NICHOLAS HOULT
PUBLICITY-SHY ACTOR NICHOLAS HOULT OPENS UP IN A RARE MOMENT OF CANDOUR ABOUT FATHERHOOD AND HOLLYWOOD SEX SCENES
For an actor who’s made the transition from child star to Hollywood’s most wanted with apparent ease, Nicholas Hoult is notoriously protective over his privacy. The actor and his partner Bryana Holly share a two-year-old son, but the couple never announced the pregnancy or birth, and the little boy’s name is still shrouded in mystery. For many months it wasn’t even known if Nicholas had fathered a boy or a girl as the new parents took to using gender-neutral pronouns.
“Someone will find out soon enough and that’s fine, no big deal,” Nicholas explained at the time. “For now, it’s my own precious little thing and I’m keeping it.”
But chatting from his LA home during the “interesting time” of lockdown, the typically guarded English star is remarkably candid and happy to divulge some delightful details about family life, saying, “It’s been lovely to be home.”
Nicholas, 30, and 27-year-old American model Bryana, were first spotted together in
2017. Prior to that, his most notable relationship was with his X-men co-star Jennifer Lawrence, while Bryana briefly dated Kim Kardashian West’s step-brother Brody Jenner.
Nicholas can currently be seen in the satirical and rather saucy comedy The Great, playing Peter III of Russia opposite Elle Fanning’s Queen Catherine. He has also worked with Angelina Jolie in the upcoming film Those Who Wish Me Dead and has been busy prepping for the next Mission: Impossible 7, making him a contender for a future Bond, surely!
Here, the brooding blue-eyed leading man reveals why the bedroom scenes with Elle had him giggling, how he’s savouring the rare downtime with his son and who’s really in charge of the family’s TV remote...
How are you handling life in lockdown?
I’m good. In the run up to this I was working seven days a week, every hour that I could, whether it was physical training and prepping stunts for the next Mission: Impossible movie or shooting The Great.
I didn’t have a whole lot of time to spare for the family. This has been a really nice time to refocus, relax and spend some quality time with my little boy. I think that’s something that was needed.
Is it rare for you to have any time off?
It’s rare to get these moments when everything stops and you can really focus on family without other distractions or obligations. For me, it’s been very positive in many ways. But obviously, it would be better if it wasn’t coming under such horrible circumstances.
What do you do when you get bored at home?
Anyone with a young child knows that there’s not that much boredom. From the time you
wake up, you’re preparing meals for them. Then it’s playtime and then it’s bath time, then it’s story time, so your days are filled – and that’s a really good thing. It’s been a lovely reset.
How about when you’ve got some time to yourself?
I’ve been trying to keep the brain active, so I’ve been reading books and listening to podcasts.
I also participate in pub quizzes or online quizzes with family and friends back home. I try to keep in touch with people back there.
I’ve also been watching a little TV and cooking, too.
What’s the weirdest meal you’ve ever eaten?
I ate termites from a tree once, which wasn’t really a meal but it was weird. They were pretty nice actually. They tasted a bit like carrots. I’ve eaten dried caterpillars before, too. They were also not a meal, but definitely weird.
Is the TV on all day at home?
I usually have the news on in the background every morning while
I’m getting ready, so I can keep up to date. It’s not on all day, though. The television viewing at home is often dictated by my son, so Mickey And The Roadster Racers is on a lot. And Horton Hears A Who!, which is a brilliant film. We’ve also started to watch Schitt’s Creek. It’s a good comedy.
What did you learn from your dad about parenting?
Now that I’m a father, I know I want to be a similar father to my dad. I want my son to be proud of the man that I am. You always want your child to be proud of you. I’m in awe of my father. He’s a pilot, so he had to be away from home a lot. A fair amount of the time it would be me, my mum and my two sisters at home. I grew up around a lot of women.
Your breakout role was in the rom com About A Boy. How important is romance to you?
It’s very important to me. When you watch romantic stories, you experience a feeling that you can’t quite equate to anything else. It’s something very difficult to capture because of all the chemicals rolling around in your brain that can often make you a little insane. Romance is important to me on all levels, even down to the smaller things in life and how you are with your partner day to day. Love is the most fun and amazing feeling.
Skins was a groundbreaking role for you back in 2007. What was that experience like?
I have really fond memories of working on Skins. The writing was quite experimental. It was a lot of fun to make as a 16-year-old.
What was it like to work with Elle Fanning again?
Elle and I work in very similar fashions, and I don’t know if that’s because we were both child actors. We’ve grown up in the business and aren’t set in our ways. It’s fun because we like to push each other and test boundaries.
There are a lot of saucier scenes in the show. How awkward are they to shoot?
The sex scenes are handled very delicately and they make sure everyone on set is safe, happy and content with what’s happening – but they are quite bizarre and technical to shoot.
The Great is a comedy, so did you get the giggles?
I think all of us are laughing throughout the sex scenes. If they were serious sex scenes, I don’t think I’d be interested in doing them in the show – but these scenes were different.
In the show, some of the contraception methods the characters try are quite farcical. Tell us about them…
In one scene, there are sticks being waved across Catherine’s belly while the doctor is icing my testicles. Apparently, they’re real things that were tried back in the day. They also said you have to ejaculate on the hundredth thrust for it to work, so there were people counting out thrusts while we were trying to make love. Scenes like that become very comedic. Apparently, lemon tops were used as a contraceptive back then, too. So the show is historically accurate throughout!
Are you looking for more stunt-led roles in the future?
I don’t want to be put into a box and end up doing similar roles, but I enjoy doing stunts and physical scenes.
What was it like to meet Tom Cruise?
It was insane. The first time I got to be in a scene opposite Tom Cruise was for a screen test for Top Gun 2. What’s wonderful about him is he wants the best from everyone around him. He pushes people but he also encourages you and gives you all the tools you need to thrive. That’s what’s inspiring.
Did Elle give you any tips on working alongside her Maleficent co-star Angelina Jolie?
Elle didn’t give me any advice about that because I’d already finished shooting Those Who Wish Me Dead before we started on The Great. But I loved working with Angelina. It was amazing to watch her dedication and work ethic. It’s amazing to see the vibe she brings to set because she’s obviously a brilliant actress but she sets a great tone, too.
THE GREAT IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON STARZPLAY VIA AMAZON PRIME VIDEO BUT WILL BE COMING TO CHANNEL 4 LATER THIS SUMMER.
‘Romance is important to me on all levels’