Cinema – Odalisque

Future Perfect – An Interview With Lou Llobell

Kaat Van Der Linden / May 21, 2026

photography & direction Doma Dovgialo / Octopus Inc fashion Fara Jane hair Shanice Noel using Amika Haircare / Stella Creative Artists makeup Min Sandhu using Lancome DOP & Edit Awais Nouman in-House Production Andressa Claas special thanks The Mandrake Hotel BTS Pavel post-production Maria lighting Ed Davies fashion assistants Rachel Pereira and Kenya J. total look H&M gloves Dents Gloves earrings Claudia Pink Future Perfect – An Interview With Lou Llobell text Maya Avram Lou Llobell’s career is a reflection of her open mind. Taking off in the crux of the pandemic, it wasn’t long before she landed the role of Gaal Dornick, math genius and galaxy saviour in Apple TV’s Foundation. Harnessing her own tenacity to bring the character to life, she developed her onscreen alias from what was meant to be a minor role into lead four seasons running. Her quest for finding the truth, the throughline that connects her person to her characters, is what makes her so engrossing as a genre actor. Now, with the release of her new horror film Passenger, she talks about her process of stepping into character, the importance of onscreen representation and hopes for the future. Maya Avram: You’re on set for the new season of Foundation. Can you share anything about what we can expect to see? Lou Llobell: Not too much, just that things get more exciting. The way the characters and storyline evolve is going to be really satisfying for viewers, especially after how season three ended. I think people are going to love it. total look Zhivago boots Izie MA: Originally based on Isaac Asimov’s novel of the same name, would you say that the series still carries the weight of being a book adaptation, or has it got a life of its own? LL: I think we’re past that point now, which is really nice. The throughlines between the book and the series are still there, but we’ve been able to adapt the story and evolve it into a standalone piece that is relevant to the world we live in and society as it is today, not just as it was in the ‘40s. It keeps getting better and better. MA: Foundation is set thousands of years in the future, and follows the familiar sci-fi trope where societal constructs like race and class are not really mentioned, suggesting that society has moved beyond them. As a person of colour, how do you still express yourself authentically and stay true to your identity when that context is taken out? LL: With every project I do, I want to be able to be myself and have it be the essence of whoever I portray. At the same time, I don’t want it to be the be-all and end-all of why my characters are the way they are. Passenger is really great because my co-star Jacob [Scipio] and I are both people of colour, but that doesn’t change anything about the script — these characters could have been played by anyone. But the fact that we are both POC and our characters find themselves in nomadic camps, Middle America, with mostly white people around them… Even though the threat isn’t spoken, you can sense it. It’s not the focal point of the film, but it does create a subtle tension that is great. It’s the same with Foundation; anyone could have played Gaal, but my doing it adds something to the story. My identity is inherent to my work, sometimes intentionally and other times not, because that’s just life. As a person of colour, that lens is how we’re viewed and seen, so we can’t ignore it, but we don’t have to focus too much on it either. total look Agro Studio ring Alexis Bittar MA: Speaking of Passenger, the film marks your foray into horror, a new genre than your sci-fi credits. How have you found the experience? LL: I didn’t necessarily look out to do sci-fi; it just sort of happened that way, and I do find joy in mining the truth in something so genre-heavy. I guess horror has a similar essence, and that’s why I enjoyed it; the fact that I could still find the same kind of truth in who my character is and what is happening to her. MA: What was that truth? LL: As women, we have all experienced that eerie feeling when we’re walking in a dark parking lot. We are on the defensive, we are protective, and have an intuitive inkling where you ask yourself, ‘Am I going crazy? Am I just seeing things?’ A threat that maybe isn’t a threat. It was interesting to work on Passenger because I didn’t realise until I started shooting that I’ve felt this way before. Not in a ‘highway demon is haunting me’ kind of way, but when you try to cover up feeling weird about something because you don’t want people to think you’re nuts or seeing things. You suppress that feeling even though your instincts are correct. Then, in Foundation, I find truth in my character saving the galaxy. That latter part is obviously not relatable, but the way I see it, it relates to the things we can do to try to better the society we live in, you know? total look Hector McLean shoes Izie total look Dior stockings Calzedonia jewellery Dower & Hall MA: What about new experiences you haven’t had in real life? How do you find truth then? LL: I’ve done a lot of that on Foundation, but not to the extent that I did on Passenger. It’s a different ballgame trying to portray that you’re about to die. It triggers your body, and your body forgets that you’re acting — it just stops connecting to your mind. MA: Zendaya previously said that filming Euphoria is physically taxing because her body doesn’t know she’s only acting as an addict. LL: That’s exactly what happened to me, and

