representation of that. After I mentioned it, two fencing masks did appear in the set design, behind the boys’ desk, so who knows, maybe in the future we might see Edwin fencing!

Left Full look Givenchy

Right Full look Prada

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Diego Hernández

Fashion by Steven Huang

Casting by Imagemachine CS

Grooming by Josh Knight at A-Frame Agency using Horace

Photographer’s assistant Amy Beasley

Stylist’s assistant Lois Jenner

FIERY SIDE

THERE ARE PROBABLY NOT MANY ACTORS WHO CAN CREDIT PLAYING A SCHEMING SEX WORKER DOING THE ROUNDS OF A SALUBRIOUS FIVE-STAR RESORT IN TAORMINA, SICILY, AS BEING THEIR INTERNATIONAL BREAKOUT MOMENT, BUT THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO NAPLES-BORN RISING TALENT, SIMONA TABASCO.

ALREADY A BIG NAME IN HER HOME COUNTRY, APPEARING IN THE NEO-NOIR THRILLER PEREZ, AND BELOVED ITALIAN SERIES, THE BASTARDS OF PIZZOFALCONE, IN WHICH SHE PLAYED A DETECTIVE, AND DOC- NELLE TUE MANI, A MEDICAL DRAMA IN WHICH SHE PLAYED A DOCTOR – IT’S THE 29-YEAR-OLD’S STANDOUT PERFORMANCE AS LUCIA GRECO IN HBO’S THE WHITE LOTUS, PLAYING A BEGUILING PROSTITUTE-CUM-ASPIRING-CITY-GIRL FULL OF HUSTLE AND A HUNGER FOR LIFE, WHO ENDS UP LOADED WITH COLD HARD CASH BY THE END OF SEASON TWO – WHICH EARNED TABASCO WORLDWIDE ACCLAIM, AN EMMY NOMINATION, AND A FANBASE INCLUDING KIM KARDASHIAN, WHO ASKED HER TO MODEL FOR A SKIMS CAMPAIGN.

THINGS ARE TAKING SHAPE IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE FOR TABASCO, WITH RECENT MOVIE PROJECTS INCLUDING THE SYDNEY SWEENEY-PRODUCED HOLY HORROR IMMACULATE, IN WHICH SHE PLAYS A TERRIFIED NUN WHO IS BURIED ALIVE IN A COFFIN. HOLLYWOOD IS KNOCKING THOUGH, WHICH IS WHY FORBES MAGAZINE LISTED HER IN THEIR EUROPEAN 30 UNDER 30 “CHANGEMAKERS AND INNOVATORS”. WE CAUGHT UP WITH TABASCO TO TALK ABOUT FASHION, FOCUS AND FIERY HOT SAUCES.

Left Jacket The Attico, earring Real Fine Studio

Right Dress Blumarine, earring Real Fine Studio, rings Metal Noir and Real Fine Studio

Hey Simona! Tell me, how did you become involved in The White Lotus, having mainly worked in various Italian projects, and what was the audition process like – were you nervous knowing this could be your big break internationally?

I already knew of the series before the audition but I rewatched the whole first season ahead of time to better understand the climate and style of the show! After the first phase of the auditions, my call backs with Mike White and the producers happened via zoom and lasted less than ten minutes. I was so excited and so entertained by Lucia's role already at that stage!

 

So, yes, let’s talk about your character Lucia Greco. When you got the script, did you have a say in how you wanted to portray her, perhaps flip the stereotype of her “profession” a little, how did you prepare?

I wanted to respect the script that had already been written in an exceptional way. All the characters were so well defined, and so I just felt compelled to provide some extra colour to Lucia. I wanted her to have a fragile side and not fall into a one-dimensional stereotype. I believe that individually, people are much more nuanced than any kind of stereotype would lead us to believe.

Left Jacket and scarf Marc Jacobs

Right Top, shorts, tights, scarf, socks and shoes Marc Jacobs, earring Real Fine Studio, rings Rainbow K

 Is that why Lucia resonated with audiences so much do you think? Is there any part of her psyche that you related with at all?

I think Lucia brings with her a great hunger to succeed. She wants to achieve redemption but deep down, she carries a seed of desperation and the fear of not making it.

 

Did you ever have that fear yourself, on your journey to where you are now as an actor, or did you always know you would express yourself in this way?

The desire to become an actress had never been in my thoughts, perhaps because I never had any connections with the world of cinema nor did my family. But I have always had an emotional connection with cinema, music, and art in general. Acting really came by chance and I found it very fun to be on a set for the first time. Then once I started training at an acting academy in Rome, that’s where it all began.

Top and scarf Marc Jacobs, earring Real Fine Studio, rings Rainbow K

 What kinds of movies did you watch growing up?

My family and I watched so many films, but the first one that really struck me was Meet Joe Black. I think that film really influenced my taste in cinema afterwards. I like watching sci-fi, thrillers, psychological horror films. I’m drawn to movies that pose questions.

