GRUMPY MAGAZINE #17 - Ben Hardy

On the cover About Grumpy Magazine is an international digital and print publication founded and curated by Jasmine Perrier. Selfpublished from France since 2016, we aim at covering the cultural landscape across the world and sharing a genuine vision of life to get you out of your grumpy mood. More than just a magazine, we are interested in aesthetically pleasing a modern take on traditional staples and thus offering a unique book capturing thoughtful stories and stimulating sceneries.

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BEN HARDY | Photography Rosie Matheson | Styling Emily Tighe | Grooming Nathalie Eleni | Photography assistant Flossie Hughes | Stylist assistants Olivia Rodney & Alfred Humphries | Production Jasmine Perrier | Location The Portobello Hotel COVER | Ben Hardy wears Tommy Hilfiger suit | Neil Barrett shirt BACK COVER | Ben Hardy wears Alexander McQueen jacket | Tommy Hilfiger trousers | Converse shoes Talent’s own watch

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Grumpy Team & Contributors Jasmine Perrier

Publisher | Editor-in-chief | Producer | Designer | Writer

Contributing Photographers & Videographers

Rosie Matheson | Ryan Pfluger | Pip Bourdillon | Sami Drasin Mollie Rose | Jack Alexander | Emma Craft | Demetrius Washington | Raul Romo | Nicol Biesek | Savanna Morales Rodney Rico

Contributing Stylists

Jason Bolden | Holly White | Emily Tighe | Thomas George Wulbern | Stevie Westgarth | Taff Williamson | Jenn Rosado Britt Theodora | Gareth Scourfield | Chanelle Harris | Benjamin Holtrop | Anna Schilling | Sarah Slutsky | Jessica Loria

Special thanks Dane Punch PR | DDA PR | CLD Communications Premier Personal PR | 42West | The Lede Company Persona PR | Rogers & Cowan PMK | Wolf|Kasteler Public Relations | imPRint | Narrative PR | Viewpoint PR | Circle Of Confusion | CAM | Independent Talent Group | Identity Agency Group | The Wall Group | The Only.Agency | Exclusive Artists | TMGLA | A-Frame Agency | Blended Strategy | ONE Represents | Adrenalin Photographic | Carol Hayes Management Caren Agency | Nylon Artists | The Rex Agency Tracey Mattingly Agency | Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills | Ballantines PR | PL Photo Studio | Olga Lioncat | The Portobello Hotel, Part of A Curious Group of Hotels | Holmes Hotel London Georgian House Hotel | Kimpton Fitzroy Hotel Prospect Studios | Fairytale Cottage Topanga | The Chromabana | Amanda Friedland | McKenzie Mann The Grand Califa | Sarah Nelson | Benji Lanpher Netflix | Paramount | Amazon Studios | HBO

Contributing Writer Parker Schug

Contributing Illustrator Jenny Sorto

Contributors

Naomi Scott | Ben Barnes | Gwilym Lee | Jeremy Irvine Olivia Cooke | Tony Revolori | Chance Perdomo | Emily Cheng Justine Marjan | Thuy Nguyen | John Mumblo | Emma White Turle | Halley Brisker | Flossie Hughes | Zorica Šalić | Nathalie Eleni | Olivia Rodney | Alfred Humphries | Francesca Brazzo Carlos Ferraz | Kevin Brown | Zuli Alao | Naoko Scintu | Leigh Keates | Petra Sellge | Paula Salinas | Valeria Ferreira | Davide Barbieri | Sasha Vanner | Emma Jacob | Georgia Gaillard | Holly Gowers | Cheryl Bergamy | Ryan Schostak | Georgie Galinson Christina O’Neil | Lidia Moore | Victoria Thomas-Wood Dylan Weller | Rachael Renee | Jordy Pope | Te’Ron Hobbs Monique Claxton | Loren Canby | Nancilee Santos | Sam Tiger Grace Phillips | Emily Johnson | Sarah Uslan | Scott King Jennifer Hatch | Anton Khachaturian | Hayley Heckmann

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guest contributors NAOMI SCOTT Actor Naomi Scott interviewed her Charlie’s Angels co-star Ella Balinska on her promising career and ambitions, her fondness for characters she can emotionally relate to, and the importance of learning to embrace your insecurities and identity.

BEN BARNES Actor Ben Barnes interviewed his longtime friend from National Youth Music Theatre Sophie Cookson on their views of being an actor now after spending several years in the industry, and the highs and lows of pursuing such a daunting path.

GWILYM LEE Actor Gwilym Lee interviewed his Bohemian Rhapsody co-star Ben Hardy on The Girl Before, his first steps in the acting industry and his variety of performances through the years.

JEREMY IRVINE Actor Jeremy Irvine interviewed his Baghead co-star Freya Allan on what changed for her between seasons of The Witcher, her ultimate dream project, and the mission statement she is looking to craft to guide her career.

OLIVIA COOKE Actor Olivia Cooke interviewed Freddy Carter on their experiences of entering the industry, the challenges of working on adaptations, and why we should stop comparing ourselves.

CHANCE PERDOMO Actor Chance Perdomo interviewed his After co-star Kiana Madeira on Netflix’s Fear Street trilogy, how John Travolta influenced her career path, and making the transition from Canada to New York to open new doors.

TONY REVOLORI Actor Tony Revolori interviewed his Spider-Man co-star Jacob Batalon on the ‘‘Spidey’’ journey that they started together back in 2016, what it feels like for Jacob to be number one on the call sheet for his next Syfy project, and his personal growth since making it to the entertainment industry.

dear readers

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elcome to the 17th issue of Grumpy Magazine, which feels surreal to say out loud. Before ending 2021 and embarking on the next chapter, I wanted to take a moment to celebrate and appreciate what we achieved together this year. In collaboration with dedicated artists and exclusive guest contributors, this special issue of Grumpy Magazine brings together some of the greatest talents and inspiring figures from the creative industries that appeared in Grumpy Magazine across online stories and solo print editions in 2021.

To every single person who has supported and trusted my vision for these last five years, I will always be grateful. I hope that Grumpy Magazine will continue to entertain, inspire, and hopefully give you an escape to get out of your grumpy mood, as it does for me. Thank you.

Jasmine Perrier Founding editor-in-chief @jazzieperrier

Contents I S S U E N O . 1 7 CHAPTER ONE 112

THADDEA GRAHAM

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HARRISON OSTERFIELD

124

DARCI SHAW

doesn’t want to waste any chance she is given is taking on the world with a smile

talks her debuts in the industry and never-give-up mentality

CHAPTER TWO 132

ANGOURIE RICE on her remarkable rise from Australia to Hollywood

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NICOLE BEHARIE

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FREDDY CARTER

152

KIANA MADEIRA

160

MCKENNA GRACE

166

JACOB BATALON

on using her voice and paving the way tells Olivia Cooke his journey from Somerset to Netflix reveals how she made it to Chance Perdomo is nothing but a light in the industry talks to Tony Revolori about entering his next chapter

CHAPTER THREE 180

ELLA BALINSKA

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SOPHIE COOKSON

and Naomi Scott reunite to discuss her budding career recounts her first memories with Ben Barnes and her penchant for challenges

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BEN HARDY

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FREYA ALLAN

and Gwilym Lee have that conversation they’ve never had before and Jeremy Irvine reminisce about Berlin and compare views on acting

Katherine McNamara | Published in January 2021 Photographed by Sami Drasin Makeup Anton Khachaturian | Hair Hayley Heckmann | Location The Chromacabana

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Chapter I Chapter I

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THADDEA GRAHAM doesn’t want to waste any chance she is given Words by Jasmine Perrier

Photos by Jack Alexander

Makeup by Naoko Scintu at The Wall Group

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Styling by Thomas George Wulbern

Hair by Leigh Keates at The Wall Group

HINESE-BORN NORTHERN IRISH ACTRESS THADDEA GRAHAM — THADY, AS MANY REFER TO HER — FRONTS THE NEW NETFLIX SHOW THE IRREGULARS, A MODERN TAKE ON THE SHERLOCK HOLMES NOVELS OUT SINCE

MARCH 26. EAGER TO UNVEIL THIS “PASSION PROJECT” SHE HAS HAD TO HIDE AWAY FOR A YEAR, THADDEA’S BUBBLY PERSONALITY COURSES THROUGH OUR VIRTUAL MEETING, WHILE REMAINING DOWN-TO-EARTH WHEN SHE REALIZES EVERYTHING THAT COMES WITH THAT. HERE, THE ACTRESS, WHO TURNED 24 THREE DAYS AFTER THE GLOBAL PREMIERE, OPENS UP ABOUT HOW SHE PREPARED FOR HER KEY ROLE AS THE LEADER OF THE GANG, FILMING IN LIVERPOOL, THE BIG LESSONS FROM THE 8-EPISODE SERIES, AND ON A SURPRISING NOTE: WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM TREES.

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‘‘ keep talking about this to everyone because I’ve just found out and I think it’s really cool,’’ Thaddea says, laughing. ‘‘Trees can communicate with each other — when they are all together, they create this microclimate that enables them to grow. They take what they need and no more,’’ she tells, before concluding, ‘‘We should all be a little more ‘tree’ in life.’’ On this philosophical note, Thaddea believes she would have gone into music therapy, if she hadn’t become an actor. However, her parents had the feeling she was meant to be somewhere creative and therefore opened that path for her. ‘‘My mommy said to me, ‘You are not going to be happy, what about drama school?’ She put together a list of all the drama schools across the UK, printed off the applications, and said, ‘If you want to go, I’ll take you across and you can audition.’ I think they saw something in me that I didn’t.’’

She recalls an experience when she was studying at ArtsEd in London that stuck out for her. ‘‘We did this play called People, Places and Things by Duncan Macmillan. And our head of acting said he was playing this role one day in a theatre play, and someone came up to him afterwards and said, ‘See that role that you were playing? That was actually my real-life story.’ We, actors, have this kind of duty of care, responsibilities, to tell these stories truthfully. I think that was the moment that I realized this is really what I want to do and I want to give it everything I’ve got.’’ When talking about her background and personal experience, Thaddea reveals, ‘‘I was born in China, and then I was adopted and grew up in Northern Ireland.’’ Filled with refreshing honesty, she adds, ‘‘I don’t see my story as the fact that I was abandoned. I think [my biological parents] did it with the intention that they would give me a second chance at life, and

then I was adopted and grew up in Northern Ireland.’’ Filled with refreshing honesty, she adds, ‘‘I don’t see my story as the fact that I was abandoned. I think [my biological parents] did it with the intention that they would give me a second chance at life, and I don’t want to disregard the incredible decision my parents made to adopt. So many people have opened doors for me and I don’t want to waste that.’’

Grateful for every person who has taken a chance on her until now, Thaddea specifically praises Tom Bidwell — the creator of The Irregulars — for allowing her to bring Beatrice/Bea to life. ‘‘I’ve never really played a role this big before. [Tom Bidwell] spent 10 years crafting this before it really saw the light of day. Knowing how hard he had worked and how much he is invested in this, I didn’t want to let him down and did feel pressure, but just from me. I was putting pressure on myself in the same way that Bea is leading.’’ Thaddea’s character is indeed at the forefront of the show and has many layers. After losing her mother at the age of three, not only has the 17-yearold orphan to take care of her younger sister Jessie [Darci Shaw] who struggles to deal with her profound psychic powers, but she also puts a real responsibility and weight on her own shoulders to have all the answers. On top of that, there is Bea’s wider relationship with Leopold [Harrison Osterfield] and Dr. Watson [Royce Pierreson]. ‘‘Somebody said they watched the entire show and at the end, they just wanted to give Bea a hug. I thought that was so sweet and beautiful that someone else felt for her in the way that I do because I’m obviously biased.’’

With Bea and creator Tom Bidwell, Thaddea admits she has learned to have a little more confidence in herself. ‘‘I’m so terrified of

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being egotistical and holding myself on a pedestal. It’s a fear that sometimes makes me doubt myself way too much but I’m learning how to manage that better. I think having that quiet confidence is no bad thing and it’s what you need to be able to go, ‘You’re doing your best job.’ So I just did it and stopped worrying,’’ she says, before adding, ‘‘I love Bea as a character. It’s scary to be vulnerable and let people in, but what she learns to accept as the series goes on is that you don’t have to do it alone. There are people around you who can help you in their own ways.’’

‘‘ So many people have

opened doors for me and I don’t want to waste that ’’ ‘‘When I first entered [the industry], I certainly didn’t realize how lonely it could get — you’re spending weeks and weeks away from home with people you don’t really know, in a hotel room all of the time, which sounds glamorous and fun, until you realize it’s not really like The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.’’ The young actress reflects on her own relationships with her cast and crew while they were filming in Liverpool, saying, ‘‘It’s so strange, I don’t ever remember feeling awkward around any of them, which [is a feeling] you usually get when you’ve never met someone and you

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are thrust into this quite intense working environment. Everyone was just so lovely — not just the cast, the entire crew as well.

Everyone really put their hearts into it, it was a real honor to be part of that where it is such a collaborative effort.’’ Ahead of the release of the show, Thaddea mentions she asked Tom Bidwell if he was nervous about it. ‘‘He said, ‘Not really, because we were all together. We know what we did that whole year, we saw how much work everyone put in, and I’m really proud of that.’ Of course, it does matter what people think, but don’t let it hit you too hard in your heart. It’s just that people have opinions and I think that’s the beauty of life.’’

Reminding Thaddea of Bea’s brief singing moments in The Irregulars, we ask her how music occupies an important place in her life. ‘‘I think music is more vulnerable and a lot scarier for me because it feels like almost giving a diary over to someone,’’ she confesses, before explaining, ‘‘Music is such a therapy for me and I would love to release it professionally because I try to do it by myself, but I don’t really know what I’m doing. But I don’t have dreams to be signed with the biggest agencies or anything like that. I would really need to build up a level of trust first before handing everything over and being able to collaborate.’’ On the acting side, Thaddea reveals she never had a specific goal or role she really wanted to do, until she discovered Killing Eve. ‘‘I remember watching Jodie Comer, thinking, ‘[Villanelle] is such a dream role.’ She gets to do everything. And when Bea came along, I thought, ‘Is this my Villanelle?’ So as cheesy as it sounds, I might be living the dream role at the minute without realizing it. But there is definitely more out there.’’

Coat Patrick McDowell Dress Paula Knorr Shoes Jimmy Choo

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Look Self-Portrait Shoes Amina Muaddi

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HARRISON OSTERFIELD is taking on the world with a smile Words by Jasmine Perrier

Photos by Rosie Matheson

Grooming by Petra Sellge at The Wall Group Stylist assistant Paula Salinas

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Styling by Stevie Westgarth at ONE Represents

Photography assistant Flossie Hughes Location Georgian House Hotel

ARRISON OSTERFIELD MAY BE NEW TO THIS INDUSTRY AS AN ACTOR. HOWEVER, HIS BACKGROUND INCLUDES

WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES ALONGSIDE “ONE OF [HIS] BEST MATES,” WHICH HAS CERTAINLY PREPARED HIM

FOR THE LEAP OF FAITH HE DECIDED TO TAKE. ALTHOUGH IT WAS A “TOUGH DECISION,” THE BRITISH TALENT FROM EAST GRINSTEAD IS NOW HITTING THE SPOTLIGHT WITH HIS FIRST BIG LEAD ROLE. WE CATCH UP WITH HARRISON A WEEK AFTER OUR PHOTOSHOOT IN THE CHARMING VICTORIAN HOME OF THE GEORGIAN HOUSE HOTEL — PERFECTLY MATCHING WITH THE UNIVERSE OF THE IRREGULARS. FROM HIS SOUTH LONDON APARTMENT, THE ACTOR REFLECTS ON HIS HUMBLE BEGINNINGS, GEORGE CLOONEY’S ENCOURAGING WORDS TO HIM, AND BEING PART OF NETFLIX’S NEW SHERLOCK HOLMES SPINOFF WHICH PREMIERED GLOBALLY MARCH 26.

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Suit Paul Smith Shirt The Kooples Shoes Natalia Esteve

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t’s been an interesting year, different to many years that I’ve ever had before,’’ Harrison says, with a smile and warmth that he will keep throughout our conversation. Whereas he has spent the last few months at home, ‘‘[going] through every Zoom activity there is and relaxing,’’ the up-and-coming actor feels lucky to have been able to finish filming The Irregulars last year despite a hiatus. ‘‘We were filming up in Liverpool. I’d never really been there before, and it was also with castmates we’ve never met before. But we all got to know each other very quickly and became really good friends. We had two weeks left of filming back in March [last year]. Then, the pandemic hit and we went back to work five months later in October. It was really nice to have that renewed energy, with this big epic finale of these last two episodes.’’

Originally coming from ‘‘a very academic boarding school,’’ Harrison quickly ended up gravitating toward the arts. ‘‘I started doing musicals at school and really enjoyed them, and then I made a conscious decision: [I went] away from the academic boarding school to a performing arts college I’d describe as Fame: The Musical.

It was an amazing eye-opening experience for what this world could really hold. It took me out of my shell because I was quite a shy kid growing up.’’ As he found his way to acting, Harrison recalls that his family has always been supportive. ‘‘My grandad said to me, ‘Harrison, you’re on the road to disaster... but I will support you all the way.’

And I remember I did one show in a black box theatre in London. I came out after the show, [feeling] pretty good, and I could see my family, smiling. Then, I knew that it had gone well, and I was like, ‘Maybe I can make a go of this and see where it takes me.’’’

Talking about his rich learning experiences, Harrison recounts his years working in the industry after studying at BRIT School. ‘‘A very good mate of mine, Tom Holland, was going to work on a big film in the US and he was like, ‘You wanna come along and you could be my assistant?’ I was very lucky to be working alongside him and see how he works — he is such a good example of a hard worker. Once I made the decision that I had gathered up enough contacts, I had seen the experiences that I had been on, I just wanted to give it a go and make my own journey into this world.’’ After a few brief appearances in blockbusters, Harrison earned his first credited role in Catch-22, a series produced and directed by George Clooney who ensured a memorable experience for the young actor. ‘‘I felt very privileged to be working with someone so esteemed and I’ve admired from a young age, [who] is giving tips to you, saying, ‘You’re doing great, keep going, you’re a true artist.’’’ ‘‘One thing I’ve learned from [George Clooney] is to always give your maximum amount of energy. Especially with a job like The Irregulars, where you’re filming for almost a year, you really need to keep up your stamina. That’s when you get the best work out of you.’’ As opposed to the four other Irregulars who are street kids, Harrison’s character hails from royalty as he is Prince Leopold — Leo — the youngest son of Queen Victoria. ‘‘Leo’s vocabulary is a lot higher than mine — I had to get a dictionary out and understand what he was talking about,’’ Harrison says, recalling his first impression of the character. As the episodes go on, Leo gets more involved with the group and eventually finds his feet. After spending most of his time

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stuck in Buckingham Palace due to his hemophilia inherited from his mother’s side, he discovers himself with things he might have seen as weaknesses, flaws, or insecurities. ‘‘He may be out showing that he’s fine but he struggles with a lot of internal battles. I hope people can see Leo’s journey as something they might take on with themselves,’’ Harrison says. ‘‘When I first got the script and I could see the arc that he goes on, it really reminded me of myself. I’ve been working hard for a role like this for a while and when it came through, it was a real dream part to play for me.’’