Cinema, Uncategorized

Aggy K. Adams on Channelling ‘Chaos’ and Learning to Let Go of Control

Kaat Van Der Linden / May 5, 2026

Aggy K. Adams on Channelling ‘Chaos’ and Learning to Let Go of Control “There’s nothing better than putting your lived experience into an art form” photography Jason Jude talent Aggy K. Adams / CLD Communications Ltd fashion Rachel Davis / ONE REPRESENTS makeup Dani Guinsberg fashion assistant Lauren Glazer production Ignas Kelpsas suit Bella Freud shirt Rejina tie Bella Freud PYO @Couveture & the Garbstore shoes Burberry ring Ruha suit Bella Freud shirt Rejina tie Bella Freud PYO @Couveture & the Garbstore shoes Burberry ring Ruha shirt Rejina tie Bella Freud suit trousers Bella Freud socks Missoni ring Ruha With several shorts and featured roles under her belt, Polish-born British actress Aggy K. Adams joined Netflix’s hit drama series The Witcher (2019) for its third season in 2023 and is on a booming career trajectory, pursuing independent film. In conversation with ODALISQUE, Adams breaks down the early stages of her acting career, how she got into character for The Witcher, and tells us about her upcoming indie film debut. Ella Nelson: When did you first realise you wanted to pursue acting as a career, or has being an actor always been the goal? Aggy K. Adams: The first thought of acting came to me as an impulse – I must’ve been around 10 years old, and I did some acting classes, which I really loved. I remember receiving a lot of praise from my teacher and classmates, too, which made me feel that I was good at it. Realising later on in life that I wanted to pursue it as a career has always been a negotiation between that pure moment of love, joy and creativity, and crippling doubts in my mind. I am learning that perhaps one wouldn’t exist without the other. EN: That can be a hard balance to navigate. Was there someone in particular whom you looked up to when it came to acting while you were growing up? AA: I remember watching Julia Stiles in Save the Last Dance and Angelina Jolie in Girl, Interrupted. I really looked up to them both, especially Angelina. She had that sensitivity and rawness I was mesmerised by. For example, in that intro scene where she rules the psych ward – I just couldn’t look away. EN: You trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. Did you have any drama or acting experience prior to attending? What were those early experiences like? AA: I had very little experience at that time. Whatever I heard from teachers when I was 18-19 years old, I took it extremely seriously and as ‘the truth’. I didn’t realise at the time that teachers are also humans with their own journeys and flaws. I was lucky to work with great teachers at Central, but also not so lucky later on with other ones. EN: Great teachers can truly have such an impact! Was there a particular teacher, moment, or lesson that left a lasting impression on you – something you still carry with you in your work today? AA: The person who helped me the most with confidence and craft was Alexa Lipworth, who runs an English-speaking theatre company in Paris called ‘Acting Ensemble’. I spent a lot of time in Paris training with her during and after COVID. She dug me out of the hole of insecurity that previous teachers helped me enter. She is busy directing plays now, but we still work together when we can. EN: You’ve worked in both film and TV. How do you approach these two formats as an actor? Do you find your process changes between them? AA: I have been lucky enough to work in TV for the last four or five years, and this year I wanted to focus more on independent film. The approach between film and TV is very different. In film, I feel a lot more agency and co-creation. The formats and scripts are shorter; I can approach them more with the entire context in mind and then try to work out how best my character can serve the story. TV is a much longer process, often without a single visionary, and the scripts and episodes are always changing. I feel ready to take on a new TV show now though, and I have read some incredible scripts recently! cardigan Toga skirt Ray Chu pulla @Couveture & the Garbstore dress Milo Maria shirt A Jane tights Tabio boots Huishan Zhang EN: In 2023, you joined the cast of The Witcher as Iskra – an elven member of the notorious gang of teenage fugitives known as The Rats – for the series’ third season. What was it like joining a show that already had so much momentum and such an established fanbase? AA: It was tricky at times because there was a lot of attention on us already. But that pressure came with some benefits, and doors have opened as a result. EN: How did you prepare for the role of Iskra? AA: She was a great character to prepare – very physical! Firstly, training how to fight with the Wakizashi (shorter Katana) sword was a very thrilling and challenging experience too. The prosthetics, hair and costume were a large part of the preparation for an elf character in the fantasy world. Shoutout to the incredible Megan Thomas, who did my hair, makeup and ears every day! EN: Was there a particular aspect of her character you were especially drawn to explore? And in what ways, if any, do you see yourself reflected in Iskra, and vice versa? AA: I wanted to make Iskra a little like a Harley Quinn character. I’ve worked towards complex, unpredictable and chaotic energy, high intellect and emotional instability. I definitely have some chaos in me, so it was about tapping into it and bringing it out to the surface. She is also bubbly, fun-loving and witty – that, I say, we share somewhere too.

