IN CONVERSATION WITH ARCHIE RENAUX

interview MARIE PAULINE CESARI

Actor Archie Renaux is best known for his starring role as Malyen ‘Mal’ Oretsev in the hit Netflix series Shadow and Bone. In February, he starred opposite Camilla Mendes in the Amazon Prime romantic comedy Upgraded. Next up, he will be seen in the BBC thriller Alien: Romulus, set to hit theaters on 16th August.

Archie, what initially sparked your passion for acting and cinema? Was there a particular film or actor that inspired you to pursue this career?

It was a mixture of a few films that got me interested, but the first of those was probably Star Wars and watching all those films as a kid.

You trained at The Unseen in London. How did your training there shape your approach to acting?

Training at The Unseen gave me the tools I needed for this business. It taught me the importance of making characters interesting and truthful. It was a part-time acting school and 100% practical, which I loved. That approach worked much better for me in terms of progressing.

Your role in the dystopian film Zero marked the beginning of your professional career. Can you share your experience working on this film?

Working on my first few films was really amazing and magical. They were my first times on a film set and really opened my eyes to how filmmaking works—all the parts in the machine that come together to create the final product.

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jacket, top, pants & boxer FENDI
shoes CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
socks UNIQLO
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full look EMPORIO ARMANI

You're best known for your role as Mal in Netflix’s Shadow and Bone. How did you prepare to bring him to life on screen?

I worked out what I thought was important to him and then built the character from there. For me, Mal had the biggest heart, courage, and grit. Keeping all these things in mind and letting everything else follow helped bring him to life.

In February, you starred opposite Camilla Mendes in Amazon Prime’s Upgraded. How was the experience of working on a romantic comedy compared to your previous projects?

Working with Camila was great! It definitely felt more relaxed and chilled out on that set because the film is meant to give people a fun time watching it. Other films, where there are higher stakes for the characters, can definitely feel a lot different!

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full look EMPORIO ARMANI
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full look PRADA

You have some exciting upcoming projects, including the BBC thriller Alien: Romulus. What can you tell us about this role and joining this franchise?

Being part of Alien: Romulus was really a dream—I still can’t quite believe it! It’s amazing because I get to be part of this legacy of films loved by so many. The experience of filming this was also special because of the practical effects used and the lack of green or blue screens. It made it so easy to be immersed in this world.

Your filmography includes a wide range of genres, from dystopian films and miniseries to romantic comedies and sci-fi thrillers. How do you choose your roles, and is there a particular genre you enjoy working in the most?

I wouldn’t say there’s a genre that I like most, and that’s what I always want to do. The script is always the indicator of whether I want to take a job or not, regardless of genre. Then the character—if the character seems like something I could do a good job with, or will challenge me, or is different from what I’ve done before, that can also attract me to a project.

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jacket & pants APPLIED ART FORMS
shoes JIMMY CHOO
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full look AMIRI

TEAM CREDITS

talent ARCHIE RENAUX
photographer JACK ALEXANDER
stylist KRISHAN PARMAR at CAROL HAYES MANAGEMENT
groomer BRADY LEA at PREMIER HAIR AND MAKEUP
editor TIMI LETONJA
editorial director JANA LETONJA