Throwing himself into every role he is given, Harrison explains that he puts a lot of work into rehearsal and preparation, and ‘‘takes everything with a smile,’’ in spite of the tough times an actor often goes through. ‘‘A good friend told me to turn those nerves into excitement, and turn it into a positive outlook. We all take things very seriously in this life, and it’s quite nice to have a laugh every now and again, whatever the weather is.

If you can have that little enjoyment in your life, that’s one of the things you need to cherish.’’ On what he hopes to achieve next, the actor replies, ‘‘For me, it’s just about continuing to learn and grow as an actor. At the end, I want to look back at a body of work, see the versatility and hard work that I’d put into these roles, and think that I’d done a good job.’’ Immediately, he would love to continue developing Leopold. ‘‘That’s obviously very dependent on how the series does, and how people receive it. But I can only hope that they can connect and empathize with the character. No matter what happens and however the show turns out, I know that I’ve made friends for life and that’s what I can take away from it,’’ he concludes, still with an infectious smile.

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DARCI SHAW talks her debuts in the industry and never-give-up mentality Words by Jasmine Perrier

Photos by Mollie Rose

Makeup by Valeria Ferreira at The Wall Group Photography assistant Sasha Vanner

Styling by Taff Williamson

Hair by Davide Barbieri at Caren Agency Retoucher Emma Jacob at Isolarity

Location Kimpton Fitzroy London

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ARCI SHAW LANDED HER FIRST CREDITED ROLE AT THE AGE OF 15 IN RUPERT GOOLD’S JUDY. FLASH FORWARD TWO YEARS AFTER HER BIG SCREEN DEBUT, SHE IS ONE OF THE LEADS IN THE NETFLIX ADAPTATION OF THE

IRREGULARS. WE FIRST MET UP WITH DARCI AT THE KIMPTON FITZROY LONDON ON MARCH 26TH, THE DAY OF THE SERIES PREMIERE. THERE WAS NO PLACE LIKE THE ENCHANTING BALLROOM WHERE THE YOUNG ACTRESS WAS FULL OF LIFE AND PLAYFULNESS FOR OUR PHOTOSHOOT. TWO WEEKS LATER, SHE CONNECTED WITH US FROM HER HOME IN LIVERPOOL TO SHARE HER EXPERIENCE IN THE SHORT TIME SINCE ENTERING THE INDUSTRY AND HOW SHE HAS BUILT A RESILIENT MINDSET UNTIL NOW TO KEEP GOING.

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LOOK 1 | Hat Maison Michel from Mytheresa.com | Jacket Jacquemus from Mytheresa.com LOOK 2 | Dress Preen by Thornton Bregazzi | Earrings Saad Collection

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ollowing The Irregulars’ release, Darci appears smiling and happy. ‘‘It’s a bit weird releasing something in this climate where everything is online and we don’t really get to see people in person anymore.

[But] from what I’ve heard, [the feedback] has been really nice and positive.’’ As far back as Darci can remember, she was into the creative field. ‘‘I started off in musical theater, and as a child I was in a stage school in Liverpool called LIPA,’’ she says. ‘‘I used to force my little sister to do performances for my parents with me. And I was quite forceful [laughs]. So I think me wanting to pursue it as a career was a natural thing.’’

like being cold, that’s probably the biggest things I’ve learned,’’ she says, before adding with a laugh, ‘‘I always have a hot water bottle on me, heat packs, and hot drinks because I think when you sit still for too long and you get really cold, then you start to get grouchy and that’s not good for anyone.’’ On an unexpected note, the native of Liverpool reveals they had a snow blizzard the day before, which gives us an idea of what filming The Irregulars in her hometown was like. ‘‘It felt like a bit too good to be true, but it was really fun. I showed them around, we went to nice restaurants, and we did escape rooms.’’

Darci adds, ‘‘I did a stage production of Fiddler on the Roof, and there were professional actors when I was doing that.

They were so brilliant and watching them, I was like, ‘I want to do that for a living.’ I knew it was difficult, but I was going to try and see what happens.’’ On navigating the film industry at such a young age, she realizes, ‘‘I think a lot of this industry is [about] looking, being honest, and being in the right place at the right time. I’ve been fortunate that it’s worked out so far.’’ For her feature film debut, she played the young Judy Garland in the critically-acclaimed biographical musical-drama Judy. ‘‘Rupert Goold called me in, and I got to audition for him. I thought I’d blown it because I was 15 and so nervous. I’m still really grateful for him giving me that chance because I don’t know whether I’d be here if I hadn’t done it.’’

Netflix’s The Irregulars offers a modern twist on the classic tale of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson, with some supernatural elements thrown in, and dives into the Baker Street Irregulars’ relationship with the famous detective. ‘‘It was a very exciting script, because it was so wild and crazy.

Every second, there is a new character, or a new scenario. Every day, when I walked onto set, I was so pleasantly surprised at how brilliant everything was and how great it looked.’’ On the show, Darci acknowledges she was surrounded by a committed group of people who had the same drive and determination, which made it easier for her to approach this job. ‘‘It does push you to be the best you can be,’’ she states, before explaining how she dealt with the shooting of scenes using CGI. ‘‘When we had all these scenes [with] birds chasing us, there was nothing there. It was just a man on a crane with a camera, and we had to run for our lives [laughs]. I think having other people there really helped.’’

‘‘When I stepped onto my first film set, it was Judy, and I was very scared and overwhelmed.

But I think your best work happens [when] you feel more relaxed and confident.’’ From her different on-set experiences so far, the actress admits she has discovered something surprising about herself. ‘‘I don’t

Playing Jessie, the only member of the Irregulars who has psychic powers and is the younger sister of the crew leader

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Look Uooyaa Headpiece Simone Rocha from Mytheresa.com

Bea [Thaddea Graham], who she shares a strong bond with, Darci enjoyed that her character was able to find her own strength throughout the 8-episode series. ‘‘I think when we leave Jessie, she does have a lot more self-belief. Having a really strong female character was always one I wanted to play anyway.’’ Whereas the group worries about Jessie’s mental health when she starts experiencing nightmares, she learns to accept her differences and to embrace them to help solve the paranormal mystery in Victorian London. ‘‘You can use [the things that make you different and special] to set you apart from everyone else in a good way. That’s probably the biggest takeaway that I would say for her character.’’

While Darci may just be at the beginning of her career, she takes a second to reflect on the reality of working in the industry. ‘‘There’s certainly times where you feel like you’re on a rollercoaster of emotions because you go for 80 auditions and you’ll only hear back from five percent of them, but you’ve got to keep pushing forward. I think I’m now [getting] used to [that savage industry that we work in].’’ For now, Darci is already filming another project called The Colour Room. Starring opposite Bridgerton’s Phoebe Dynevor in the lead role, among others, the film is about ceramicist Clarice Cliff who changed the face of pottery in the 1920s. ‘‘I’m playing Dot, Clarice’s sister. I’m really excited to work on that at the moment.’’ As the budding actress just turned 19, she concludes our chat with her birthday wish. ‘‘I hope that life starts to slowly return to normal and we can go to the cinema again because I miss [that] a lot, seeing friends, and giving people hugs.’’

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Hat Ruslan Baginskiy from Mytheresa.com Dress Cecilie Bahnsen from Mytheresa.com Earrings Saad Collection Shoes Grenson

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Dress Simone Rocha from Mytheresa.com Earrings Sahar BMD

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Blouse Talent’s own | Skirt Longchamp | Jewelry Mejuri

Elizabeth Lail | Published in February 2021 Photographed by Sarah Slutsky

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Chapter II Chapter II

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ANGOURIE RICE on her remarkable rise from Australia to Hollywood Words by Jasmine Perrier

Photos by Sami Drasin

Styling by Jenn Rosado

Makeup and hair by Georgia Gaillard using Laura Mercier, Kevin Murphy and Eleven

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T JUST 20 YEARS OLD, ANGOURIE RICE HAS BEEN HARD AT WORK FOR ALMOST A DECADE. THE YOUNG AUSSIE ACTRESS HAS BEEN ABLE TO STAND OUT BY CAREFULLY MAKING STRONG CHOICES IN THE ROLES SHE HAS PLAYED

SO FAR, AND WORKING ON HIGH-CALIBER PROJECTS WITH INDUSTRY-LEADING FIGURES. WHEN I SPEAK TO HER OVER ZOOM A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE FINALE OF HER LATEST SERIES, MARE OF EASTTOWN, SHE’S JUST FLOWN INTO AMERICA AFTER SPENDING A LONG TIME HOME IN HER MELBOURNE SUBURB WHERE WE SHOT HER VIRTUALLY. FULL OF POSITIVITY ENERGY AND JOY, DESPITE STILL RECOVERING FROM JET LAG, SHE REFLECTS ON THE VARIETY OF EXPERIENCES AND MEMORIES SHE HAS GATHERED UNTIL NOW.

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‘‘ feel very fortunate that I’ve been able to work in the US with people who’ve been doing what they do for years and are well-known because they’re really good at it,’’ Angourie says. Growing up in Perth around a small community of performers, she recalls with a smile how much of an attention-seeking child she was when it came to performance. ‘‘My parents both work in theater so I was constantly going to theater shows, having rehearsals come to the house, and I learned to understand it. It was also good because it showed me how lucky you can be to make a living from art and entertainment.’’ Now, she is one of those lucky people who successfully broke into the industry. Looking back at her early days on sets, she says, ‘‘When you’re a kid, you’re less self-conscious. So when I was 13, I would just learn my lines, go on set, and do it. Now I’m older, I still kind of have that mentality [but] I think I’ve learned to think more critically about things on the other side of the spectrum.’’

With her on-screen presence and ability to expand her acting range into varied genres, Angourie has become one to watch closely among Young Hollywood. She stoled the show as Ryan Gosling’s daughter in The Nice Guys, worked with Nicole Kidman and Sofia Coppola on The Beguiled, and starred in the final Black Mirror season five episode.

Additionally, you may recognize Angourie from Marvel’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and its follow-ups films as Betty Brant. ‘‘I feel like that whole franchise is very tied to me growing up, and it’s also the longest I’ve been attached to one character and one story,’’ the actress says as she is set to reprise her role in the third Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man film expected in theaters this Christmas. ‘‘It’s such a huge production and franchise, and when you’re dealing with things on that big of a scale, you just learn new things and you come up against new challenges, and a different way of working, because you know, everything is so secret,’’ she laughs.

Angourie is just getting started though, and she has a lot more up her sleeve. The final episode of her show Mare of Easttown recently aired, and the young multi-skilled actress proves she isn’t afraid of stepping out of her comfort zone. ‘‘I really loved working on Mare of Easttown. Everyone was so kind and caring, I really made some great friends on that shoot so it was a very special time for me,’’ she says, before explaining that she had to go back to the US last year to finish filming HBO’s limited series in Philadelphia after a hiatus due to Covid. ‘‘Because we had to stop [filming], it was a long process, so I feel like we all went through something together.’’ Angourie stars in the intriguing

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show as Siobhan Sheehan, the 18-year-old daughter of detective Mare Sheehan [Kate Winslet]. For the actress, it was a completely different role to any other one she has played before, hence her surprise when she knew she was going to be cast. ‘‘I was overjoyed and excited because I felt that I was very similar to her in a lot of ways. She’s been given a lot of adult responsibilities from a young age, and I related to that aspect of her character [because] growing up and working on film sets, I was still a kid but I was working as an adult.’’

Written by Brad Ingelsby, Mare of Easttown especially explores how people deal with grief and trauma not only individually, but also collectively. Throughout the 7 episodes, we find out that Siobhan is the one holding the family together while having to learn at some point to take a step back and ask herself what she wants. ‘‘[It was] definitely a challenge because Siobhan has been through a lot in her life, and she’s dealing with a lot of grief [with the loss of her brother], but it’s so special to be a part of a story that you think is really important.’’

In order to remember Siobhan and the whole experience in the world of Easttown, Angourie was able to keep a ring belonging to her character — she is actually wearing it during our conversation. When I ask her about her happiest moments on the show, Angourie thinks back to her time on set and shares some enjoyable memories she had with Izzy King, who plays Siobhan’s 4-yearold nephew Drew she has to take care of. ‘‘Actually, watching episode 7, there’s a

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scene where [Drew] says, ‘Look under there!’ and Helen [Jean Smart] says, ‘Under where?’

And he says, ‘You said underwear!’ That was Izzy’s own joke that he made all the time on set, and we would all fall for it. He just brought out the joy in everyone as soon as he came to set.’’

Something you may not know about Angourie: she loves knitting and the Eurovision Song Contest. Across the screen, she even shows me the wool top she is wearing that she proudly knitted herself. ‘‘I started knitting in lockdown, and that really helps me get grounded because it’s mindless, but also very calming. It’s nice to watch a TV show, watch a movie, sit there, and knit.’’ On top of that, she hosts her own podcast ‘‘The Community Library’’ that she created to share her love for reading. ‘‘It’s great to have something creative that I have control over,’’ she admits. ‘‘I knew I wasn’t going to university straight away after I graduated high school, so I wanted to keep reading books and keep talking about them in a way that was critical thinking and critical analysis, and show that you can apply critical thinking to anything you’re passionate about.’’ When talking about her next goals, she replies, laughing, ‘‘There are so many things, but I don’t like to think about them too much because I feel like if I speak my goals into existence, then I’ll be disappointed if they don’t happen.’’ Staying in the present, the actress already has lots of things going on. ‘‘It’s so hard to plan things in advance, so if I’m very busy, it’s helpful to take things one day at a time.’’

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NICOLE BEHARIE on using her voice and paving the way Words by Parker Schug

Photos by Demetrius Washington

Set design by Te’ron Hobbs

Makeup by Rachael Renee

Photography and set assistant Monique Claxton

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Styling by Chanelle Harris Hair by Jordy Pope

Special thanks McKenzie Mann

A

CCOMPLISHED NICOLE BEHARIE HAS DEVOTED A GREAT DEAL OF TIME AND ENERGY TO HER PASSION FOR ACTING. FROM HER CHILDHOOD DAYS SPENT TRAVELING THE WORLD AS PART OF A MILITARY FAMILY — HER FATHER WAS

IN THE FOREIGN SERVICE — TO NOW, SHE HAS APPLIED A MULTITUDE OF HER LESSONS LEARNED TO HER CAREER. ON TOP OF APPROACHING HER EXPERIENCES WITH A CURIOUS MIND, NICOLE HOPES TO CONTINUE HER WORK IN ADDITION TO HELPING OTHER PEOPLE PURSUE THEIR OWN CAREER GOALS.

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n Nicole’s early life, she lived in the United Kingdom, Nigeria, Panama, and Jamaica, among others, but attended high school in South Carolina. With that, she also had the opportunity to experience all different types of living. ‘‘My sense of what home is, I think, is very different, which probably makes [this lifestyle reasonable] for [an] actor in a way,’’ she says. Additionally, as a child and into adulthood where she has taken on this, sometimes hectic, lifestyle as an actress, Nicole embraces every opportunity to experience new things and relationships. ‘‘Moving every now and then, and meeting new people is exciting for me.

I don’t think I could stay in one place, so it’s nice to have to go places for work. And then of course, you’re inspired by the different communities, cultures, and everything that you see.’’

Following high school, Nicole went up to New York and graduated from the Juilliard School of Drama. Not only did she bring to light her abilities as a leader in directing the first-ever August Wilson showcase during her time at the world-famous school, but she was also actively committed to promoting diversity within the institution by gathering students of different racial and ethnic backgrounds in order to perform. ‘‘I was not someone who would go and protest, or anything like that. But I just went and I sort of pulled together all the people of color, not even just black people.’’ In doing that and studying with key figures such as renowned

Juilliard teacher Moni Yakim, Nicole had an enjoyable, enlightening experience, but also came to see some of the struggles she may face in the world of acting. ‘‘I learned that we have to think for ourselves when you’re a woman or a person of color.’’

It was not long out of college that Nicole found herself acting on a professional set.

She starred in the film The Express as Sarah Ward, the girlfriend of Ernie Davis — the first African American football player to earn the Heisman Trophy. For Nicole, this entire experience was a very big deal, just because she felt as though she was getting to live her dreams. ‘‘Suddenly, it’s like, ‘Wait, all these people are working in concert for me to get this shot of me walking home,’’’ she says. After this role, Nicole continued to make her mark on the film scene, acting among others in Sins of the Mother, Apartment 4E, the short film The Mirror Between Us, and she even sang in My Last Day Without You. Later on, Nicole portrayed Jackie Robinson’s wife, Rachel, in the film 42 alongside late Chadwick Boseman, who played Major League Baseball’s first African American athlete. Recalling the opportunity she had to work with the actor, Nicole says, ‘‘What’s funny is Chadwick Boseman had a smaller part in [The Express], so we had already worked together before 42.

Obviously, we had a lot more time together on that set. There’s nothing lovelier than working with someone who’s excited, really compassionate and passionate about the

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work, and compassionate towards the crew and the cast.’’

Continuing her rise, Nicole delivered a strong performance in the 2020 film Miss Juneteenth where she starred as former beauty queen Turquoise Jones, a role for which she received the Gotham Award for ‘‘Best Actress.’’ This film gave Nicole the unique opportunity to guide and provide some role model support to her young co-star, Alexis Chikaeze. ‘‘I really loved working with Alexis Chikaeze, who plays my daughter. [I loved] just creating a connection and giving someone else the space to shine, because I really wanted her to do well, it was her first movie,’’ Nicole says on her favorite parts about the project. ‘‘People were like, ‘Oh, you really loved her.’ So, some of that is real, and you can feel it.’’

Additionally, Nicole can currently be seen in Amazon’s seven-part anthology series Solos, which dives into the deeper meaning of human connection in a futuristic world,

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through the lens of the individual. Nicole stars in episode 6 as the title character Nera, who is in a cabin by herself, anticipating the birth of a child made possible by new fertility treatments, but it turns out things don’t go as planned. Interestingly, Nicole worked on this series during the thick of the Covid lockdowns, which lent heavily to the themes of individualism. This was an entirely new experience for the actress who had a short period of time to do her part. ‘‘Normally, just that first section of giving birth would probably take three days to shoot,’’ she laughs, ‘‘but we had to do the whole thing in three days. That was a challenge but [it was] exciting because I’ve never done anything like that.’’ Even though each episode is a solo piece driven by their own actor, Nicole didn’t know the starstudded cast who was going to be involved in the series alongside her when she signed up. ‘‘That’s the ‘pinch me’ moment, that’s pretty crazy.’’

‘‘We’re in a time where people

are becoming more open to a variety of voices and stories ’’ Moving forward, Nicole wants to support people whose stories aren’t typically told, to get their voice out there. But above all else, she aspires to pave the way for more to come. ‘‘I just want to keep working with great people. I’m trying to develop things with really great people that I respect. We’re [also] in a time where people are becoming more open to a variety of voices and stories.’’