 

Such as… why is the nun being buried alive perhaps?! I’m speaking about your latest project of course, the horror film, Immaculate – it’s a world away from swanky 5-star hotel resorts in Sicily!

That scene was such a difficult one to film! I had to light matches which needed to be very close to my face for technical reasons. I was so tense and scared. After a few takes, I started to run out of air but thankfully we were able to get the shot!

Left top Giambattista Valli, earring Real Fine Studio

Right Dress Miu Miu, earring Real Fine Studio

 I guess that’s what they mean by literally ‘dying for your art’!  Reflecting on your career to date, how has your relationship with acting evolved since you first began over 10 years ago?

I think I have come to understand that in addition to the technique, it’s essential to convey all my life and personal experiences into the characters I play. You have to put the effort into it and really live it.

 

So, is there a dream role for you? What would be a challenge for you as an actress right now?

At this stage in my life, being on stage in a theatre would be a challenge for me. I’ve always wanted to be in a theatre production, but it will come at the right moment, I’m sure! And I’m also into voice dubbing. I think dubbing a fantasy animated character would be fun now!

Left Dress and coat The Attico, earring Real Fine Studio

Right Dress Blumarine, earring Real Fine Studio

 I’ve read that you would also like to play more English-speaking roles, and you’ve been studying the language more in-depth - how do you choose your roles now then?

Well, yes, I'm focusing on learning the language, but I’m really just compelled by good stories!

 

Maybe about empowering women, reinventing stereotypes, like you did with Lucia? Which women inspire you?

This is always a difficult question for me to answer because it’s hard to just point to one woman. In general, the evolution of a woman’s role in society and the way we have been able to make more and more space for ourselves really inspires me. Once upon a time, it was extremely difficult to be a woman, Artemisia Gentileschi knew this well, and she was able to transform her destiny.

Left Dress Miu Miu, earring Real Fine Studio

Right Jacket The Attico, earring Real Fine Studio

 She’s a great choice, a woman who really knew how to live through her art. Speaking of which, another creative medium, fashion, is all about self-expression. Are you passionate about style, do you have a favourite designer, and are you a dress-up or a dress-down kinda’ girl?

It depends on the day and occasion. I’m very dynamic in everyday life, so when I can, I like to dedicate myself to creating looks that communicate something about me.

 

A bit like Lucia did maybe?! A huge part of her appeal was her wardrobe. Did you work closely with the show’s costume designer, Alex Bovaird, on how the outfits would follow your characters’ arc all throughout the season? Did you have a favourite look from the season too?

Alex was amazing and very willing to listen! It's inspiring to create a character together. I think I'm the fondest of Lucia’s ‘purple look’, a light dress with angels on it. It reflects the cheekiness of the character!

Left Dress and coat The Attico, earring Real Fine Studio, rings Metal Noir and Real Fine Studio

 I think that’s why people loved her, including one fan in particular, Kim Kardashian – she asked you (and Beatrice Grannò) to model in a campaign for her shapewear line, Skims. When you heard, were you like, omg, yes!?

Absolutely! I think it was such a great creative move by Kim to involve us in the campaign! I really appreciate how the brand focuses on making everyone feel good in their own skin.

 

Speaking of skin, can we talk about your chilli tattoo? You’re from Naples, and I read somewhere that chillies are seen as quite an iconic Neapolitan fortune charm? Or is it something to do with spicy condiments?!

I have a chili pepper tattoo because my last name (which is my real last name), is the same as that well known hot sauce! I thought it was ironic to get a tattoo relating to it! But yes, chillies are also a symbol of Naples, a sort of lucky charm.

 

So, what good luck do you hope the universe (and your chilli pepper) bring you this year?

I would love to answer that, but as a truly superstitious person, if I tell you, it won't come true! [laughs]

Left Jacket and scarf Marc Jacobs

Right Dress Miu Miu, earring Real Fine Studio, ring Metal Noir

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Shane McCauley

Fashion by Ramona Tabita

Casting by ImageMachine CS

Hair by Candice Birns

Make-Up by Fiona Stiles

Stylist’s assistants Jess McAtee,Ludovica Toscano, Cristiano Bargi, Marco Aurelio Visconti.