Cinema, Uncategorized

The Art of Pretending – Mecenaten by Julia Thelin

Kaat Van Der Linden / April 30, 2026

image courtesy TriArt Film image courtesy TriArt Film photography Johan Hannu The Art of Pretending – Mecenaten by Julia Thelin text Kaat Van Der Linden In October 2024, a small film crew gathered on Gotland to create something both dark and strangely beautiful. Working in Visby, the cast and crew relied on each other completely, the isolation shaping not only the production but the emotional temperature of the film itself. As the cinema release approached on March 20th, director Julia Thelin and actors Carla Sehn and Maxwell Cunningham reflected on the experience: the strange intimacy of the shoot, the trust it demanded, and what they hope audiences carry with them after watching Mecenaten. Thelin has spent more than seven years shaping Mecenaten into the film she wanted it to be. Cunningham and Sehn joined the project in 2023, after an audition process that was anything but conventional. “Julia wanted to see me be a bad dancer, but try anyway, and that made me feel beautifully seen.” Sehn said. “That’s a dream for me, a director who looks at me with beautiful eyes and sees me for all my mistakes.” But her audition didn’t end there. After her first tape, the team didn’t think she was the right fit as Thelin had written the character as older. Sehn, however, couldn’t shake the feeling that she belonged in this film. “I called the producer and said, ‘I think you made a mistake – I think this part is mine.’” And she was on to something, Sehn’s interpretation of the character had stuck with the team. ”It was just obvious how Carla understood something about this character that was crucial” Thelin says. photography Johan Hannu photography Johan Hannu The cast joked that the production felt less traditional and more like a crew of pirates trying to hold a ship together. “We were somewhere on the edge of the world, trying to conquer the world with no money, it felt like. So that was how I would describe it. And in those kinds of situations, you become really close, because you have to depend on each other completely in order to do these kinds of scenes.” The combination of a small team, harsh weather and the isolation created a strange sense of solidarity. According to Thelin, every film develops its own kind of DNA through collaboration, but atmosphere plays an equally important role. “I appreciate focus – you need to preserve your energy and put it in the right places,” she says. On Gotland, that atmosphere came almost effortlessly. As Cunningham put it, “It was easy to tune into the core of the film just by being there, left alone with each other.” Coming into these particular characters wasn’t easy for everyone. Cunningham explains that the hardest part was stepping into someone far more passive than himself: “What felt unfamiliar for me was to depend on other people to make decisions. I have four younger siblings, so I never hesitate to make decisions. But my character is very codependent. He’s very shy. So that was something I had to grow into.” Sehn could easily step into the loneliness her character carries – “that’s a place I know really well,” she said – though laying that loneliness bare before an audience pushed her into unfamiliar ground. The film also gave Cunningham the chance to play a type he had never been offered before: “I’ve never been asked if I could play an art student. A lot of times, you’re just cast because you look a certain way. So I’m very thankful to Julia for trusting me.” photography Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen image courtesy TriArt Film image courtesy TriArt Film Much of this intensity came from the way Thelin works. Her direction is rooted in instinct, attention and a kind of quiet precision. “These three actors are in almost every scene, and they all work very differently,” she said, describing the balance she had to maintain. What she aimed for was a mix of “focus, but also playfulness.” Many of the film’s most charged moments, the long gazes and the tension between characters, weren’t planned. “A lot of the gazing in the film is real,” says Sehn. “We were processing things she said to us in the moment itself.” In the end, they each hope the film leaves audiences with something slightly different. For Thelin, it is a kind of bittersweet release, “a sensation of being liberated by this character’s adventure with themselves, to have the audacity to take control of their own life and question all the stupid rules.” Sehn adds to that, hoping viewers feel a pushback against the people who doubt or diminish them. And Cunningham keeps it simple: “I’d love for people to have more fun… if that’s the thing they can gather from this film, just try to have more fun.”

