Tag Archives: Netflix

‘Tiger King’ is the Perfect Binge for Chaotic Times

As if there aren’t enough distractions in the world already, Netflix is releasing a new absolutely binge-worthy true crime series. Upon first glance, Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness has the same manic tone of  Spring Breakers, but instead of hot young people turning to crime in Florida it’s middle-aged folk turning to crime while collecting large exotic cats.

 

The series shines a light on one of my favorite bits of forgotten American lore, which is the numerous legal loopholes that allow regular people to adopt foreign animals and keep them in their backyards. What could go wrong, I always wonder when I’m reminded that some people in states like Ohio and Wisconsin collect lions, tigers, bears, and other wild animals as if they were stamps. Tiger King shows you just how things in the world of exotic animal hoarding can go awry, but not in the ways you’d imagine. It’s definitely a wild show (no pun intended) that’s best viewed with as little background as possible and sure to keep you on your toes for all seven episodes.

 

Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness will be available on Netflix on March 20. Watch the trailer above.

 

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The ‘Friends’ Comeback Is Not Actually a Comeback

For the first time since the show went off the air in 2004, the original cast of Friends will reunite for a special on HBO. The news comes after years of industry rumors and grassroots campaigns to revive the groundbreaking popular series about six single twenty-somethings living in New York City, and after it enjoyed a second wind when it was acquired by Netflix in 2015. It was pulled from the streaming service at the end of last year.

 

But don’t call it a comeback. While all six stars of the show — that’s Courtney Cox, Matt Le Blank, Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow, and David Schwimmer — will be together again, the reunion is part of an untitled unscripted special that will air on the newly launched HBO Max. The new platform just got the streaming rights to all 10 seasons of the series, so the special will likely just feature the cast reminiscing about the glory days of the show and its unprecedented longevity. Oh, and each of them will receive $2.5 million for the gig.

 

An official release date hasn’t been announced yet but HBO Max is scheduled to launch in May. Until then, get used to the idea of Friends without a laugh track by watching the video below.

 

David Chang Hosts A New Netflix Show

After overwhelming success with his Momofuku Bar, Milk Bar, and other establishments as well as his show Ugly Delicious, chef David Chang is working with Netflix on a new show called Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner. With fall temperates dropping, it seems like everyone will be wanting to get comfortable with a good foodie show. But Chang’s show will go above and beyond, bringing bring celebrities, including Chrissy Teigen (in Morocco), with him to try new food.

 

Each episode will include the star chef and his celebrity chef traveling to a new city to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner together. The show will also share travel experiences and adventures together with the food. Other guests will include Seth Rogen, Lena Waithe, and Kate McKinnon.

 

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner launches on October 23rd on Netflix.

 

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Crossing the Threshold with Diego Boneta

Diego Boneta wears KARL LAGERFELD PARIS in a dreamy editorial. The latest range from the French designer perfectly fuses the structure of urban practicality with a timeless bucolic sophistication. The collection is available online now.

 

Diego Boneta might still be a fresh name in Hollywood, but in Mexico, where he was born, he needs no introduction. It’s only one of the similarities he has with Luis Miguel, the Puerto Rican-born Mexican icon he portrays in the eponymous Netflix hit series. Both started their careers at young ages and became heartthrobs almost immediately, a combination of their talents and good looks. It’s not only a fitting role for the 28-year-old, but one that he’s played to critical acclaim, solidifying his status as a bonafide actor.

 

Boneta’s transition from household name in his home country to rising star in his adopted one (he moved to Los Angeles in 2007) has been humbling, especially as a Mexican actor who was found “too white to be Latin and too Latin to be white.” Boneta had guest roles in teen dramas Pretty Little Liars and 90210 before landing the role of Drew Boley in the rock-musical Rock of Ages, joining an all-star cast that included Catherine Zeta-Jones, Alec Baldwin, and Tom Cruise, who became an exemplary figure in Boneta’s life. Not only was he able to break the type-casting mold that had been holding a grip on his opportunities, but he also got to flaunt his vocal chops, which he once again put to use in Luis Miguel, recording versions of the icon’s songs. Now Boneta faces a new milestone as he joins Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton for the new chapter of the Terminator series, Terminator: Dark Fate—his first step into
action territory.

