Cinema

Marc by Sofia: Sofia Coppola’s Intimate Take on Marc Jacobs Written by Janae McIntosh Sofia Coppola is releasing her first documentary, Marc by Sofia, this August at the Venice Film Festival — a collaboration that feels natural and long overdue. This isn’t your typical fashion doc. It’s a quiet, heartfelt portrait of Marc Jacobs, told from the perspective of someone who’s shared his world for decades. Their story starts back in the early ’90s, when Marc was making waves with his grunge Perry Ellis collection and Sofia was just emerging into the scene. Since then, their creative paths have been deeply intertwined — from Sofia starring in his perfume campaigns to directing his iconic Daisy ads, and collaborating on his bold Heaven line. It’s a friendship that goes far beyond fashion’s spotlight. Though details about the film are still under wraps, if it’s anything like Sofia’s other work, expect a moody, dreamlike look at Marc’s journey — from his Parsons beginnings to his theatrical Louis Vuitton runway moments, all seen through her cinematic lens. This isn’t a documentary about fashion history. It’s about friendship, creativity, and a shared language developed over decades. For anyone who cares about style and storytelling, this will feel like an intimate conversation between two creative icons. photo courtesy of A24

An Interview with Rosalind Eleazar text Maya Avram photography Josefine Örn / Telescope Agency fashion Rachel Davis makeup Alexis Day hair Kevin Fortune Rosalind Eleazar’s success as an actor can be, to an extent, credited to her intuition. Her very pursuit of the trade came about while she was working a different career altogether, which, while fruitful, could not have deterred her from following her heart’s true desire (“It wouldn’t allow me to go on another path”). Her penchant for authentic, fully-realised characters has seen her star in numerous theatre and film productions, eventually landing her the role of straight-shooter Louisa Guy in the widely acclaimed spy thriller series, Slow Horses. With the hit series’ fifth season due to be released later this year, a new onscreen alter ego cements 2025 as Eleazar’s catalyst year: detective Kat Donovan, protagonist of Netflix’s latest Harlan Coben adaptation, Miss You. We sat down with Eleazar to learn about her motivations, inspirations and exciting plans for the future. Maya Avram: It’s hard to believe, given your steady success in the field, but your acting career actually came as a result of a professional pivot. What made you go for it, in the end? Rosalind Eleazar: Acting has always been something I knew in my heart of hearts I was going to do — it was just a question of when. I was working in Ghana when I made the decision to audition for drama school, and my life changed on its axis. MA: How was your audition?  RE: So nerve-wracking. I can’t really remember it apart from the feeling; I have never been that nervous in my life, because there was so much riding on it. If I don’t get it, does that mean I’m not an actor? Of course, it doesn’t mean that, but when you’re performing in front of 15 people in this big hall, and you’ve got to do a song, a Shakespeare piece and a modern piece, your heart is in your mouth. God, I can even feel it now. But I’m so happy I did it, I’m so happy I auditioned. top Isabel Marant shorts Samanta Virginio tights Tabio shoes Gina earrings Sonia Petroff dress Zimmerman tights Tabio shoes Gina earrings Margaux Studios MA: What is your favourite part of the job, and what parts do you find more challenging?  RE: I love exploring a new character. I’m fascinated with humans, why we do certain things, and what triggers us to make decisions; which parts of ourselves are we hiding, and which are we showing? It’s endlessly fascinating. The way we work as actors is incredible because in taking on another character and a pattern of behaviour, you also learn about yourself and those around you. It’s nerve-wracking but also very freeing. When I’m on set or on stage performing a scene with someone, I find the process liberating. Every role is challenging because you become attached to that character, trying to understand this person you care for deeply. Some roles are harder to grasp and that can be frustrating. People think actors are confident, but I don’t see acting as entertainment, I don’t think my job is to entertain people, which can lead me to be quite closed in. MA: Oscillating between being extroverted and introverted.  