IN CONVERSATION WITH ARCHIE MADEKWE

interview by JANA LETONJA

ARCHIE MADEKWE is one of the UK’s most exciting talents. Last year, he starred in SALTBURN, one of 2023’s most talked about films and one of Amazon Prime’s top 10 worldwide films, and as the lead in GRAN TURISMO, opposite Orlando Bloom and David Harbour. Archie was recently named as one of ELLE UK’s Class of 2024.

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2023 was a big year for you . We’ve been able to see you in SALTBURN, GRAN TURISMO and HEART OF STONE, to name a few. How do you personally look back on 2023 as a period in your career?
I think I’ll look back at this year as a year of change. There have definitely been some big life adjustments in 2023. I’ve been working for over 10 years now, but this year was definitely a different level of exposure. I had 5 film projects and a play out in 2023. It was a lot, but I feel so incredibly grateful for the showcase. Farleigh (SALTBURN) and Jann (GRAN TURISMO) couldn’t have been more different. How lucky am I that I got to play two characters so wildly opposite and having them come out within months of each other. That’s a real gift as an actor, and not one young actors are always given. 

SALTBURN was one of 2023’s most talked about films. How did you experience this film as a whole, from getting cast, finding out who you’ll get to work with, to filming and post-release reactions from the public?
It’s just been one of the most joyous experiences, from beginning to end. The audition was shrouded in so much mystery. Emerald had just won an Oscar for her last script, so this one was kept under lock and key. I auditioned with blank monologues, no idea what the film was about. It was actually so much fun. It meant I was able to create different characters for each, there were 3, and I could really have fun with it. So much of Farleigh was born in that audition. I weirdly found parts of him not knowing who he was. Once everything came into place, I was pinching myself. 

Emerald and our incredible casting director, Kharmel Cochrane, assembled the dream cast. I immediately knew I was going to grow as an actor so much by working with this cast. And I genuinely believe I did. Watching an actor like Rosamund Pike work everyday was such an education. Working with these actors and Emerald liberated me to be a better actor, to try things, to be braver. I felt like I could because of the trust we all established and I really believe you can see that in the work. It’s been so exciting to be a part of a project so heavily debated. That’s all you want really, for the work to spark conversation. None of us could have imagined it’d catch fire the way it did, but we’re all so grateful that it did, for better and for worse.

What was your most memorable experience from the set of this black comedy psychological thriller?
Too many, but there was this one at the beginning of the shoot where we shot the film in a tiny village in England. One evening, a few of us decided we’d have a drive and find somewhere to eat. We ended up in this beautiful picturesque village pub where everyone seemed to know everyone and nobody had a clue who we were or why we were there. Cut to a few hours later, we all have instruments in our hands and we’ve joined in on the weekly ukulele night. We were sitting by this fire, singing and playing instruments. I think Alison was on the drum, Jacob and I on an ukulele. It was just so nice, everyone was so kind and welcoming. We just kept looking at each other like “What’s happening?” But I’ll remember that forever.

Another huge project you starred as the lead in was GRAN TURISMO, based on the true story of a team of underdogs, who risk it all to take on the most elite sport in the world. How exciting was being part of this film? Have you ever played GRAN TURISMO on PlayStation before getting cast on it?
I feel so proud of GRAN TURISMO. It was my first time leading a major studio film and I couldn’t have done it with better people. Neil Blomkamp was the greatest collaborator. He put so much trust in me and that feels scary sometimes, but I felt ready. I had actually met one of the writers for that maybe a year before they started casting. We just Zoomed to talk about Jann. At that point, it wasn’t called GRAN TURISMO, it was just a biopic on Jann. The Zoom was great and I left so excited, but I didn’t hear anything for months. And then at the SALTBURN read through, Kharmel Cochrane said “I’ve got your next film”. She said it’s the GRAN TURISMO movie and I said “Wait, Jann Mardenborough? I know this film”. So when it was time to audition, I’d already been thinking about the character for at least a year. 

That film was a real turning point for me. There’s a bit of an adjustment when you’re leading a project. You obviously ask yourself “Can I lead this film?” But your sense of ownership looks a little different. I started to work a little more producorially, I started to think about the film outside of just my character. I’d never been a part of those conversations before and I’m so grateful to Neil and our producers that they were open to that because it let me grow as an actor and a producer so much. And it introduced me to an entirely new world, racing. I’d heard of GRAN TURISMO of course, but I never played. I couldn’t even drive. The odds were completely against me. Couldn’t drive, didn’t play the game, but Neil believed I was the right person to tell the story and I’m so grateful. It changed my life. 