 

I call Boneta to discuss his career, both past and present. He answers with a friendly hello, but upon learning I’m also from Mexico City, the tone instantly changes in the way conversation does when two people of the same country find each other somewhere else: with instant and emphatic camaraderie. Boneta is nothing short of polite and sweet, his charisma and excitement evident even through the phone—qualities that have enabled him to take the dream leap from home star to a rising talent in the film capital of the world. He is deeply and profoundly proud to be Mexican, and it takes no time before we are discussing what that heritage means and how honored he is to be among those helping to change industry perceptions.

 

 

What has joining the Terminator franchise been like for you? Did you ever picture that you would grow up to be a part of something of this scale?

 

It was a crazy ride, and how it all happened was kind of a bit overwhelming. I was shooting Luis Miguel when I auditioned for Terminator, and then the day after I wrapped up the show I had to fly out to Dublin to screen test. It was the perfect opportunity. I had been wanting to do something global after doing Luis, which was more Latin focused. Deadpool was one of my favorite movies that has come out in the last few years, I think Tim Miller is an amazing director with a fresh vision on filmmaking and being able to work with the people involved in this project—I mean, Tim and James Cameron, the original cast, Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger. It was amazing.

 

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diego boneta

 

After making Rock of Ages you said you wanted to become an action star. It seems like that’s starting to happen with these projects in the pipeline. How do you feel about your dreams coming true and what has been the biggest challenge?

 

What really drives me is that I’m very passionate and proud of being Mexican. Growing up watching all these huge movies, I never saw a character that I could play in those movies. I always wanted to be Han Solo, or Luke Skywalker, or James Bond, or Ethan Hunt, but…none of them were Latin and none of them were like me. And the fact that Hollywood now is being open to diversity while staying true to these characters has been interesting. Like with Rock of Ages, the main thing for me was being able to speak English with no trace of a Mexican accent, and I think it’s fair as an actor to be able to play whatever you can physically play. If you can pass for Australian and all you need to do is master an Australian accent, there’s no way you shouldn’t get it.

 

I feel very proud of being able to break some of those stereotypes. Rock of Ages was a huge thing for me. Even though it wasn’t a huge box-office success, personally for me it was huge, because it was the first time a Latin actor played a white role in a big studio movie. And being able to act opposite Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Paul Giamatti, Bryan Cranston—it was just unreal. Every day I was getting closer and closer to being able to push those boundaries, break down these barriers, break down those walls—no pun intended [laughs]—and being able to show that. Your nationality shouldn’t be what makes you get or not get a job. It should be if you’re right for the part physically, and if you deliver it on an acting level—if you’re a good enough actor.

 

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diego boneta

 

We are starting to see more representation in the film industry, even within Latinx representation, as more actors are showing the broad range of diversity within our communities. Did you find that you were typecasted or continue to be typecasted because you’re Mexican?

 

When I first started, absolutely, yes. I moved here 12 years ago and it was a very different business then. It was very weird to me because they would put me up for Latin roles, like a Mexican singer, and I’d stand in for them and they’d be like, “No, no, no honey, this is for a Mexican singer.” I’d be like, “But I’m Mexican.” And they wouldn’t believe me. So I was always too white to play Latin,…and I was too Latin to be white. That was the first three years of my life upon moving to Los Angeles.

 

If it wasn’t for Rock of Ages… that was the big breakthrough for me and for many other actors, where it was like, “Wait a second, there are a lot of Mexicans who don’t necessarily look Mexican”—what does a Mexican look like? A lot of these casting directors making these decisions have never even been to Mexico City. They’re just judging based off of a lack of information and being prejudiced without having even been there. It’s not fair. Does it still happen? Yes. But a lot less than it did before. And I think the business is moving in the right direction. I think this new wave of actors is really pushing for that, and we don’t want to be put in the same field as the funny sidekick Mexican, or the gardener, or the nanny, or the chauffeur. Not that there’s no dignity in playing those roles, because there is, but Mexicans are so much more than that. It just has to be fair. That’s the main thing for me. If someone else gets a part because he’s a better actor than me, you know what, great. But if someone else gets the part because, “Oh you know, he’s Mexican,” then that’s not fair, unless it goes against the role.