RE: Exactly. It’s interesting because I would say that I’m more introverted in my personal life, but when you take on a character, even if they’re not extroverted by nature, my extroverted side comes out because it has to, you have to go for it as an actor — to be vulnerable. Acting gives you quite a lot of courage in that sense. MA: How do you tap into that mindset? RE: It depends on the character. If they are free and impulsive, for example, a part of me will behave like that for a long time. It’s about personifying the energy that someone possesses. Once I find where their centre is, characters become very different. coat Regina PYO tights Swedish Stockings shoes Simone Rocha earrings Margaux Studios ring Dinosaur Designs MA: What makes a character stand out to you? RE: It comes down to good writing and the relationships that the character has with other people in any given scene. It’s almost an imperceptible feeling, reading a full character. I need to be able to see their flaws so they feel like a fully realised human. Where does their nastiness lie? When do they shut down? In our industry, you often hear characters need to “be likeable” — it’s a phrase that’s banded around in art. I don’t understand what being likeable means, because if you’ve got a full character, they should be many things. If you want them to be relatable, then the way to be relatable is to see someone’s flaws. MA: As a graduate of the prestigious London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, how do you cultivate a dual passion for both the stage and the screen? RE: I love theatre and I love TV and film as well, for different reasons. I love the third dimension of the audience in theatre that you just don’t get doing screenwork. It’s fascinating how different shows can be on a given night, and that has a lot to do with the audience’s energy and how they respond to the actors on stage. What I also love about theatre is that you can’t edit it, so it’s slightly more in the actor’s control. On the other hand, playing the lead in Missing You and now seeing everything put together, I really see Kat’s journey. Sometimes when you’re filming, you’re so in it that you can’t zoom out, but when you see the whole thing — other characters and their dynamics — brought to life, it’s really fun to watch. dress Simone Rocha underwear Skims socks Tabio shoes Gina earrings Margaux Studios corset Talent’s Own trousers Lily Phellera earrings Margaux Studios dress Zimmerman tights Tabio shoes Gina earrings Margaux Studios

Interview With Actor, Activist, Writer, Director, and Mother Sandra text Josie McNeill Sandra Yi Sencindiver has a lot on her plate, but she always appears to have room for more. The actor, activist, writer, director, and mother, started in show business in 2000, but her role playing Miss Saigon at the age of 20 was the first to indicate to her that shecould be paid to pursue a hobby that she loved.  Now, she’s Enjoiner Rue, the political savvy advisor to Queen Sarenth in the sci-fi television series ‘Foundation,’ and has upcoming roles in the shows ‘Oxen,’ a thriller, and ‘Geek Girl,’ a heart-warming coming-of-age tale. She’s leading political movements with her Et Større Billede campaign and writing and directing theatre and film projects on the side. Sencindiver said she doesn’t really have an “everyday life,” but with all the projects she has going on, she sure does seem to live an extraordinary one. Is there something your viewers should take away from the new season of ‘Foundation’?Oh, there’s probably a lot of things to take away from the series. It’s such a very ambitious, very intellectual show with so many big themes–faith, belief, love, free will, time and power. How can you keep power? How can you renew power? How can you take power? This season is also told with quite a lot of humor. So I think everybody will be able to take something away from this series. If you’re not latched onto one plot, there are several other plots going on. Politics plays an important role in your life as well, especially with your Et Større Billede project, can you talk about your work in this sphere?I do a lot of political work for the art and culture scene here at home. I’m very active with the Danish Arts Council and the theatre scene, but Et Større Billede, “a bigger picture,” is one of the political campaigns I’ve been doing for the arts that dropped February 1. It came to be because I’m a part of a network of women of color in the arts, which we started back in 2020 during lockdown, during Black Lives Matter, and we just came together in a community.  We’re here to support each other. We call the little network Sisters in Show Business–all actresses of color–and we have this little mantra. We’re here to support each other. We will not be each other’s competition. We will share info, we’ll advise each other, we’ll celebrate each other when we get chances, and we will support each other when somebody experiences discrimination, sexism, and racism. If anybody needs advice to get an agent or how to handle a toxic workplace. If they’re asking, is this role racist? How can I go about making this a human being/ You know, all kinds of issues that you meet when you’re a woman of color in this business.At the end of November, three rather large Danish productions were coming out. They were these major productions with huge casts that would be shown on huge broadcast channels. 