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Jacket & Shirt Valentino

FREDDY CARTER tells Olivia Cooke his journey from Somerset to Netflix

Photos by Jack Alexander

Styling by Gareth Scourfield at ONE Represents

Set design by Victoria Thomas-Wood Stylist assistant Dylan Weller

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Grooming by Jon Chapman at Nylon Artists Production Jasmine Perrier at Studio J•T•P

Jacket & Trousers Richard James Shirt The Workers Club

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REDDY CARTER IS BREAKING OUT AS ONE TO WATCH WITH HIS ON-SCREEN WORK AND SKILLS BEHIND THE

CAMERA. AFTER APPEARING IN PROJECTS SUCH AS PENNYWORTH AND WONDER WOMAN, THE ACTOR HAILING FROM SOMERSET IS POISED TO STEAL THE SHOW WITH HIS PORTRAYAL OF BELOVED GANG LEADER KAZ BREKKER IN NETFLIX’S SHADOW AND BONE, AN EIGHT-PART ADAPTATION OF LEIGH BARDUGO’S BESTSELLING GRISHAVERSE FANTASY BOOK SERIES. IN REAL LIFE, FREDDY HAS AN AIR ABOUT HIM THAT IS EASY-GOING AND GENTLE. A WEEK BEFORE THE HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED RELEASE OF THE SHOW IN APRIL, HE CONNECTED WITH HIS FELLOW BRITISH FRIEND, OLIVIA COOKE, FOR A PLAYFUL AND LAID-BACK TALK. BOTH ACTORS, THEY CHATTED ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES OF ENTERING THE INDUSTRY, THE CHALLENGE OF WORKING ON ADAPTATIONS, AND WHY WE SHOULD STOP COMPARING OURSELVES. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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OLIVIA COOKE: So, we know each other because our mutual best friends, who I knew first, went to drama school with you.

about how that prepared you for stepping out as an actor away from the comfort of drama school?

FREDDY CARTER: They did.

FC: You’re right — at drama school, it’s comfort, where everyone is on the same team, and you all want the best for each other. And really quickly, at some point in third year, you cease to be that and you are an individual entity going into a business.

That was the hardest thing for me to get my head around. Everybody is telling you the showcase is the big deal [and] if you are like me, you put an incredible amount of pressure on yourself. [But] if you’re going to recognize quickly the fact that the showcase doesn’t decide if you work as an actor or will be working as an actor, then you can have a really nice time with these people. That’s the thing I’d like to impress upon third-year students. Because I left without an agent.

OC: We’re going to start with Somerset. Your dad was in the army.

FC: He was in the army for 30 years and he retired when we were living in Somerset.

But I was 16, so basically I moved around from place to place my whole childhood.

OC: What about your mom?

FC: She [worked] in whichever school we were in, wherever we were.

OC: So when did the drama bug take hold?

FC: I think I was very lucky. My school had always [been] pretty good at drama and the arts — at least good at encouraging people to get involved. So I got involved when I was like in year four. I did my first school play, I was Jack in Jack and the Beanstalk and I genuinely haven’t looked back since.

OC: When you auditioned for drama school, which ones did you get rejected from?

FC: I got into [The Oxford School of Drama’s] Foundation Course the first year I tried. But I got rejected from all of the big ones that year as well. And that was quite hard. Did you not get into all of them as well?

OC: Well, I only auditioned for RADA because I was like, ‘‘Let’s aim big.’’ And also, I had an agent at the time in London, who was a bit like, ‘‘You’re working, why would you be auditioning for drama schools?’’

FC: I think there is a kind of snobbery in this country where people feel like they have to go to drama school. When you’re 18-19, you’re like, ‘‘I’ll just go because that solves the problem of how I’m going to break through and get noticed.’’ I definitely think [going to drama school] was the right thing for me, but actually, so many brilliant people don’t train.

OC: From an outsider’s point of view, I feel like your whole three years are built towards essentially this one assessment, where a handful of you will get plucked from obscurity with agents. And that’s just not the reality. It’s so many different journeys you can go on. It’s a lot to take on for someone who’s in their early twenties.

FC: It left us all feeling that was our shot, and we missed it. But we were very fortunate to have this lovely group of people at Oxford.

A lot of us are still very close and we have come through that together. Loads of really talented people are now working, all making their own brilliant work, or still in the creative field doing incredible stuff.

OC: Do you have any embarrassing audition or meeting stories after you came out of drama school?

FC: [Laughs] The principal of Oxford when I was there, George Peck, told us that we always needed to take a 10 by 8 headshot with us to every audition. For a good couple of weeks, despite people being like, ‘‘You don’t need to do this,’’ I’d always go and hand it to these people who were like, ‘‘What do I do with this?’’

OC: Did you sign them as well?

OC: I was lucky enough to come along and see your showcase. Do you want to talk

FC: No, I had a sticker on the back with my

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email address, just in case [laughs].

OC: I remember visiting you guys in Oxford and being so jealous because it sounded like you were having the best time ever.

What about being in Oxford (the drama school, not the university) inspired you to be the actor you’re today, if it did at all?

FC: I think there’s something about being totally out on your own in the middle of nowhere, which basically is a good preparation for the industry. And I also think that they teach you about making your own work which is so important. Because even if you don’t go on to make your own work, it means that you cultivate this sense of taste and what you like and don’t like. I think it does teach you how to be... an artist.

OC: How do you feel about being called an ‘‘artist’’? I don’t mind being called a ‘‘creative,’’ but I do feel like we’re given too much rope.

FC: Yes, I know. ‘‘Artist’’ doesn’t sit right with me. But then, ‘‘creative’’ doesn’t also quite work for me because that’s so broad. What would you want to go for, Liv? OC: Just Liv [laughs]. I like ‘‘actor,’’ but I think ‘‘creative’’ also makes me feel like I’m not in a box. Whereas you have [proven a wide range of skills] — nice transition from me.

You did a short film called No.89 and you’ve got plans to do other short films. What has being a director taught you about working as an actor on set?

FC: That’s a very good question. I think it reminded me that you’re a very small part of something much bigger, you know?

Sometimes you just need to do what they are asking and make that work for the person who’s juggling ten thousand things in this moment, to tell a story in the way that they want to. I hope that I’m easier to direct now having given it a go.

OC: Do you have plans in the future to direct feature films?

FC: I’d love to. The thing I can’t imagine doing is directing something that I’m in.

What about you? You’ve produced stuff that you’re in so you have a taste of that.

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OC: I felt it very hard to be the actor, but then also in a role where I was making decisions, or at least in conversations.

FC: I can’t see myself doing that. But yes, a small goal that I set myself is to do a feature in the next 10 years, I think. It feels doable but you only get to do your first feature once, so [it has to] be the right story.

Someone said to me, ‘‘It needs to be a story that only you could tell, or only your way of telling it is the right way to do it. And until you read that script, or someone proposes that idea to you, you should hold off.’’

OC: Let’s get to Shadow and Bone, shall we?

How did [it] come about and what drew you to it, apart from the handsome Ben Barnes?

FC: Yes, it’s important to say that it was mostly Ben Barnes [laughs]. You know, I’d heard about it and there’d been a sort of round, when people are auditioning for stuff and you’re like, ‘‘When am I going to get that?’’ I think I came to it quite late in the casting process, and because of that, it all happened really quickly like a whirlwind. I was away on holiday, got the tape through, did the tape on holiday, and then flew back early to come and meet the showrunner [Eric Heisserer]. I heard nothing for weeks and then, I had a very lovely call and immediately got a lovely email from Leigh [Bardugo], the author. I felt welcome into the family very quickly.

OC: [It was] amazing that you’ve got the writer of the books on board as well.

FC: Yes, it’s really nice because she wrote these characters 10-ish years ago. And since then, they had been on the bestseller list and there’s a big fandom for them, so I think it was quite a big deal for her to hand them over to people.

OC: I watched the show over the weekend. I can see you were typecast again as the gang leader, Kaz Brekker. He’s got his fingers in a lot of dirty pockets — is it hard playing yourself?

FC: Yes, that is so close to me. The red mist is ready to descend at any moment [laughs].

OC: [Laughs] You’re so different in this.

You did such a good job. But how did you prepare for that?

But you had a whole year. What did you reflect on the most about that job?

FC: I genuinely loved the books. There’s a preexisting fanbase for the books and they are all very excited about the show. I wanted it to be right so I read and re-read the books, making sure that I’d got everything, and then, I had these conversations with the author and the showrunner. I do like doing the book work on my own and studying the script, but I get so much more out of conversations. Luckily, the team on Shadow and Bone was just lovely and always up for that. They were also more than happy to geek out over the books at any given opportunity. Have you done an adaptation?

Apart from Vanity Fair.

FC: That’s a really good question. I hadn’t been involved in something of that scale from the beginning. I’d been on bigger things but I’d popped in for a week or a couple of weeks. So, to be involved in full pre-production, to be involved in these conversations about costumes, and even see the sets before they’ve been built, it felt like a greater sense of ownership over the whole thing that I hadn’t experienced before. Because I was more invested and I’d more fun on that job than I’d had on anything else, I suppose I did mourn it but I also felt very grateful, and very excited that I could feel like that about a project that I hadn’t written [or] directed.

OC: Ready Player One. It was amazing but so different I thought from the book. But yes, don’t read comments and stuff like that because I feel like whenever you read a book, and you’ve been so invested in it, even if it’s made by the most incredible people in the world, some people just won’t be happy.

Are you like, ‘‘whatever,’’ about that?

FC: I wish I could be a bit more, ‘‘whatever,’’ but as you know, I’m not that kind of person.

And I think I’m glad I’m not because it means I care about people. A lot of the actors I know who are very empathetic people, and want to listen to people, also find it difficult to read reviews. It’s tricky because I really loved the books and I was genuinely surprised and excited when I read the scripts to see what they had done with it. They had taken the best of the books, made it better in many ways, and brought things to life that the books could never do.

OC: It felt like you were filming in Budapest for forever. Because the last time we were at a party, really, was when you just got back from Budapest. Did you and the other Crows take it by storm?

FC: Good knowledge! [Laughs] I loved Hungary. We spent most of our time in Budapest which is such a good city.

OC: So you completed a production, you went back to England, and then lockdown happened. Usually, when you finish a job, you get to mourn it for a couple of weeks.

OC: And also, you could take that time to be like, ‘‘Ok, what do I want to do now?’’

FC: [During] the first month of lockdown, I was just really glad to not have to think about anything, do anything. It felt like a nice holiday from work and the industry.

It was the first time in five years that I stopped comparing myself [to what other people are doing].

OC: I’ve spoken about that as well — how last year just felt like a relief for me. For once, we were all just, ‘‘Let’s celebrate what we have.’’

FC: It was a blessing, that relief that we all felt to some extent when we slowed down and stopped comparing ourselves. It’s nice to be reminded that you actually don’t have to care so deeply about every tiny little thing, when there is no worry about what’s next. I’d personally like to hold onto that.

It’s ok to slow down and look after yourself.

If we all did it, we wouldn’t be comparing ourselves all the time.

OC: Going forward Freds, is there anyone’s career that you admire?

FC: It’s tricky territory isn’t it? I love people like Jim Cummings, he’s incredible. People with singular visions like Greta Gerwig, Olivia Wilde, are the people I admire.

OC: You’re special, Freds. I’ll have to see you again soon.

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‘‘I think there is a kind of snobbery in this

country where people feel like they have to go to drama school. [...] I definitely think [going to drama school] was the right thing for me, but actually, so many brilliant people don’t train ’’ freddy carter

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KIANA MADEIRA reveals how she made it to Chance Perdomo

Photos by Emma Craft at The Canvas Agency Makeup by Holly Gowers at The Wall Group Photography assistant Ryan Schostak

Set design by Christina O’Neil

Hair by Cheryl Bergamy for Exclusive Artists using Contents Haircare

Stylist assistant Georgie Galinson

Location Prospect Studios

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Styling by Britt Theodora

Set assistant Lidia Moore

Production Jasmine Perrier at Studio J•T•P

Blazer Frankie Shop Top & Skirt Kelsey Randall Earrings Celeste Starre

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EET NETFLIX’S LATEST DARLING, KIANA MADEIRA. THE 28-YEAR-OLD ACTOR, WHO YOU MIGHT

RECOGNIZE FROM THE COMING-OF-AGE DRAMA SERIES TRINKETS, IS CONTINUING HER RISE WITH HER LEADING ROLE IN THE FEAR STREET TRILOGY BASED ON THE BELOVED BOOK SERIES FROM R.L. STINE. SPEAKING TO HER FRIEND CHANCE PERDOMO THAT SHE MET ON SET IN BULGARIA LAST YEAR, SHE TAKES A MOMENT TO LOOK BACK ON SHOOTING THE THREE HORROR FILMS BACK TO BACK, HOW JOHN TRAVOLTA INFLUENCED HER CAREER PATH, AND MAKING THE TRANSITION FROM CANADA TO NEW YORK TO OPEN NEW DOORS. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Dress Tyler McGillivary Earrings Elsie Frieda

CHANCE PERDOMO: Hello Kiana, miss Madeira. How do we know each other?

KIANA MADEIRA: Let me try to remember, it was just so long ago — I’m joking. It feels like we’ve known each other for a long time, but we met probably [around] end of September, beginning of October last year, on set for After We Fell and After Ever Happy.

CP: Indeed! We worked together and became friends on that set, and now I have the pleasure of interviewing you. How is it going and where are you in the world right now?

KM: I’m in Boston with my sister, she’s here [and] I have time off right now. It’s close to New York so I’ve been going back and forth, but I’m doing really well. Today, I feel very at peace and excited about things that are happening. I’m going to LA this weekend for some Fear Street press stuff. How are you?

CP: I’m doing really well. I’m out here in Florida, just chilling. But this is about you! So for those of you who’ve been living under a rock — miss Madeira’s had quite a trailblazing few years. You may have seen miss Madeira on Trinkets, you will been seeing her as she had mentioned in the next two After installments, and you will most definitely be hiding behind your couch with the Fear Street trilogy, of which she is the lead. Am I missing anything?

KM: [Laughs] No, you just made it sound very exciting. That was amazing.

CP: That is a lot coming out in a short period of time, congratulations! You said you spend a lot of time in New York, but you’re not from there. Where are you from?

KM: I’m Canadian, I was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. Actually, I’m from a city called Mississauga which is the suburbs, probably about a half and hour drive out of Toronto. I moved to the States three years ago, so I’ve been here since but going back and forth whenever I can because Toronto will always be home for me.

obsessed with the movie Grease, and I very fell in love with John Travolta. My 5-yearold self wanted to marry him and [I was like], ‘‘I need to be in a movie with him.’’

And then, I realized that movie was shot in the 70s, so when I saw a recent photo of him at the time, on a magazine cover, I was heartbroken because he was not the same as his character in Grease. But for some reason, that desire to still want to be in movies, it never really ran away. So when I was 10, [my parents] signed me up with a small agency in Toronto and I was auditioning for commercials and stuff, while I was still in school auditioning for plays and musicals. And then, when I was 14, I signed with a bigger agency in Toronto, and I started auditioning for bigger projects like Degrassi. I eventually got my visa, made the switch to the US where I booked Sacred Lies, which is the first project I’ve booked with my US agent. From there, it’s been about three years and thank God, it’s been good, it’s been busy.

CP: It’s been a whirlwind for sure, and what I’ve got from all of that beautiful explanation was your love for John Travolta. How did you get in? Johnny did it [laughs].

KM: It’s funny my dad’s name is Johnny.

CP: Really? You know, by association, Johnny did do it. The parental loving guidance helped carry you through your career. That is beautiful.

KM: My dad also always wanted to be an actor when he was younger. So when I mentioned that to him, my parents were always so supportive. I guess all parents just want their kids to have a life where they can sustain themselves and be happy.

Thank God, I have parents who really saw what I wanted to do and supported me. So, shoutout to them.

CP: How did you get into the acting process up in Mississauga?

CP: That makes sense. You definitely have a very kind, nurturing energy. That’s the energy that they gave you. So your parents, Mr. Travolta, they were strong influences [to get you] where you are today. What else has influenced you along this road? For example, what got you to Trinkets?

KM: When I was five, my cousin and I were

KM: That’s a great question. My character in

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Trinkets was different for me because for the first time in my career, I felt like I could bring my own nuances and the things about my personality and my character that people really close to me can recognize. It was really interesting. So I think there have been influences along the way that have really encouraged me and inspired me to let those strange characteristics and little nuances of myself shine through my work. And I get a lot of acting inspiration from male actors.

I like seeing actors on-screen who aren’t so caught up with how they look. I just watched Mare of Easttown with Kate Winslet on HBO Max. It was really important for her to portray a real-life person on-screen. I feel like often in our industry, it can become a lot about your esthetic, what you look like, and what shape your body is. It’s about my work, it’s about me being a vessel for this character and not really just me as a shell.

CP: I don’t know where I heard it, but it stuck with me that, if you can keep hold of your passion, keep hold of your life, the reason you are here, well then, you won. What would be the best quote or best advice that you have received, whether it’s been within the industry or indirectly influenced you into the industry?

KM: I always think about my dad because when I was younger on set — I think I was on my second set — I was 14 at the time and my dad told me, ‘‘Always hang up your wardrobe clothes.’’ Because at the end of the day, everyone has worked so hard and everyone wants to go home. It’s a team. I carry that little piece of advice with me throughout all aspects of the industry and especially on set where it’s so true. We’re the actors and often we’re catered too. But at the same time, we have the responsibility and the opportunity to set the tone on set. And if we care about all the different departments, collaborate, and work together, that just makes the project so much better in so many ways.

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characters, but I think that’s something that is a strength of mine. It does come down to a lot of body language and the way that I walk as these characters. So now, I’m challenging myself to play characters where I take more from my mom as opposed to my dad.

CP: Interestingly, for whatever reason, it seems like everyone has their own kind of way in.

KM: Yes, exactly.

CP: Now, you’ve got Fear Street coming out.

I remember you were telling me about the process and the physicality of it, there was a couple of physical things that really stuck with you. Is there anything you can share?

KM: The main thing that I would talk about is a super spoiler, so I can’t. But my character goes through a lot throughout the course of the three films. She’s so determined, so resilient, and doesn’t back down from any challenge, including physical challenges.

So I had some fight scenes in those films.

That [was] physically demanding because I’m not a confrontational person as Kiana, so I get very emotional when I’m being physical with someone, because it’s so uncomfortable for me. Then, it just makes it more exhausting.

CP: You’re really in the process of giving everything you have because you’re living essentially in that moment, that’s brilliant.

And I noticed that in the breakdown for Fear Street, it says that it is across several decades. Without spoilers, are you playing the same person or is it a lot of age makeup involved? Or are you playing different people in these installments?

KM: I can say I play two different characters.

CP: Two different characters across three movies.

CP: Is there anything along that journey that you found that has surprised you?

KM: Yes, I play a different character in the third movie, the 1666 one.

KM: I’ve noticed that I’ve played a lot of characters who lean to the more masculine side. I don’t know if that’s just the way it was written, or that’s what I brought to those

CP: It is very exciting, indeed. And with that lovely smile, the big grin you have on your face, can you share any of the happy moments that you’ve had on that set?

