An unseasonably cold wind was blowing from the roof of the National Theatre. Below, on London’s South Bank, tourists raced to grab their jackets from their backpacks, while school parties sought shelter from the wind for packed lunches. Here, however, despite the rant, everyone was eerily quiet. No one could take their eyes off Taylor Russell and Paapa Essiedu as they shoot BritishVogue
portraits Move over — or rather, the budding alchemy between the fledgling co-stars.
“We met for the first time this morning at 8 o’clock,” to my surprise when I caught up with 29 years, An hour after Russell spoke, the elderly Canadian and the 33-year-old British actor Ecidu were in the school’s auditorium-style rehearsal room. Here, the duo begins preparations for one of the most anticipated plays of the summer: The National Theater’s revival of The Effect , starring Lucy Preble ( Lucy Prebble’s socially censored, taboo-breaking work tells the story of two people. Drug trial volunteers fell in love, unsure if the romance they were staged in front of doctors was real or a side effect of the dopamine they were taking. It’s a modern classic that “actors, especially drama students have been raving about,” Esidu says with a laugh, and this new version is sure to be exciting.
It’s rare to see stars lined up like this. They put a lot of work into this show. Preble, who is best known for writing Succession, will co-produce it herself. (“Meeting her was like, ‘Oh my god, does she think I’m stupid? Does she think I’m funny?'” Esidu said.) Tony nominee Jamie Jamie Lloyd is directing, having just taken over from Jessica Chastain. – Led the show “ A Doll’s House ” on Broadway. Of course, there are its clues. First up is Esidu: Royal Shakespeare Company alumnus, known for his original stage depictions of Hamlet and King Lear. Edmund for his BAFTA award-winning production in Michaela Coel’s I Might Wreck You . Then there’s Russell: Hollywood’s new cool girl, who has built a following for her roles in niche indies like the family drama “Waves,” including Jonathan Anderson, who asked her to model for Loewe. ) and Timothée Chalamet-led cannibal romance Bones and All .
“I know I should say this, but they are ideal actors for these roles,” Preble said by phone. “Papa is an actor of extraordinary strength. Whenever I think of him doing this, I feel a burst of joy and relief. And then Taylor is, you know, this rising legend.”333333