42 actors and nobody of color. If you look at all the posters with their large casts, there’s no people of color. It’s crazy. That is just so far from reality. We were like, “hey, how can this be going on in 2023?” And then we thought “oh, wouldn’t it be funny if we recast all these posters with people of color?” We started to brainstorm. We decided to do it intersectionality, so we should also address class and sexuality and family forms and normalize bodies and people with disabilities. So, me and four other actresses made this workgroup and, you know, started to put it into production and hire photographers and coordinated 42 actors to come be a part of the posters. We thought we might all be blacklisted, but we can’t be quiet anymore. And then, on the first of February, we dropped the campaign. To our surprise, it went completely viral. We didn’t think it would have such a huge impact, but it has. Slowly, we have acknowledged we have a problem, and slowly we’re trying to figure out how to make policy, how to change in our business to be more inclusive, and not just for people of color, but people with disabilities–how can we expand the very very shallow and narrow norm of what is Danish? Did your work on that project influence how you approached your character in the series?Well, not directly one to one but David Goyer has said that Foundation is basically the fall of an Imperium. They’re like very head straight, white, privileged men trying to hold on to their power and all the planets and all the different people and entities are trying to take them down. Even though this is science fiction, it still feels very much present in our time. Also, just discussions of how do you rework a fantastic work as Foundation that is just so iconic, but which is clearly also written by a man of his time. And how do you make that more imaginative? How do you expand that universe? We’re talking about the galaxy, why would everybody be white and male? Is there any specific way you think the Danish industry can improve in terms of representation?These discussions are of course the first things going on but they have to realize that their view on what people want to see on screen is so narrow. It needs to do a lot of reckoning and also recognizing, for example, that racism exists. I think Denmark has always thought of itself as a very progressive country. It was the first country to free the slaves, but then I’m like, you also have to recognize that you had slaves to begin with. It’s baby steps. There’s a lot of reflective work going on now, and that, of course, is like a very important step towards change. But we also need to see action embedded in policy and law. So it doesn’t just become a trend in 2023,

“Börje – The Journey of a Legend” – Interview with Hedda Stiernstedt & Valter Skarsgård text Jahwanna Berglund photography Crille Forsberg / Rocksonfashion & text Jahwanna Berglund Hedda wearsknitted sweater ARKETearrings Ole Lynggaardbracelets Engelbert Valter wearssweater Calvin Kleinbracelet Ole Lynggaard November 19th marked the world premiere of the biography tv-show “Börje- The Journey of a Legend”.A tv-series in six episodes unfolding  the early life of the Swedish hockey icon Börje Salming, played by Valter Skarsgård alongside actress Hedda Stiernstedt portraying his first wife, Margitta.In an exclusive chat with Odalisque, the talented duo sheds light on their immersive experiences travelling back in time and  bringing these characters to life. Valter, can you tell us what drew you to the role of Börje Salming in this series? What about the character and the story resonated with you?Meeting Börje I was sold instantly. His story is so unbelievable and amazing that I felt that I had to be a part of it. And it was such an interesting challenge to try to portray someone with the duality Börje had. Being such a nice man but also being one of the toughest hockey players. Hedda, playing Margitta Salming, what kind of research and preparation did you do to accurately portray the life and experiences of Börje Salming’s wife?I did a lot of research, and I met with Margitta. She is such a lovely and gracious person and she showed me a lot of personal pictures. BUT she is not a public person like Börje, there isn’t any documentation on her, no videos or interviews etc. As an actress That’s both good and bad. Bad because I have less to go from, but good for the same reason – I had much more artistic freedom than Valter in my portrayal. That’s both good and bad. Bad because I have less to go from, but good for the same reason – I had much more artistic freedom than Valter in my portrayal Valter, what was it like working closely with director Amir Chamdin, who had a personal connection with Börje Salming? How did this influence your performance in the series?Working with Amir was fantastic. We were on the same page early on. And he was very keen on inviting me into the process from an early stage so we could form this together. On set Amir was fantastic in that he was always open to suggestions or changes but never jeopardised his vision. Valter, could you share your experience of