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KM: Honestly, I was really blessed because the cast was all super cool, super funny. I actually was sent a blooper reel, which I’m sure everyone will see at some point. But it made me so happy to see these moments where we would make mistakes. Even in between setups, we were just laughing all the time. There was so much joy underneath all the craziness, action, blood, and everything that was happening on set.

CP: It sounds like you’re very family oriented, you love laughing, you’re always smiling, at least from what I’ve seen of you. Would that positive energy be something that keeps you grounded?

KM: Positivity definitely helps keep me grounded. Some days it’s easier than others — sitting here talking to you, this is a great time. I’m so happy, by the way, that we’re doing this. It’s so nice to see your face and hear your voice [laughs].

CP: I reciprocate that emotion.

KM: But you know, at the end of the day, we’re human. I guess that’s where my other practices come into play — I’m Christian, there are certain verses that really stand out to me and give me inspiration. My favorite one is 2 Timothy 1:7, [it says], ‘‘God did not give us a spirit of fear and timidity, but one of power, love, and self-discipline.’’ So as much as I’m positive, in those moments where I’m feeling anxious or fearful of the future or anything, I remember that verse and that just fills my spirit with positivity and energy. I also love doing yoga, I love playing my guitar, I also talk a lot to the people close to me about how I’m feeling.

That helps me a lot.

[with] everything being shut down. And then, this year, everything’s picked up, especially with the release of Fear Street. So after all this amazingness and excitement, I honestly really would love to go home and see my family and friends.

CP: And when you do come back and do this thing again, is there any kind of story or a particular interest that you think you’ll be gravitating towards next?

KM: It’s been something that’s been on my mind. [After] this groundbreaking trilogy that’s being released on Netflix three weeks apart, what can follow up?

CP: Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame.

KM: I would love to play a superhero. I love action and I do love the physicality that comes with the job. I don’t know if I would want to do a horror next, I lose my voice really easily. I just scream one time [and] I lose my voice. But I would [also] love to play a musician. I know that’s a lot of voice work.

CP: I’m pretty sure you can sing. I think those are all of my questions. It was really lovely chatting with you, Kiana.

KM: Thank you, Chance. This was awesome.

I hope I can see you soon.

CP: Beautiful, and thank you for sharing that. Along that philosophical deep dive, [here is] the most important question, pineapple on pizza or not?

KM: [Laughs] I love pineapple on pizza.

CP: You heard it here first, folks. Pineapple on pizza is the mood for 2021 and beyond.

What is next on your goal sheet to be ticked off after this amazing year?

KM: It’s been like last year was so crazy

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MCKENNA GRACE is nothing but a light in the industry Words by Parker Schug

Photos by Sami Drasin

Styling by Anna Schilling at The Rex Agency Hair by Nancilee Santos at TMG-LA

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Videography by Savanna Morales

Makeup by Loren Canby at A-Frame Agency

Photography assistant Sam Tiger

Location Fairytale Cottage Topanga

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CKENNA GRACE, AT THE YOUNG AGE OF 15, MAY HAVE FAR LESS YEARS UNDER HER BELT THAN OTHER WELLPRACTICED ACTORS AND ACTRESSES, BUT WITH TALENT AND HER OPTIMISTIC ATTITUDE, SHE IS RISING ABOVE

INDUSTRY’S MOST ACCLAIMED STARS. THE MULTITALENTED ARTIST CONTINUES TO SURPASS AUDIENCES’ EXPECTATIONS WITH NEW PROJECTS AMONG HER MANY ROLES IN SHOWS AND FILMS SUCH AS GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE, IN ADDITION TO CREATING MUSIC AND CO-WRITING FOR FILMS. SHE IS ONE TO BE WATCHED.

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ckenna first found inspiration in other actresses’ films, such as many of Shirley Temple’s pieces of work. As a child, she was very interested in many different hobbies, but at just six years old, she persuaded her mother to let her try acting — although it was seen as another fascination in the first place. However, Mckenna was persistent in her pursuits. ‘‘I’d get fixated on something and then I’d be like, ‘I want to go do gymnastics,’ and my mom would put me in gymnastics classes, and then, ‘I want to go do cheerleading,’ and my mom would try to put me in cheerleading classes. [...] I was in all these different extracurricular activities when I was itty-bitty, and my mom was like, ‘Mckenna, we’re not doing anything else, chill out,’ and then she finally was like, ‘Oh, my God, you won’t let it go.

Fine, I’ll get you in acting classes.’’’

Since her start, Mckenna has had much success, even booking her first role that she auditioned for, which eventually encouraged her to move out to Los Angeles.

Her love for acting has continued to develop throughout her years, especially working alongside acclaimed professionals in the industry, including Chris Evans, Brie Larson, and Olivia Wilde. ‘‘I have a wonderful childhood, there is nothing I would rather be doing,’’ she says on growing up in the entertainment industry. Plus, seeing her work come to life from start to finish has truly impacted Mckenna. ‘‘I think I’ve just realized how much respect I have for every

aspect of my craft, because I feel like there’s just so much work that goes into making films. We shoot for three months to make something that’s an hour and a half long [and] will take up an hour and a half of somebody’s time.’’

‘‘If I become known for

something, I would like to be known for being nice and positive ’’ This young actress’s portfolio is the furthest thing from short, with roles across a variety of series and films like Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Gifted, I, Tonya, and Captain Marvel as young Carol Danvers. In 2021, she was nominated for an Emmy in the category of Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, for her repeated appearances in Hulu’s show, The Handmaid’s Tale. Mckenna’s role touched on some extremely sensitive topics. She played Esther Keyes, the teenage wife of Commander Keyes [Bill MacDonald], whose drive to have a child led to his young wife being raped by many due to his inability to reproduce himself. Esther then takes matters into her own hands attempting to poison her husband. Mckenna remembers

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which took place the day before our Zoom call in November, she met a couple who had originally found common interest in their love for the franchise and later themed their wedding around it. ‘‘It’s so special how quickly people can bond over films like that, and I feel like life is so short, so if I’m taking an hour and a half, two hours of somebody’s time to entertain them, then I want to make it worth their while.’’

studying in her school trailer, when she was told the exciting nomination news in a moment of high emotion. ‘‘All of the sudden my dad called me from his car, he was on his way to work, and he was crying. I was like, ‘Dad, why are you crying?’ and then my mom was like, ‘You’re kidding, wait, why are you crying? Don’t mess with us right now.’

Then he told us, ‘She did it, she got on the nominees, she got nominated!’ and we all freaked out.’’

This fall, Mckenna starred as Phoebe Spengler, granddaughter of Egon Spengler, in Ghostbusters: Afterlife. At her first read for the role, Mckenna was unaware of what she was actually auditioning for. ‘‘Even if I didn’t book that, that was awesome. I went into a chemistry read, and Ivan and Jason Reitman were there. I talked to Jason Reitman about Harry Potter and I wore a proton pack. I could die happy now.’’ Additionally, a part of this rewarding role that Mckenna appreciated, was the way that it brought people together.

At the New York premiere for this film,

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In addition to her acting endeavors, Mckenna has taken up music, revealing her debut song ‘‘Haunted House’’ after writing a lot over the past year. ‘‘I found a very cool therapeutic creative outlet in music [during the pandemic]. Somehow, I ended up lucky enough with a lovely label and [got] the chance to write with some amazing people.’’ A crossover was seen between her acting and music when Mckenna’s song was added to the Ghostbusters: Afterlife soundtrack in the closing credits scene.

The song was extremely vulnerable for her to release as she touches on heavy feelings of loss and heartbreak. ‘‘All my stuff is very specific to my own life, [so] I write things based on emotions that I’m feeling. I’ll say that I broke up with someone in this bit, even though you know, it’s just the kind of emotion I was feeling about someone.’’

Moving forward, Mckenna is destined to continue working on her crafts, acting in more roles, and coming out with more music. However, one other project she has had success with is film writing. Originally acting as Emma in the 2018 film, The Bad Seed, Mckenna took to the writer’s role, along with her father Ross Burge, to create a sequel which was given the go-ahead by Lifetime. ‘‘It’s really cool being able to see the other side of the auditioning process and watch other people’s audition tapes, being an executive producer as well.’’ This is something Mckenna could see herself continuing with in the future, especially with her creative father’s help. ‘‘I hope that someday maybe my dad can retire from being an old surgeon, and maybe just write with me. That’s definitely a dream.’’ It is impossible to gauge what else Mckenna is going to accomplish in her lifetime. And she will absolutely continue to be someone for others to look up to.

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‘‘I say this in interviews a lot now, but I have a wonderful

childhood. There is nothing I would rather be doing. But I think I stayed because as I’ve got older, I’ve just realized how much respect I have for every aspect of my craft ’’ mckenna grace

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JACOB BATALON talks to Tony Revolori about entering his next chapter

Photos by Raul Romo

Styling by Benjamin Holtrop

Stylist assistant Emily Johnson

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T’S BEEN A BUSY YEAR FOR JACOB BATALON. NOT ONLY IS THE 25-YEAR-OLD ACTOR PART OF ONE OF THE BIGGEST FRANCHISES, REPRISING HIS SCENE-STEALING ROLE AS PETER PARKER’S BEST FRIEND NED LEEDS IN

MARVEL AND SONY’S RECORD-BREAKING FILM SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, HE IS ALSO ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT GETTING THE CHANCE TO BECOME A LEADING MAN. LATELY, THE HAWAIIAN NATIVE NOW BASED ON THE EAST COAST HAS BEEN SPLITTING HIS TIME BETWEEN NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES, AND VANCOUVER — WHERE HE HAS BEEN IN PRODUCTION TO FILM HIS NEXT PROJECT — AND HE IS INCREDIBLY MOTIVATED TO EMBARK ON A NEW CHAPTER OF HIS LIFE.

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t was only natural that we turned to Tony Revolori, Jacob’s great friend and Spider-Man co-star since the first film, to be our guest interviewer. In the middle of a Spider-Man: No Way Home press day in New York, Tony joined Jacob on Zoom from Wales during an hour, for a lively and in-depth discussion about the ‘‘Spidey’’ journey that they started together back in 2016, what it feels like for Jacob to be number one on the call sheet for his next Syfy project — known for now as ‘‘Reginald the Vampire’’ — and his personal growth since making it to the entertainment industry.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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TONY REVOLORI: Look at you, looking all fresh! How have you been, brother?

JACOB BATALON: Good, man. [I have been] traveling and working in Canada, doing my TV show. It’s been hectic and stressful, but it’s been fun for sure.

TR: I find that since everyone came back from the pandemic, everything is just rushed and no one has any time to spare. Anyway, we should probably start this interview. I’ve been saving all these questions since last time, so don’t worry.

director] Sarah Finn went on things like Actors Access and Backstage, and SpiderMan just came along. At the end of the day, that’s how it happened.

TR: That’s crazy. For the people who don’t know Jacob — maybe you’re one of his millions of followers and you’ve heard him singing like an angel — this guy can actually sing. I’m still waiting for your album.

JB: I feel like music is definitely still a thing [that I am] trying to pursue in a sense. But I’m so wrapped up in other things like my show. It’s been crazy.

JB: Let’s do it! I don’t want to keep you busy.

TR: I’m glad we’re doing it now! Especially [because] it’s all the questions you don’t want me to ask [laughs]. To begin with, how did you get into acting? Because I actually genuinely don’t know this.

JB: I was trying to make my own music and perform it live, [but] it wasn’t really going the way I hoped. I randomly saw this ad on Facebook for a talent troupe that was sending kids to a talent convention. So, I signed up for that, but I didn’t audition to be an actor, I wanted to be a singer.

TR: We will fix that. You’re gonna write me a love song because I’ve been missing you for too long. Now, I’ve been thinking about this — how old were we when we met?

JB: I was 19.

TR: You are now 25 and I’m 25. This is ridiculous how long we’ve known each other [and] how long we’ve been on this journey in such formative points of our adulthood. I’m curious, what in your mentality has changed from shooting [Spider-Man: Homecoming] to [Spider-Man: No Way Home]? Or are you still the exact same person?

TR: Oh wow.

JB: But in order to be part of the troupe, you had to do a monologue. So, I chose from one of their selections. I did it and I sang them a song. They went straight up, ‘‘We think you’re good enough to go to this convention, meet people, and see what happens.’’ But, they just wanted my money [laughs]. So, this was my first time going to LA for anything related to the industry.

TR: You’re from Hawaii, right?

JB: Yeah. By the end of this [convention], I met one guy who had an office in New York and turned out to be my first manager ever.

He was genuinely there to meet talents. And I’ve been introduced as well to a scout for the drama school that I ended up attending in New York. I feel like everything was pointing towards the east. So, I packed up all my things, flew out to New York, and went to drama school. My manager was putting me on for auditions, self-tapes... Then, [casting

JB: I think you know I’m probably the exact same person [laughs].

TR: Yes, you are! That’s the answer I was looking for.

JB: But [from a business perspective], I conduct myself in a different manner.

Before, I wasn’t sure how to really operate in a press junket [or] on set. I was very uncertain about a lot of things. But now that I’m fully in it all, I think I’ve become a lot more confident and I’m not afraid to speak my mind. I guess I’ve grown in a sense that I’ve formed better opinions about my point of view of the world. Because we’ve done so much traveling together, I think being in different cultures and different countries makes me realize there’s more to it.

TR: So, you’ve been in a bunch of stuff.

It’s taken you to different places, now you have fans all over the world, you are a fan favorite... Who knows if [Spider-Man: No Way

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Home] is the last one, but if it is, how do you feel about this being the end of the journey that we all saw from the beginning?

JB: I feel like it’s a storybook ending. We all started out very naive and unsure of what the future held for us. I could speak for all of us — we’ve accomplished everything that we wanted to do with the films and our character arcs. I think we can absolutely walk away from it knowing that everything has satisfactorily ended.

TR: Yeah.

JB: At first, I was thinking that it was sad that it was gonna end this way, but it also reminded me that there is so much more to look forward to in our careers and personal lives. I think that we’ve grown to the point where we don’t really need Spider-Man in order to become more than who we are. I’m just really happy to continue my career and to see where we go, where you go.

TR: How do you feel about Ned Leeds? I know what goes on with him, [but] because I’m not Tom [Holland], I’m not gonna spoil anything [laughs]. But walk us through what you were going through when you read the script for the first time for this last [film] and what you thought for your character.

JB: As you know, it’s pretty crazy how it all ends for sure. But I think for Ned and fans, we are really happy that he comes into his own. He went from being the guy in the chair to really being in the middle of the acting. I think [Ned] is pretty happy with that.

TR: Have you ever read, seen or watched any videos of fan theories?

JB: Bro, people bring it up to me all the time.

I know about the Hobgoblin thing, I know about all those things for sure, [but] I don’t.

TR: [Laughs] Alright, let me ask you one deeper. Have you ever read any fan fiction?

JB: Yes, I have [laughs]. I really hope that the fan fiction that I’ve ever read was written by adults and not teenagers because [it was] really disturbing. But I’m no one to judge.

TR: I had to get you an answer to that one.

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I just wanted you to confirm that. We were together when we read it [laughs].

JB: That was so funny.

TR: Because I want to have a conversation about other stuff, [this is] my final Spidey question — we have this expansive young cast which is very rare [and] we’ve all grown together, from Tom to Angourie [Rice], Zach [Barack] and Remy [Hii] who came in during [Spider-Man: Far From Home]. We had a big crew and we all hung out together [which felt like] family. But shooting this third one during Covid led to not being able to hang out with people as much.

JB: Yeah. It placed a lot of restrictions on what we could do at work and what we could do outside of work. So, it definitely made it difficult [because] we couldn’t really fully enjoy the moment. But we did enjoy every second that we had together because we knew that it was potentially the last one.

TR: That’s beautiful, man. Alright, I’m a person of color and an actor, and so are you. I want to know how you feel about the industry and if auditioning has changed for you, if you’re getting better roles.

JB: The descriptions for what I used to read for are different. Now, it’s more based solely on how you perform, as opposed to the way you look. You have to actually be good at acting. I think that’s part of the biggest change that I’ve experienced on myself.

And then, in terms of the parts that I’m offered, it has become a lot more deep and meaningful, as opposed to just being the funny guy, or the sad one. We’ve become a more performative industry, that’s probably the other thing that is refreshing.

TR: 100%. I read in your recent interview that you were ready to take these leading parts, and I agree. But let the people know in this interview how hard it’s been.

JB: I believe that everyone’s story should be told. And again, I think it’s important to understand that there’s more than one type of person out there in the world — the world is diverse, it’s an entire melting pot of cultures, people, and diversity. Speaking solely for us, as people of color in the

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industry, I think people are blinded. You need to understand that there’s more than just white people out there.

TR: Is there anything in the industry that you want changed?

JB: I think what bugs me the most is this hierarchical thing. In a way, I get [that] you get what you deserve and what you have based on merit. But especially on a press junket, I feel like they prioritize people who are more ‘‘famous’’ if you know what I mean.

In that way, you feel like you’re not worth as much. [But] I think we’re moving in a way there might not be ‘‘movie stars’’ anymore because not one person is gonna get every role anymore. So, that’s a really big thing.

TR: I love that, man. Speaking of parts, what is your dream role?

JB: Right now, Reginald is probably one of the best parts that I’ve had, besides being number one — I love saying that out loud, I literally bring it up all the time [laughs].

TR: I knew you would [laughs].

JB: But I don’t know, it’s tough. I think I love being as disconnected from my character as possible, just because I’m in it more. If I’m just playing some funny dude, I feel like I’m just Jacob saying funny lines.

TR: Because you’re so funny.

JB: Well, me and my girlfriend have really gone into crime documentaries, and I would really love to do a crime-solving detective.

They were trying to get me on The Mandalorian, [but] honestly, I don’t want to waste my one Star Wars opportunity on a bit part. Not that I don’t love Jon Favreau or that I don’t love everyone who is on the squad, but I’m looking to have a lightsaber. I just want to have the Force [laughs].

TR: I love the idea of getting any of these things. But then, I also think about Tom — you’ve seen it with [him], where he does something that looks cool when people watch it [refers to Spider-Man’s webshooting hand movement]...

JB: It takes hours and hours, and it looks ridiculous when you do it.

TR: If it’s practical, I’d love to do it because even if you see the wires, it’s cool. So, you’ve been in amazing projects from Avengers: Endgame to Spider-Man: Far From Home, SpiderMan: Homecoming... Were you in Avengers: Infinity War? JB: Yeah. My Marvel [resume] isn’t bad.

TR: But you’ve also been in amazing movies like Let It Snow, Bloodfest, Banana Split and Every Day. And I watched every single one of those. Did you ever talk to any of the other actors who were playing ‘‘A’’ in Every Day? JB: It was only after we finished the movie.

Even then, I only met one of the other ‘‘A’’ — I think it was Owen Teague.

TR: You just crafted your own performance and you said, ‘‘If it fits, it fits.’’

JB: That sounds really fun though. You know what’s also fun? I would love to be a drug dealer or a recording artist.

JB: The director for that film had said that James was the sort of connecting piece to it all, because that scene gave them the connection between ‘‘A’’ and Rhiannon [Angourie Rice]. So, I based it more on making sure that she related to it and liked ‘‘A’’ enough to actually continue the relationship.

TR: Hollywood, you better be listening [laughs]. You’ve obviously been part of one of the biggest franchises in the world, Spider-Man. Any other franchise that you would die to be in?

