Backstage
Excerpts and out-takes from the pages of Esquire
The cover story of this issue of Esquire was the first to be photographed since the world went into pandemic-induced lockdown, and our first ever to be photographed under the new guidelines for social distancing. In June, as government restrictions began to ease, we made a date with the brilliant Josh O’Connor, star of The Crown — he plays Prince Charles, for readers without a Netflix account — and longtime Esquire photographer-at-large, Simon Emmett, who’s been on more cover shoots than the Prince of Wales has had formal dinners. The idea: a not-too-close-up series of portraits of one of British acting’s most exciting new talents, in some of the most desirable clothes from the new menswear collections. A location was booked — Hexton Manor in Hertfordshire — on the understanding that the shoot would take place entirely in the open air. A team was assembled, each of whom was obliged to travel solo from home to the location. The differences from shoots pre-coronavirus were many, as you would expect. Masks were worn. Hand sanitiser was in abundant supply. The two-metre rule was observed. O’Connor trimmed his own beard and applied his own face powder. In the main, the feeling was one of delight, and not a little relief, at being able to return to work, as well as cautious optimism that it would not be too long before we could start to have caterers back on set. Eating Mr Kipling lemon slices out of the boot of the photo director’s car had an appealingly British spirit of make-do-and-mend to it, but you wouldn’t get away with that in Hollywood.
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