collaborating with cinematographer Crile Forsberg once more? How did the partnership influence the visual storytelling both in front and behind the camera?Working with Crille again was amazing. We had such a good collaboration on our first project “Zebrarummet”. I even said to him back then, when I found out he knew Amir that he has to be part of this project. He would be perfect for it. And he was!The cinematography is a very big part of what makes the show great.The way the project is filmed makes it feel like you’re really back there in the 70s and 80s. It doesn’t feel like a modern project that takes place then. You get transported back and that to me was fantastic to witness as we went along. Hedda wearstotal look CHANEL Valterpyjama shirt & socks CDLPtrousers & shoes & Jacket Oscar Jacobson Hedda, working with Crille Forsberg on this extended project was a new experience for you. How did the collaboration between you and the photographer influence your portrayal of the character? Did the unique approach to filming enhance your performance in any way?Of Course the visuals are always important but when working on a period project like this it’s extra important! And Crille really brought it up a notch. He even built his own lenses to get that perfect 70s feeling. As an actor it’s so important to trust the photographer and I really do both professionally and privately. We were lucky to work with a team who were so very good at What they do, Crille and the costume department, the scenographers, makeup, they all helped to create something extra special. Spearheaded by our lovely director Amir Chamdin who knows that 70s visual cool style inside and out. Hedda, can you give us some insight into the emotional depth of Margitta Salming’s character and how her journey is portrayed in the series?It was important to Amir to not make her too much of a cliche ”worried wife” character. She wants her beloved husband to be happy, and he loves to play hockey so she wants that for him. But then of course the cliches in a sport-drama are there for a reason. She IS lonely most of the time, she IS scared for Börjes life when he plays. Those things are inevitable. And she also loves to create so we get to follow her pursue her career as a designer. But that’s difficult, it’s the seventies and someone has to take care of the kids, you know. Valter, Börje Salming is a legendary figure in Sweden and NHL history. How did you balance the responsibility of representing this iconic sports personality while bringing your own interpretation to the role?I tried to stay as true as I could without making it feel like an impersonation. I early on found my way of doing Börje who I had a very clear image of in my mind. So once we were filming it was basically automatic, because of the work we had put in before. Hedda, the series captures a significant period in Swedish hockey and sports history. What do you think the series can teach viewers about that era and its impact on the world of hockey?It’s a time where the players were expected to fight. It was so rough! But to be honest I know nothing about hockey I just know this story haha. But Börje truly is a legend in the whole world and all legends change the game. Valter, as an actor, what were the most challenging and rewarding aspects of taking on the role of Börje Salming, a real-life

Fragments: An Interview With Alicia Agneson text Natalia Muntean photography Peter Gehrkefashion Jahwanna Berglund “People keep saying I was brave, but I think I was just precocious,” says Alicia Agneson. Her story is one of determination and courage. Growing up on a farm in Eskilstuna, Agneson was always passionate about the stage – and as a child, she remembers seeing her dance teachers more than her parents at one point. They were the ones who inspired her to seek a more international career. At just fifteen years old, she moved to London to pursue her acting dreams and chase after bigger stages. It was not an easy path for her, but she never gave up. Her breakthrough role came several years later when she played Freydis, a queen in the hit TV show Vikings. Since then, she has starred in various TV and film projects, such as Little Kingdom, Clark, and The Courier, venturing into different genres and subjects. Beyond her acting career, Agneson is deeply committed to making a difference. She actively works with Hope for Justice, an organisation that fights human trafficking and assists victims of modern slavery. She also wears another hat as Breitling’s Scandinavian Ambassador, bringing her passion for storytelling and dedication to the brand. Whether on screen or off, Agneson continues to inspire. “I believe that I always keep something from all the characters I play, locked away somewhere,” she reflects on the characters she has portrayed and the projects she has been involved in. While her recent focus has been more on acting in front of the camera, Agneson thinks that she will go back to her first love – the stage. As she playfully says, “they’ll