As fans of racing, we’re really intrigued to gain more insight into how filming of such a film looks like. Can you take us through your preparations and if you actually got to race any cars for the film, or it was just driving on a simulator?
Firstly, I had to pass my test. That was the first hurdle. Then I just immersed myself in the world. I had the greatest Sim racing and real racing instructor, David Perel. PlayStation sent me the full simulator cockpit to my house and I’d practice everyday. You have to know the lines inside out, every track is different and the only way of truly knowing them is repetition. Every time you see me play in the movie, I’m really playing. I had to know what I was doing, so when it came to being on the real tracks, I knew them inside out. It still didn’t make it any easier, but I did get to drive a bit. 

Driving the Porsche GT3 at Nurburgring was without a doubt a highlight, but the hardest moments were when I was driving. I’d be in the car going at full racing speed and there’d be cameras all around me, so I couldn’t see a thing. The only way you don’t get sick as a driver is to look through the turns , but I can’t see anything because of the cameras. It was like being on a rollercoaster blindfolded. I’d be shooting a scene, Neil in one ear and David in the other, trying to act, trying to remember the layout of the tracks, vomiting. But you can’t stop because of all the other cars, so I’d have to shout “Hold on” into a microphone I had hidden and I’d either vomit or try to hold it down, and then continue the scene. This was truly one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. 

Besides acting on screen, you’ve also performed on the West End. How thrilling is performing in front of a live audience for you?
It’s one of the most exhilarating feelings. It’s sometimes overwhelming and you have to remind yourself to try to channel it into something positive. The risk feels so much greater than in film. Your body knows that and you feel this surge of adrenaline before stepping on stage, but it’s a feeling that you chase. It’s one of those moments that really reminds us we’re alive, like bungee jumping or something. I’ll always come back to theatre, it’s so important. When a play is brilliant, there’s something electric that happens in that space between the actors and the audience. And it only belongs to everyone in that room there and then, nobody else. 

What attracted you to a career as an actor? Has it always been a dream of yours?
It was always the thing I gravitated towards as a kid. I wasn’t sporty, I wasn’t academic. I was artistic, I was drawn to those subjects. As the years went on, it just became clear that was the thing I enjoyed the most. But it wasn’t until I was a little older that I really thought about it as a real career. I don’t know what I’d thought before, I just knew I loved it. I loved telling stories, I loved the effect that it had on me as a young person and witnessing the effect it had on others. I found that and still find that so exciting.

Being in the acting industry and having success like yours puts you in the spotlight. How do you deal with being a public figure both on the streets and online?
I just try not to think about it too much. This year, there’s definitely been some adjustments, but as a whole, my life is still pretty much the same. I live in the same house, I have the same friends and family, my goals haven’t changed. I think the only way of dealing with it is not to take it too seriously. 

Acting and fashion are two industries that are very connected. What do you love the most about fashion and exploring new trends?
They’re very connected. Costume is one of the most important parts of finding a character. It’s sometimes the thing that unlocks the whole performance for you. Farleigh’s costume in SALTBURN was so important to the character. The way he presented to the world told us so much about who he was. 

In my personal life, I’ve always enjoyed fashion. It took me so long to find my personal day to day style. I was so stuck on worrying about what other people were wearing. It’s such a nice moment when you stop caring and you start wearing what you feel good in. For me, it was discovering Japanese designers like Stein, my beautiful landlet or Voaaov. I love the oversized fits that Japanese designers gravitate towards. 

After such a year, tell us what is coming up next for you? What exciting projects are you working on?
I’m starting shooting my new film LURKER in LA. I’m playing a musician and that’s coming with all these new experiences. I’m challenging myself in new ways. Alex Russell is directing and he’s a genius. We’ve been talking about this film for so long, so we’re stoked to finally be jumping in the deep end. 

Otherwise, I’m developing a few of my own projects. I’m writing a little. We’ll see, I’m staying open. There are so many people I’d love to work with and it’s just the beginning.

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TEAM CREDITS:
talent ARCHIE MADEKWE
photography ELLIOT WILCOX
styling CATERINA OSPINA
styling assistants LINDA HOUTSONEN and CENSI LUCENA
grooming MAYA MAN at STELLA CREATIVE ARTISTS using CURLSMITH & DR. BARBARA STURM
set design JOSH STOVELL
editor TIMOTEJ LETONJA
interview JANA LETONJA
cover design ARTHUR ROELOFFZEN