Cinema, Uncategorized

Where Ease Begins Again: Chanel in Biarritz, Then and Now – CHANEL CRUISE 2026/27

Jahwanna Berglund / April 27, 2026

Where Ease Begins Again: Chanel in Biarritz, Then and Now – CHANEL CRUISE 2026/27 In Biarritz, time does not move in a straight line. It returns, folds, repeats itself in softer forms. The sea teaches this rhythm. It arrives, withdraws, and arrives again, always slightly changed. In 1915, Gabrielle Chanel arrived in Biarritz and established her couture house at the Villa de Larralde. It is not only a workplace but a lived space where boutiques, ateliers, and her apartment exist together. Nothing is separated. Everything flows into something else. Even then, it feels like a first sketch of what would later become 31 Rue Cambon. Before Biarritz, she had already begun to loosen fashion’s rules in Deauville and Monte Carlo. But here, something becomes clearer. The city gives her space to think differently, or perhaps she simply moves in rhythm with it. The clothes begin to change in a way that feels almost like relief. Jersey, linen, and cotton replace restrictions with ease. Garments are no longer constructed to hold the body in place but to allow it to move. Capes and dresses become lighter, more fluid, wearable across moments of the day without ceremony. Inside and outside begin to lose their boundaries. What emerges is a new language: movement as elegance, simplicity as intelligence, function as beauty. Biarritz itself mirrors this transformation. A city shaped by ocean light and artistic exchange, it becomes a meeting point for figures such as Igor Stravinsky, Jean Cocteau, and Pablo Picasso. Picasso painted The Bathers there in 1918, as if the coastline is reshaping how form is understood. The city feels open, porous, in constant exchange with what passes through it. Today, that same sense of movement returns, not as memory but as continuation. The Villa de Larralde reopens as an ephemeral space, not restored but reactivated. Chanel does not recreate its past but reenters its original idea: a place where life and creation are inseparable. In the Cruise 2026/27 teaser by Julien Martinez Leclerc, that idea becomes visual again. In black and white, model Noor Khan appears alongside dancer Kirill Sokołowski. Their movement is not performance but conversation with fabric, space, and air. This presence extends into collaboration with the Biarritz Film Festival NOUVELLES VAGUES, where film becomes another form of motion, another way of thinking about bodies and time. The Cruise 2026/27 show by Matthieu Blazy for Chanel returns to this coastline with the same question that once shaped it: what does freedom of movement mean now. What remains is simple. In Biarritz, Chanel did not just design clothing. She designed a way of being in the world that still feels in motion today. https://youtu.be/FMA3M0DReUQ?si=4Tz5tV74DTa3fShK