have to drag me off it!” Natalia Muntean: What inspired you to pursue a career in the entertainment industry?Alicia Agneson: I think it wasn’t that much of a choice. I was just drawn towards that like there was nothing else. And I started doing ballet when I was three, and then I think my parents kind of tried to stop me from going into it so much. By the age of nine, I was probably taking as many dance, singing and stage lessons as I could. Then I started doing musical theatre, moved to London, got into TV and film and onwards. NM: You moved to London when you were 15. How do you think this experience changed your path?AA: At that point, I’d done a lot of shows already across Sweden, so I was already working, which was probably quite unusual for a lot of people my age. I think I would be in a completely different place if I wouldn’t have done that. In this industry, it’s very much learning by doing, at least that’s how I developed. And it can take a while, you have to work. So for me, it’s the greatest gift I’ve ever been given, first of all, to get the allowance to move away so young, and start working so early. But there were, of course, challenges. I think, in my head, I was very driven and I didn’t understand that I was that young. Moving to London was a big change for me, as I had to adjust to a different way of life. My parents drove me all the way to London, and I’ll never forget taking the tube to Piccadilly Circus, coming up and seeing the lights, dress Zamina Scillasdotter the West End and Shaftesbury Avenue. I remember standing there and feeling more than ever that I was in the right place! NM: Was there a specific moment when you realised “Oh, I want to be an actress?”AA: I always wanted to be in musical theatre, I had always loved it and that is what I worked towards. When I came to London, I got the opportunity to perform in a show called Cinderella where I played the lead role. I became very close to a fellow cast member who suggested that I should try my hand at TV and film. I thought it sounded like fun and decided to give it a go. I started doing more TV and film work, including commercials, with my agent at the time. However, I quickly realised that acting on the screen was very different from what I was used to. It was a more introverted style of acting, with a greater focus on emotions and drama. I found this fascinating and decided to pursue TV and film further. When I approached my musical theatre agent about my interest in TV and film, they said I had no experience or education in that area and they could not help me. It wasn’t that long ago, but back then we used to post our CVs, so I sent letters to every agent in London and one out of a hundred, probably, picked me up. I was still very young at that point, probably 18 when he started sending me to castings. After a couple of months, I signed Vikings. NM: What was it like being part of such a popular show?AA: We had an amazing time on the set of Vikings. It was an incredible journey for me, as I started with a very small role and had no prior experience in TV and film. I wasn’t supposed to come back, but the writer felt that I had amazing chemistry with my screen partner and wanted to bring me back as a queen. It was a surprise, but I was excited to learn and grow. On my first day on set, I had to learn basic industry terms by doing. It was a challenging but fun experience from the first day until the last. I was very shocked when they called me and told me that they wanted to make me queen. I think many people often overlook the fact that I was still very young at the time, even if I had been working incredibly hard for many years in London, trying to get that one chance. I remember calling

An Interview With Swedish Actress and Singer Hanna Björn text Emelie Bodén photography, post production & fashion Olivia Artesweater Henrietta Frihammar Hanna Björn is a Swedish actress and singer, born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden. She plays the female lead role in the current NETFLIX series “CLARK – Based on Truth and Lies” directed by Jonas Åkerlund, with Bill Skarsgård as Clark Olofsson. Have you always envisioned a career in acting, or were there particular experiences or moments that solidified your passion for this art form?Since I was 3, I’ve had a great passion for acting and singing, and I’ve always known that it is what I want to dedicate my life to. Growing up, I didn’t have a lot of friends, so a strategy I often tried was that I wrote and directed plays, hoping the children in my class would like me. It didn’t really work, hehe, but at least I had fun? Acting and writing was also a way of keeping yourself company. When I was 10 I got accepted to Adolf Fredriks Musikklasser, where I finally met some friends who shared the same interests. A year later, I got the dream job to sing in the children’s choir at the Royal Opera in Stockholm. This reeeeallly mesmerized me, with the enchanting world of an opera house. The scent of stagemakeup