TR: May I say [you were] snubbed for the Oscars? But nevertheless, we move on. Now let’s talk about some of the underrated gems, your performance in Bloodfest — the movie that you made me watch [laughs].

JB: I’m still trying my way to Star Wars.

JB: I didn’t make you watch [it]. I said the

TR: You know what I could see you in? A prisoner who escapes, like The Count of Monte Cristo or something like that.

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movie came out, and I was like, ‘‘Are you guys down to watch?’’

TR: Were we going to say no? No, we were going to support you. You get covered by a lot of blood. At what point did you go, ‘‘Guys, enough with the blood’’?

JB: It was a lot, we did that take quite a bit as well. I don’t know why we had to.

TR: People watching this one will know what we are talking about [laughs].

JB: Honestly, go watch it. But [with] Reginald, I have this prosthetic on my neck that makes me look like I got [it] torn up. I’m covered and drenched in blood all over the floor, that gets crazy.

TR: Ok, here is my theory — [with] Reginald, you get bitten by a vampire, and that is [his] true origin. I know it’s untrue, but for right now, that’s what I’m saying. Can you confirm or deny any of this? [Laughs]

JB: Also, I should say this in preview right now, but it’s not really called ‘‘Reginald the Vampire’’ at the moment. We’re still working on the title, but I can say that’s based on a book by Johnny B. Truant.

TR: Can I give you potential titles for your show?

JB: Yeah.

TR: ‘‘Jacob Batalon is a star in this one.’’

JB: [Laughs] I wish that could have been the one, but I think it’s too long.

TR: I can shorten it: ‘‘Batalon, Vampire.’’

JB: Actually it’s funny, I [changed] the last name of Reginald. It was originally Baskin, but there is no Filipino guy named Baskin.

TR: But there is no Filipino guy named Ned Leeds.

JB: For sure, there is that [laughs].

JB: So, Reginald does get destroyed by a vampire to become a vampire. That’s the one trope that we had to make happen.

TR: Did you know about Reginald before you even auditioned for it or were you a fan?

JB: Yeah. So, I had a meeting with the executive producers who came to me: Harley Peyton who serves as the showrunner, Jeremiah S. Chechik who directs the first block and second block of the series, Lindsay [MacAdam] and Todd [Berger]. They wanted to really put a different take on what it means to be a vampire. They had a very clear direction [which] was a person who may not seem as the leading man. That thrilled me in itself, and the fact that they were really willing to listen to what I had to say, my opinions, how I perceive what that means... I think that right now, a show like that poking fun at the dumb tropes that vampires have in the media will be refreshing. It’s hilarious, full of humanity, and there is a lot more to it than just biting people and sexual content. That’s probably why I love it so much.

TR: I’m super proud of you and I can’t wait to watch the show with you.

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TR: I don’t know what I am, but I don’t think there is a Latino Flash Thompson [laughs].

What do you do in your off-time to take your brain off of acting? Because sometimes these things can get intense.

JB: You know, I’ve really gotten into Gossip Girl — I love Chuck and Blair. We are in the Upper East Side right now, so I want to figure out what the Upper East Siders are up to. I’ve also been playing a lot of PS5 and video games.

TR: I do this and I’m curious if you do it too — I will listen to specific points of music to get me into a scene if it’s a particularly difficult scene, or even just a fun scene. Do you do that and if so, what is your Ned playlist, and your Reginald playlist?

JB: I think for Ned and Reginald, they may not be the coolest people, so they listen to more pop-ish radio hits. But Reginald specifically is actually into the same music that I am into, like hip pop, 90s vibes. I guess when I want to get into a deep scene, I listen to Frank Ocean. I did this one hell of an emotional scene the other day, and I listened to ‘‘Bad Religion’’ from Frank

Ocean. I was so deep in my feels, I couldn’t stop crying after [laughs].

TR: What is something that you would love people to know about you? Or something super surprising about you?

JB: Besides the fact that I genuinely love weed, I’ve become vegan now, so I think that’s pretty surprising.

TR: You have a massive glow up.

JB: At the beginning of the pandemic, there was nothing going on. I had seen you right before it happened, in December 2019. At that point, I was unhealthy, I wasn’t feeling good, I was getting tired walking upstairs.

And so, that really weighed on me. I was introduced to my trainer and I didn’t really have a planned thing, I did it for a little bit just to feel better. As soon as I started seeing progress, I’ve continually done it and I’ve gone to a point where I felt as if I’ve never looked like this ever in my life. So, that’s really inspired me to make sure that I’m really changed.

TR: Have you seen any films recently that you just loved?

JB: I’ve been watching a lot of suspense, we just watched Searching, and then, I See You with Owen Teague. And there is this other one called The Lie with Joey King. Do you know The Handmaiden, a Korean movie?

TR: Oh, I do know about this but I don’t do horror movies.

JB: It’s scary, but also very suspenseful.

The horror comes from the suspense, as opposed to being about monsters. I love movies that have a crazy twist, like Parasite.

TR: Speaking of Parasite and The Handmaiden, if you could do a movie in any other language, what would it be?

JB: It would probably be Tagalog — shoutout to my culture. And then, Korean [because] I love Korean movies. I’ve come to realize that any movie in other languages sounds better than American [laughs].

TR: Who are the directors you want to work

with? This is a question I love being asked.

JB: PTA [Paul Thomas Anderson], David Lynch, Christopher Nolan, Quentin Tarantino — crazy wild directors, legends.

TR: Looking back at your early days in the business, is there anything that you wish you’d known and you are now aware of about the industry?

JB: I’m actually lucky that I was thrown into the deep end. With Spider-Man, I expected it to be a difficult experience for someone who is not known. Before, I was abused in a sense that I’ve done things that I may have not been comfortable doing because I didn’t really have a voice at the time. But one thing I really did not expect was how much work was involved in terms of promoting something, the business aspect — [you have to] sell the product, present a certain image... For the most part, that’s probably what’s taking me by surprise, the idea that I need to be a certain way. When in reality, you shouldn’t have to, you should just really be yourself because that’s what makes you special.

TR: I completely agree with what you were saying. We have time for one more question.

Should I bring it back to Spider-Man? JB: Let’s wrap it up, for sure.

TR: Seeing as our very good friend Tom Holland is very good about spoilers on this one, what do you think you can tease on it?

JB: [Laughs] I think a lot of the press that we’ve been talking to, they’ve only seen the first 38 minutes, right? And they are all very excited by that. I think that when they see the entire movie, as you know, they’re gonna be in for a surprise that they just won’t believe. They will be in for a ride that is so unbelievable. They are gonna have to watch it a few more times because it’s all happening in such a crazy way. I cannot tease anything specially. All I can say is that people are gonna be blown.

TR: And... we’re gonna end it there.

JB: This was such a lit interview, bro.

Probably one of the best I’ve done.

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‘‘At first, I was thinking that it was sad that

[Spider-Man] was gonna end this way, but it also reminded me that there is so much more to look forward to in our careers and personal lives. [...] I’m just really happy to continue my career and to see where we go ’’ jacob batalon

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Coat Muse For All | Earrings Past Midnight

Madison Iseman | Published in December 2021 Photographed by Nicol Biesek Styling Jessica Loria | Makeup Sarah Uslan | Hair Scott King | Stylist assistant Jennifer Hatch | Location The Grand Califa

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Chapter III Chapter III

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E lla Balinska REUNITES WITH NAOMI SCOTT TO DISCUSS HER BUDDING CAREER Interview by Naomi Scott Photos by Ryan Pfluger Styling by Jason Bolden Makeup by Emily Cheng at The Wall Group Hair by Justine Marjan at Blended Strategy Manicure by Thuy Nguyen at A-Frame Agency Stylist assistant John Mumblo Location Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills Production Jasmine Perrier at Studio J•T•P Illustration by Jenny Sorto

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LLA BALINSKA HAS ESTABLISHED HERSELF AS ONE OF HOLLYWOOD’S MOST PROMISING YOUNG TALENTS AND WE ARE EAGER TO WATCH HER SHINE. THE GUILDFORD SCHOOL OF ACTING ALUMNI FROM LONDON

MADE HER BIG SCREEN DEBUT IN 2019 IN SONY’S CHARLIE’S ANGELS, IN WHICH SHE PORTRAYED JANE,

A FORMER MI6 AGENT HIGHLY TRAINED IN FIGHTING. ONCE WE GET TO KNOW ELLA ON A DEEPER LEVEL, IT COMES AS NO SURPRISE THAT JUST LIKE HER FIERCE ON-SCREEN CHARACTER, THE 24-YEAR-OLD ACTOR IS AN ACCOMPLISHED ATHLETE AND EXPERT IN COMBAT SKILLS IN REAL LIFE. FULL OF CHARISMA AND DEDICATION, SHE IS READY TO KEEP BLAZING A TRAIL AND LEAVE HER MARK AS SHE IS SET TO PLAY THE PROTAGONIST OF SQUARE ENIX’S HIGHLY ANTICIPATED VIDEO GAME FORSPOKEN EXPECTED IN 2022, IN ADDITION TO JOINING NETFLIX’S UPCOMING LIVE-ACTION RESIDENT EVIL SERIES.

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rom the rooftop helipad of Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills where our shoot happened last year, Ella had the city at her feet, just like she is destined for greatness. A couple of months later, she was in South Africa to film one of her secret projects at the time, Netflix’s Resident Evil series. From there, she hopped on a Zoom call with her British friend and fellow Charlie’s Angels costar Naomi Scott. As both women are breaking boundaries in the industry and inspiring a whole generation, they discussed Ella’s promising career and ambitions, her fondness for characters she can emotionally relate to, and the importance of learning to embrace your insecurities and identity.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Both originally

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NAOMI SCOTT: Hi, how are you doing babe?

ELLA BALINSKA: I’m doing good, just finished a day in the stunt room. I’m loving it, this is good fun.

NS: Well, I’m very excited to be interviewing you. Even though I know you very well, not everyone does. So, we want to educate the world on the amazingness that is Miss Balinska. For example, how quickly can you do a Rubik’s Cube?

EB: I think my best time I ever did was 48 seconds. I’m not a speedcuber. There was that documentary on Netflix [The Speed Cubers], it was pretty good.

NS: I might actually have seen that. It’s like The Queen’s Gambit, but for Rubik’s Cube. You’re also a big gamer. What are you playing right now?

EB: I have one game that is my go-to, Tekken.

I’ve been playing that literally since it was in the arcades.

NS: Ella is a true gamer, guys. And you are in South Africa right now. What you can say is that [what you’re filming] is really cool, amazing, and exciting. She’s going to kick ass, or butt, depending on which side of the world you are. Actually, Ella called me at the airport and she was like, ‘‘Oh, I forgot to tell you this big news.’’

EB: I was walking through LAX, and your incredible Bulgari campaign [was on] the billboard across the entire terminal.

NS: So, you are born and bred in London and split your time between LA and London.

What British snacks do you miss the most when you’re in LA?

section at Marks and Spencer. It’s the simple pleasures that you get that make you smile.

NS: I agree with you. So, you are 24 years old, the grand old age. When was the first time you thought, ‘‘You know what? I’d love to be a performer, actor,’’ or whatever it was.

EB: It was always an interesting one, because for a really long time, I just wasn’t really one of those kids who was like, ‘‘I want to be this when I grow up.’’ I always loved dipping my toe in different fields [and] trying new things. And I used to do a lot of sport, a lot of netball, athletics. And then, I always used to audition for the school play. It was always fun because I love fashion, and it was the only way we’d be able to get any interaction with the boys school [laughs]. Then, I studied performing arts and I remember writing my personal statement and everything I was all about. [And] I did National Youth Theatre.

I think naturally, the diver you deep into something, the more you want to discover, and you start becoming obsessed with it.

That’s what happened with me. We’re still rolling [laughs].

NS: And it is rolling very fast. I think you’ve spoken to me a little bit before about some of your biggest influences. I know one in particular who I think you always mention, Zoe Saldana. Who’s influenced you and why?

EB: I’ve got to say Zoe straight away, because that was one of those ‘‘eureka’’ moments where I watched her in Avatar at the Odeon in Leicester Square.

NS: I remember when I saw Avatar for the first time. Do you think there was a sense of, ‘‘Here’s a girl who looks like me, who has the same color skin tone as me’’?

EB: This is controversial.

NS: As a fellow Brit, I’m judging you here, if you say the wrong answer.

EB: Twiglets, Dairy Milk, and I really miss the Boots meal deal.

NS: As in Boots, the pharmacy? [Laughs] EB: Yes, trust me. That and also the snack

EB: Fully. Watching Zoe’s performance was so compelling that I was doing just that.

The whole physical element was definitely something that I gravitated towards when I was watching that, and what was so beautiful about that performance in particular. Now it’s going to sound a bit strange — obviously, all of these characters are avatars, they’re all blue, and there was an incredible universal aspect about that film

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that made me go, ‘‘I could do something like this and it wouldn’t matter what skin tone I was. You can be anybody in this industry.’’

NS: That’s so true. And I think you’re right about that moment of, ‘‘If you can do it, maybe I can do it.’’ Maybe sometimes, you do have to see something before you even believe it to be possible for yourself. Moving on to Charlie’s Angels, do you remember that little movie? You know, when Ella popped onto the scene, I think everyone was like, ‘‘Who is that girl?’’ I really commend Ella’s ability to learn so fast and how ready she was to take on this role. First of all, you should run through some of the things you’re trained in, or all of them.

EB: [Laughs] So, I studied at various performing arts institutions, or drama schools. And then, I specialized in the stage combat and trained in a bunch of different weapons. I’ve managed to start adding more to the repertoire now, but I’ve had some time over this quarantine. But that training that I’ve had before was really a way for me to relax into this character. When we were in the rock quarry, for example, or when we did that shot at the beginning of the opening, being able to forget and not have to worry about the physical technicalities was so freeing.

NS: On every job that I’m on, there’s always that thing of, ‘‘If only I knew before that job that I didn’t have to worry about X, Y, Z, I could have probably had a bit of a move at that time.’’ That was your first lead in a blockbuster movie. Was your experience of doing Charlie’s Angels different to your expectation?

EB: There’s this weird thing — of course, you are making a movie, it’s this incredible thing that you’re doing. But you’ve also got to remember the people that you’re making it with are just the film-loving dorks who made short films when they were starting off. They’re not like these big, scary executives who you have to obviously respect, they’re also your teammates. You guys are quite literal teammates making this thing happen. And it was really nice, especially when we had that fun time in Hamburg on my birthday and we had a great time [laughs].

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NS: We had a bit too much of a good time.

EB: It was so special. And that was the first moment where I was like, ‘‘This is the dynamic, this warm, peer-to-peer, teammate to teammate relationship,’’ which I now bring into every project I do.

NS: I agree. Trusting your process, seeing everyone around you as your teammates, is so important.

EB: You taught me the other thing that I was going to say, which was, respectfully knowing your boundaries and respectfully communicating. On Charlie’s, I was like, ‘‘I’m injured, I slept with an ice pack on last night. Let’s go.’’

NS: But let me also point out that they were able to do so much more with Ella than I think they were expecting to do with the actress, because she had all this training.

They didn’t have to teach her how to hold a gun, and that stuff takes time. You didn’t have to worry about that with Ella.

EB: That was nice not having to think or worry about that.

NS: Moving on, I think at my grand old age, I’m still gradually learning what it is about a project that I gravitate towards. Is there specific things that you can point out that you look for in a project that you really want?

EB: I had an interesting chat with a friend of mine the other day about this. A lot of the characters that make me go, ‘‘I want to chase this,’’ [are] all characters that have gone through very similar things that I’ve been through emotionally. And it’s almost a challenge to separate yourself, between you, the actor, and you, as the character.

In Run, Sweetheart, Run, for example, if I’m going through the trauma of being separated from a relative, I want to be on set having a breakdown about the fact that I’ve been separated from a relative before.

That being said, I just wrapped a mocap project [Forspoken] where it was so far from anything I’ve done before [laughs]. But I was able to find the emotional parallels — [Frey Holland] is someone who has very much lost her way and is trying to find her direction

Look Valentino Jewelry Cartier (Ella’s own)

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in the world. She has a very strong one way of thinking about things, realizes she can’t relate to other people, and opens her heart a little bit to this other journey she finds herself on. [Forspoken] is something that I haven’t been able to talk about for the longest time, and it’s so nice to finally be able to write [it] in capital letters on social media [laughs].

the director is yet, but the director I worked with was so incredible at making me be able to mold my craft into this field. And the Square Enix and Luminous team were also so welcoming and helpful. It’s so exciting, but this is the bare minimum of what I’m allowed to say. What you have seen is all I have seen. So, I’m honestly as much part of the hype as everyone else is, trust me.

GRUMPY MAGAZINE: There was speculation that you would be part of the project.

NS: That’s really cool, all these secret projects! A bit more personal question, what have you learned about yourself in the last year and how you approach work, and what is it that keeps you grounded?

EB: It was so funny because I just had to bookmark those tweets so I could refer back to them later.

GRUMPY MAGAZINE: You’re also blazing a trail in the video game industry by playing this black female lead character.

EB: Being [from] a biracial background myself, what’s nice is that it just feels very normal, there was never any agenda or anything. This character really [spoke] to me and on paper, she had no race in the script. I’m just super proud [because] I’ve been gaming my whole life and now being able to be like, ‘‘Hey, I can play myself and people [can] potentially be super inspired by the fact that I’m the lead in this game,’’ is so cool.

GRUMPY MAGAZINE: This project combines your love for video games and acting. What did you enjoy the most about it?

EB: It’s a beautiful medium that is very new to me on the performance side. There is no fourth wall, you don’t have to perform it at a certain angle for a camera. It really helps find a truthful performance. And there are so many talented people who I learned a lot from on this project.

GRUMPY MAGAZINE: What are you most excited for people and players to see?

EB: One thing that’s so cool about video games is that it really is universal. Even when the dragon appears [in] that little snippet, I think you don’t have to speak English to know what ‘‘Is that a motherfucking dragon?’’ means [laughs]. But hopefully with my involvement, I can bring that emotional depth to it as well. I can’t say who

EB: I have been so grateful for finding my people, if that makes sense. Originally, I was going to Sainsbury’s and I was only being recognized because I’d sold the person a pair of shoes before at Selfridges [laughs].

And I really made a promise to myself, especially after things went quite fast all of the sudden for me, that I would never ever deny what it is that makes me me — the fact that I can solve a Rubik’s Cube, the fact that I love gaming, the fact that I love working out. If you’re always true to that, that’s how you find your people.

NS: It was tough, you going back and forth from LA to London, and actually trying to figure out, ‘‘Where is home for me and how do I build a community?’’ Especially when you’re on a job, you get so consumed and the world is just this job.

EB: I did unexpectedly in this last year essentially relocate to Los Angeles, because it couldn’t fly anywhere [laughs]. And I found my family away from home. [I am] always turning to them whenever I have a moment of doubt or worry. I have siblings, but I grew up as an only child, and I just wanted to deal with things myself. I really learned how to share my worries with other people. In a weird way, it helps them connect with you more because they know who you are.

NS: I’ve seen that change in you, actually.