Cinema

98th Academy Awards: Chanel’s Cinematic Influence

Jahwanna Berglund / March 24, 2026

98th Academy Awards: Chanel’s Cinematic Influence Last Sunday, the 98th Academy Awards, affectionately known as the Oscars, once again captivated the world. Hollywood’s elite, a dazzling constellation of seasoned legends and rising stars, converged from every corner of the globe to celebrate the pinnacle of cinematic achievement. Yet, as much as this night is dedicated to honoring film, it is undeniably a grand spectacle of fashion, where stars become living canvases for the world’s most coveted designs. And when it comes to sartorial dominance, one brand consistently commands attention: Chanel. Indeed, a palpable coco fever swept through the event, with the iconic double C logo catching every discerning eye. The Academy Awards weekend is far more than a single Sunday night; it’s a multi-day celebration that begins with exclusive gatherings. A prime example is the highly anticipated CHANEL and Charles Finch Dinner, a ritual as integral to the Oscars experience as the ceremony itself. Held on March 14, 2026, at the opulent Polo Lounge of The Beverly Hills Hotel, this 17th annual dinner brought together cinema’s most luminous figures. Here, amidst the clinking of champagne glasses and hushed conversations, black tweed glided, pearls caught the candlelight like constellations, and silk moved with an effortless grace, framing the night before the red carpet flashes began. Notable attendees at this exclusive pre-Oscars event included Nicole Kidman, who graced the occasion in a Chanel Pre-Fall 2026 white knot silk organza embroidered jacket and skirt. Jessie Buckley was seen in hues of celeste blue and jade, while Teyana Taylor opted for a Chanel Fall 2026 RTW ensemble. The distinguished guest list also featured Gracie Abrams, Lily-Rose Depp, Sarah Pidgeon, Al Pacino, Jessica Biel, Mick Jagger, Maya Rudolph, Elle Fanning, and Kristen Stewart. Conspicuously absent, however, was the one and only Margot Robbie. Chanel on the 98th Academy Awards Red Carpet When the main event arrived on March 15, 2026, Chanel, under the creative direction of Matthieu Blazy, continued its sartorial reign. Celebrities adorned in Chanel showcased a spectrum of designs, from custom creations to pieces fresh off the runway. Jessie Buckley, a winner for ‘Hamnet’, captivated in a custom electric blue velvet gown with a high neckline and bedazzled shoulder brooches for her on-stage appearance. Her red carpet look was a light pink bustier chiffon gown paired with a striking red satin leather stole, evoking a mid-century couture mood. This was complemented by Chanel High Jewelry, including the N°5 Drop white gold necklace and Bouton de Camélia earrings. Nicole Kidman, a long-standing Chanel ambassador, made a statement in a custom powder pink bustier dress featuring a peplum and a skirt adorned with apricot feathers, a testament to Chanel’s exquisite craftsmanship. Her look was completed with Chanel Fine Jewelry. Teyana Taylor, a nominee, chose a custom Chanel gown entirely embroidered with glass pearls and crystals, further embellished with black and white feathers, drawing inspiration from the Chanel Spring 2026 Haute Couture collection. Pedro Pascal brought old Hollywood romance to the red carpet, foregoing a traditional tuxedo jacket for a look accented with a feather brooch, Chanel eyewear, and shoes. This demonstrated the growing momentum of Chanel menswear under Matthieu Blazy.Gracie Abrams wore a navy Chanel ensemble embroidered with navy and black sequins in a floral motif, featuring a cropped top, skirt, and a navy chiffon scarf, blending youthful modernity with old Hollywood glamour. Maya Rudolph appeared in a layered silhouette with sheer detailing, showcasing the diverse range of Chanel’s designs. The 2026 Vanity Fair Oscar Party: Chanel’s After-Party PresenceThe glamour continued into the night at the exclusive 2026 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, where Chanel once again dressed some of Hollywood’s brightest stars. Kendall Jenner was a standout in a light blue dress adorned with gradient sun sequins and multiple layers of mousseline and satin in shades of blue and white, depicting a mushroom motif. This look was completed with Tiffany & Co. jewels.Teyana Taylor transitioned into a white Chanel slip dress with elegant chain straps draping down her spine for the after-party.Jessie Buckley opted for a black lurex fur dress, accessorized with Chanel High Jewellery.Nicole Kidman was seen in a Chanel Spring 2026 gold metallic fibre dress, which featured frayed edges.Gracie Abrams wore a Chanel Pre-Fall 2026 dress, styled with Chanel High Jewellery, presenting a softly romantic aesthetic.Quenlin Blackwell also wore a Chanel Spring 2026 dress. In essence, the 98th Academy Awards weekend underscored the symbiotic relationship between cinema and couture. From the intimate pre-Oscars dinner to the extraordinary red carpet and the exclusive after-parties, Chanel’s presence was undeniable, proving that on a night when cinema crowns its dreams, the letter C quietly takes its place at the center of it all, not only in Oscar, but in Chanel.

