O-T FAGBENLE

IS RULING THE WORLD…

It’s a big year for London-born actor O-T Fagbenle. Currently in Atlanta filming TV show The First Lady, in which he stars as Barack Obama opposite Viola Davis’ Michelle, he’ll also be seen reprising his role of Luke in Season 4 of The Handmaid’s Tale, and playing Rick Mason in Black Widow. “You go like, ‘Oh, God, that’s actually fucking Scarlett Johansson. Jesus!’”

How was it working on a movie of Black Widow’s scale?

Well, a part of my energy is trying to forget that it’s a film of that scale, and just getting down to the bare bones of: ‘Oh, I’m playing a character who’s trying to achieve something.’ And working with this incredible director, Cate Shortland, and Scarlett and Florence [Pugh] and David [Harbour]

– they’re such engaging, inspiring artists that it’s easy to get lost in the work after the initial ‘OMG!’

Season 3 of The Handmaid’s Tale withheld answers. Will we get them in Season 4?

It’s the most explosive and expansive season yet. What the writers have done is really remarkable, because they’ve flipped everything on its head, but still maintained the integrity of the show. They’ve expanded the world. And this is without a doubt the most expansive season for Luke. The ways that he’s challenged… it’s epic!

You’re filming The First Lady. Are you over the ‘OMG’ of playing Obama?

I want to know when the pressure will come off [laughs]. You just kind of do what you can, take the next right steps, one day at a time, and kind of leave the rest to the gods, I guess. Because either way… If you do an imitation, people will be unsatisfied; they can just go watch a documentary. But if you do your interpretation, then people will complain that you’re not enough like the person. But it’s definitely a fascinating character.

ETA | 9 JULY / BLACK WIDOW OPENS IN CINEMAS AND DROPS ON DISNEY+ WITH PREMIER ACCESS THIS SUMMER. THE HANDMAID’S TALE S4 AIRS ON CHANNEL 4 LATER THIS YEAR. THE FIRST LADY IS CURRENTLY TBC.