You are very independent and you are very capable, which is amazing. But I think you’re right — it’s really important to learn to be vulnerable with people. I also think something you said was interesting. Find the things that make you you, really spend

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time figuring out who you are, [don’t let] anyone else shape that for you. I think that’s definitely important, authentic relationships, especially in our industry.

EB: The other big one that happened was the Black Lives Matter movement. [It’s] one of the big things this year that definitely made me see the world in a different way. To put it in a nutshell, growing up as a mixedrace person, there was always that weird thing of, ‘‘Am I white or am I black?’’ For me and my personal journey, I was so confused.

But I didn’t even have any awareness of that. Then, when the movement came to the forefront, suddenly, I was able to connect with both sides so deeply. I was able to address my half-white privilege, the fact that I do have that in me, and also learn about the history of my black heritage. That was something that was... so wild! It was very emotional. And the other thing was being a Brit in the United States, I received amazing support from my friends who were helping me go through this.

NS: Now, you’re comfortable with going, ‘‘I can be proud to be a black woman, and yes, I am also half-white, I am also British, and I do come with privilege. And guess what? I can be all of those things.’’ You know?

EB: I feel like in that time, there was a strange thing on social media where everyone had to go about the discovery the same way. At the time I was finishing my degree, I had to essentially devise a piece.

I did all my research on everything you’ve just mentioned, and then I wrote a short film. But in that research, that was my journey. That was my little lane of discovery, which then made me reflect on things like my drama school training, which is why I wanted to do the scholarship [Ella Balinska Scholarship with Guildford School of Acting].

Everyone has their own journey and it’s ok to be all of the things as long as you have the awareness and the compassion. That’s the most important thing to remember [to make it] easier to navigate this complex society that we live in.

NS: Do you think you’re the most comfortable with yourself that you’ve ever felt now?

EB: For sure. I’m learning so much [but]

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there are still things [I am a lot] insecure about.

NS: Talking about insecurities, which we all feel — we both love fashion and I remember you said to me, ‘‘Nay, guess what? You will be so excited, I’m wearing my natural hair.’’

For me, I don’t like to show my legs.

EB: Can I just say this is outrageous? I just want to tell you right now, as a female to a female, your figure is unreal!

NS: Thanks, baby girl. Do you think that spilled out into how you feel as a woman, how you feel comfortable when you’re in your body, and the fact that you are athletic, strong, and you are this beautiful specimen of a human? What’s your journey been with that and where you are right now?

EB: We obviously have our days. I always say, ‘‘Your biggest strength is what makes you unique.’’ And I’m still on that journey of fully understanding that. But when I was younger, I really did not understand that.

I’m a huge empath [laughs]. But I feel like where that can be a weakness in one area is a great advantage in another. My height, for example, [is] that whole thing.

NS: I love that and I also think it’s so important to talk about [that], because I reckon there’s so many girls yet that feel that they are maybe the tall girl in their class, and they’re feeling that same way.

Sometimes, it just takes someone who’s there to go, ‘‘Girl, let me tell you, your unique advantage is why our differences make us beautiful and sexy.’’ There would be no beauty in a way, if everyone was the same.

EB: It’s the same for you as well with your portrayal of Jasmine [in Aladdin]. You play the slightly softer version, but you were so unique in the way you went in there with very clear choices, a very clean mindset and worldview, and an amazing emotional arc of the story that you wanted to tell. [It has] set you apart. You sang that song and broke their hearts. That’s amazing.

NS: And the other thing is you can make that choice and it won’t always work. But, that’s not the point, is it? Hone your own instincts on things, that’s a really good piece of

advice. Are you someone that’s like, ‘‘I have my 5-year plan,’’ or is there something that gives us an indication of what direction you want to go or how you see yourself?

EB: There is two ways, because there’s a very exciting thing in my career [where] you have this artist element and what you see on-screen, and then who Ella Balinska is as a person. So, if you go down the artist route, I want to work on projects that excite me, that are meaningful, that when you look back, you can be like, ‘‘That’s a pretty good body of work.’’ I [also] want to be able to have the 8-year-old baby — they might not be old enough to watch some of the stuff that I do — but I [like] the concept of [them] watching something and going, ‘‘Wow, that really makes me want to do whatever it is.’’

in that industry. If I am not obsessing over my script, I am obsessing over fashion [laughs].

NS: You’re very involved [to make sure] the costume is right for your character.

EB: We had some fun [with] the hero costume on this. There is a very exciting little Easter egg for those who know who my favorite band is.

NS: You want to give [the same feeling that you’ve got watching Zoe Saldana] to a young girl potentially watching.

NS: I’m very proud of you and cheering you on all the way. I feel like it’s exactly how it’s meant to be going. Ella called me last year, and she was sending me all the things she was screen testing for. And I was like, ‘‘Ella, if you are screen testing for all of these big things, one of them is going to break, it’s imminent.’’ I think I’m not just excited for that, but also excited for how you’re growing, how you’re feeling comfortable and powerful, just in a good place.

EB: Yes. And as you know, I love fashion, so I would love to dive more into that world and educate myself more on everything

EB: You’re amazing. I’m so lucky to have entered this industry with you being there for me. I’m one lucky human right here.

‘‘I really made a promise to myself, especially after

things went quite fast all of the sudden for me, that I would never ever deny what it is that makes me me ’’ ella balinska

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Jacket R13 Jewelry Cartier (Ella’s own)

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‘‘There’s a very exciting thing in my career [where]

you have this artist element and what you see onscreen, and then who Ella Balinska is as a person.

So, if you go down the artist route, I want to work on projects that excite me, that are meaningful ’’

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Sophie Cookson RECOUNTS HER FIRST MEMORIES WITH BEN BARNES AND HER PENCHANT FOR CHALLENGES Interview by Ben Barnes Photos by Rosie Matheson Styling by Holly White at The Wall Group Makeup by Emma White Turle at The Wall Group using Westman Atelier Hair by Halley Brisker at The Wall Group Photography assistant Flossie Hughes Stylist assistant Zorica Šalić Location PL Photo Studio courtesy of Olga Lioncat Production Jasmine Perrier at Studio J•T•P

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ITH HER CHARISMATIC AURA AND CAPTIVATING ON-SCREEN PRESENCE, BRITISH ACTRESS SOPHIE COOKSON SUCCEEDS IN STEALING THE SHOW IN EVERY PROJECT SHE HAS WORKED ON SO FAR. WE

WITNESSED HER RISE WITH HER BIG SCREEN DEBUT IN SPY COMEDY FILM KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE, HER SPELLBINDING PERFORMANCE IN NETFLIX’S PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER GYPSY OPPOSITE NAOMI WATTS, AND MOST RECENTLY, THE PRAISE SHE HAS RECEIVED FOR BBC’S MINI-SERIES THE TRIAL OF CHRISTINE KEELER AS THE TITULAR CHARACTER. EAGER TO GRAVITATE TOWARDS PROJECTS THAT SHE FINDS CREATIVELY STIMULATING, SOPHIE STARRED WITH MARK WAHLBERG IN PARAMOUNT’S INFINITE, IN WHICH SHE DROVE A CAR THROUGH A WALL, AMONG OTHER GRIPPING ACTION-PACKED THINGS.

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S

ophie Cookson and Ben Barnes crossed paths over 20 years ago in London while doing National Youth Music Theatre.

Driven by their mutual interest in performing, they have been close friends ever since. In an introspective Zoom call connecting London to Los Angeles, the two actors reunited to take us back to the experience that first brought them together, and to discuss, among other things, their views of being an actor now after spending several years in the industry, and the highs and lows of pursuing such a daunting path.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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BEN BARNES: How are you?

SOPHIE COOKSON: I’m good. I’ve had a day of self taping, and I have my mom here.

BB: A day in the life of an actor not actually working.

in all interviews about NYMT and all our experiences. Not only is it true, it’s [also] one of those things that [is] carried out on every job I’ve ever done as an actor in the last 20 years. Especially the older I get, the more jobs I get, and the more perspective I have on doing this job, the more that part of it becomes much higher up the priority list.

SC: Yes [laughs].

BB: So, you and I have known each other for over 20 years.

SC: You’re probably one of my oldest friends.

BB: I’m not that old.

SC: [Laughs] But we’ve had quite a long hiatus.

BB: We did. But I was thinking about it today, and I definitely met you when I’ve not yet had turned 19.

SC: How is that amazing? I would have been 11 when we met. We were doing National Youth Music Theatre to get a production of The Dreaming and for me, seeing people like you go off, and people going to drama school and starting to work, that inspired me to want to pursue acting [laughs].

BB: For me, it was very much like I had the same experience. I caught the bug because there was something unsatisfying about my life as a teenager in terms of how I felt about who I was. And then, finding the National Youth Music Theatre [NYMT], which was the company that we were in together, [you] would find people with obviously similar interests, devotion, and skill level.

That said, there was some kids that were a few years older than me in it, who I admired so much. I was like, ‘‘I want to get as good at this as I can to be like them.’’

SC: I was totally in awe of all of you guys, and I just never experienced such kind of camaraderie before, or this joint spirit and energy. And it was exciting — we were in London, we were at the Royal Opera House, and it was Christmas as well. It was completely magical.

BB: You know, camaraderie was the word I remember being used the most

SC: Totally. I think it has to be about that because ultimately, you’re connecting with people. You’re trying to create these relationships on the screen. And to me, to have that off-screen seems increasingly important. Sometimes, the jobs that are the hardest, where you think you’re going to have an absolutely miserable time, you end up bonding even more. I think that NYMT was definitely the starting block for that. But also, just the idea that you could dream big was so thrilling — it sounds really corny and slightly trite, given the title of the musical we were doing. And then, when NYMT shut down for a bit, I was completely devastated because it felt like a crucial part of my identity that I don’t think I really rediscovered or owned again until going to drama school. I felt like I was waiting a very long time to get that excited again.

BB: I think it taught me a lot about a work ethic. But also, like you said, we were looking up, but also looking down to these people like you who came in at 11, and were just the sweetest little things you could ever imagine [laughs]. They were immediately part of this family. I think those are the things I feel very lucky to have taken forward. Do you feel like you’ve had experiences where that stuff has been useful in other jobs, or felt more important to you than it’s felt to other people?

SC: Some jobs are stranger than others [laughs]. And I think the larger the production, the bigger the scale, the harder it is sometimes to create that little family squad. I was doing [Ashes in the Snow] in Lithuania, [it was] really low budget, a really shocking subject matter, [but] it was definitely one of my favorite experiences. I think you do want to let you look after your peers. That is probably something I’ve taken into every job.

BB: How old were you when you first

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thought, ‘‘I think I could maybe make this a job, maybe I could do this for my life, rather than just something I’ve done in the summer as a kid.’’

SC: In fact, no one in my family is creative in any way [laughs], as they would say themselves — I’m not taking them down.

But I had no idea that you really could. I really enjoyed my studies at school and I was quite academic. So, the idea that you choose this precarious profession where nothing is guaranteed was a terrible idea for them. And my dad desperately wanted me to be a translator at the UN or something. I kind of wanted that, which is why I went to Edinburgh, and studied Spanish and Arabic.

But then, particularly being in Edinburgh, which is a very vibrant, colorful, creative city, I seemed to keep getting drawn to all of the theatrical stuff. And I really regretted picking Arabic as well [laughs].

So, I ended up leaving Edinburgh [because of] a combination of really not enjoying my studies, wanting to be spending more time in a theater, and being not very well. And I had a bit of an epiphany moment where I was like, ‘‘If I don’t try, then I’ll never know.’’

BB: I think I was 15, 16.

SC: But you were already doing NYMT by that point.

BB: Yes, I’ve been doing it for a couple of years, but my ambition level was very low. I thought, ‘‘Maybe I could get into a musical theater school, maybe I could be in the chorus of some shows.’’ Like you, not only the joy, but also the opportunities that kept presenting themselves consistently take me by surprise.

SC: I don’t know how I would have seen it, but I’d obviously seen you in The History Boys.

I hadn’t seen you for so long, and suddenly, you were Prince Caspian and everywhere. I was like, ‘‘What is going on?’’

BB: We had the same reaction [laughs].

BB: So, you were [in your] late teens or 20s.

SC: Things change so fast.

SC: Oh yes, you asked my age. I would have been 18, I think.

BB: They can. Obviously, you went to school which is very theater-centric, but what about when you started thinking about auditioning for TV and films, that you thought these TV shows, these movies were the things that were exciting to you?

BB: And having just done a lead role of the BBC, a massive Hollywood movie with Mark Wahlberg — how [is] the reality of this compared to what 18-year-old self thought being an actor would be like?

SC: I think I always knew it would be incredibly challenging, which is what excited me and what drew me to it. But I have to say, I was so green [and] had no idea what I was throwing myself into at all.

I was just excited by its potential, which is still how I feel now. [But] I think the hard thing about being an actor is these massive periods where you’re not working, you’re full of self-doubt, and you think, ‘‘I’m never going to work again.’’ Literally anything can happen, and I don’t think I was ready for so many surprises. I didn’t know that when it’s all working, and there’s a script you like, it’s the most beautiful symphony going on. And it’s so strange, but I wasn’t really prepared

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for the joy [laughs]. Particularly at drama school, when I was there at least, we were trained to think that we would never be employed. So, if you got a job, you were one of the very lucky few. What about you, how old were you?

SC: I think my expectations were incredibly grounded. I never put myself in the shoes of, ‘‘One day, I will be looking at this material thinking, I’m going to do it.’’ In the beginning of third year, we started doing a film course. It was very basic, but I’ve never been in front of the camera before, and there was something about that medium that I found incredibly satisfying and unlocked something in me that I had felt previously quite trapped in whilst just doing theater. I think it was just the realism that it afforded.

It almost felt like this kind of personal project. That’s still something that really excites me, when you see other actors who have this dance with the camera and they are completely unaware of its existence — that’s something that I never learned in

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drama school and you get on with on the job. Mark Strong is a prime example of that.

I remember watching him on Kingsman, he knows exactly what’s going on.

BB: What were you watching at drama school in that last year?

SC: I wasn’t even watching anything. Third year of drama school was such a hectic blur, because Oxford School of Drama is in the middle of nowhere, you’re all wearing black.

And I think by third year, there were maybe only 11 people in it, 11 people you’ve spent three very intense years with, and there’s a lot of pressure. So, I was not watching anything, I was scraping money together at the pub, panicking [laughs].

BB: Was there any moments on doing a massive action film like Infinite, where you actively thought about something from drama school? By the way, you do wear black very well.

SC: Thank you, that was a skill they gave me. Well, I’m finding it difficult to answer [laughs]. There’s a moment where Nora jumps up onto this Aston Martin car with an incredibly large weapon, and she’s totally badass. I think I probably definitely had a moment of, ‘‘What is going on? This is not what I expected. This is interesting.’’

BB: But it’s kind of exciting that you can see yourself in that way. I found it with playing villains for Marvel and stuff. It’s like you’re walking down the street, with the machine gun, and thinking, ‘‘I’m pulling this off.’’ It feels good in this moment. Your entrance in that movie is pretty thrilling. It’s an amazing entrance and introduction.

SC: You know, I find it really weird when people ask things like, ‘‘How do you stay grounded?’’ or ‘‘What was it like doing a Hollywood action movie with Mark Wahlberg?’’ It’s obviously a part and a facet of my life, [but] it doesn’t really feel like me.

So, when Nora jumps on the car like that, I don’t relate to it being me bizarrely. Do you watch stuff back?

BB: I tend to watch stuff once. I feel like it’s been useful for me because I didn’t go to drama school. What’s your process for

choosing what jobs you take? I always find this a bit of a loaded question in interviews, because people don’t quite understand that. It’s not like I had the choice of every film that was made that year.

SC: Yeah, I’ve got every director writing to me, desperate for me [laughs].

BB: Exactly. It is usually a choice between one or two things. But what are the things that tend to excite you? What’s your order of priority? Is it the kind of character you’re going to get to embody? Is it who’s directing it? Is it the script first?

SC: I think it’s a combination of all of the above. But having played Christine Keeler, someone who is so beautifully complicated and really human, I think that really upped what I hope to find in a script. It was a really huge education for me doing that, not only in terms of leading a show, but just playing someone who was so contradictory. My concern with her at the beginning was, ‘‘I don’t know if audiences are going to fall in love with her, if they’re going to like her.’’

And then, I realized that it doesn’t actually matter. I always want to be challenged, and if I read something where I think, ‘‘I’m not really sure I’m going to pull this off,’’ then I’m kind of, ‘‘No, I should do it.’’ It’s always a good sign.

BB: I’m sensing that you’re going to say Christine Keeler, but what is the job that you’ve done that you feel the most proud of?

SC: Definitely Christine Keeler. Because it was [also] an incredibly collaborative process. It really felt like we were a team. It wasn’t just me going into work and doing the lines that I’ve been asked to do. It was really like, ‘‘How do we create this?’’ I always like to get into the nitty-gritty of the script and be involved in that as much as possible.

BB: I think it took me a decade of doing this before I felt proud of anything I’d done.

SC: I think I just never felt like I was allowed to have a seat at the table. As often [I was] one of the younger members on the set and a woman, I’ve been like, ‘‘Where is my place?’’ So, doing Christine Keeler has made me realize that I am allowed to voice what

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I feel and be assertive. On a massive film like Infinite, where there is so much going on, so much money being spent, and such high pressure, it’s very easy to be like, ‘‘I’m probably not going to voice my concern right now,’’ but I think it’s important. It’s been an important lesson for me to know that what I have to say is no less valid than anyone else.

BB: You have ambition to contribute to the industry beyond acting. Do you think you would find that part of the contribution fulfilling in terms of maybe producing, directing, or writing something of your own that you aren’t going to be in?

SC: I’d love to do that. I think it would actually be an immense relief to not be in it [laughs]. I do love the challenge, obviously, and I really enjoy going to work. But there are some days where you would really like to be behind the scenes creatively.

BB: What is the thing that appeals to you most that isn’t acting?

SC: I’d love to say director, but I find the idea of me directing completely laughable.

BB: Why? SC: I don’t know, it’s such a skill and I think a great director is someone who knows every single person’s job on set inside out.

And they are incredible communicators as well. It’s a lot of pressure.

BB: What about if you weren’t allowed to be an actor?

SC: I went through various stages growing up. I wanted to be an architect for a bit, I wanted to be a vet because I loved animals, classic childhood thing, and something with languages. As much as I am so pleased I left university when I did, I do love studying.

So, I would love to go back to university and work out what it is that I’d like to do. I was just too young at the time, but yes, possibly something to do with some languages and people. [As] I was saying earlier, it’s all about that human connection.

BB: How much do you listen to the reactions to things that you’re doing?

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SC: It used to affect me a lot, particularly when I was doing a play in the West End. It’s all so fast, someone sees it that night and they can critique what you did in that very moment. I found that pressure quite hard to deal with. I was reading reviews, and even if they’re good, it’s just really bad for your soul because there’s always another one. It doesn’t matter how many good ones they are, I can remember all of the negative things that have been said about me.