A STORY CARRIED WITHIN

BEFORE LEAVING FOR ROMANIA TO SHOOT THE NEW HULU SERIES WE WERE THE LUCKY ONES, ACTOR AMIT RAHAV DECIDED TO VISIT THE HOLOCAUST MUSEUM IN JERUSALEM TO IMMERSE HIMSELF IN THE SHOW’S SUBJECT MATTER. UPON ARRIVAL, HE REALISED THAT THE TICKETS FOR THE PERMANENT EXHIBITION WERE SOLD OUT FOR THE DAY. BUT THEN, A SIGN OF SORTS OCCURRED RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM. THE MUSEUM’S TEMPORARY EXHIBITION (FREE FOR ALL, NO TICKET NEEDED) WAS DEVOTED TO THE SUBJECT OF PHOTOGRAPHERS IN THE HOLOCAUST. RAHAV SAYS HE WAS STUNNED – IN THE SERIES, BASED ON THE BOOK BY GEORGIA HUNTER WHICH TELLS THE STORY OF HER FAMILY’S SURVIVAL, HE WAS SCHEDULED TO PLAY JAKOB KURC, A JEWISH PHOTOGRAPHER WORKING THROUGHOUT THE SECOND WORLD WAR. SEEING RAHAV IN THE SHOW, IT’S CLEAR THAT HE WAS INDEED MEANT TO PORTRAY THIS ROLE. HIS TAKE ON JAKOB – A BOHEMIAN SPIRIT WHO GOES THROUGH AN IMMENSE TRANSFORMATION CAUSED BY THE HEARTBREAKING EXPERIENCES OF TRYING TO SURVIVE – IS BOTH INCREDIBLY LAYERED AND TOUCHING.  CALLING FROM LA, WHERE HE’S CURRENTLY PONDERING A LONG-TERM STAY, RAHAV TALKS TO US ABOUT THE SHOW'S UNIQUE TAKE ON TELLING A HOLOCAUST STORY AND THE WAY HIS FAMILY’S MEMORIES HAVE INFORMED HIS PERFORMANCE.

Full look Prada

Hi Amit! Where in the world are you right now?

I’m currently in LA. 

Full look Celine Homme, jewelry Azature

Nice! Are you there for a holiday or for an extended time?

I’m here for an extended time, I don’t have a return ticket. I’m currently moving from sublet to sublet, so I get to see a lot of filthy apartments and see different parts of LA every time I get to the new one. That said, the apartment I’m subletting right now is very cute and I don’t want to leave it, but I will probably have to move to a different one very soon.

Full look Bottega Veneta

 So you’re exploring the city?

Yeah, I’m travelling around the city before I make it official and sign a contract. But I’m really enjoying the LA experience so far.

 

Left Full look Celine Homme

Right Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

What have been some of your favourite areas that you discovered?

I really like East LA – areas like Los Feliz and Silver Lake. But I am currently in West Hollywood which is also great. It’s just way more clean. It’s so clean, and so polished, the grass is so green that it almost looks fake. And I need something a bit more dirty and rusty. [Laughs] I’ve also been realising that apparently, I have been going to the worst places up until now. Whenever I go somewhere, I say, “It’s such a cool place!” And my local friends are like, “Who told you to go there?” They keep telling me I’m doing it all wrong.

 Maybe they’re a bit jaded.

Maybe they are. Or maybe they want to be a tourist in LA. [Laughs]

Full look Celine Homme, jewelry Azature

Let’s talk about your new show, We Were the Lucky Ones. What about the way that the series (and the book that it’s based on) approached the subject of the Holocaust spoke to you?

I think that the fact that the book and the show are based on a real family’s story and events gives you the feeling that you know these people, and that they’re not just these epic characters. They are human. They are flawed, they are falling in love, they have dreams, hopes and fears. They have their own pride that they’re not willing to give up. And that’s what drew me to the story so much. Sometimes when you read a historical piece, the people in it feel like historical figures. But these characters were so well written and felt so relatable and approachable. That made it so much easier for us as actors to tap into them because they were so familiar to us.

Full look Dior Men, shoes 1774 Birkenstock

 How did you prepare to play your character, Jakob? Was there anything aside from reading the book that helped you portray him?

Having Georgia Hunter – the author of the book and granddaughter of Addy Kurc, who’s played by Logan Lerman – as well as her mother on set with us was the biggest privilege. Getting to hear their stories and memories, and see the pictures and certificates was such a significant layer. This story is made of so many different patches, and together, we created this massive fabric.

Also, before travelling to Romania (where we shot the show), I decided to visit the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem. I went there, ready to soak it all in, and I realised that I was not able to go inside the main exhibition because all of the tickets for the day were sold out. But I was told that there was also a temporary exhibition available to see without a ticket. And that turned out to be an insane experience because as I approached it, I realised that the exhibition was focused on photographers in the Holocaust. And in the show, I play a photographer in the Holocaust! That was a mind-blowing moment for me.

Full look Acne Studios

 Jakob is an artistic spirit who goes through quite a transformation caused by the trauma of WW2. Which parts of him did you find most interesting to explore?

That’s a great question! Jakob is a very sensitive soul. I think that out of all of the Kurc brothers, he’s the least prepared for going to war. But as time goes on, he grows a shield on him and becomes a warrior in these horrific times. And it’s really important to understand what his life goals are and treasures that he’s not willing to give up. In episode six, we see him risking his life to get back to the most important thing in his life – his wife, Bella. Leaving the ghetto, running to her, shaking her up from her own grief, and just having this wave of life inside of him is something that he could never have imagined doing when we first met him. That’s what I find most inspiring and heartbreaking about him as a character, seeing him go from the youngest man in the family to an actual grown-up adult who has the courage to risk his life for his loved ones.

