F A U L T
WINTER WINTER
Winter 2012
The Fantasy Issue
1 The first edition of Art13 London—the city’s new modern and contemporary art fai—will take place at Olympia Grand Hall in West London from 1–3 March 2013 (VIP preview on 28 February 2013). The Fair, sponsored by Citi Private Bank, was founded by Art Fairs London, Ltd., the organisers behind the ground-breaking ART HK: Hong Kong International Art Fair (of which Art Basel acquired a majority stake in 2011). The Fair’s director is Stephanie Dieckvoss, who was the fair manager of Frieze for four years before co-directing ART HK for its first two years. Art13 London is unique in that it will be global, bringing together 126 galleries from 30 countries, from the Westand countries across the Asian Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. 70 percent of all the galleries will be participating at a fair in London for the first time, while 50 percent of the works presented will be created by non-Western artists.
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The exhibitor list features established and emerging galleries such as Karsten Schubert (London), Pearl Lam (Shanghai) and Hakgojae (Seoul) showing a range of works from both Eastern and Western artists. In addition, the Fair will recognise the importance of photography, evident from its growing market value and reiterated by the success of recent major fairs and exhibitions dedicated to the medium. The photography on show at Art13 London reflects the international vision of the Fair, while a Prints and Editions section underlines Art13 London’s ethos of accessibility, allowing both new and seasoned collectors to discover unique projects and unexpected collaborations. Global galleries showcasing a variety of contemporary photography from international artists include 2902 Gallery (Singapore), Jack Bell (London), Brancolini Grimaldi (London), Kleinschmidt Fine Photographs (Wiesbaden), Michael Hoppen Gallery (London) and Galerie Paris-Beijing (Paris and Beijing). Highlights include one of West Africa’s preeminent contemporary artists Leonce Raphael Agbodjelou (Jack Bell) and Massimo Vitali, Peter Fraser and Dan Holdsworth (Brancolini Grimaldi), as well as an entire presentation of Japanese photography courtesy the Michael Hoppen Gallery. Art13 London’s recognition of the importance of photography is reflected by the Fair’s philanthropic partnership with Positive View Foundation. The foundation will showcase selected works from their current “Cartier-Bresson: A Question of Colour” exhibition at Somerset House during Autumn/Winter 2012 and from their upcoming show “Landmark: Fields of Photography”.
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Art13 London, sponsored by Citi Private Bank 1–3 March 2013 (preview day 28 February 2013) artfairslondon.com
1. “Plan for HH” by Kate Terry (2009), courtesy Patrick Heide Gallery; 2. “Pleasures of an Unnatural Nature” by Eric Chan (2011), courtesy Chan Hampe Galleries; 3. “Traces of Resilience” by Eric Chan, courtesy Chan Hampe Galleries; 4. “Mondello Paddle Boats” (2007), courtesy Massimo Vitali; 5. “Love is All Around” by Zwelethu Mthethwa and Louis Jansen van Vuuren (2008), courtesy Brundyn + Gonsalves.
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The Kraken® Black Spiced Rum. 40% Alc/vol ©2011 Kraken Rum Co., Jersey City, NJ. Like the deepest sea, the Kraken® should be treated with great respect and responsibility.
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CONTRASTS
The Contrasts Issue seeks to play on the ideas of light/dark, yin/ yang, good/evil and forwards/backwards. Coming as it does on the cusp of the new year, FAULT Winter 2012–13 brings together the best creative content from the preceding year alongside our predictions for the possible highlights of 2013. Janus is the Roman god after whom the month January is named. Typically, Janus is portrayed as having two heads: one facing forwards (for the new year) and another facing backwards (for the old). In the image above, budding young illustrator Evelina Romano has created a triptych exclusively for this issue: FAULT’s Fashion Janus. In our version, Janus is multiplicitous in form as opposed to appearing as a single being, which is meant to emphasise the multi-disciplinary nature of FAULT. Our Janus also features a face—and a camera—looking directly at the reader, meant to usurp the traditional voyeurism of reading a magazine. FAULT, after all, was founded as a platform for creative people to engage directly with one another—not a top-down, walled-up institution. The shooting photographs versus shooting guns metaphor can be seen as a similar satire of magazine culture—but Evelina’s work also presents a humorous twist, as the “new year face” is immediately confronted with a loaded gun. If you are reading this, the Mayans obviously got their dates a little mixed up but, as far as we at FAULT are concerned, the slow death of past years’ cultural heritage is unquestionably now faced with a more immediate (and potentially fatal) proposition in a new year of widespread cultural mediocrity and synonymy. In every dearth (or death) comes a new opportunity, however, and the new face’s hopes for the future are exemplified by
Evelina’s beautiful depiction of some of the most exciting designs of the coming year. The Gucci jewellery around the new face’s neck is matched by the Burberry designs in the central image and a reflection on the sleek sophistication of Lanvin’s S/S ’13 collection on the leftmost image. In the words of Romano herself: “Drawing inspiration from Film Noir, espionage and the idea of ‘good versus evil’, the visual impact of this triptych comes from a strong use of light and shadow. Films such as Sin City, Basic Instinct and Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo and The Birds informed the research and mood of the illustration. “The focal point of the piece is a personal interpretation of recent Spring/Summer 2013 collections from Lanvin, Burberry and Gucci (pictured left to right). “My perception of beauty comes from opposition, which is reflected here with the use of black and white with splashes of colour. My muses exude a provocative, alluring and quintessential essence; they embody the ‘femme fatale’ struggling between good and evil. I am intrigued by contrasts, storytelling, ornamentation and humour with subtle, dark undertones.”
