Nicholas Galitzine isn’t just Hollywood’s latest heartthrob — he’s a study in contradictions. Shy yet bold, romantic yet rebellious, the British actor has navigated a whirlwind year, from Red, White & Royal Blue to his latest role opposite Anne Hathaway in The Idea of You. Fame may be breathing down his neck, but Galitzine remains disarmingly grounded, more concerned with growth than glamour. In conversation with Justin Campbell, he opens up about love, the claustrophobia of stardom, and why he’ll always chase connection over perfection.
Justin Campbell:
Hi Nick! Okay, so for everyone who maybe doesn't know, can you tell me what you are filming right now?
Nicholas Galitzine:
Yeah, so I'm filming a movie called The Idea of You alongside Anne Hathaway, which is based on a book but will feel like a bit of a separate entity from the source material in some capacity, although there is a lot of fan service. The story is basically about a woman living in LA who is just about to turn 40. She's coming to terms with the fact that she's aging and what that means for her as a woman, as a sexual person. She is separated from her husband and has this young daughter and takes this daughter of hers to Coachella and rather fortuitously meets this young man who she doesn't know at first to be a pop star.
He's about 15 years her junior, and they have this incredible spark and chemistry. It's very much a commentary on his life and fame and unexpected love, a love that is very much un-nuclear in a lot of ways. So it's been really fun to play this character and work with Anne on a story that I think is a refreshing departure from the romance genre.
JC:
How much of a departure do you feel like, and I'm asking this not having read the script or the book, do you feel like it is from your own life? Because from what I've just heard you describe, this character has fame, he's a musician. I'm like, you check both of those boxes.
Nicholas Galitzine:
Well, I don't know. I would debate the first point. But dipping into the music world has been really fascinating because music has been something that started to evolve for me and build quite recently, but I've worked with people who are really prominent within the industry like Camila Cabello. It's really fascinating to see the intense lens that's placed upon musicians because they don't have a movie character to hide behind. They have to present themselves as being sincerely the person that they are.
The stage persona is often much more tethered to who they actually are as a person rather than, as actors we kind of have this layer that we can shield ourselves from. So that's been really interesting. I think playing that dynamic, the sort of claustrophobia of fame is something that I found really fascinating. But also working in such close proximity with someone like Anne and building a chemistry with her and between these characters has been so much fun. And I think we're already creating a really cool dynamic that isn't really seen on screen. You don't often have a younger actor and an older actress kind of romantically involved, so it's very exciting.
JC:
Has that been at all intimidating for you? Or what has that process been like?
Nicholas Galitzine:
Yeah, well it was a really funny. It's been a bit of a crazy year for me because I was filming Red, White & Royal Blue in London and while I was filming that, I was kind of going through the audition process for the movie and towards the end couple weeks of Red, White & Royal Blue, Purple Hearts came out and became a bit of a success. And so as soon as I finished Red, White & Royal Blue, I flew over to New York to chemistry test with Anne for the role. And it was just kind of this crazy whirlwind and was life imitating art in a lot of ways in terms of what Hayes Campbell, the character I'd play, what the landscape of his life kind of looked like. And so it's this funny thing as actors, I think we're constantly vying to have some semblance of control over our lives and our careers and our relationships and the prospect of working and acting with someone of Anne's stature and talent can, I think, be super intimidating.
It was a project that I knew I instantly wanted to do and so I have reached a point where I wanted to just relinquish myself to the opportunity and really just enjoy it. I've always loved Anne's work. I think she's immensely talented and I think the notion of just being able to go in and chemistry test with her and have fun was really exciting. And I did that and I think it was part of the reason why we were able to have an immediate spark. And I think, you very quickly start to familiarize yourself. And this is really a testament to Anne's character and the fact that she's so welcoming and she's so connective and so smart. We've instantly bonded and it makes all of these romantic scenes, just scenes where we have to have a banter with each other and a spark and electricity, it makes them so much easier. So, yeah, not too much intimidation just yet, which is good.
JC:
Have you ever had to film sort of romantic scenes like this before? I've seen a lot of your films and I feel like they've always sort of sat in that teen era.