Left Full look Bottega Veneta

Right Full look Prada

 Looking back at all of the scenes you have done, is there one that sticks out as particularly challenging?

The morning after the ghetto invasion where Jakob walks through it alone – there are bodies all around him, and he can see the disaster that took place there. When I got on set that day, it was relatively quiet. It was just me and the extras, and that was a chilling-to-the-bone moment. I froze. It was just so realistic and sad – it was so immersive that I just choked. Coming on set, you never knew when these realisations would get you. Some days, we’d come and be like, “Okay, this is work.” And some days, it was just so devastating to realise what’s the story that we’re telling. So that was the day when it suddenly hit me and I got this flash of comprehending what this story is and what it means.

Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

 On a more personal note, I read that your grandma, who’s a Holocaust survivor, would tell you her stories from that time when you were growing up. What is the impact that these memories had on you?

They had an enormous impact. The Holocaust story has been surrounding me ever since I can remember. My grandma is the funniest and sharpest person, and I admire and love her so much. At the age of four, she was sent to hide with a Polish family – she had a different name, a different identity, and she grew up without her parents. For four years, she was sleeping on two chairs joined together in the attic, not knowing what was going on, where she was or who she was. She had the most horrible upbringing – most of her extended family was executed in Auschwitz. So having these stories in my DNA, I was thinking about her a lot while filming. Any moment that I could go back home, I went to visit her and share with her my experience.

Having a Jewish ensemble means that a lot of the cast members have a Holocaust story within their families. And because this story is so rooted inside of me, I want to tell it again and again and again. I was very lucky to have this opportunity to tell this family’s story and know that my grandmother’s story was carried in me while doing so.

Left Full look Acne Studios

Right Full look Dior Men

Following We Were the Lucky Ones, what are the projects that you would like to do next?

I think that I might be ready for something a little lighter. I love all of the work I have done so far on Unorthodox, Transatlantic and We Were the Lucky Ones and I’m so grateful for those characters. But I feel like it’s time to do the exact opposite and face a new challenge. And I guess that would have to be a light-comedy-indie-atheist-futuristic-science-fiction type of story. [Laughs]

Interview by Martin Onufrowicz

Photography by Sam Ramirez 

Fashion by Douglas VanLaningham

Grooming by Nathaniel Dezan

Photographers’ assistant Jacob Barri

Fashion’s ssistant Marilyn Monro

Film Lab @thatonephotolab

SPIRITUAL AWAKENING

Young British actor, JAYDEN REVRI has already caught our eye, as the recurring character, Devin, in Netflix’s original series Fate: The Winx Saga, and Noah in Disney’s teen musical-comedy drama The Lodge. But it’s his present role, as Charles, in Dead Boy Detectives, Netflix’s new Sandman spin-off series – the latest and most diverse and inclusive incarnation of DC Comics’ and Neil Gaiman’s universe – that’s about to be his breakout moment. Revri plays the “braun” of two ghost-boy besties from different eras, who use their ability to communicate with the living and the dead to solve supernatural mysteries. Most definitely still in his prime, Revri is so upbeat on our zoom chat, it’s infectious, as we discuss life after death, 80s inspo’ and Scooby Doo.

Left Shirt Alexander McQueen, necklaces Sweetlimejuice, earring talent’s own

Right Full look Prada

Firstly, well done on the series, it’s so good! I’m interested to find out, are you a detective show fan yourself, do you like a good whodunnit, and if you could play an iconic TV detective, who would it be?

 100 percent I would be Scooby Doo! [laughs] I love dogs and I had the ‘Mystery Inc.’ van and all the characters and videos when I was younger; it’s my all-time favourite detective series ever!

 

Did you have a real dog called Scooby too?

 No [laughs], but I had a dog called Mylo, who was named after the dog in the movie The Mask, which I loved!  

Top and pants Courrèges, shoes Louis Vuitton, earring talent’s own

Well, this new series has cats, lots of them, and a Cat King! You play Charles, who’s quite sensitive underneath that upbeat façade, and he hasn’t really dealt with things that have happened to him, mainly, that he’s dead and a ghost! So, what was your relationship with the original source material, in the comics and the scripts, and how much input did you have into your character and his story arc?

 We were super lucky when we got the roles, as DC kindly sent us every rendition of Dead Boys Detective that ever was, and so I deep dived into the comics and found out about Charles’ death and how traumatic it was. In this telling of the story, we dive into his family and what his home life was like, and for me, as filming went on and we got more scripts, I was able to get more into his headspace for the role, and to understand his trauma. It was great as an actor, as I felt like as time went on, I was learning as myself, as Jayden, how Charles would be learning and evolving himself, almost like in real-time. To tap into those kinds of emotions he had, I did a lot of research on people and teenagers who had been through similar things, and spoke to professionals who help them, and I just wanted to do the subject justice and use that platform to raise awareness of domestic abuse, and the trauma associated with it.