 

I think there’s still room to improve—there always is. But I think every year, and especially with all the talent coming out of Mexico, everyone is realizing we gotta pay more attention.

 

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diego boneta

 

An interesting point is that the people making these decisions sometimes lack awareness about the culture they’ve set out to portray. You’ve been really well known in Mexico since you were a teenager. Similarly, Luis Miguel is an icon, but generally speaking in the United States, it’s hard to relay how important and how famous he is to those who don’t know of him. How would you describe Luis Miguel to someone who isn’t aware of him and his impact?

 

None of my American friends knew who he was, but they heard me playing his music as I was preparing for the part, and at the end of the day they all became really big fans of his music, which I thought was really interesting because none of them speak Spanish [laughs]. The way I would describe Luis Miguel is, culturally and musically, he’s like a mix between Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra, with a childhood and a tragic life similar to Michael Jackson—with child exploitation, abandonment, and very troubled life.

 

Luis Miguel is starting to get more broadly known, but even without knowing that context there are some stories that are universal: A coming-of-age story. Someone who is that big—people get it. And at the end of the day, his music and his voice also speak for themselves. Being able to play him was a childhood dream come true. The first live show I ever saw was his, the first song I ever sang on national television [was “La Chica del Bikini Azul”], it really came full circle.

 

The show garnered an insanely popular following. Has it been picked up for a second season yet?

 

Not yet. But it’s very special to be part of something that is helping redefine Latin television. It’s the first premium TV show in Latin America with 13 episodes and not 70 or 80, all directed by the same director [Humberto Hinojosa], and shot in a very American, premium-cable type of way. No one expected it to be this big, including myself. It’s crazy because I had to sing all of his songs in the original key, and his voice—Frank Sinatra said he was the best singer he had ever heard, and I am not Luis Miguel. It was really hard for me to sing his songs and humanize this character who has always been so mysterious and closed off so that people could empathize with him. That’s really what my job was.

 

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diego boneta

 

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned throughout your career?

 

Humility and hard work. There are no shortcuts to success. You have to put in the hours, sweat, blood, and tears. And always, no matter what, humility. I learned that after working with Tom Cruise and seeing how he treated everyone on set, from the director to the grip.

 

If you could work with anyone at all, who would it be and why?

 

Ooooh! Well, I’d have to throw in Alfonso Cuarón. I think he’s this generation’s Kubrick; there’s nothing he can’t do. I also love Christopher Nolan, Tarantino, Scorsese. And actor-wise, I’d love to work again with Tom Cruise. I think Jennifer Lawrence is amazing. Javier Bardem, and Christian Bale.

 

My last question: what does happiness look like to you?

 

I think happiness is balance. Balance with work, personal life, family, friends. It’s way easier said than done.

 

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diego boneta
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‘Stranger Things” Andrey Ivchenko Shares His Favorite Things

Last month, Stranger Things made its highly anticipated return with a gripping and satisfying third season. When it premiered back in 2016, the Netflix series was an immediate success that instantly made stars of its young leads and captivating supporting cast, which includes Finn Wolfhard (who’s also in the upcoming It Chapter Two), Millie Bobby Brown, and Dacre Montgomery. (Read our profile on Montgomery from our Spring ’18 issue here.)

 

In the most recent season, Andrey Ivchenko — a former bodybuilder turned Los Angeles-based actor — dominated the series. Cast as the series Terminator-like antagonist, Ivchenko stole each scene as the Russian Hitman of few words. We caught up with the star to find out a few of his favorite things. Read on.

 

Favorite movie : The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

 

Favorite TV show: “Boardwalk Empire”

 

Favorite fictional character: Logan

 

Favorite album: Metallica (1991)

 

Favorite song: ‘Turn The Page’ by Metalica

 

Favorite fashion trend: Corduroy jeans

 

Favorite toy: iPhone

 

Favorite video game: I don’t play video games so I don’t have one.

 

Any thoughts on the upcoming Terminator film: I don’t really know what to expect. After Terminator 2, the franchise took so many different directions with introducing so many new and different characters. Now the new Terminator is going in a complete direction from what people are used to seeing with Arnold so it should be really interesting.

