IN CONVERSATION WITH NICO MIRALLEGRO

interview MARIE-PAULINE CESARI

Screen International ‘Star of Tomorrow’ and BAFTA nominated British actor Nico Mirallegro will star in Paramount+’s series ‘Stags’, premiering in in August. Nico’s past work on stage and screen has been critically acclaimed and he was most recently seen in Andrew Buchan’s ‘Passengers’ for ITV. For his role in Peter Moffatt’s ‘The Village’ he was nominated for a BAFTA award.

Nico, what inspired you to pursue a career in acting? Was there a specific moment that set you on this path?

Sometimes the path pursues you. My family has a long lineage of eccentrics, artists, and fighters. I remember Claudia, my sister, and I always playing around with characters in films we’d seen or musicians we liked. And my mum was always encouraging us to paint, draw, or play some imaginary game she’d invented. When I was leaving school, my friend drove me to my first audition, and that was it—I never looked back.

You’ve received accolades for your work on and off screen. How has your training and early experiences in the industry helped shape your approach to acting?

Having experience on set and with the camera helps you develop a certain level of confidence. I can switch off the distractions and be at ease with everyone. Eventually, you break through those inhibitions and have that freedom to create. The process of acting is forever evolving, which I love. Working with good actors helps challenge your ideas. Finding curiosities in the world and asking questions also allows expansion. I try to keep rooted in the character and ground myself in the moment. By doing this, I can relax and find presence. It’s a tough old industry, so you’ve got to be okay with rejection and know that nothing is personal. Patience has been one of the biggest lessons for me.

Your upcoming project ‘Stags’ sounds intense and thrilling. Can you share what drew you to the role of Stu and what audiences can expect from the series?

People can expect a wild ride, with twists and turns from characters that you aren’t going to expect. What happens to friendships when they are pushed to their limit? Themes of survival and morality. Daniel's writing is fantastic—straight away it feels alive, fresh, and lifts off the page. It asks some huge life questions very subtly. I read episode one back-to-back twice in about thirty minutes. The world, the characters, the situation—it felt relatable but like something totally new and of its own world. Stu seemed likable, kind, and fun, but at the same time, something was simmering inside him, ready to blow. He has this ability to be the nicest guy in the room but also a smiling crocodile. He carries this burden of intensity inside him where things are stewing.

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full look DIOR
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full look DOLCE & GABBANA

Stags’ was shot on location in Tenerife. How did filming in such a unique setting impact the production and your performance? Did you surf there?

We filmed in an old leper colony that was the perfect backdrop and character for the prison. The production team and designers did an incredible job—every detail thought through. This meant for us, the actors and the crew, we could immerse ourselves in the world instantly. They’d built everything and created this weirdly wonderful atmosphere inside the prison. Yes, of course, it enhances the performance one hundred percent—you don’t second guess anything. You look around and it’s an alien world everywhere. We were also five minutes from a gorgeous beach, so having the opportunity to let go of the day and release ourselves into the sea was magical for us.

How was it working with David Kerr?

David is a wonderful director. He has so much experience and knowledge and is so kind with it. I always felt like he created a relaxed environment on set. He has this brilliant way of being able to switch between fun chat and work. But ultimately, he is super generous with great imagination and is keen on ideas. I think he and Daniel Edwards (casting) did a classy job with casting. A real, fun, exciting collective.

Your role in ‘The Village’ earned you a BAFTA nomination. How did it feel to receive such recognition, and how has it influenced your career trajectory?

The Village was a life-changing time for me. Antonia Bird, a truly spectacular filmmaker and an even cooler person, was directing, and the fantastic Peter Moffat was writing. She showed so much trust in me during the whole thing. That rehearsal process was the first time I’d felt part of something in an artistic way. It felt significant, real, like we were creating something magic. Plus, with Maxine Peake and John Simm starring, it was a truly magical team. To get nominated for a BAFTA was a real honour and achievement, and to take my mum and enjoy the night with her will go down forever in my memory.

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full look GIORGIO ARMANI
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full look LOUIS VUITTON

You've taken on a variety of roles in different genres, from ‘My Mad Fat Diary’ to ‘Murdered for Being Different’. How do you pick your work, and what challenges do you enjoy most in your work?

I look for what resonates in that moment, how the project might enlighten people, and also what’s the style of the piece. What does the creative environment look like? In its basic form, you get sent a script; if you like it, go and meet them. I want to be pushed and propelled forward, to collaborate and feel part of the whole thing. I want ideas to be challenged and beliefs to be questioned. I like learning about something new in the writing, whether that’s about me or about life.

Looking back, what has been the most rewarding project or role in your career so far, and what made it stand out for you?

I think in terms of education, working with Mike Leigh on Peterloo was such an immense experience. I felt like the whole process was an expansion and a development of character, both on a human level and in an artistic way. His wit, passion, and knowledge make him a funny yet frightening force. He ain’t nobody’s fool. On a totally different level, the film Spike Island was made with so much love and with one of my best friends. We were all such naughty rascals—it was like a stamp of who we were at that moment in time. That feeling of joy and making something with a bunch of pals is incomparable and something I’d love to experience again.

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outfit AMIRI
necklace TILLY SVEEAS
shoes JIMMY CHOO
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full look LOUIS VUITTON
shoes CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

What other projects are you currently working on or looking forward to in the future?

Currently sowing seeds in the garden, literally and metaphorically. I love watching things blossom with some nurture. I’m looking forward to the fruits of my labor. I’ve been writing, watching, training in different ways. I like keeping myself tuned in. I’d love to put on a Sam Shepard play. I think putting on some form of community theatre workshop would be great where I live in Salford. Nourish the imaginations and repay communities.

How important is fashion in your life? Do you have any favorite designers or personal style icons that inspire your wardrobe choices?

Fashion is in your DNA, and I’ve always had funky genes. Since young, all the Italian side would bring me a new outfit for all these different communions. I looked like I’d walked off a Milan catwalk at three. I remember getting sent to live with my dad in Spain when I was about twelve, and I became Prada and Loewe obsessed because that’s all my dad would wear. I would nick his watches and wear them out—an expensive watch on a not-even-teenage-yet boy. He always had his own style and was very much his own personality. I can see some additions to my own style taken from him. In terms of fashion icons, it’s a mixed bag from the likes of Italian footballers Totti, Del Piero, and Baggio to American film actors Burt Lancaster and Marlon Brando, to rappers like Rakim, MF Doom, and LL Cool J. Told ya. But more than anything, inspiration is all around us. I look to everyday folk and people on the street to see what they’re wearing, admiring the individual, subtle strokes to their fashion canvas.

TEAM CREDITS

talent NICO MIRALLEGRO
photographer DAVE FOSTER
stylist JAMES YARDLEY
groomer CHARLEY MCEWEN
styling assistants OLLIE & SASHA
photography assistant BEN TURNER
editor TIMI LETONJA
editorial director JANA LETONJA