So, I don’t read feedback anymore [and] I struggle to watch any of my work. Obviously when you get praised, it’s lovely. It actually really mattered with Christine Keeler because I so wanted to do her justice. It was an incredibly important story about telling a woman’s story who had previously been so undermined by the patriarchy. It was less about how I’d done, but more that she was getting a chance to say what she wanted to say. One of the things I really enjoyed about playing Christine is [her] background that was incredibly different to mine.

BB: I wondered whether there are things for you [that] you would like to showcase, or stories that you are drawn to. For example, I find it very difficult if there’s a project that has something to do with music, because I feel like that’s such a huge part of who I [am]. And then, in terms of characters, it’s become more and more important to me to tell stories that have a hopefulness to them, just because of where I am in my life at the moment.

SC: I definitely went through a period during the pandemic where I was like, ‘‘I don’t want to read any script that makes me miserable.’’ But I think it’s more [about] playing people that really surprise you.

BB: I went through a stage of that too. I only wanted to play characters that are unpredictable.

SC: Also, I feel like there’s a lot of slightly cookie-cutter things out there at the moment. And I think it’s very easy to want to make [an audience] feel safe in the knowledge that they’ve seen this kind of thing before, and they’re just going to enjoy it. But I want to do something slightly provocative or more challenging, and work with people that really test you.

BB: So, you want to be challenged in terms of taking on roles that you feel a little less comfortable, [but] you also want the material itself to challenge the people that are watching it.

some point put out into the world? For me, I would love to do a When Harry Met Sally type of film — a film that’s about connecting with people, but hopeful. That’s the golden ticket that I’ve not ever quite found.

SC: I think so, yeah.

SC: God, you have such a clear answer in your head. For me, when you say it’s hard for you to say no to things that involve music, I don’t really feel like I’ve ever particularly explored that. Slightly in Gypsy, but one of my favorite films of all time is Cabaret, for example. I’ve never done a musical thing in any professional capacity.

BB: Do you like watching movies and films that challenge you?

SC: Absolutely. Don’t get me wrong, we all love things that you feel completely comfortable with. But I don’t find that creatively stimulating. I think for me, it doesn’t necessarily have to be cheerful at the moment. I want to go to all of the places that I can’t access in my everyday life. I like that escape and that kind of catharsis that your work can bring.

BB: It’s interesting, actually, because I hadn’t really thought about this before. I feel like I want the audience to feel challenged. I want [the projects that I feel joyful about] to be a joyful experience for viewers to watch.

SC: It’s reflective, totally. It’s hard to necessarily find projects that do that.

BB: Ok, last question — is there one dreamy project that you would love to do [and] at

BB: You should do Cabaret on stage.

SC: I mean, that’s the dream job.

BB: There you go. We just found it [laughs]. I will be in the front row.

SC: I will get you tickets [laughs]. Are we out of time? Because you said that was your last question.

BB: I don’t know, but I ran out of questions.

I’ve never done it before.

SC: It’s very stressful not to flip it around and asking [you] those questions. Well, I think you’ve done very well.

‘‘I think I just never felt like I was allowed to have a

seat at the table. So, doing Christine Keeler has made me realize that I am allowed to voice what I feel ’’ sophie cookson

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Ben H ardy AND GWILYM LEE HAVE THAT CONVERSATION THEY’VE NEVER HAD BEFORE Interview by Gwilym Lee Photos by Rosie Matheson Videography by Rodney Rico Styling by Emily Tighe Grooming by Nathalie Eleni at Adrenalin Photographic Photography assistant Flossie Hughes Stylist assistants Olivia Rodney & Alfred Humphries Location The Portobello Hotel Production Jasmine Perrier at Studio J•T•P

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VEN THOUGH BEN HARDY IS ONE OF BRITISH’S TALENTED AND CHARISMATIC ESTABLISHED ACTORS, HE DOESN’T TAKE HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR GRANTED. SINCE GRADUATING FROM THE ROYAL CENTRAL

SCHOOL OF SPEECH AND DRAMA IN LONDON, THE ACTOR FROM DORSET HAS SPENT YEARS CRAFTING HIS RESUME WITH A CAREFULLY CHOSEN COLLECTION OF VARIED ROLES. HE STARTED HIS CAREER ON STAGE IN TWO WEST END PLAYS, BEFORE MAKING A MAJOR IMPRESSION IN THE LONG-RUNNING BBC SOAP OPERA EASTENDERS, AND EVENTUALLY TAKING ON HOLLYWOOD. AMBITIOUS, SOFT-SPOKEN AND POLITE, BEN HARDY SEEMS AS THOUGH HE IS CONSTANTLY FOCUSED ON LOOKING AHEAD AND REACHING NEW LEVELS OF FULFILLMENT.

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B

en Hardy and Gwilym Lee may have been fellow band members in the 2018 award-winning Queen biopic, but their friendship went beyond the big screen. Ben sat down with his former co-star to break down his first steps in the acting industry and his variety of performances through the years, including his work on EastEnders, X-Men: Apocalypse and Bohemian Rhapsody. His next project, The Girl Before, a four-part series which premiered on BBC One and will land on HBO Max next year, inspired the actor to take on new challenges. For Gwilym, his friend hadn’t been as passionate about a job in a long time.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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GWILYM LEE: Hi Ben! Thanks for asking me to do this. I’m very honored that you chose me. I know some friends of ours that would be quite upset that you didn’t choose them.

BEN HARDY: Hi Gwil! Perhaps, but you were the first person I thought of.

GL: Bless you. So, we first met in 2017 when we were about to start filming Bohemian Rhapsody. We’ve remained good friends since then, and I’m very excited at the prospect of this interview because often when we have conversations, you’re very charming and disarming. I’d be asking you lots of questions and you would say, ‘‘Enough about me, what about you?’’ You always deflect so I hope you are prepared for going deep today.

BH: It’s probably easier to ask questions and receive information, you’re less exposed.

GL: You’re a very good listener and attentive.

I’m always impressed [because] not only do you listen, you remember stuff. It’s one of your greatest qualities.

BH: That’s very kind of you. I think I do it because once someone told me, ‘‘You never listen, man.’’ It was actually an older actor in a play I was doing.

GL: So, it’s not in your nature to listen, you’re just doing it because someone told you they hated it about you. What job was that?

BH: It’s called The Physicists. It was at the Donmar Warehouse, it was my first-ever gig after drama school.

GL: And you never looked back.

BH: To be honest, [nothing] has ever felt as euphoric as getting that job. Actually, I was still in drama school. I was in Josie Rourke’s office — she was at the time the director of the Donmar Warehouse — and she was like, ‘‘Shall we do this thing?’’ I felt like my heart was racing, and as soon as I got out of the office, I remember running down the stairs and running along the street.

GL: Has there been any other important piece of advice that changed the way that you approach your work or your life?

BH: Recently, I did that film called The Voyeurs which is on Amazon. Every time I would go up to the director [Michael Mohan], and say to him, ‘‘I’m an actor, I’m here to do my job, what do you want, what do you need?’’ And he was very collaborative, he kept saying to me, ‘‘What do you want to do?’’ That blew my mind a little bit. It did feel like I was given free rein, maybe too much. It’s definitely something I’ve taken with me going forward, to just really try to do what I want to do, because it feels more fulfilling.

GL: I recognize that in myself, [you] want to satisfy and please people, and be the good obedient actor, I suppose. Do you think that’s a British thing?

BH: I remember the attitude at drama school [which] was, ‘‘You’d be lucky to have a work as an actor, you get a job, take it.’’ You have to be thankful to work as an actor because there are a lot of people who want to do what we do, and don’t get the opportunity to do it, but I think actors have rights as well.

GL: There’s often a pressure on set — there is a pressure of time, pressure of people, the rest of the crew trying to get their job done. I think it’s to our detriment sometimes, [but] you often just say, ‘‘Yeah, I’ll do anything you want me to do.’’ Also, halfway through that sentence, I was like, ‘‘I’m not being interviewed, I’m the interviewer.’’

BH: [Laughs] It’s also a kind of conversation.

GL: No, I’m gonna take the opportunity to hold you to account. Because I’m taking this very seriously, I made notes. Let’s start with the most important question I think people really want to know. What was your first impression of me when I walked into that room back in 2017?

BH: I was expecting a Welsh man, based upon the name. The accent wasn’t what I expected.

GL: Do you want to explain that little insult to the readers?

BH: Gwil is Welsh but was raised in Sutton Coldfield, in Birmingham. So, he has a very, very, very subtle accent, but let’s face it, largely just RP.

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GL: What you’re trying to say is that I’m a phony plastic Welsh man, right?

BH: Yes, basically.

GL: Nice. So, that was the beginning of Bohemian Rhapsody. That was a big job for both of us. Do you think it has been a turning point for you?

BH: I think it probably helped the jobs I got afterwards, but there’s been a few jobs along the way. It was definitely a singular moment in my life as an actor, but not necessarily from a career perspective.

GL: Were there any particular films, series, or plays that were turning points for you?

GL: It’s hard to pinpoint whether one thing made the difference or not, isn’t it? Let’s just go back to the beginning, go back to Sherborne, Dorset.

BH: I watched a performance of Hamlet at the Tobacco Factory in Bristol, played by Jamie Ballard. And there was one moment, he mentioned ‘‘words’’...

BH: Did you know I was from Sherborne, Dorset before you read that sheet? [Laughs]

GL: ‘‘Words, words, words.’’

GL: I’ve done my own research. Also, I’m attentive, I remember things about our conversations. So, what was your childhood like? When did you get into acting?

BH: Have we ever had this conversation before?

GL: Possibly mate, I would have forgotten to be honest with you.

BH: No, I don’t think we’ve ever had.

GL: So, tell me all about your childhood.

BH: I grew up in Dorset [where] there was very little knowledge of how to get into the acting industry, and I didn’t know what drama school was [until] I started doing amateur dramatics when I was 15. The first thing I did was West Side Story, I played Riff.

Before that, I thought I was going to be a rugby legend.

GL: You wouldn’t have stood a chance, mate.

Because I was quite a successful rugby player in my days, we’ve talked before about who would have won a contest on the pitch.

Why did you pick drama? Why wasn’t it another hobby?

BH: I had broken my leg playing rugby, so

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I had a lot more time on my hands, that’s when I got into [acting]. There was also the fact that I was the only teenager and there was attractive girls at the drama club. But then, I’ve always been obsessive, almost too obsessive. We were doing the school play where I thought I was a method actor — my teacher was trying to talk to me, and I was like, ‘‘Ben isn’t my name!’’ [Laughs] I think at that age, you’re still figuring yourself out.

If you like a certain identity, you’re going to try and play that identity.

BH: Yes, exactly! There was a woman sat there who was reading more than she was watching. She had the play text in front of her, and he just smacked the book out of her hand. There was something electric about his performance, he was very alive in the moment.

GL: That’s what you get with theater that you don’t get with any other kind of medium for us. Was that what you had your mindset on when you were younger? Did you want to be a theater actor or did you also think about TV and films?

BH: I definitely watched films and TV, and I loved that. [But] I feel like I was watching films that I should like when I was 15. So, I watched The Godfather, probably when I was too young to understand, Schindler’s List...

And films I really liked at that age were movies like Fightclub. But I would have been happy doing theater my whole life.

GL: How did it go down when you told your parents, family, friends, your decision to be an actor?

BH: They were 100% supportive. But I did want to do a BTech in drama when I was 16, which they weren’t supportive of. They wanted me to do my A-Levels which I’m thankful for now.

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‘‘ I never necessarily

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GL: I didn’t know that side of things. Then, you were off to London Town, to the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Did you go [there] when you were 18?

BH: I did.

GL: I’ve always had so much respect for all the students that went straight from school because being away from school, in another city, and dealing with independence, is enough in itself without the commitment of drama school. How was that?

BH: I always wanted to go to London. Growing up in the countryside, I had a phase where I was really into basketball, and there was no basketball club in Dorset. I was like, ‘‘I would have been in the NBA if I did it in London.’’

GL: Mate, I just want to emphasize that you are too short for the NBA, but keep going.

BH: [Laughs] So, I was really excited to get to London [and] I don’t think I had a moment of being overwhelmed. I was just really thrilled. But I found the whole drama school process more stressful and very intensive.

There was almost no time to think about anything else.

GL: Was the training good?

BH: I think the game has changed a bit now [but] when I was at drama school, it wasn’t particularly encouraging. It was like, ‘‘You’re wrong until you’re right.’’ There was a lot of emphasis on breaking down the human and making a neutral being. So, still with that motive of wanting to please people, I had times where I was doing really well, and then, suddenly, I felt like I was no longer the favorite child. It took me about three years to realize I just needed to take what worked for me and exclude what didn’t. And I have no regret going, I wouldn’t have had a clue about how to actually get into the industry without having done that. That’s how I got my agent, so I wouldn’t tell an actor not to go to drama school. It is interesting to explore those different techniques and I got to meet some great friends. So, it was a nuanced experience.

GL: I think the drama school training probably had to change a little bit because

it should be more of a duty of care now for students.

BH: I think some people work better through encouragement, some people work better through someone cracking the whip, if you know what I mean.

GL: What do you respond better to?

BH: At that time, I would have said words and encouragement. Now, I think I have a slightly stronger sense of myself to be able to get a crack of the whip.

GL: So, you graduated from drama school.

How did EastEnders come about?

BH: I had the audition, but then I was waiting [for my audition] for a McDonald’s ad. I went to sign in, and the woman told me that my name wasn’t on the list, and I was really confused. Then, my agent called to tell me I got the job, and I was like, ‘‘Oh great, I don’t have to audition for this McDonald’s ad anymore.’’ That’s how it came about.

GL: How far into your career were you then?

BH: I was on the West End doing The Judas Kiss, nearly in the end [of doing it], which was the next thing I did after the Donmar Warehouse.

GL: For those that don’t know, that show is huge over here. Sometimes, when I’m out with you, you get more noticed for that than bizarrely for any of the other shows that you’ve done.

BH: I had a good time doing it. It was nice to have some sense of a work family and to be working frequently and consistently. [But] what was frustrating about working as an actor was the lack of time and preparation, so you often leave feeling slightly unfulfilled [because] you haven’t quite done what you wanted to do. And the tricky part is, I never necessarily get to a point where I’m 100% happy with anything, but I feel closer to that constant aim for perfection that’s perhaps unattainable.

GL: You were so early on in your career. You were not in a position where you needed to stay in that job, [so] it’s good that you

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recognized the time to move on. I suppose you picked out a number of creative challenges in working on something that has such time constraints and such pressure. Do you think there was anything that made you a better actor?

was definitely ambitious, but I don’t think I really knew what to expect or what I was going to get. I think my expectations were surprised quite a few times. But I do find whenever you achieve one goal, you’re happy for a moment, but then, what’s next?

BH: Camera technique because you didn’t really get to learn all those technical bits at drama school — marks, knowing when you’re blocking someone else’s lens... It was something I was nervous about when I first started, and they became second nature through the process of working on that show. People and other actors on that show were very helpful in that regard.

GL: You always want to do something different, you want to keep challenging yourself. How do you stop yourself from constantly [thinking about] that ‘‘next’’ thing which can be quite obsessive and unhealthy?

GL: You can’t really contrive those situations at drama school. Unless you’ve got tens of people on set, you can’t really understand what it’s like. Then, you did something that is really quite incredible and unusual — [leaving] a long-running soap opera like you did. Was X-Men immediately after that?

BH: It was, yeah.

GL: There could be some snobbery around soap operas and soap actors, but you managed to break that barrier and take on Hollywood. You conquered Hollywood.

BH: I wish I conquered Hollywood, but I was aware that there would be a stigma attached to being in EastEnders in the UK. I already had a US agent before I left EastEnders, so I was auditioning for a lot of US projects.

I was never expecting in a million years that [X-Men] would have been my first job coming out of EastEnders. I was absolutely over the moon and still to this day, I’m a big fan of comic book franchises.

GL: You had quite an ambitious vision. You were in EastEnders and you felt yourself possibly getting a little bit stagnant, and then you thought, ‘‘Right I’m going to get an American agent.’’ Has that evolved through your career and even as a kid? Were you like, ‘‘I want to do big Hollywood blockbuster movies and I know that I can do it’’?

BH: I don’t know if I had that level of confidence. I think coming out of drama school, I probably did EastEnders [because when] you get offered a job, you take it. I

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BH: It’s hard to avoid. It’s definitely still often present in my mind. I try to focus more on things outside of work that bring me immediate happiness, and things that I get a lot from, like hobbies, boxing, playing tennis, playing piano... [They] bring maybe smaller levels of joy, but more control.

GL: Are you interested in doing, producing, developing your own work?

BH: I’m definitely interested in that. I optioned a book and I’ve been trying to get the ball rolling on that. I think it’s a great idea, but it’s a slow process.

GL: I really want to know about The Girl Before.

I was chatting to you while you were filming it, and we played a lot of tennis during the time you were filming it.

BH: We did.

GL: You were very excited about it. I saw you animated about your work, I haven’t seen you like that in a long time. Tell us about it.

BH: Absolutely. It’s a psychological thriller based on a New York Times bestseller by J.P. Delaney that was released in 2017. It’s set across two timelines, we’re coming into the story with a woman called Jane [Gugu Mbatha-Raw] moving into this absolutely opulent, minimalist house. But you have to play by certain rules [to live in this] — you have to fill out a questionnaire, you can only bring one bag with you... Whilst [Jane] is there, she learns fairly early on that the previous tenant actually died in her house three years ago, and then, we, as an audience, go into finding out what happened through Jane’s eyes.

GL: I get the impression that there is a lot of spoilers that you can’t really reveal here.

BH: I would simply say, ‘‘What do you want to do?’’ [...] ‘‘Ok, now do it.’’

BH: It was very vague but that’s the best I can offer.

GL: Is there one part that you’ve played that you’re like, ‘‘I’m really super proud of that’’?

GL: What was it like for you playing that character?

BH: I don’t want to say just one. I’m really proud of the film that we were in together, Bohemian Rhapsody. I was definitely really proud of the whole experience and being part of that. But I know that the most challenging work I’ve had to do as an actor was in The Girl Before. I definitely took the work seriously and I gave it my whole.

BH: It was really interesting. My character [Simon] is obsessed with his girlfriend — the girl before who died three years ago — that was a kind of obsessive, toxic love. She’s his everything and she kind of validates his very existence. He pretends to play an alpha male, within his own relationship, with his friends, but especially with his partner.

Even though it seems like he’s a beta, he can’t really accept that.

GL: Was it a challenging role for you?

BH: My character had a very interesting arc, there was a lot for me to really get my teeth stuck into. I never really had done a four-part miniseries, so it was nice to have so much material to work with. And my character gets to play across both timelines, so I’ve got to play this three-year age gap and really see that progression. God bless the costume, hair and makeup team. I’m also just thankful for the experience because we were shooting it during lockdown and as lockdown was ending, so it was really nice to just be working during that time, and working on great scripts, with great people.

GL: Any piece of advice that you would give to little Ben Hardy in Sherborne, Dorset?

GL: You were fully immersed in that job, possibly too immersed, which is why I’m so excited to see it. I’d see you when you came back from Bristol, and we would always play tennis. You were possibly too distracted which is why I kicked your ass.

BH: Oh, here we go. That’s the only reason.

GL: That’s gonna be my last question — who would win a game of tennis between me and you?