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Levi’s Goes Full ’80s with ‘Stranger Things’ Collection

Ahead of the third season of the hit Netflix show, Levi’s has released a limited-edition capsule collection inspired by Stranger Things. The beloved retro-horror show was an immediate critical success and has blossomed into a full-on cultural sensation since its 2016 debut around the time when Pokemon Go! was a thing.

 

Since the show is set in the ’80s, Levi’s pulled from its vast archives to create vintage-like pieces based on characters from the show. Key pieces include an Aztec print shirt worn for Dustin (played by Gaten Matarazzo) and pleated jeans for Eleven (played by Millie Bobby Brown) that will be featured in the next season. Additionally, there are college-style sweatshirts, graphic t-shirts, and hoodies all decked out in Stranger Things-isms. Perfect merch to lounge in while you binge the next season after it premieres this Thursday, July 4.

 

The Levi’s x Stranger Things collection is available online now.

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Beyoncé ‘Homecoming’ Documentary Coming Soon

After making headlines as the first black woman to headline Coachella in 2018, Beyoncé is giving fans a closer look at how the career-making show came to be. Set to debut on Netflix next week (right before Coachella’s second weekend), Homecoming is an intimate documentary that highlights the performance, from concept to execution.

 

The historic headlining performance paid homage to Historically Black Colleges and Universities — during the event, she announced the launch of the Homecoming Scholars Awards Program, a scholarship program organized through the BeyGOOD initiative that provides students scholarships to HBCUs. The set heavily featured a college theme, with an expansive marching band supporting her and Beyoncé herself donning a bright yellow hoodie with Greek letters Beta Delta Kappa (a tribute to the five African American fraternities and four sororities in the country) printed on the back. The documentary features interviews with people who helped bring the show to life, exclusive behind-the-scenes clips, and (obv) footage from the performance. It’s likely that this documentary will be better than being at the desert festival itself.

 

Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé will hit Netflix on April 17. Check out the trailer below.

 

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Raúl Castillo: A Sweet Disposition

Photographed by Ryan Duffin and styled by Robert Quick.
Top image: Raúl wears a fringe jacket and pants by Eidos, white turtleneck by Theory, and Palm Tree necklace by Miansai.

Other than for a brief moment where he apologizes for it, Raúl Castillo never mentions his voice: bassy but soothing, the kind of baritone that reverberates through your core. Castillo, 41, stars in this year’s We The Animals, an indie film that is at once a celebration of family and an examination of the factors–external and internal–that wear loved ones down.

Castillo’s voice is significant not just because it is so recognizable, but because of how its unique warmth lends itself to the characters he’s played—from his breakthrough role as the charming Richie in HBO’s gay series Looking to his painful portrayal of Pa in Jeremiah Zagar’s adaptation of Justin TorresWe The Animals. He’s been working for a long time, mostly on stage, but his on-screen work is a testament to just how thoughtful of a performer he is.

 

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Castillo reflects on playing a queer Latino in Looking, particularly what that looks like considering it was his first major role. Though the actor identifies as straight, he’s quick to push away any expected responses. He mentions nothing about backlash, nothing about being typecast or pigeonholed, nothing negative whatsoever. Playing Richie was an opportunity. “The way [Richie] articulates his feelings–brown people aren’t often allowed to express their feelings like that on screen. What a gift that was for me. I think because of that the industry was able to see me in a certain light and consider me for different characters.”

Castillo grew up in McAllen, which lies at the southern tip of Texas, to Mexican parents in a largely Latinx community. He went to Boston University College of Fine Arts, an environment completely different from the one where he grew up. Although he never explicitly says it, shifting from one locale to another seems to have bred a delicacy in terms of the way he thinks about his career. “I think I knew early on that it was my mission to move in these spaces that Latinos—we didn’t predominate.”

Created by Michael Lannan and Andrew Haigh, Looking follows a group of gay men, mostly in their 30s, navigating life–professional, familial, but mostly romantic–in San Francisco. Castillo’s role was a recurring presence in the first of the show’s two seasons, but Richie quickly became one of its more nuanced characters–a perfect foil to the privileged, immature, and often white voices which drew criticism to the series. In short, Richie was not only refreshing but revolutionary—and not because of his sexuality. “Richie was a romantic lead. They did not allow those for Latino actors. He’s just a guy. He just works the door at a bar and he falls in love with this guy.”