Nicholas Galitzine:
Yeah, they've always been chased to a point. I think Purple Hearts was really the first time that I had to do something that was even considered a sex scene and that definitely pulled its punches. But Red, White & Royal Blue was a really formative experience. I think we had an incredible intimacy coordinator who was able to educate me and make me feel very comfortable in those scenes. And I think it's just an opportunity to be really creative and connective, which I think is what acting's all about. And Anne and I and Michael Showalter, our director, have had lots of conversations about the importance of intimacy in this film and depicting it in an honest, a true and an artistic way. So yeah, It's new in some capacity, but I'm not totally unfamiliar with getting my kit off on screen now, I guess.
JC:
Someone said to me the other day that the only two people that you need to impress are your eight-year-old self and your 80-year-old self. And so when I heard that, I wrote that down because the question that I wanted to ask you was, who were you at eight years old?
Nicholas Galitzine:
God, who was I at eight years old? I mean, I was desperately shy apart from anything else. I think I always had this incredible zest for life, and my parents very much tried to cultivate creativity among me and my sister from quite a young age. There were not a lot of screens in the house. It was lots of exploring outdoors and being in nature. I'd never fancied myself as a creative due to my shyness, and I think sport played a really big role in my life from a very early age.
But I always had this performance gene. Now, looking back on it, my sister and I used to put on little shows for the local Greek kids when we went to Greece and perform in front of strangers. And so it's actually not surprising at all that I kind of ended up in this career, though it seemed to be completely out of the blue for many years. But no, I was a very shy, very nervous kid, a little socially anxious. So it's actually been quite beautiful to remember how I was then and sort of see how this career and this job has transformed me as a person.
JC:
You've been working, I feel like, for a long time now, and you've done quite a few high-profile projects, but nothing at the level that "Purple Hearts" sort of exploded in terms of every single person has seen "Purple Hearts" it feels like. You guys broke so many records. When you guys were filming that, did you have any idea of what was to come or the potential of sort of success?
Nicholas Galitzine:
Yeah, I always operate under the notion that everything I do, every project I do will just go into a black hole and no one will see it. Because I think as actors, we deal with so much rejection and heartbreak and disappointment. It's kind of unfair to yourself to get your hopes up sometimes. But I knew instantly the project on paper presented itself a certain way and I felt that I could bring something to the project to try and elevate it in some capacity. And it felt like there were a lot of really fun facets for me to explore. Obviously, there's the romance at its center, which I think Netflix truly is one of the sort of genius streamers, I think, in terms of allowing the romance projects to succeed. But it's important to note this was a very low-budget movie. This was not one of their highly funded movies with big superstars in it.
Sophia obviously had built a name through Disney, but for the most part, I had done a lot of indie films, done some streamer work here and there, so it didn't necessarily have the sort of on-paper ingredients to become the hit that it was. I think we were all really surprised by how incredibly well it did. I don't think any of us could have foreseen that. And it's still interesting to this day. I wonder in a lot of capacity what it was that people really connected with, whether it was Sophia and my chemistry or the subject matter or what, I'm not so sure. But yeah, it's definitely been the biggest moment in my career so far, and it felt like a beat to really take a breath and enjoy a big win after a career so far of highs and lows and disappointments at times.
JC:
How have you been handling all the attention? Are you basking in it? Do you feel like it's, do you have imposter syndrome? For you, what has that been like? Are you able to enjoy it?
Nicholas Galitzine:
It's been pretty surreal, I have to admit. I'm the kind of person who has my close friends, I have my family, and that will always remain a constant in my life. So it's not something I particularly seek. I think the thing that I pursue is just longevity in my career and I suppose the respect of my peers and wanting to keep pushing myself in line from great actors and filmmakers. As I touched on before, there have been a few projects that I really felt were going to have some sort of resonance and fell short of my expectations, which kind of led to my mentality shift.
And so I think the most gratifying thing in a lot of ways has just been having conversations with people during that period of time when I was testing for the Idea of You. I was in York, and this was a few weeks after Purple Hearts was released, and I was staying in Soho and would just walk the streets and explore in my time off from the testing process of The Idea of You. People would come up to me on the street, and it was the first time that this has ever really happened, just not being able to walk two minutes without someone coming up to me. But I loved having the conversations with people and hearing their thoughts on it and hearing what they're connected to.