 

Yes, because at its core, aside from it being a supernatural drama, this series really explores the deep themes of grief, love, friendships, personal growth, and those subjects are universal and will resonate with all.

 That’s the irony of the show I think that we’re these dead boys, but we’re dealing with real life problems, and that’s the beauty of Neil Gaiman’s work, in the sense that he can find light in the dark, with heavy subjects like loss and grief and death. We’re this group of young misfits in the series, who are all lost in their own ways, and haven’t dealt with their pasts, but then it shows that if you surround yourself with the right people, your chosen family, you can really overcome anything in life. That’s why I think the series will captivate different audiences as everyone can relate to at least one of the characters. 

Left Shirt, pants and coat Kenzo, shoes Prada

Right Shirt Balmain, bandana stylist’s own, earring talent’s own

It’s such a unique story, because your character and Edwin’s [George Rexstrew], are from different eras and have been friends for 30 years after your tragic deaths at the same school. In real life, yourself and George never met before filming, but you have such brilliant on-screen chemistry like you’ve known each other for years too. How did that bromance unfold?

 It’s crazy, because you think, having not met before filming, that would be the main thing to build on, that chemistry, because when we first see them in the series, they’ve already been friends for 30 years. But George and I never worried about that, and from the first moment we met, we just found this incredible understanding with each other, of the responsibility we had in playing these two roles. We were very open and honest with each other from the start, and became brothers very quickly, like when you meet someone in your life, and you know you were meant to cross paths; that’s how it was for George and me. We really anchored one another throughout the series, and we still do now, we’re like best friends and we talk to each other every day, in fact, he’s messaging me right now! [laughs]

 

The other characters in the series, most notably Crystal the clairvoyant [Kassius Nelson] and her friend Niko [Yuyu Kitamura], are central to how both your character and Edwin’s unravel their complex pasts emotionally, and to their personal growth too, which is interesting for Charles’ story arc.

 The moment Crystal enters the agency is really the turning point of the whole series, in terms of her and Edwin’s relationship anyway. You know, he’s wilful and combative and not used to people telling him otherwise, whereas my character, Charles, is up for anything and will do it with a smile on his face. Crystal challenges Edwin and ends up softening him. Then with Charles, he’s been so used to being with Edwin for 30 years, and suddenly, this beautiful clairvoyant comes along, and she can see him, which hasn’t happened before with someone who is living, and Charles becomes infatuated with her. That’s when he starts to uncover the things about himself that he’s not dealt with properly and feels he can talk openly. It may seem at first when Crystal and Niko join the agency, that the equilibrium is off, but ultimately, they all bring out the best in each other.

Left Coat Dior Men

Right Shorts and shoes Dior Men, socks Falke

We must talk about wardrobe too, and you lucked out really, in terms of costume, as Charles is the 80s cool kid. How did his look really inform your character and help you bring him to life, did you have any say in what he wears?

 I really love these questions! You know, our costume department and hair and make-up really created 70 percent of the characters for us. It played such a big part in helping us find the characters, and it was a real collaboration from the start. I sat with them, and we went through stuff like 80s hairstyles, and I kept my hair as it is but added some lines along the sides, and I had guyliner on too, and I absolutely loved the jacket with the Rude Boys logo on it.

It all really helped me find who Charles is, and costumes helped me with the way he moves, he’s very loose and relaxed, where Edwin is kind of straight and upright, pretty much how George and I are in real life! He’s got great posture and I’m always slouching! [laughs]

Jacket, shirt and shorts Alexander McQueen, earring talent’s own

 What about music, did you use any 1980s tracks to help immerse yourself in the era your character was from?

 It’s funny you ask, before we started shooting, we were asked to make a playlist for our characters. So, I deep dived into loads of 80s stuff and there’s so many incredible songs and musicians from that time to reference, and my family also grew up in the 80s, my parents, so they got to relive some of their youth through me! I asked them all about that time and what it was like and how people behaved back then and dressed. So, kudos to my parents for helping me to sculpt that character too, and me as a human!

Left Top, pants and shoes Marine Serre, bracelets and necklace Sweetlimejuice, earring talent’s own

Right Jacket, shirt, shorts and boots Alexander McQueen, socks Falke, leather rope stylist’s own, earring talent’s own

What about the sets, which are aesthetically just so cinematically beautiful. I imagine they helped to transport you inside the story, and the special effects must have been a real workout for the imagination too.

 I cried the first day I walked into the studio! I was so overwhelmed by the sets they had built. There was one I always refer to, called the ‘Tragic Mick Workshop’, and the fine detail was just mind blowing, it was so real like it existed. It was all so aesthetically beautiful, lit so well, and the tone is so bang on, and it shows what kind of series we wanted to make. I also learned that to be part of this series, you need to have the biggest imagination! There were so many scenes with special effects, like having to pretend to walk and talk on ice, or be stood next to a hundred cats, or be thrown through a mirror by George! As the series went on, the effects just got more incredible, and by the end you got used to acting to a tennis ball or a pink X on a big screen and imagining it was a giant mushroom or a snake!