 

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It may seem like a small thing, but having a character like that goes a long way. “I remember being in San Antonio after the first season. We were well into it. I was sitting with my mom in this café and this young guy came over. He was sitting next to us and he heard me speaking and–a lot of people recognize my voice.” Castillo describes how the young guy was Latino, and how he spoke about the series and his appreciation for the material. It was a moment of pride, for sure, but also one of extreme weight. Representation mattered to the fan as much as it does for Castillo. He mentions his early on-screen admirations. “When I saw John Leguizamo in Carlito’s Way I was like, ‘Oh damn. I want to do what he is doing.'” In addition to Leguizamo, he talks about Benicio Del Toro and Justina Machado as role-models.

Which brings us to We The Animals, an indie film with immense power that, on the surface, may cause some trepidation. Castillo felt it. “I started reading it at first and the character–some flags went up. I was like, ‘What is this?’ He struck me as reductive almost. At first.”

 

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Castillo plays Pa, the father of a working-class, five-person family in upstate New York. While the film focuses on the perspective of the youngest of three brothers, Pa is immediately an explosive character—charming and contagious in some ways, but also volatile. In an early scene, he beats his wife. “At first I was a little put off by it. At first, I was worried that he might be stereotypical or a trope. Then I got three-fourths into it and through it and I was like, ‘This is way more complex than I realized.’”

Castillo doesn’t excuse Pa’s abuse, not in the least, but brings attention to the nuances in a character that could be one note—a stereotype, as he points out, of a certain Latino machismo. “There’s this recognition of the dysfunctions and the cycles of abuse, but at the same time–it’s out of love, I think. The character is brutal, but I knew guys like him. I loved guys like him.”

He recalls his own childhood, where he encountered figures that reminded him of Pa. But also, a truth that may have inadvertently seeped into the way he works as an actor. “I was a sensitive kid. I was the sort of crybaby of the family. You grow up, and you’re a man—bottle it all up. So, in my creativity, I think all of that stuff comes into use. I grew up with a lot of guys like that. I grew up with a lot of men with tough exteriors. And because I’m a curious mind, I was always asking questions. All of these guys have soft interiors.”

Perhaps the layer that makes Pa sympathetic is what Castillo brought up next. “Now that I’m a self-assured grown adult, I can look at that and sort of laugh. I understand the performance of it. In my opinion, that masculinity is someone deep in pain.”

The self-assuredness is something he brings in person, and it carries into his work—on Looking, in a multi-episode role on Netflix’s Atypical, in this year’s bonkers Unsane, and in two projects he’s particularly proud to work on: El Chicano, a superhero film with a Latino cast, and an arc in Vida, the Starz television series created by a friend from McAllen: Tanya Saracho.

“As an actor, you take what you can get. This last couple of years has been a lesson in becoming more precious. I’ve been really lucky to work on some projects that I’m really proud of and telling some stories that are important.”

 

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‘Making A Murderer’ Season 2 Arrives Next Week

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu4GgQ1LWiI

The second season of true crime series Making a Murderer returns to Netflix on October 19th, three years after the first installment. The show tells the story of Steven Avery, who served an 18-year long prison sentence for a crime he did not commit — only to later be convicted again, for the murder and assault of photographer Teresa Halbach in 2005, alongside his nephew Brendan Dassey. Created by filmmakers Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos, the series was widely acclaimed, turning viewers into armchair detectives since 2015.

Both Avery and Dassey are currently serving their sentences in prison for Halbach’s murder. In October 2017, Avery was denied a new trial, and Dassey’s conviction was upheld by the federal court last December. But the airing of a second season suggests that perhaps there is much the viewers still don’t know about Avery’s story.

Kathleen Zellner, Avery’s new attorney stated, “I have one goal, and that’s to overturn the conviction of Steven Avery.”

The first season was filmed over a 10-year period, exposing the loopholes of US law enforcement, and the controversies surrounding Steven Avery’s first wrongful conviction, and his second conviction after his 2007 trail. The new season is rumored to cover several years of updates regarding the case, as well as elaborate on details mentioned in the first season. On February 22, 2018, a spin-off series, Convicting a Murderer was announced. But until then, we’re anxiously waiting for the next revelation in the saga to come.