and powder, standing on a stage, costumes, the lights.. It was everything I ever dreamed of and that experience really solidified my passion. Since your debut movie Min så kallade pappa, how do you feel your acting technique and approach to your acting have evolved?Haha.. The short answer is that I’ve really started to trust myself as an actress and I’ve learned how to play the situation instead of playing an emotional state. Acting is like languages, you have to practise and exercise it. It’s a never ending education in which one can never become considered “done”, which also makes it so exciting and fun!! It’s an artform where everything is about being a human, and you can really take your broken heart and make it into art (Carrie Fischer). Through the years I’ve studied at various schools and tried to take advantage of every lesson and make the most out of it. But I must say, something really clicked for me in 2019 when I was studying at Stockholm University of the Arts with an acting coach named Matthew Allen. He really made me understand things that I had read about but never fully understood until then and how to practise those things on stage/screen. And as a good teacher should be, he was always reminding us about how we/I was the one doing the job, not him. I’ve also learned how patient you have to be, how persistent and almost.. a little bit crazy not to give up in this business. Do you have any unique methods or rituals that you employ to prepare for your roles?These are not unique methods / rituals but.. It all starts with the text, so first I learn the lines, really, really well. From that, with the scene analysis, I start asking and answering a lot of questions. The five w:s I think I do mostly because it really gets your imagination going. I try a lot of things, for the purpose of trying to figure out Why I say these lines, in What context, What is that saying about my character and mostly; What do I want from the person I’m talking to? What do I want to change in the other person? I can do this for hours because I think it’s so fun!! Creating backstory, and doing exercises like for example: if I (the character) was saying this as a shark / cat / cow, how would I be saying it? Your role in the Netflix series Clark garnered significant attention. Could you share your experience working on this project? How did this role challenge you as an actor, and what did you find most rewarding about bringing this character to life?Working on Clark was one of the most exciting experiences I’ve ever had…It’s always fun to be able to work with a character for such a long time. To do research, listen to all the music, dive into that period of time..To create an arch for my character,  thinking about how these years were affecting her, why things were important to her, why she stayed with a person like Clark… How to justify her letting him disappear, being a notorious cheater, and constantly lying to her. Sometimes I just decided ”She knows but she’s so tired of being lied to / she’s too much in love and lets him get away with it. I remember at one point I thought, maybe Maria thinks ”Everyone wants to lock him up, put a ring on him and tell him what to do, but that only makes him run away even more, so I’m not gonna do that”. Also working with a visual genious like Jonas (Åkerlund, director), and Bill (Skarsgård, leading co-star), who is one of the most brave and dedicated actors I’ve met. They’re both really, really good and inspiring, and they were also the ones making me step out of my comfort zone sometimes. Like, I wouldn’t say I’m a dancer, I’ve not portrayed one before, and I definitely don’t have political monologues going on during… you know what I mean 😉Mostly I learned what’s working for me and what’s not. Also that the lines can change on the same day but I can still do it, the character work is done. I don’t always have to be a perfectionist. sweater and boots Henrietta Frihammar dress Elvita Ismayilovaboots, rings and earrings Stylist’s Own You are also playing one of the lead roles in the upcoming movie Järnridån in which you speak russian. How challenging was it to undertake a role that required you to perform in a different language? Could you describe the specific difficulties you faced and the strategies you employed to authentically portray