And this job can be so bizarre, and the fame aspect of it all can be really dehumanizing, I think, for some people. But so far, what I can say is I've had really beautiful experiences, and I think spiritually, I'm still pretty undecided about what I believe. But I think one of the things that really does give me purpose and makes this job so gratifying is the ability to have Resonance and to see that and witness it firsthand has been something truly special.
JC:
Here's a question that a lot of fans have written into us, asking us to ask you, and I actually want to know too, is there going to be a sequel?
Nicholas Galitzine:
I mean, I don't really know what I can share.
JC:
That sounds like a yes because it wasn't a no.
Nicholas Galitzine:
It's not a yes and it's not a no. And I think the powers that be are definitely listening and I think it was such a shock win for Netflix. And I think they're listening. That's all I'll that's say. They're listening to the fans, so we'll see what happens.
JC:
So let me ask you this. If there were to be a sequel, fictional or real, what do you want to see for your character? Where do you want to see him in the next iteration?
Nicholas Galitzine:
Look, I just think there's no point in doing a sequel if there isn't growth of the characters. And I think already within a movie we saw an immense amount of growth from this character. There's no point really in doing a sequel unless we do see Luke progress. And I think where we ended the film, his beliefs and ideals had shifted. He'd learn a lot from Cassie and I think we wouldn't want to do something that felt forced. I think at the end of the day it has to make sense and there's a lot of different ways it can go. Sophia and I will call each other occasionally and we kind of talk and suggest little ideas to each other. So I think everyone has their own thoughts. But yeah, I can't say anything concrete really. I think, just to reiterate, it just has to make sense.
JC:
Would you and Sophia ever do a song together?
Nicholas Galitzine:
I mean you have to ask Sophia. She's the one who's the established musician. I think I'm a little too low level for her right now, but no, she's been really supportive of, it's such a new career shift for me and it's something I'm very much learning to do and it's very humbling seeing her work ethic and how much she puts into the job. And I don't know, I'd love to work with her in a musical capacity. And if it's also not Purple Hearts, I think Sophia and I are keen to continue to work with each other on other projects, not necessarily restricted to a Purple Heart sequel.
JC:
Maybe it's a one night only in LA performance.
Nicholas Galitzine:
Okay, we'll see what we can do for you, Justin.
JC:
Here's a question we've asked everybody in the issue. Yeah, the issue is called the Rebels issue. So what is something that you've rebelled against in your life?
Nicholas Galitzine:
Oh, God. I mean, look, I was a rebellious kid in a lot of different capacities but I think in terms of something…
JC:
I can't picture that. You were?
Nicholas Galitzine:
Oh yeah, I was a little troubled child. There were almost expulsions and suspensions a few times and it never came from a malicious place or a bad place. I just think the schooling system didn't really suit me and I was just a bit hyperactive. And also I think I was a very angry, emotional young man in a lot of capacities. And I think I was raised with incredible female role models but also I went to an all-boys school and was an athlete and I didn't realize I was really sensitive and emotional and creative. And I've been very outspoken about this, I think, but dealt with a lot of anxiety and mental health issues when I was younger.
And I think the notion of the British stiff upper lip and not seeking help and not talking and just repressing your emotions is something I've really rebelled against and something I really try to advocate in my fellow man. We have to talk to each other, we have to listen to each other. The landscape of masculinity is changing. I think it's actually something that was highlighted in "Purple Hearts". There was a scene I really fought to be in the movie where Luke goes to visit Frankie's grave and is very tearful and very emotional and that catharsis I think was really important to show that someone who is as outwardly masculine, traditionally masculine as a marine could also be hyper-emotional, I think. Sorry.
JC:
I was going to say, when's the last time you've cried?