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Netflix’s Made In Mexico Is Your New Reality TV Obsession

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTwXWLd4tPk

Netflix’s new series Made in Mexico offers a peek into the Mexican capital away from bizarre American political stereotypes, and instead glamorizing the city in an unexpected way. The lives of nine socialites (fresas in Mexican slang) are entwined and shuffled throughout as they begin making friendships, collaborations and friendships in Mexico City (lovingly dubbed DF — Districto Federal.)

It’s no secret that Mexico City is having a moment, with more individuals swarming there instead of historically expat-friendly cities like Paris. With that as Netflix is globalizing and internationalizing its shows. this year has seen some of Mexico’s best: a modern return to telenovelas (soap operas) with Casa de las Flores, a historical Luis Miguel series, and now reality TV — everyone is watching!

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Photo: Courtesy of Netflix

The show is made to be quite light without overly antagonizing any characters, without incessant drinking, or snobbiness. In fact, all nine are very well educated, speak fluent English, are respectful — that’s because they’re Mexican. And we get to see into typical Mexican families — overbearing mothers, reluctant fathers, and quite a bit of machismo. They are in fact drinking tequila and mezcal and eating tacos.

We are so used to seeing the convoluted life of Americans in America going through very American issues, that a foreign mentality comes in welcomingly refreshing. And while Made in Mexico does focus on nine (white) socialites in the city of over 21 million habitants, filmed by an American company without really touching other national issues (other than the hurricane), it never set out to be that kind of show. The reality is that this is a very much existing side of DF. Kitzia, one of the protagonists says, “Mexico City is very closed” and she is right. Mexico’s elite is unlike Beverly Hill’s or NYC mingling around town, Mexico’s glam-pack really is separated from the rest of the country in gated communities, with bodyguards, and in their own little circle. And it is a real life that the show sets to report on and does so in an endearing manner unable to peel away from the screen.

 

 

 

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Netflix Wants Viewers to Control its Episodes

Netflix will now allow viewers to influence endings to its popular series. One of these is British TV phenomenon Black Mirror, a dark satire that focuses on the social impact of technological advancements and the drawbacks of modern-day society. The first of the interactive episodes is rumored to air by the end of the year, one of which will include an episode of Black Mirror. The rest of the show is to air in December, although no exact dates have been announced yet. Netflix has been rumored to be working on the idea of blending traditional TV with the concept of video games since last year, thus leading to the notion of interactive television, and a total disruption to series-watching as we know it. The people responsible for this project asked to remain anonymous, due to the secretive nature of the project — the whole thing is an episode of the show in itself.

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Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is the Easy Drifter

To celebrate the end of summer, this week we’re publishing full cover stories from past issues of ESSENTIAL HOMME. Today, actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau discusses Netflix’s ‘Small Crime’s and teases the upcoming final season of ‘Game of Thrones.’

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Photographed by David Roemer.
Styled by Matt Bidgoli.
Words by Joshua Glass.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau cannot stay still. While location and time are fixed concerns, the actor often eases through both.

We first meet on a lethargic Manhattan snow day. Casual yet suave without his famous medieval part, an off-duty hairstyle between Game of Thrones seasons, he had just returned from Austin, where he’d debuted his new drama, Small Crimes, at the respected South by Southwest festival. Between the film’s theatrical premiere, a special moment for the cast and crew before its Netflix stream this summer, and the rest of the week’s network events, Coster-Waldau went on a solo tour of the city’s prehistoric rock caverns. Bats dispersed over Lady Bird Lake before his eyes, relieved after by an ice cold, Texas- sized beer. Days later, after a brief stop in Shanghai—what he describes as “the sudden future and the old past”—he calls from Orø, an island an hour from Coppenhagen, where he spent the long Easter weekend with his wife, Nukâka. The normalization of this life of constant transiency might seem easily taken for granted, but it’s an ongoing consideration for Coster-Waldau—he first began his career as an actor 25 years ago with a dream to see the world.