Interview With Wilma Lidén and Edvin Ryding text Jahwanna Berglund photography Marcus Askelöffashion Jahwanna Berglundmakeup Jessica de la Torrehair Khaddy Gasama / Swedish Hair Mafia Wilma wears, checked set Baum und Pferdgarten jacket Stina Randestad jewellery Ole Lynggaard Edvin wears, shirt COS trousers Stina Randestad watch Cartier shoes Kevin Nilsson “Edvin is one of few people I can be completely transparent with.” – Wilma Lidén Wilma Lidén and Edvin Ryding are two of Sweden’s pioneering young actors, both starring in two of the most talked about TV series at the moment. In this two parted interview with Odalisque Magazine, Wilma and Edvin open up about their long time friendship, finding love both on a personal and a professional level, and on how to support one another and finding inspiration in the ever-changing character world of acting. JB: Can you please tell us how you both got to know each other? WL: We got to know each other in 2014, in an apartment in Flemingsberg in Stockholm for a test shoot for the short movie “If everything was real”.Both of us later during the production fell in love with each other without knowing that the other one also had a little crush. ER: Yes, they were looking for an actress to play the role of Linda, and luckily Wilma got the role. We shot the movie that whole summer and had the time of our lives. It’s a pretty dark story but we would laugh between takes and act like the kids that we were. It went almost two years later, we got to play against each other on the 3rd season of “Gåsmamman”. :WL: I will never forget this! After all the film festivals with the short film, the first thing I had to do was to shove chocolate into Edvin’s mouth and beat him to the ground. It was a fun contrast to that summer we had two years earlier. Although I did that scene pretty aggressively ten times, but we still remained best friends and had a lot of fun during that shoot too. ER: Haha yeah, I had to brush my teeth for twenty minutes afterwards because of all the chocolate. W: After that we met again when we were shooting “Julkalendern” in 2018(the Swedish Television Christmas calendar show) and that brought us closer than ever. This was a way happier story than the ones we had done together before. Only cute things and snow and glitter. JB: Both of you started your acting careers at a very early age. When did you know you wanted to work with film? ER: Both me and Wilma started our careers as actors at a very young age. I always had a passion for acting and thought it was very playful and I used to act a lot just for fun. I ”played” in that sense until I was about 11 years old. I used to set up all different kinds of acts both when I was alone and for family guests. like the soccer World Cup final, putting up goals in the backyard pretending I was a football player, winning and doing winner interviews with myself. When I was a kid, I used to set up small acts for the dinner guests at home as well as using a doll house meant for puppetry. The ones with these small windows and curtains you could open up. This was perfect for me since I was so small, I could have my tiny shows from there. By coincidence I came into an industry where you kind of get to play everyday with likeminded people. Realizing that this actually was a job around 14 years old It went from this is fun to I want to continue doing this and I knew that this was what I wanted to work with in some way for the rest of my life. WL: My first role was for a commercial. When I was around 5 or 6 years old I told my mom “I’m going to be an actress” and obviously she didn’t really believe me and responded “ooh but you wanted to be a dolphin trainer a year ago” and thought it was just a phase. E: But it wasn’t, luckily! WW: No, luckily!I’ve always liked to study people, explore ways to implement character traits and play other characters. When I was younger I used to reflect a lot like“if you can live this way, what would happen if I try that for a day?”. And I did.My acting created a bit of a mess at pre-school I’ve heard. Then when I was old enough, I kind of forced my mom to write me up for a casting site for actors and shortly after that I got my first commercial job.It was for IKEA, and I have very few memories from my childhood but I specifically remember fragments from this day.My mom drove me to the set where we were going to shoot the commercial  and when we came there, there were all these cranes. We thought they were construction cranes and I remember my mom said “Oh, it looks like they’re renovating here, how will you be able to film” and when we came up to the set we realized that all these cranes were for the lights. It was very exciting for me as a little kid to see all the effort and work behind the cameras and the only thing they expected in return was for me to play around and eat Kinder eggs and hide in IKEA furniture.How could I even consider a different work environment than this? “I always knew I wanted to act. I’d set up performances for family guests even as a kid.” – Edvin Ryding JB: Do you think that you would have been drawn to each other and developed a friendship like this if it wasn’t for acting? And do you get support from each other in matters concerning your work? WL: We will never know the answer to that question. But the odds are low!Edvin is one year younger than me and we are from completely