Left Shirt and pants Loewe, shoes Louis Vuitton

Right Shirt Alexander McQueen, necklaces Sweetlimejuice, earring talent’s own

 Did you take any props home with you after filming ended, like perhaps a magic cricket bat?

 I did ask for that and was told I probably wouldn’t get it through customs! If it was up to me, I would’ve taken the backpack home! [laughs]

Left Jacket, top and pants Miu Miu, necklace Dior Men, earring talent’s own

Right Full look Prada

So, are you excited for the fans and audience reaction to the first season, and to how they relate to certain scenes or episodes?

 To lead a show that’s as incredible as this, is the reason why I want to act. You never know who is going to watch your show, and how you can really change someone’s life that day. I saw something on TikTok the other day from someone who’s putting together a Charles Cosplay outfit from the show, and the thought that someone could be walking around in that outfit with the bag and cricket bat just blows my mind! I’m excited to see how the show is received and how the fans take it, and I’m just so grateful and blessed to be in this position and to be here doing this interview with you!

Left Shirt, pants and shoes Balmain, necklace and earring talent’s own

Right Shirt Alexander McQueen, necklaces Sweetlimejuice, earring talent’s own

 The pleasure’s all mine! So now you’ve done a musical, a fantasy series and played a ghost, what’s next for you? Is there a dream role?

 I’ve accomplished more than I could ever have imagined at this point, so anything from here is just a complete bonus, and I’m open to all genres and super excited to see what the future holds. I will say though, I’ve always wanted to play a villain, like Joaquin Phoenix and Heath Ledger as the Joker, I would love to take myself to that level and really understand how those kinds of actors become that character. I wouldn’t mind doing a voiceover for an animated film or series too, my Nan would absolutely love that!

Left Top Marine Serre, necklace Sweetlimejuice

Right Left Shirt, pants and coat Kenzo, shoes Prada

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Hanna Pallot

Fashion by Steven Huang

Grooming by Sven Bayerbach at Carol Hayes Management using DRYBAR and DAIMON BARBER

Photographer’s assistant Lauren Hillsdon

Stylist’s assistant Sabrina Leina

NEW PERSPECTIVE

DUTCH ACTOR WALT KLINK HAS APPEARED ON SCREENS IN THE TV SERIES RABBIT HOLE AND DRAMA THE ENGLISH. NEXT UP, HE’LL STAR IN DARK COMEDY FILM KRAZY HOUSE. WE CAUGHT UP WITH THE RISING TALENT TO TALK DREAM ROLES, ACTIVISM AND FINDING INNER PEACE.

Left Top Dolce&Gabbana, tights Chanel, shoes Louis Vuitton, sunglasses Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Right Coat and shorts Egonlab, tank top and earrings Louis Vuitton, shoes Bottega Veneta

Hey Walt, let’s talk about your latest project, the dark comedy film Krazy House. What’s it about and who do you play?

Hello Kate! So, the film is a rom-com that turns a bit dark and it’s quite weird but also completely original. I love how the directors Steffen Haars and Flip Van der Kuil are such beautiful creators in the way their characters frequently cross social lines but are also well-intentioned at their core. I play the son of Nick Frost and Alicia Silverstone, and it was such a fun character to play.

 

How was it going into the comedy genre, after being in a spy thriller and more darker TV roles in the past?

It was nice, I could smile, make jokes, and not take things so seriously, so it was quite relieving and there was a nice energy on set. Nick [Frost] would improvise all the time, so it was interesting to just let go and have fun and create new things. 

Left Top and pants Ludovic de Saint Sernin, belt Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

 Are there a lot of younger Dutch actors like yourself working internationally? Or is it a small community where you all know each other?

I would say yes, we all know each other in some way or another. I feel like I’m the youngest one doing the international circuit though. That’s because I started self-taping during Covid, as all the auditions were, and still are, mostly via Zoom. So that new way of doing things helped me get recognised. The Dutch film community is small and I’m not that popular in Holland, which feels nice, as I can just walk around and be Walt!

 

That might change now you are appearing with Alicia Silverstone and Nick Frost in Krazy House. Having also previously worked with Kiefer Sutherland in the TV series Rabbit Hole, what have these industry heavyweights taught you about the craft so far?

They’ve been doing it for so long that they don’t feel insecure about their craft, and they just have fun with what they do, so that inspires me. Of course, they work hard but they just enjoy what they do. Kiefer impressed me as he was always so prepared and disciplined with his lines. I see acting as an art form, it’s like being a painter; each painter has their own style, and you can learn so much from it, but eventually, you must try out your own style and make mistakes and learn. That’s how acting is for me. 

Full look Gucci

 Who are some other actors or directors you find inspiring?

Performance-wise, I love Philip Seymour Hoffman, as his presence on screen was so powerful, he used his soul and energy to project his presence on screen.

 

What would be your dream role to play?