BH: The odds are 60% on you, 40% on me. I’ll give you that.

GL: Dude, that’s it. Thanks man, it’s been really nice talking to you. You kind of answered the questions, it’s beautiful.

BH: Yeah, maybe we could have talked more about you.

GL: It’s not about me, it’s all about you.

‘‘I do find whenever you achieve one goal, you’re happy for a moment, but then, what ’s next ? ’’ ben hardy

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F reya A llan AND JEREMY IRVINE REMINISCE ABOUT BERLIN AND COMPARE VIEWS ON ACTING Interview by Jeremy Irvine Photos by Pip Bourdillon Styling by Holly White at The Wall Group Makeup by Francesca Brazzo at The Wall Group Hair by Carlos Ferraz at Carol Hayes Management Photography assistant Kevin Brown Stylist assistant Zuli Alao Location Holmes Hotel London Production Jasmine Perrier at Studio J•T•P

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E FIRST CAUGHT UP WITH FREYA ALLAN AT HOLMES HOTEL LONDON IN SEPTEMBER, ALMOST TWO YEARS AFTER SHE TOOK OVER THE WORLD WITH HER ROLE AS PRINCESS CIRILLA “CIRI” IN NETFLIX’S

GLOBAL PHENOMENON THE WITCHER. BUT IN A WAY, SHE FELT COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ABOUT SEASON 2 COMING OUT. AS AN ASPIRING ACTOR, THE OXFORD NATIVE WAS ALREADY PROVING HERSELF TO BE DETERMINED AND FEARLESS, AS DOES HER ON-SCREEN CHARACTER. NOW AT 20 YEARS OLD, HER INTEREST IN PERFORMING HAS ONLY GROWN STRONGER. WITH THE WITCHER ALREADY RENEWED FOR A THIRD SEASON, THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING FOR THE RISING ACTRESS AND THERE IS MORE SHE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO BOTH IN THE SHOW AND BEYOND THE FANTASY WORLD.

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few days before the release of The Witcher’s season two, Freya Allan was staying at the Corinthia in London. From there, she reconnected with Jeremy Irvine, with whom she filmed a horror thriller, Baghead, earlier this fall in Berlin. Until we get to see the actress confronting an evil entity that is connected to her family’s past, she tells her Baghead co-star what changed for her between seasons of The Witcher, her ultimate dream project, and the mission statement she is looking to craft to guide her career.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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JEREMY IRVINE: Hey!

FA: [Laughs] No way am I doing that Jeremy!

FREYA ALLAN: Hello, you bold human being.

Where is your beard?

JI: Let’s see. Well, maybe I will ask you how it was like working with me and you say, ‘‘I suspect Jeremy had gonorrhea.’’

JI: I know.

FA: Imagine if I said that about Henry [Cavill]. My lord.

FA: It’s crazy, you look 10 times younger.

JI: [Laughs] I’ll take that as a compliment.

Where are you?

FA: I’m in the Corinthia.

JI: You’re in town, right? We could have done this in person.

FA: Opposite [the Corinthia], there is a thing called Kit Kat Club. So, I came back from Berlin and instantly walked out the door. I was like, ‘‘It’s followed me here.’’

JI: That’s amazing. I miss it. We had too much of a good thing.

FA: Yeah [laughs].

JI: So Freya, you’re here for a tough time, mate. I’m asking the big questions here.

Where do we start? How is the press tour, when did it start?

FA: Two weeks ago, I’ve had a week break, and now, and I’m just doing two days.

JI: We’ve already spoken about it on set, but do you enjoy press?

FA: I don’t know, it’s a bit weird just talking about yourself all day [and] being asked the exact same questions over and over again.

But when we put games in, like the games of words, then maybe it will be funnier. To be fair though, I’ve been doing some interviews with Kim [Bodnia] who plays Vesemir in The Witcher — [he is one of those people] in interviews you could just listen to and it’s hysterical because they are them.

JI: We’re going to try and make it as fun for you as possible. Shall I give you a word?

JI: Alright then, that’s your challenge. I think it will make the interview a lot more fun.

So, tell me: how did you get into acting?

Because you were quite young, weren’t you?

FA: Yes, I was 14 and I always liked it growing up. But when I joined secondary school, they had an amazing drama department and I was obsessed with being in a musical theater show, like Matilda. But then, I was very ironically too tall at that point. So, I was like, ‘‘I can’t do any of these musicals until I’m an adult [because] as a kid I can’t do that anymore.’’ So, I [searched] how to get into TV and film, and tried to find an agent.

Obviously, I had nothing to show them, but I listed every single school play I’d been in.

It’s ridiculous, I remember I genuinely put ‘‘mushroom number 3.’’ Then, they asked to have videos, so I sent some videos of me doing performances and some random monologues that I prepared with my dad.

JI: You took that upon yourself to get after it.

FA: Yeah. I just told my parents, ‘‘Oh, by the way, I’ve emailed these agents.’’ Then, they were like, ‘‘Come and meet us in London.’’ I went there and [that’s how] I had an agent.

JI: Nice. I made up credits when I was trying to get my first agent.

FA: Did you? Clever!

JI: I filmed stuff and then told them it was professional work. [But] obviously, they saw through it, it was so bad [laughs].

FA: How old were you when you got your agent?

FA: Oh yeah, give me a word.

JI: I would have been 19, so I was older than you.

JI: Alright, if you can get ‘‘gonorrhea’’ into this interview, then you win [laughs].

FA: Because I was 14, I had a bit of an excuse to have not done work. It’s like I really could

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get away with the fact that I had just done school plays, because I’d only been in school.

JI: I guess at this age, if you have a bad day, you can [also] probably mess up, misbehave a bit, and get away with it.

FA: I’m trying to remember what it was like. I don’t think I misbehaved because I think when I had a job, I just wanted to do well and please everyone. But it was more emotional breakdowns that were allowed, [when] there were times where the pressure hit and I’d suddenly be feeling stressed out about it. I remember a few memories where I was overtired. You have more that excuse when you’re at that age.

JI: That pressure must have been tough at 14 [because] that’s a lot. I remember the first time going onto a film set, driving, and seeing all the trailers, and all the people. I was like, ‘‘Oh my god, there is thousands of people here, and they are all here for me to do that thing in front of a camera.’’ Were you aware of that or did you just try not to think about that? How did you get over that?

FA: I think I was quite aware of it. I, unlike you, wasn’t just thrown into a massive movie straight as my first thing. I did two short films, and then I did two small TV roles. But it doesn’t make any difference because at that age, any job was massive in my head, whether it was a tiny role on a TV show or whatever. But still, I guess the crew was a bit smaller, so there was less of that whole thing and there was less of that entourage situation. Oh, and did I ever tell you about this role [attached to one of the short films]? I played a Christmas tree — I had to be put in a cardboard Christmas tree outfit, and they genuinely in the scene put me on top of a car, tied me up, and drove off with me on the top of the car, as the Christmas tree. That’s a highlight.

JI: You know, we’ve all got to do [that kind of thing] once to get to the good ones [laughs].

But hey, then you got The Witcher, which obviously is what we are talking about today — you were 16 [when you started The Witcher], am I right?

FA: Yeah.

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JI: 16 is quite a young age to be in something that is a global phenomenon. Was there a point where you suddenly went, ""People are gonna recognize me now.’’

FA: Maybe when I got the role, I could see that there was so many fans over here already [because] there was already versions of it. I remember when I got the role thinking, ‘‘Oh, when this comes out, I might get recognized from this kind of show.’’ But I think I don’t get recognized too much.

JI: Here is the funny thing. I always find you get recognized a lot when your thing is coming out, and then it slightly [slows down until the next project].

FA: Yeah, that’s what I would imagine. But I think what happened with me in season 1, they made me look a lot different to myself because I had bleached eyebrows, I had white paste over my face, lots of dust...

JI: I thought the pasty, dirty thing was natural [laughs].

FA: [Laughs] But the point is, it came out and I also had grown up a bit as an adult.

So, I really didn’t even have particularly a wave when it came out. Do you know what I mean? We’ll see what happens with season 2 [because] I look a lot more my age and a lot more myself, and I’m in it more, so maybe there will be a change.

JI: For the readers of this who don’t know that story, you and I were out [in Berlin], and when I get drunk, I feel the need to just make friends with everyone. I went, ‘‘You know what guys? Come for a drink with us, we’re going to this bar,’’ and I spent the whole night with one of your fans.

FA: That was hysterical [laughs]. I barely spoke to them. You suddenly befriended them before me and Ruby [Barker] have gone off already. [You were] behind with the guy and were stuck with [him] all night.

JI: I was. He was a mechanical engineer.

FA: So glad that was you rather than me. [laughs].

JI: I should probably go back to the questions

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I’m supposed to ask. So, you got into it because you liked musical theater. And you were singing all the time on set, so it’s obviously a passion of yours. You said to me once that your dream role would be to do one of those big Disney films.

FA: [Laughs] Ok, let’s clarify it. When I’m not doing The Witcher, I get excited most by the scripts that are very real, you know?

Because The Witcher is a fantasy show, and even the film we shot was a horror film. So, those scripts which are rooted in reality are what I want to be doing, but obviously, that’s not very specific. Other than that, yes I would absolutely love to be Rapunzel in Tangled, hands down. I even told my agents, ‘‘Please keep an eye out because that would just be so great.’’

JI: [Laughs] I can definitely see you doing that. But I think you’re right, it’s two different skills, isn’t it? It’s a different thing when you’re talking to goblins.

FA: I think it’s a challenge [because] you always have to consider something else, beyond reality.

readers of this who don’t know how filming big TV series works, you sign up for several seasons, which you’ve done, but you have a very brief period of time in between filming seasons to find other work. In your time off in between filming The Witcher, what things are you looking for?

FA: I think different roles, something I haven’t done or explored is obviously immediately exciting. But also, just a good script is a relief to see, you know?

JI: Possibly. One of my least favorite interview questions is when people go, ‘‘What are you looking for?’’ and I go, ‘‘A good script.’’

FA: Exactly. How do you know what you’re looking for until it comes along?

Because I could say, ‘‘I’m looking to play a psychopath,’’ but there’s some script that comes along that has a psychopath in it and it’s absolutely bad. And it’s also the people involved. On [Baghead], we got on so well as actors, that became a highlight of the job. So, I think it’s always important to remember the fun side of it as well as just the work aspect. So, if you’ve got people that you can do that with, then that’s great.

JI: It’s much harder.

FA: Reality is already hard enough to comprehend, let alone then also having to imagine all this. It’s a lot to mentally deal with. [But] it’d be so fun to read for Rapunzel.

You’ve done Mamma Mia 2, so just going onto set and being able to sing and dance, it would be a lot of fun for me. I know for you the singing thing is your dread.

JI: Yeah, singing in front of people is not my favorite thing to do [laughs].

FA: Actually, I remember in secondary school that out of singing, dancing, and acting, singing was the one thing which made me so nervous to do in front of people. I haven’t even done singing lessons for a while now, but it’s so weird how you notice your voice improved just because you’re singing every day. I’m not anxious to sing in front of people anymore. I’m trying to sell myself here.

JI: You’re brilliant and absolutely right for Rapunzel. [I can recommend] you any day.

So, obviously, [The Witcher] happened. For

JI: But you’re right, it’s such a difficult thing.

I don’t like horror but I chose the horror movie that we did because the script and the idea were interesting. I think even up to the very highest level, it’s still a fight amongst actors for those really good roles because there’s only a handful of great roles each year. Another thing we spoke about is the difference between a successful actor and a happy actor. What is your view on that?

FA: From my point of view, this is my personal opinion, [you have] the actors who go from job to job, and I understand that because we do a very addictive job. But I personally find that you’re always better if you’ve had a bit of time to actually live life as yourself. For me, especially as I started so young, I think I can’t quite understand how actors are able to embody other characters if they’ve never lived a life as themselves. I’ve found myself over the past couple of years [gathering] these emotions, sensations in my actor’s toolbox. Those memories give you great empathy. For me, it’s really important.

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‘‘When I’m not doing The Witcher, I get excited most

by the scripts that are very real [...] those scripts which are rooted in reality are what I want to be doing, but obviously, that ’s not very specific. Other than that, yes I would absolutely love to be Rapunzel in Tangled, hands down ’’

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JI: You sort of have to be the audience to then be the actor.

FA: I do actually have in my notes a thing with quotes [like] quotes of friends, something ridiculous, very rude... Ruby [Barker] had it as well. Some of them are great things that you can anecdote to whatever script you have to write or role you have to play.

You know what? I have a quote from you in there. And I think you know which one it is.

JI: About seeing a lot of naked German people? For the readers, we thought we had a night out, I took us to the wrong place. It was eye-opening, definitely [laughs]. Ok, I’m gonna [go back to] some questions about The Witcher. While you were auditioning for this role, did you know the following it had?

FA: Yes, because I googled ‘‘The Witcher.’’

It was clearly obvious that the game was very popular and from the images of the game that you see online, it looked very fantastical and epic. [I learned that] it was also a book series. Also, Game of Thrones had just ended, so I was thinking, ‘‘The fantasy space is so open for people to get in there now.’’

JI: I think it’s awesome to join a franchise [because] you know that people are gonna see it. And you don’t always know that — you might work on something for six months and no one might see it.

FA: I knew that people would watch it because there was too much anticipation, but still, [as we were] getting to that point where it was gonna be coming out soon, I definitely thought at some point, ‘‘It could flop completely, I don’t know if we do well.’’

JI: I hear your character Ciri’s story is gonna be more center stage in season 2. Are you allowed to tease anything? What is she up to?

FA: Pretty much all her lines [during season 1] were, ‘‘I’m looking for Geralt of Rivia.’’

That’s pretty much all I had [along with] running through forest — typical damsel in distress kind of vibe. This season, she has finally found Geralt [Henry Cavill], thank God, so I don’t need to keep saying that line.

And they’re trying to navigate each other

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because she’s got a lot of secrets and she is also finding out that her entire family lied to her. She also does possess this power.

So, there is a lot with what she is trying to deal with, it’s almost like a bit of an identity crisis situation. And everyone is wanting her: number one for her power, number two because she’s the princess. But then, she decides that she’s gonna become a Witcher and a great fighter, like Geralt or all the other guys. She goes to the Kaer Morhen which is this castle with Witchers in. It was a lot of fun, being the only girl amongst these 6’2 men, as myself and also as Ciri.

JI: Did you enjoy learning the stage fights?

FA: Yes, I absolutely loved it. [I don’t know if you were there] when I did a certain stunt for Baghead, but that was so much fun.

When people ask, ‘‘How do you do stuff with everyone watching?’’ I think that is what feeds you. [For that stunt], it was the fact that everybody was there, that I was like, ‘‘Ok, I better not be a wimp here, I’ve got to do it, I better ace this.’’

JI: I love learning fights but if you’ve got a fight that is 50 moves, you learn that and you have to get it also precisely. It’s crazy.

FA: Unluckily for this season — I say that because that’s all I wanted to do — I didn’t ever have something where there was like 50 moves. I kept saying to them, ‘‘Can I just kill this person? Can I just kill that monster?’’

But they were like, ‘‘You have to make it realistic that she is just starting learning, so she won’t be killing everyone right now.’’

But also, like you said, there’s potentially a lot of seasons, so you have to spread it out so it’s not all used up in one season. So, it was more based on Ciri’s training. And I think once they teach you the basic sword work, then it’s a lot easier to learn it. Also, I did dance at school, so that’s helpful.

JI: Walking around with a sword on set, what’s better?

FA: I know. I can’t wait for another season and actually get a proper sword. Because this season, I had a wooden sword. I remember them presenting it to me, they were like, ‘‘This is your sword for Ciri.’’ And I was like, ‘‘Why is it made of a stick?’’ [Laughs]

JI: This is a very interview question, but is there anything that you’ve learned from Ciri?

FA: I think a lot of her traits that are admirable, have always been in me. She uses her voice, she is very determined, and I’m the same. But I suppose when you play a character of this sort, quite a cool character and loved by a lot of people, you carry it with you subconsciously through your own life.

This sounds really bizarre, but I remember when I went to secondary school, if I was going somewhere new or to an audition, I felt secure being in my uniform because I was so proud of the school I went to. The fact that you’re in a show that you are proud of, or you play a character that you’re proud of, it’s the same thing that subconsciously you’ve always got as a safety blanket.

JI: It must be hell to be in a show that goes on year after year and not like it. Can you imagine?

FA: And [The Witcher] only seems to get better, I read a couple of the scripts for season 3, and it’s better. It’s more fighting.

It’s not like it’s getting boring.

JI: [There is something] I find with film — you shoot a film for 6-8 weeks and when you finish, just as you’re finishing it, you’re like, ‘‘Now I know the character I’m playing.’’

Whereas with a show, you get the time to live it and [as you go] into a third season, you must know what you’re doing, hopefully.

FA: Exactly. It’s weird [because] I’ve always been similar to Ciri, I’ve never been like I had to really dig somewhere inside me to find some connection to the character. It’s also exciting to imagine that if we reach the end, that I’ll be able to see me growing up.

JI: That’s cool. It makes me think of the Harry Potter guys.

FA: Actually, that was an interesting phase for me. Before season 1, I would always enjoy the idea of staying a kid. I had the maturity of being 16, being older, but I still didn’t want to be a woman. [After making season 1] I guess I grew up, maybe it was because I was around adults every day. And then, I weirdly felt really anxious after filming

season 1 about it coming out because I was suddenly older, or whatever.

JI: Because you wanted at that point to be something else you weren’t playing.

FA: I think I found it scary because it’s that weird thing where you come into yourself as an adult, while also being shown on a TV show. But that’s what is nice about season 2 because I feel completely different about it. I’m very excited about it coming out.

JI: I can’t wait to watch. I’m sure it’s gonna be brilliant. Moving away from acting, how do we, as Jeremy and Freya, stop people from being grumpy?

FA: When I’m grumpy, I usually sleep or eat.

If you feel down, it’s also always quite nice to actually genuinely watch a movie or TV show because that escapes your mind from whatever you’re thinking about. Or put on some great music and then you can’t help yourself but dance.

JI: Love it. I think that’s great advice. Mine would be exercise, the boring answer.

FA: That’s not the best one for me because I don’t do that smuch.

JI: I remember asking you if you wanted to work out together on the job, and you went, ‘‘Absolutely not.’’ [Laughs] By the way, you lost, you didn’t manage to get ‘‘gonorrhea’’ into that interview.

FA: Oh, into this interview? I thought you were telling me to get it into another interview.

JI: Yes, I thought you could try and get it into this one. I’ll give you a chance to do that. What was it like working with Jeremy Irvine? [Laughs] FA: Oh, he had the stench of gonorrhea. You know when you’ve got the vibe of someone who clearly has gonorrhea, that was Jeremy [laughs].

JI: I feel like it’s time for us to end it. Thank you, Freya.

FA: Thank you so much, Jeremy. That was amazing.

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‘‘ For me, especially as I started so young, I think I can’t

quite understand how actors are able to embody other characters if they’ve never lived a life as themselves. I’ve found myself over the past couple of years [gathering] these emotions, sensations in my actor’s toolbox. Those memories give you great empathy’’ freya allan

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