Alba August: “I decided I was going to be the last man standing” text Natalia Muntean Alba August has had a busy few months. Two years after her debut album “I Still Hide,” the artist returned in October with a new EP titled “I Wish I Was Someone Else,” earning her the title “Swedish rock queen” from a music critic. “It was surprising because I didn’t see the EP as rock, but I relate to this idea in a way. I wanted it to be less polished, more raw, and I enjoyed being a badass in the music videos,” says August. Besides the developments in her music career, the Danish-Swedish artist graces both big and small screens, starring in “Stockholm Bloodbath,” a new movie by Mikael Håfström, and the Danish series “Bullshit.” Born into a family of cinematic royalty, August has been forging her path with a sense of self-assurance, introspection and a pinch of mischievousness. In this conversation, Alba reflects on her artistic evolution, navigating the complexities of creativity, self-discovery, and balancing her music and acting careers. Natalia Muntean: This is your second EP after your debut album. How do you see the musical journey that you’ve been on between these two releases?Alba August: With “I still hide“ I wanted more energy. During production, I was constantly pushing for more—choirs, layers, you name it. But this time around, I remember talking to my producer and saying, “Take away, take away, take away.” I wanted this to be different. The first album was me wanting to be excessive. Now, I craved something stripped down, more raw. These albums are like a showcase of where I am in my personal journey. Back then, I was in a different place, I had a more extroverted lifestyle, with a lot of partying. But now I’ve come to realize how sensitive I am to sounds and people. I’ve always been that way, but I’ve only just realised the source of all the anxiety. I needed to pare things down in my music. I needed to be more direct. It’s, for sure, a way of processing what’s going on in my life and my mind. Even with what I’m working on now, it will have even fewer elements. I always want to do things that I haven’t heard before. And I want to push myself in directions where I’m a bit uncomfortable. NM: What I understood about “I Wish I Was Someone Else”, the whole EP, is that it has hints of empowerment, self-discovery and living with one’s decisions. You’ve also turned 30 this year, so I wonder if that impacted the stories you tell or the music you put out in the world.AA: This EP focuses on some things I was struggling with. Trying to understand more about myself is something that I have always liked since I can remember, maybe since I was five years old. I’ve always been super anxious and felt very lonely but I didn’t realise that the feeling I felt was loneliness. Now, as a grown-up, I understand it. And then I realised that I always felt weird. All of these things started to resurface as I was writing this. So “I wish I was someone else” was absolutely a way to allow myself to be the weirdo I am. But it’s also about wishing I was normal. That’s what’s so amazing about being an artist and working with art – only when I am being creative I can fully be myself. It’s the only time when I’m really happy and Zen with being in this world. NM: You mentioned that you have social anxiety, however, you are an artist in the public eye and you expose yourself to the world. How does it work then?AA: In a way, being an artist it’s a bit like a persona. I think in private it’s harder to cope with being me compared to when I’m performing. NM: So is there a split between Alba in your personal life, so to speak, and Alba, the artist?AA: There’s a word in Swedish, hudlös, which means skinless and that’s how I feel in private, like I have no skin, more vulnerable, as if everyone can see inside of my body and I have no protection. But when I’m in character, when I’m acting or on stage, I feel strong and I feel like I have control over the situation. NM: Do you feel that on stage you have more freedom to do whatever you would like to do without being judged?AA: Yes, on stage I feel I have power over the audience. It’s clearer what my role is when I’m performing. Everything is decided: I’m going to be on stage and I’m going to do this and they are going to sit and watch. And in my private life, everything is uncertain, and I have a hard time coping with that. NM: In the video for “The Summer of 99” there’s a lot of footage from your childhood. How does it feel to revisit those memories, and how does it impact your music? Does reconnecting with your younger self shape the stories you want to tell?AA: I have mixed feelings about looking back. In a way, it’s a bit sad watching those videos when I was feeling so free, so unaware of how people perceive me. But I also just love the early 2000s. There’s something about that time. Life was so much about dreaming about what it was going to be when I got older. Looking back I also realised how creative life was. My sister and I were always rehearsing a dance or a play. There was always a project we were working on. And there was so much lightness, silliness and humour in the things we did. And it’s hard to find time and space for that as an adult because adult life is so much about achieving, making money and doing boring things. I feel like there’s not that