After only one audition Nicholas Galitzine secured his first acting role in the British indie movie The Beat Beneath My Feet. The leading role to be precise! Now he has just finished filming American indie film High Strung, again as the lead. What’s next for this young talent?
What came first, music or acting?
My first creative pursuit was actually music, which is why it’s quite fitting that my first role involved music. I picked up a guitar a few years ago and eventually started singing. I had always been petrified of the idea of performing in front of other people but after a couple of gigs, one very much mirroring the Battle of the Bands in ‘The Beat Beneath My Feet’, I was completely captivated by the idea of performing. Acting wouldn’t even cross my mind until a year later.
What’s your work relationship like with Luke Perry? Does it reflect on the big screen?
Very good! And yes it does translate. I feel I have matured a lot in the last year between filming The Beat Beneath My Feet and much of that is due to Luke’s guidance off screen. Often just hinting at techniques in which to connect with an audience, always letting me figure it out for myself.
What is it like being the lead part in your first movie?
Bloody scary! It’s so much responsibility, especially considering I had never had any training, you wonder whether you are coming across well on screen. In the end you just have to depend on your instincts, which is really what acting is, so I suppose in a way I was blessed. I’m also incredibly proud and honoured the production team felt they could place such a great responsibility on my shoulders.
What do you do in your down time?
I just try and better myself to be honest. I never felt the desperation to go to university, so in my own way I try to learn and broaden my horizons. At the moment apart from the obvious activities like studying acting, watching films, writing music. I take Krav Magra which is mixed martial arts classes. I’m teaching myself Spanish and I’m considering taking classes in anthropology or psychology. I believe that just because you don’t participate in institutionalised learning, it doesn’t mean you can’t keep absorbing information. I guess the goal is to become the best version of yourself.
You’ve been to the Berlin Film Festival with your movie The Beat Beneath My Feet. What’s it like letting other people see it? Do you get ready to protect it or embrace criticism?
It’s a very anxious period for an actor when they have to show off their first piece of work. There is so much uncertainty that surrounds our industry. So it makes you even more ecstatic when people react so positively and complimentary as they have with my work. I am a sensitive person by nature so I do take criticism hard sometimes, but I really use it to build myself back up and develop. Luckily I haven’t received a bad critique for this film yet. But no one can avoid it forever so I’m ready to embrace it when it comes. Next, I have a film coming out called High Strung which a romance dance film which excitingly I’m off to Cannes with soon. And there might be some other exciting stuff coming soon. Watch this space.
Interview by Mattias Crowe
Photography by Andrea Vecchiato
Clothes by Mauro Grifoni
Grooming by Stan Watts @ The King’s Canary Salon
Special thanks to Inexcess Fashion PR