Fabian Penje X Odalisque

I want to have that feeling of being way in over my head! I feel like you need that to move forward.

photography Gustav Svante Larsson

fashion & text Lejla Plima

knitted sweater & shirt HOPE

jeans ADNYM

hat Helly Hansen

shirt ADNYM

pants Beyond Retro Stockholm

shoes Vagabond

jewelry OCC

knit cardigan Core Rd Knitting Co

jeans MADH

During my conversation with Fabian Penje, several things seemed to linger, but this sentence has stayed with me ever since we met at the small café Beck on Tjärhovsgatan in Stockholm. Fabian, best known for his roles in Young Royals and Blindspår, sips carefully on a decaf coffee as I open my laptop on the small café table. We take a moment to laugh about something trivial before diving straight in. After all, we’re here to talk about his career, his style, and his dream of directing.

L: I want to start at the beginning! Your career started on the stage at Dramaten, tell me about that.

F: Yeah, I was really young when I was thrown into life at Dramaten. It was a big role in a big production, as Alexander in Fanny & Alexander. We rehearsed for a year before theproduction began, and in many ways I grew up in the corners of that theater. I came to know that building over time, and eventually I grew really fond of the stage and all my memories there. I’m really happy that I got that traditional theater-schooling, it still shapes me as an actor today.

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L: What was that like, being so young and working while your classmates weren’t?

F: I definitely had a lot of social anxiety about school, and acting became a kind of escape from that. I’ve always gravitated more toward adults, and Dramaten was probably the first place where I felt understood. It all kind of happened at once, I found myself in theatre, while losing myself a little in school.

L: How would you say you “found yourself”?

F: Dramaten opened the doors to the art world for me, and very quickly Ingmar Bergman became a huge inspiration. It was through his world that I discovered what theatre could really be.

L: How would you describe your relationship to fashion back then, as a kid?

F: I grew up in Sollentuna outside of Stockholm, where the aesthetic was pretty posh. Fashion to me then was just guys walking around in polos and chinos haha. It wasn’t until theatre, when I got to dress up for roles, that I understood clothing as an expression. That’s when it became something meaningful to me.

L: And how did that interest in fashion evolve after your Fanny & Alexander-days?

F: The big shift came when I started school at Södra Latin. That place was like a hub, the students had this unique sense of style I hadn’t really been involved in before. It was an immediate hard switch for me. Within six months, I went from a regular guy to a poster child for the Södermalm, theatre-kid aesthetic

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shoes Vagabond

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jewelry OCC

L: How would you describe that “theatre style”?

F: I think the style in our circles at Södra Latin was a little try-hard at first. You kind of wanted to dress as a french philosopher so it was a lot of black. But eventually it became more ironic and I started mixing in street-style. I drew a lot of inspiration from Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar and Tyler the Creator. And I still do! I think that fashion is the purest form of expression, you can change how people see you when you walk into a room with a good outfit.

L:Do you have an outfit like that? One that lets you take the room!

F: (Laughs) I like that philosophy. It varies, of course, but my statement pieces are a vintage black leather jacket, a vintage Helly Hansen cap, and an orange beanie that somehow has become a symbol that my friends recognize me by. I think it’s important to have those you know? Statement pieces for your own character in life.

L: Do you notice a difference in how you dress depending on whether you walk into a room as an actor or as a director?

F: I always want to feel confident and strong, since both roles are very exposing. As a director, I think I lean towards comfort. Everything moves really fast and it makes it easier tostay focused on what’s in front of you! I would never wear anything that feels overstimulating. As an actor, I think I get there in my usual pieces, and then the stylist’s work becomes the most important! The clothes they choose help me find the character, so it means a lot.

L: How does it feel to explore directing at such a young age?

F: I think that to be a director, you need a deep understanding of people. It takes experience and a good sense of why people think and act the way they do. At the end of the day it’s pure psychology and in turn dramaturgy. So in theory, it’s something that would make more sense to do later in life. But directing is also about our present moment as a society. About reflecting the times we live in. So in that way I think it’s important for young people to step in and show our perspective. Our generation is shaping pop culture, and everything we do leaves a mark. We have to make space for that, even if it means taking on a big labour of work like directing. And honestly no generation has as many opinions as we do. So I think we need to express them, doesn’t matter if it turns out good or bad!

L: Do you have any projects in the works right now?

F: Yes! Lately I’ve felt this cultural shift happening in Stockholm, in all categories but especially in theatre. New collectives have been emerging of people who love the art form of theatre and want to protect it by creating their own productions. It’s inspiring, so a few months ago when I was asked to join the theatre collective Rostvit in their production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, I said yes immediately.

L: That’s exciting! When can people see it? And what about your directing projects?

F: We premiere on December 22nd at Orionteatern! As for directing, it’s still taking shape and I’m still finding my place. I’m not sure where I’ll land, but I’m dreaming of directing a longer project soon. I want to have that feeling of being way in over my head. I feel like you need that to move forward.

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L: Have you always been drawn to directing?

F: Yes, always. Directing has been a part of my life since I was a kid. I used to plan these games when I was little in school. I assigned roles to all my friends and then we played it out for hours. And then I think it was when the first iPhone came out that I realized we could actually make films that other people would see. So in some way, I’ve always seen myself as a director.

L: Is the goal to move fully into directing now, and to leave acting behind?

F: The goal has always been to direct, but no! I love acting and always will. Comparing film and theatre feels kind of pointless, like comparing two different art forms. I don’t really believe in choosing one thing. People say a good artist should have as broad a palette as possible, and that’s how I think about it. I want to have as wide a frame of reference as I can. That’s always been my mantra, from work to music and literature. I don’t like labels or being boxed in. But people in this industry love boxes because it helps them understand you. Creativity, for me, is something more spiritual than that.