Cinema

The New Doctor Glas, A Century Later

Mauri Camelbeke / February 27, 2026

The New Doktor Glas, A Century Later text Natalia Muntean Christian wears jacket Jeanerica t-shirt Oscar Jacobson trousers HOPE Isac wearsleather jacket HOPE trousers Tiger of Sweden knit underneath and boots Oscar Jacobson Thea wears hat Jeanerica top Malina trousers Lisa Yang earrings and bracelet Maria Nilsdotter heels ATP “I felt very comfortable failing,” says Christian Fandango about filming the new adaptation of Hjalmar Söderberg’s Doktor Glas. Premiering in Swedish cinemas at the end of February, the film, reimagined by screenwriter and actor Isac Calmroth and directed by Erik Leijonborg, brings Söderberg’s 1905 novel into the present day. It reframes the classic moral dilemma: who has the right to judge, and who decides what is justified? The priest becomes a celebrated writer, private shame collides with public image, and Helga gains an agency largely denied to her in the original text. What remains unchanged are the questions at the story’s core: Who is guilty? Who controls the narrative? And how far can moral conviction go before it turns destructive? Natalia Muntean: Dr Glas has been interpreted for over a century. When you started working on this version, was there something you all agreed needed to be very different from earlier adaptations, and maybe from the book? Christian Fandango: We all agreed that we wanted it to be a modern take. Isac Calmroth: And you can’t really help it. Everything changes when it’s modern, because it’s 100 years later. Even if sometimes we wanted to go back to the book and tried to, it doesn’t really work. Erik Leijonborg: When Söderberg wrote it, it was very contemporary and really on the edge of moral questions, both for society and for the individual. Those questions are still exactly relevant today. If you want to take the temperature of Stockholm and the people living here, you can read that book at any time. For example, can I help a woman who has been raped? Can I take the life of the rapist? Is that morally correct? Is abortion morally right? In 1905, these boundaries were defined by strict, often oppressive laws. Today, we have the consent law. These questions will keep being asked as long as we’re human beings trying to figure out where the boundaries are. And then there’s the contemporary life we live – social media, being a public figure. These aspects felt very relevant to us. Thea wears hat Jeanerica brosch Ole Lynggaard, top Malina trousers Lisa Yang earrings Maria Nilsdotter Erik wearstotal look Oscar Jacobson NM: So you brought some of your own experience into the characters? Thea Sofie Loch Næss: Maybe. But I think one obvious thing when writing something in 2025, compared to the book, is Helga’s agency. I remember when I was reading the original, I was looking for Helga, thinking, “Where is she?” She’s only viewed through the men’s eyes. She doesn’t really have agency. At that time, that was just how it was. You’re married, the man is king. In this new version, she’s afforded much more agency, and we see her as a real person. Even though times have changed, and you can do whatever you want, there are still grey zones. Especially when you’re public people. When you scroll social media, you think, “Wow, amazing, happy lives.” But what’s actually going on inside a relationship? Sometimes it’s even harder to talk about because you’re protecting this perfect image. What’s more important to protect – your real self or the public persona? NM: Do you think you have answered the question of who is guilty or who is the bad guy in this trio? IC: I think we do and we don’t. TSLN: We also all have different opinions, because we are portraying the characters. As an actor, I have to defend Helga at all costs to portray her in a real way. And so does Isac, and so does Christian. According to my character’s life, I’m doing everything right. So I believe that. I think for us, playing the characters, we all have this strong belief in our own character. IC: Everybody wants a simple answer to who’s guilty and what actually went down. But the truth is probably very complicated. NM: When choosing to portray the novel as a psychological thriller rather than a period drama – what did that shift unlock, maybe emotionally or morally? IC: It really came when I reread the book and suddenly had this idea of doing it in a modern way. I called Erik and Christian, and later we called Thea, and we all agreed on this take. CF: One of the big things was changing my character’s profession; he is not a priest but a writer. Once we nailed that, it kind of unlocked everything. IC: In the original, the priest is the holy figure of that century. Today, we “pray” to celebrities instead, so we changed that. And then everyone was involved in the script. As a man writing, even though I wanted to create Helga as a complex character, I somehow still ended up with a version where she didn’t even have a job, so Thea came in with a lot of material and ideas. Everybody contributed. NM: Thea, what else did you have to change from Isac’s script when it came to writing your character? TSLN: I think it was more about finding nuances. Like, why is she still in this relationship? Does she have any friends? What is her inner life in a way that lets us understand and follow what leads her to do all these things? Writing it in a modern way also gives you a lot of freedom, because this is a classic Swedish novel that people hold very close and have strong opinions about. If we had tried to do it exactly the way the book is written, I feel like people would have focused more on how faithful it is to the book instead of the story. But when you move it