Nicholas Galitzine:
Oh, God. I think just the other day. I think just the other day. Honestly, I'm not a huge crier. I think I've been so lucky in my life and I've just been really grateful. I cry thinking about my grandmother sometimes and I think the thing that makes me emotional is missing out on some of the moments with my family and my loved ones because I think the gift of this job is that once you create some sort of momentum, you're kind of traveling as if you were in the circus and you're having all of these amazing experiences and meeting all these incredible people and doing what you love, which for so many of us who want to be actors, it's just the hardest thing to be able to do what we love.
And the downside of that is the transience of it and the fact that you don't get to see your loved ones all too often and you miss out on things at times. And I'm very lucky that I have a really close relationship with my family and my friends and my loved ones. But I think the other week I was missing my grandma who passed away during the production of "Purple Hearts". And every win in this job, my immediate instinct is to look towards photos of my loved ones and think of the memories of people like my grandmother and just kind of hope that they're watching from someplace.
JC:
One of the last questions I want to leave you with, are who are you when you're alone?
Nicholas Galitzine:
Who am I when I'm alone? Wow, what a question. I honestly think this the same person really is as when I'm with people really in a lot of ways. I try to live my life with a sense of coherence. Social media is this crazy thing, and I think it's hard to present many different facets of yourself in your life. And I try to always be as candid and authentic as possible. If anything, I'd say I'm just a very introspective, existential person. I'm very fascinated by the big questions in life, and I think very peaceful nowadays. I think this year has allowed the sort of racing thoughts to dissipate the need to impress and be validated. And despite the hysteria of the career, I think that I just feel very calm recently and very content, which is personally something I kind of aspire to over happiness, let's say. I think being just content and feeling a sense of fulfillment and purpose is yeah, my good place, my happy place.
JC:
Okay, so the question that we're going to end this on, I think, ties back to the beginning of our conversation, and I wanted to ask you, what is the most romantic thing you've ever done for someone?
Nicholas Galitzine:
Fuck. Oh, God. Well, I'm... Fuck.
JC:
Because you're very sweet and sensitive, and I've known you this long, so I know this side of you, and I feel like people maybe don’t.
Nicholas Galitzine:
I mean, I'm a hopeless romantic. I am a hopeless romantic. God. I mean, God, what is the most... That's what I'm trying to... I mean, look, my first sort of serious relationship, I was dating a Spanish girl, and it was a long-distance thing, and just seeing her was difficult, and I was so broke. I was a few movies into my career, and it's like a funny expectation. People think you're just rolling in it even though that you're being paid scraps. But my girlfriend at the time lived in a very specific part of Spain that was impossible to get to. And I think I slept in a couple of airports, took a few buses through the Spanish countryside, not really speaking any Spanish at all, trying to just communicate hand signals, just anything in order to get to her, basically for a three-day trip and then had to do it all the way over again on pretty much no money at all that I'd saved up from working in frozen yogurt shops and working in Abercrombie & Fitch, which is one of my deep regrets in life. But I was desperate.
And so it kind of made the love and the gesture I think just all the bigger because it was just no concept of saving the money or spending it on something of investment or value. It was just all about just seeing this person. And I think I've always been a bit like that. I think that I'm a bit of a mountain mover when it comes to just spending time seeing, as I mentioned before, this job can be so transient, you've got to take every moment that you possibly can. So I also took two ex-girlfriends to Paris and then ended up breaking up both times a month after. But we should probably not speak about that too much.
JC:
I thought you were going to say you learned Spanish for her.
Nicholas Galitzine:
Well, I mean, this is the thing. I did also learn a language for a partner. And by the way, her parents didn't speak any English. So I definitely had some awkward moments of one-on-one time with parents and just desperately trying to pull grammar out of my 15-year-old Spanish class. So, yeah, I guess that's pretty romantic as well.
JC:
Oh, well, Nic, thank you so much. I know you are working so hard and you're exhausted and I'm so happy we got to do this.
Nicholas Galitzine:
I'm so happy we got to do this. And I hope we continue to do this, and I love seeing you and your career grow as well, just knowing you've always been a talented photographer. But also I love the questions you ask and how thoughtful you are with something that I think can be a very superficial process and very surface level. So I appreciate you for that.
JC:
Aw, I love you. Anyway, have the best rest of your filming and I can't wait for us to share the cover with the world.