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This year indeed hits the quarter-century mark for the actor, who was the youngest entrant in his year to the Danish National School of Theatre and Contemporary Dance at the age of 18. Admittedly, there was no particular creative intervention before that, but he recalls obsessing over Marlon Brando and Martin Scorsese classics as a young child growing up in the small village of Tybjerg on Denmark’s Zealand island. His home country breakthrough came in the 1994 thriller Nightwatch, where Coster-Waldau played a night guard at a forensic institute who was forced to solve a series of gruesome murders. It was through the film’s American remake three years later, in which Ewan McGregor appeared in the leading role, that Coster-Waldau himself would first catch the eye of Hollywood. Other projects soon followed: lauded performances in Scandinavian productions and supporting roles in the greater global market, notably Puck in Tom Stoppard’s espionage thriller Enigma; Dieter in the British rom-com Wimbledon; and eventually even beside McGregor as Master Sergeant Gary Gordon in Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down. Finally in 2011, a life-changing opportunity came in the role of Jaime Lannister, the courageous Kingsguard knight from the fantastic world of Game of Thrones.

In the half a dozen seasons of the George R. R. Martin-enterprise since, Coster-Waldau, 46, has found himself in a unique position. Filming for the eighth and final season is currently underway—that is, he prefaces, if Jaime survives lucky number seven, which premieres this July—and with that brings a sense of introspection. Though not explained by calendar time, the show has been deemed “medieval realism.” A stimulating convolution of fantasy, drama, romance, and torturously-woven stories of succession, it has largely defined the actor’s last decade, if not pop culture at large. The series has received 38 Primetime Emmy Awards so far in its run, among many other honors, and challenged the conventions of what serial TV can be. Because of “GoT,” the media coined the term “sexposition” in reference to its use of exposition against a backdrop of erotica. The title itself has been used allegorically in modern day political reportage to describe events such as the Syrian Civil War and the power struggles of the Chinese government. Through it as well, Coster-Waldau has become one of the highest paid actors on the small screen.

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“It’s a beast of a show—a beast of a job in general,” says the actor, discussing the gravity of this closing chapter. “At the beginning, like any other show, we wondered what we’d get to do in the second or third seasons. And for years I’d ask, ‘If we continue, will my character be around?’ But the whole thing about now is that it’s the end. We’re not going to get a second chance. People are so excited for this show, and we want to live up to this tremendous support that we’ve been given. Everything feels very important. It has to.”

The monstrosity of such a series can easily seem like an escapable cloud, but Coster-Waldau doesn’t quite think so, refusing to liken scale to significance. “I don’t think of projects in such a grandiose way,” he says. “What I’m the most thankful of ‘GoT’ is that I’m able to take on all sorts of roles. Jaime Lannister is just as important to me as Jacob Horman.”

The latter is the lead role in the upcoming Shot Caller, written and directed by Ric Roman Waugh, in which Coster-Waldau plays a newly-released white collar prisoner. A crime thriller, it explores the psychology of the U.S. correctional system and the politics surrounding it, says the actor: “It’s about a guy who makes one mistake and then is suddenly forced to survive in a shark tank. It’s a very brutal world.” Filmed in New Mexico in 2015 and subsequently held up in distribution for a year and a half, the project will finally hit theaters this August. It follows Small Crimes this April, a movie also about penitentiary release. But while Shot Caller explores the environment, Small Crimes is a character study more than anything else. Coster-Waldau plays Joe Denton, a fallen cop removed from his family and friends. He’s an anti-hero looking for redemption, but is ultimately unable to escape his own darkness. The great thing about the duo, says the actor, is their long-awaited release in the first place. “Sometimes the challenge with independent movies is that you never know if you’ll actually find a home for them,” he explains. “I’m so proud of both, so thank God they’re going to be seen.”

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After filming Game of Thrones, Coster-Waldau will journey, yet again, to convene with the rest of his family—his wife and their two children, as well as his mother, sisters, aunts, and uncles—at a country home in the south of France this summer. Far from the Seven Kingdoms or China’s loud futurism, it’s an annual event of distilled comfort: sporting activities and coastal enjoyment. Twenty-five years in, disconnection such as this, like passion projects, are luxuries the actor can now afford. “It’s really about trying to find adjustment,” he says back in New York, seconds before a passerby motions for a photograph. If so much of the actor’s present has been mobilized in trips or fan-fawning such as the like, perhaps the near-future will be one of quiet existence. “In the last 20 plus years, the significance of the paycheck definitely played into what I did as an actor and a father. Now I can just focus on what I want to be involved in,” he says, hinting at a few things still in the works. Then again, some things are hard to give up cold turkey.

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