Cinema

Daniel Francis in Full Bloom

Mauri Camelbeke / February 18, 2026

jacket Reiss shirt & trousers Phix jewellery ToTintor jacket & trousers Alexandar Nikolich shirt Reiss shoes Next tie ASOS Design jewellery ToTintor Daniel Francis weaves storytelling through intuition. From his upbringing in Battersea, South London, which wired him to root for the underdog, to his education at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA), which taught him to seduce an audience and hold their attention, facets of Francis surface in every role he plays. With the new season of Bridgerton now streaming on Netflix, we caught up with The Gardener to learn how patience, precision and instinct come together to grow a character worth watching. jacket Alexandar Nikolich shirt Reiss tie ASOS Design jewellery ToTintor Maya Avram: What have been some of the best reactions you received for your performance as Lord Marcus Anderson? Daniel Francis: Mainly the gardener comment, you know — Violet Bridgerton speaking about her “garden” being “in bloom” in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, landing Lord Anderson the nickname of The Gardener. Back in season three, the audience wasn’t too sure about his intentions at first. Was he pure of heart, or is he kind of a rake? But as his genuine interest in Lady Bridgeton unfolded, the audience started to root for them. That part has been wonderful. MA: Did you enjoy that tension as an actor, or were you waiting for him to win over the audience? DF: It’s always fun to have secrets. I would see comments from people, ’Oh, I don’t trust this guy,’ or ’What’s his intention?’ you know, because Lady Bridgerton is such a beloved character. So I was intrigued to see the responses once audiences realise Lord Anderson was genuine. It has been largely positive, which has felt amazing. MA: How much of yourself is in Lord Anderson, and vice versa? DF: With any character, I always start by asking myself what part of me I want to explore or express through that role. What I appreciate most about Lord Anderson is his patience. This is not one of my strong suits at all — I’m really impatient personally, but I appreciate his type of sensuality because it takes time. He’s been in the countryside, so he moves at a slower pace, absorbing Lady Bridgerton and creating space for her. That’s where I see myself: proactive patience, allowing things to unfold but still pursuing something or someone out of genuine interest. jacket & trousers Alexandar Nikolich shirt Reiss jewellery talent’s wore his own MA: What can we expect to see in the new season? DF: Lord Anderson’s and Lady Bridgerton’s relationship evolves. It’s unexpected, it’s unpredictable, but I like their dynamic because it’s not the first rodeo for either of them, so they can be honest with each other. We rarely get a chance to do that. They talk openly about their situation and past experiences; it’s very open. And it speaks to a demographic that isn’t usually front and centre in a love story, getting a second chance at love. ”Bridgerton has a place because it allows us to feel and experience love — who doesn’t want that?” MA: You’re a classically trained actor, educated at LAMDA, and having started your career at the Royal Shakespeare Company. How does your theatre work differ from your onscreen performance, and which is your favourite? DF: The intimacy of storytelling on camera, which I’ve grown to love, is unmatched. In comparison, being on stage means sharing a story with a live audience and inviting them in. The immediacy of stagework, the rigorous preparation and rehearsing — I love that process, I love the exploration of a play. It’s a completely different dynamic, but they both resonate with different sides of me. I love the interplay with the audience, being there in the moment, knowing you’ll never see it again. jacket Phix shirt, trousers & shoes Reiss jewellery ToTintor Theatre will always be important for bringing people together to hear human stories and connect jacket Alexandar Nikolich jewellery ToTintor MA: What’s something you’ve learnt from your time as an actor? DF: To follow my instincts. I’ve made some decisions in the past that weren’t right for me, but as Steve Jobs said, it’s impossible to connect these dots looking forward; you can only do it looking backwards. So the lesson is to trust your intuition, and when it tells you something, you can go, ‘I know that feeling; I’m going to pass, or I’m going to go for this thing.’ MA: What’s been a highlight in your career so far? DF: I love Bridgeton. A project of this magnitude — not just the production size, but it started a whole movement. MA: A cultural reset. DF: It really is. That is rare, and I’m grateful to be a part of it. MA: What excites you about the future? DF: I’m excited for people to see the new season. The level of work that has gone into it, the attention to detail, the care and stewardship we have put into creating something that hopefully audiences love. It’s a Cinderella-type story, and I love an underdog because of where I grew up. I’m excited for people to see this magical story.