I would like to be in a story that could help a lot of people. Help in a sense where it gives some new perspective, a part where I, and the audience, can reflect on ourselves and our choices. I think the power of film is deeply meditational, it’s a sort of hypnosis in a sense, you can go into a theatre and forget all your worries. I would like to make a movie that will help people to see the truth of who they are and be kind to themselves.

Left Top Mugler, pants Balenciaga

Right Top and pants Ludovic de Saint Sernin, belt and shoes Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

 Outside of acting, I wanted to talk about how you use your voice for positive change. You invited people to sit with you in Amsterdam’s Dam Square alongside a placard you made that read ‘CHOOSE LOVE’, in support of all those suffering the pain of war. What was the reaction to that, did people engage with you?

Oh man, it was something special. I felt scared to use my voice, but I decided to just try and make some sort of change, which as humans we’re often afraid of. I wanted to be the purest form of myself, which is what I work to being every day, and my message, by sitting in Dam Square, was to be there for other people, out of love. People sat next to me, and it was a beautiful thing, and the day I finished, so many people came up to me and said what I did inspired them, and now it’s going to be a regular thing in Dam Square. So that’s a sign for positive change.

 

What other things are you passionate about and want to pursue more?

The main thing for me is my spiritual work, and what I mean by that, is becoming purer every day, acting from source rather than circumstances. I’m passionate about art, yoga, meditating, surfing, and the world. I would like to create a platform that teaches meditation to children, that’s my goal.

Left Coat Dries Van Noten

Right Top Dior Men

 You’ve talked quite openly about having personal issues when you were a child. Is that why you began meditating later?

Yes, I lost my mother at a very young age, and I never learned to deal with my emotions around it. I got into meditation around 16 or 17, and all this pain opened inside my body, and I had some real demons to fight, and I’m still fighting them. I had to come to terms with the fact that people die and that’s a part of life, and that’s not an easy thing to deal with as a child, as you blame yourself for things, and have no clue who you are or who you could be. I identified as a victim a lot, and I feared feeling my emotions, in case they ate me up entirely. After some time, I allowed myself to drown in the pain, and only then I came out the other side as a different person. It’s an ongoing process, working and accepting my pain, and trying to stay present with it. 

Shirt Hermès, glasses photographer’s own

Do you think with acting then, that opportunity to be someone else, embody a different character, has allowed you to connect with yourself and others more?

Well, that’s why I admire Jim Carrey, because he played so many characters and at a certain point, he stopped and asked himself, ‘why am I not a character in my daily life too?’ I think I’ve experienced something like that, as I was trying to go so deep into these characters I’ve been playing from an early age, to totally forget who I am. Seeing how I can become another person makes me see where I cling on to my idea of self, but when you do that, your demons come up. I used to fear life, I was arrogant, and afraid to face my past, because I was scared to face my own self. But once you do that, you experience true love which is beyond negative and positive, and now I see all sides of life.

 

I’m always impressed when I interview actors who have humility. Because it’s an important trait. What’s the best piece of advice anyone’s ever given you about work or life?

I was talking with my manager recently about the image people have of me because of the work I do, which is completely different from who I am in essence. People project on you, because they can identify with a character, but it’s just an illusion they have of you, it’s not reality. I hope people can connect to some part of themselves and be more kind to themselves after reading this. Find acceptance in yourself and embrace change if you need to.

Left Blazer Egonlab, scarf Celine Homme

Right Coat Valentino, pants Diesel, shoes Balenciaga

…

Discover the full story in our SS24 CRAZY LOVE Issue .

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Marc de Groot

Fashion by Koen T. Hendriks

Casting by Imagemachine Cs

Production by Sandra Witman

Hair & Make-Up by Irena Ruben

Set Design by Justine Verplancke

Lighting by Sebas Jansen

Photographer’s assistant Jamie Koetzier

Stylist’s assistant Phoebe Monica Maria Vos

ITALIANS CAN DO IT BETTER

ITALIAN-BORN ACTOR DOMENICO CUOMO, HAS APPEARED IN THE FILM MIMI, PRINCE OF DARKNESS AND HIT TV SHOWS INCLUDING CATCH-22, A PROFESSOR AND THE SEA BEYOND. HERE HE TALKS TO US ABOUT DIVERSITY, DREAMS AND THE MEANING OF LIFE.

Full looks Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

You’ve played a lot of complex young characters. Are you drawn to those kinds of roles?

I'm attracted to all kinds of roles. I believe that the real essence of being an actor is to find the personal truth of each character and make it credible. When I study a character that’s so different to who I am, I see it as the opportunity to explore the depths of myself. I hope, one day, to know myself better thanks to my acting work.

 

So, tell us about Mimmo, your character in the much-anticipated second series of A Professor, about the story of two young boys who fall in love. 

What I love most about Mimmo is his genius. Who sets the rules? Who decides what is right and what is wrong? Those are the questions I asked myself about him when preparing for the role. I tried to connect with him by having imaginary conversations, and I am very grateful to Mimmo for keeping me company over these many months! When filming my last scene, I realised that the character had taught me a great truth; that the real meaning of life is just living, without being obsessed about the constant search for happiness. Just do what you believe, no matter what.

