A MAN OF CHARACTER

If you asked the average person on the street what their favourite Hoult film was, they would probably answer Mad Max: Fury Road (Hoult plays a high-octane War Boy who is both fearful and comedic), or Warm Bodies (in which he played a zombie who was impossible to dislike. Then there is the satirical black comedy, Kill Your Friends, in which he gave life to a psychopathic ‘arts and repertoire’ man in the 1990s whose aim is to find the next hit record and eliminate anyone who stood in his way. His chilling demeanour sent shivers down my spine!

Hoult has managed a feat that only a handful of actors – including Daniel Kaluuya, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Shia

LaBeouf – have achieved. He has carefully chosen his roles, shining in blockbuster and small, independent films, many of which were released almost simultaneously. If an actor’s aim is to prove he can wear many jackets and still bring truth to his craft, then Hoult, at the age of 33, fulfilled his purpose a long time ago.

Hoult is just as good at portraying innocence as he is at representing cool ambition. In a way, his versatility should come as no surprise, considering he has been acting since his childhood. Artistry surrounded his early years, as he shone at ballet, taking part in productions such as Swan Lake and The Nutcracker with the English National Ballet. By the age of 12, he was already enrolled at acting school, though he also fed his other talents – including choir singing and playing the trombone.

His acting talent was actually discovered at the age of three, when a theatre director watched a play starring Nicholas’ brother and grew impressed by the Nicholas’ intense concentration. The director cast him in his play, The Caucasian Chalk Circle and Hoult was hooked. He began attending various auditions and at the age of five, he appeared in his first feature film (Intimate Relations). He also dabbled in television, unaware at the time that acting would become his passion. Back then, he was simply enjoying being part of something larger than himself; he compared acting to “playing in a football team.” ›

Hoult’s first British-American hit was About a Boy – a Chris and Paul Weitz comedy about a suicidal, quirky tween who is bullied incessantly at school. He was 11 at the time, but his performance was recognised by major critics and the film was a huge success. He enrolled at the Sylvia Young Theatre School yet he left this renowned institution for a regular high school, while working nonstop. In 2005, he made his first appearance in a Hollywood film – Gore Verbinski’s The Weather Man

In his later years as a teen, he again received rave reviews for playing Tony – an unlikable, egotistical teen in the drama, Skins, which garnered him a Golden Nymph Award Best Actor nomination. He was still a sixth form student at the time, making his achievement all the more spectacular. His popularity in the series meant that his West End theatre debut in William Sutcliffe’s New Boy was a sold-out hit.

The first time I personally discovered Hoult was in A Single Man, by Tom Ford. It was an exquisite, delicate, sophisticated film that blended beautiful design and cinematography with a profoundly moving script about an English professor who resolves to end his life after his partner dies. Hoult plays a young student who is fascinated by his professor and who resolves to save his life.

The film places great emphasis on the actor’s innocence and vulnerability, creating parallels between his virtue and that displayed by the professor’s great love. The film is a 10 from start to finish and features a dark, comical performance by Julianne Moore. A Single Man earned Hoult a nomination for the BAFTA Rising Star Award in 2010. ›

Commercial success would meet Hoult through two of his most talked-about films: Mad Max: Fury Road, and X-Men: First Class. The latter was as successful as all X-Men films are, but Mad Max: Fury Road marked Hoult as a world-class actor. The film made over $378 million globally, garnering more than any previous instalment (including those featuring the original Max himself, Mel Gibson). The film was steeped in artistry and featured stunning dessert locations, over 150 vehicles by genius production designer, Colin Gibson, and relentless action. Many of the funniest scenes featured Hoult gleefully sacrificing himself to “die historic on the fury road” so he could “awaken in Valhalla.”

Some of his biggest subsequent hits included X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, and The Favourite. The latter was particularly suited to an actor with such a passion for his craft. If you haven’t seen it yet and dark comedies delight you, it won’t disappoint. Olivia Coleman reigns supreme as the bratty Queen Anne, who manipulates two of her courtiers to launch an all-out war to vie for the spot as her number one sycophant. Hoult also showed his funnier side in the Hulu comedy The Great, playing Peter III of Russia. His performance earned him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Recently, we have seen him shine in The Menu with Anya Taylor-Joy, as Tyler, who is in awe of eccentric chef Slowik, magnificently played by Ralph Fiennes.What’s up next for this young king of the silver screen, you may ask? He has no less than four films in the pipeline, one of which is Nosferatu (in which he plays Thomas Hutter, the protagonist). The film’s release date is yet to be announced. This year, however, audiences can enjoy him in Renfeld, opposite the talented Nicolas Cage and the always funny Awkwafina. Hoult plays Dracula’s henchman and his inmate at a lunatic asylum! e

Take a look at some of the styling being pioneered by Studio Gronda, architectural specialists in hotel and restaurant design. Check out some of the latest offerings from prestigious fashion brands. Try out Beauty Bakerie, a company that specialises in cruelty-free products.