Cinema

Malin Barr Debuts at Sundance Film Festival with Sauna Sickness

Natalia Muntean / January 24, 2026

Malin Barr Debuts at Sundance Film Festival with Sauna Sickness text Natalia Muntean What does it feel like to stop trusting your own instincts? In her Sundance debut, SAUNA SICKNESS, a psychological thriller peppered with dark humour, Swedish actor and director Malin Barr deconstructs the architecture of manipulation and gaslighting. Eschewing overt violence for a quieter emotional “erosion,” Barr examines how women are socialised to perceive control as care. “I became fascinated with that disorienting state, what it feels like to stop trusting your own instincts, and that’s when I knew it needed to be portrayed on film,” says Barr, reflecting on the psychological dissonance that drives the film’s narrative. Natalia Muntean: Sauna Sickness is inspired by a moment from your own past relationship. What made you realise this specific moment needed to become a film?Malin Barr: I never really felt that this specific moment needed to become a film. For a long time, while I was still in the relationship, it was just something I’d tell as a funny story to friends. It was only later, after I got out and started talking more honestly about what I’d experienced, that the realisation landed. It wasn’t funny at all. It was manipulative and unsettling. The dissonance I had lived with, how easily I smoothed over disturbing behaviour and lost my inner compass, was a survival mechanism. That realisation stayed with me. I became fascinated with that disorienting state, what it feels like to stop trusting your own instincts, and that’s when I knew it needed to be portrayed on film. The sauna and the cold outside felt essential to that. The hot-and-cold swings mirror a manipulative relationship and New Year’s carries that false sense of expectation, pressure and the promise of a new beginning. photography Martin Kiesslin assistant San G post production Jennifer Nyma all clothing Baum und Pferdgartenstockings Swedish Stockingsboots Malin’s Own NM: The film isn’t about overt violence, but about subtle emotional erosion. Why was it important for you to portray abuse in this quieter, more ambiguous way?MB: There were a few reasons. First, I believe personally rooted stories often make the most honest films – but for them to really land, they need to feel universal. It was also important to me that the behaviour didn’t feel too extreme. Subtle, quieter forms of abuse are something people might recognise in some sense from their own lives, even if they haven’t named it that way. Portraying it this way invites the audience to lean in, rather than lean back in shock. It asks them to pay attention instead of distancing themselves by thinking “this isn’t about me.” Emotional erosion usually happens in the small moments – in tone, in denial, in what’s left unsaid. That ambiguity mirrors what it feels like to be inside it. For that same reason, I chose to layer in moments of darkly comedic absurdity. Humour is something we constantly use to cope, to smooth things over, to survive uncomfortable situations. It makes the film more relatable rather than relentlessly heavy, while also reflecting the absurdity and disorientation of not trusting your own perception. And it gives the audience small moments of relief! NM: Cleo repeatedly takes responsibility while Tobias deflects it. How intentional was that dynamic in shaping the audience’s understanding of control?MB: Very intentional. It was important to me that Cleo never reads as weak or passive. She’s extremely active, constantly trying to take responsibility, adjust, and find ways to make things work. When she pushes back and asks for clarity, that’s when Tobias switches tactics: moving from charm and avoidance to confusion, victimhood, and reframing. These are all ways to regain control. At the same time, Tobias’s refusal to ever take responsibility is deliberate. That kind of deflection is a classic control mechanism. By the third time this dynamic repeats, my hope is the audience recognises the pattern – and potentially comes to the same realisation as Cleo does. NM: The couple Cleo meets on the road feels almost surreal, and it seems to catalyse Cleo’s clarity. Why was it important that her realisation came from an external reflection rather than Tobias himself?MB: The meeting with the neighbours is experienced entirely from Cleo’s perspective – it’s filtered through her perception of the world, her current emotional state and what she’s endured so far. It was important that Cleo’s clarity came from an external reflection rather than Tobias himself because she’s too close to him – she’s normalised his behaviour and can’t fully recognise it. The neighbours act as a mirror: their boundary-pushing echoes Tobias’s – and their recognition that his behaviour isn’t “normal” gives Cleo the distance to have a crucial moment of insight. This becomes the first turning point where she can begin to see his patterns for what they truly are. NM: Leaving Tobias behind is not framed as revenge, but as clarity. Why was restraint important to that choice?MB: Because this isn’t a story of retaliation, it’s a story of self-preservation. Revenge wouldn’t get her anywhere, and even though I intentionally tease the idea with the axe in the snow, it’s ultimately not about him. By leaving the cabin, she removes herself from him and focuses on her safety – the only way she can truly reclaim her agency. NM: Do you see Cleo’s final act as an ending or as the beginning of something else?MB: I’d say that’s up to the audience to decide for themselves. We literally leave her at a crossroads. NM: How has your background as an actor influenced the way you write and direct emotionally intimate scenes?MB: My acting background has absolutely shaped how I write and direct. I know what makes me feel equally supported and inspired as an actor and I try to bring that understanding to my work behind the camera. For emotionally intimate scenes, knowing what it’s like on the other side is invaluable. Creating a safe environment, respecting their boundaries and being clear about what the camera sees at all

Cinema

Fabian Penje X Odalisque

Odalisque / December 11, 2025

photography & Dop Gustav Svante Larsson / XO.Studio fashion & text Lejla Plima set design Kiki McKenzie & Laila Franklin / Paradiso Studio photography assistant Carl Bengtssonassistant Teo Pourshahidi rental Falsett film lab Focus Film Lab studio Studio Perra

Cinema

Fabian Penje X Odalisque

Odalisque / December 10, 2025

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. knit cardigan Core Rd Knitting Co jeans MADH shoes Vagabond shirt ADNYM pants Core Rd Knitting Co shoes Vagabond jewelry OCC rings OCC 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 knit cardigan Core Rd Knitting Co jeans MADH shoes Vagabond shirt ADNYM pants Beyond Retro Stockholm shoes Vagabond 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