Left Full look Prada

Right Full look Balenciaga

 When you got the call for the series, did you have any trepidation about playing a character who loves another man?

I'm always anxious when I play any role, as I feel a great responsibility to ensure the audience can connect in some way, as someone may have experienced the same joys or pains as my character.


How did you connect with playing Mimmo then, besides being a human who experiences love?

Mimmo talks about love, not sex or sexuality. Love is love and is for everyone. I'm still young and I’ve only fallen in love once. So, I tried to recall my feelings and use them to play him, and in a way, he gifted me the awareness that to love someone you also need the courage of facing your own fears. And… again, I'm not referring to sex or sexuality, but the ability to just give yourself completely to someone you trust and to be loved in return. When I prepare for a role, I always associate an animal to the character, it’s just a thing I do! For Mimmo, I chose a fox and I tried to create the bipolarity of its expression to differentiate the "defensive" and the "peaceful" characteristics that are typical of this animal.

Left Full look Miu Miu

Right Full look Balenciaga

 The show has such a devoted fan base. What makes you care about what happens to queer people and their well-being and their place in culture?

Sometimes, I watch a movie, a cartoon, or I listen to a song which I think represents me in some way. In those moments I feel less alone, I know that someone out there, just like me, has felt the same in my same situation. That’s what drives my desire to be an actor, to help people and remind the world that we are all the same and not alone. I have watched many actors in stories about the Queer community and culture, and they masterfully bring an intensity and truth to their character. I hope one day we can break down the boundaries that try to divide us about race, religion, or sexual preference, and just allow ourselves to return to the true meaning of life - the reason why we are all here, to live and love unconditionally.

 

Do you think this TV series is indicative of a change in the attitudes of young people being more open about being gay, in Italy? The country regularly ranks in reports as being among the worst in western Europe for LGBTQ+ rights.

You know, it saddens me to know that there are people in this world who are still considered "different" from one another. That there is a right and a wrong way. Everyone is free to live life as they wish. Personally, I believe that meeting someone "different" from us, I don't really like that word or expression by the way, represents a moment of growth. If you are different from me, you can only help me to know something I didn't know before. So yes, for me diversity is important and there is a great wealth to be gained in the knowledge of understanding that.

Left Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Right Full look Fendi

 Italian TV and cinema can often be stereotyped as being all mafia stories or clichés of Italian-ness. What do you want to represent as an Italian actor?

Each country has its own cultural heritage, but I don't like stereotypes. Of course, we must always remember who we are and where we come from and, as I said before, I hope for a world with fewer and fewer barriers. Whether it's Hollywood or Cinecittà or the street, I hope to tell stories that excite both me and the audience!

 

Speaking of which, audiences are loving you in The Sea Beyond, which is now in its 4th season. Tell me more about your role as Cardiotrap?

Well, I was only 14 years old when the first season of the show was airing, and now I am 20. So, I literally grew up with Cardiotrap and his iconic mullet! He’s a very complicated character, and he’s in jail because of his background, but despite all of that, he’s always looking for redemption, which we as humans, the audience, can relate to. I met so many great young actors working on this show, who are now my closest friends, and it means so much to be a part of this series, as it’s really helped me gain the recognition I have.

Left Jacket Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Right Full look Loewe

So, what about films, do you have a favourite movie?

What Dreams May Come!

 

And if dreams come true, what’s the role you really want?

I dream of many roles! I have so many dreams, the more time goes by the more they increase, but as I said before, I just want to do things that inspire those who watch me, in a sincere and genuine, honest way.

 Any actors you admire then?

I really like Gary Oldman, Alberto Sordi, Tony Servillo and Johnny Depp. They manage to transform themselves completely. They can make you laugh and cry in minutes.

Full looks Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

 What about DeNiro, a fellow Italian. He’s been the reigning badass of acting for years. I’m seeing you as the next DeNiro for Gen-Z, what do you think?

Wow, thank you for the compliment, I’ll always remember that now! Well, De Niro has been giving us his masterpieces for so long. I hope, one day, I can bring my characters to the screen with even a tiny crumb of his strength and charisma!  

 

Well, you’ve already received the David di Donatello Award for Italian Rising Star. So, you’re on your way to the top….

I never take anything for granted. There are so many good actors of my generation in Italy. But receiving the award was a great honour, and I hope I won’t disappoint anyone’s expectations of me! Every award is an encouragement, so let's all take courage and move forward to discover what life will bring us!

Left Full look Miu Miu

Right Full look Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

…

Discover the full story in our SS24 CRAZY LOVE Issue .

Interview by Kate Lawson

Photography by Riccardo Meroni

Fashion by Marco Drammis

Casting by Imagemachine Cs

Grooming by Alessandro Joubert at Simone Belli Agency

Photographer’s assistant Gill Cesaria

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