Evelina Romano is a member of the Linveco Cultural Foundation (U.K. reg. charity number 1145683), which seeks to provide opportunities for young creative talent by helping them to market themselves and their work. FAULT is proud to support LCF. For further information, or to make a donation, please visit linvecoculturalfoundation.org.
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ISSUE 13 contents
2 CONTENTS 4 MASTHEAD 5 EDITORS’ LETTER 155 DIRECTORY 156 LAST WORD
STYLE
BEAUTY
14 SNOW QUEEN To thaw a frozen heart ...
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24 THE BRUTAL AFFAIR A labour of lust
51 DEITY OF DANGER She plays a goddess in Thor (and it’s upcoming sequel)— and has the looks to match— but Jaimie Alexander is not your average Hollywood/ Valhalla dweller.
6 PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST After years of dealing with the Hollywood gossip bandwagon, it’s good to hear Billy Bob Thornton speaking as an artist in his own right once again. 18 PLAYING THE VILLAIN We caught up with Adewale Akinnouye-Agbaje before he embarked on what will perhaps be his biggest role yet. 19 BURNING PASSION Byron Mann on his circuitous path to a 20-year acting love affair and playing a darker role in RZA’s martial arts epic The Man With the Iron Fists.
29 WIR LIEBEN BERLIN FAULT’s exclusive tour of the European hotspot. 33 BERLIN STYLE Our favorite looks prior to Berlin Fashion Week this January. 38 DRESSING ROOM A conversation with designer Gabriella Marina Gonzalez.
57 HAIR YOU ARE An uncontrollable mistress 62 PAINTERLY Precise pretense 146 LIMINALITY Embrace the night.
41 THE WILD ROSE A pale bloom 46 THE BLACK BLOSSOM Where she rests, no flowers grow. 69 CENTRE STAGE A look back at some of the boldest, most wearable looks from 2012. 90 DO YOU BELIEVE? Walking with shadows 106 ENTER THE DRAGON Some of the biggest names in fashion are looking to the Orient as the turn of the year reflects the ongoing transition from West to East. 112 VIXEN Seductress Savant 124 HANDSOME WOMAN Who said that menswear was only for men?
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ART
MEN
MUSIC
64 ALL ART, NO ARTIFICE Giuliano Bekor’s photography is a commentary on what it means to be human.
81 CRUZ CONTRL After another golden year, it seems Taio Cruz has success on tap. However, don’t try telling him to slow down.
117 EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE For nearly 10 years, John Legend has been living up to one of the most ambitious stage names in the business.
95 AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY Richard Armitage’s latest turn in the international epic The Hobbit is sure to thrust him into the limelight like never before.
132 NAME OF THE GAME Game makes his peace with Jesus Piece.
74 POST-MAO Chinese artist Sheng Qi fans the flames with his latest collection. 76 THE LIGHT FANTASTIC A peek through the lens of artist Michael Taylor.
110 RISING STAR IN FALLING SKIES Connor Jessup, 18, is the leading man on Steven Spielberg’s Falling Skies, TNT’s flagship drama.
140 FAULT FUTURE A day in the life of social media-made singing sensation Andra Day. 151 OBSERVATOR Under-the-radar rockers (and part-time L.A.-haters) The Raveonettes talk shop after releasing their sixth inspirational record. 154 INTRO INTRO Introducing rising star Little Nikki.
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ISSUE 13 masthead
PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Nick Artsruni ART DIRECTOR Caroline Lawless U.S. STYLE EDITOR Avo Yermagyan MUSIC EDITOR Era Trieman NEW YORK EDITOR Rachel Eleanor Sutton
CONTRIBUTORS Game Tomaas Vincenzo Aiello Giuliano Bekor Leah Blewitt Alan Chan Jessie Cohan Anna Cone Leonie Cumiskey James D. Kelly Sequioa Emmanuelle Stefan Giffthaler Ashley Gomila Tallulah Harlech Miles Holder Masaki Kataoka Julia Kiecksee Anna Kirikova Caroline Lawless Alexandra Leese Nancy Lu Shunichi Oda Marika Page Paula Parrish Marcela Patino Chris Purnell Sheng Qi Bryant Robinson Evalina Romano Federica Roncaldier Daniel Scott Heather Seidler Louis Sheridan Dove Shore Miguel Starcevich Arndt Stobba Michael Taylor Rebecca Unger Annick Wolfers Kiki Xue Avo Yermagyan Christina van Zon
NORTH AMERICAN EDITOR IN CHIEF Leah Blewitt CHIEF STYLIST Tallulah Harlech FASHION Millie Grace Horton India Games Marika Page PARIS EDITORS Hans Weinheimer Ruth Kramer Kat Rutherford
SPECIAL THANKS Naya Agarrat Rebecca Hopkins Greg Miller Michael Moses Jenna Peffley Julian Ruiz Lightbox Studio Freya Shah Shoshanna Stone CPi Syndication The Wall Group
SUBSCRIBE TO FAULT 1 year = 4 issues (via air mail) U.K. £35 Europe €45 World €50 1 year online (via Zinio) U.K. £12 MUSIC SUBMISSIONS music@fault-magazine.com ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES advertising@fault-magazine.com REPRESENTED BY Nick Julebin, media consultant nick@seen-media.info seen-media.info
LONDON OFFICE Suite 7 40 Craven St. London WC2N 5NG United Kingdom
We would also like to credit Louiza Vick and her team retrospectively for their work in Issue 12. The editorial “Through the Glass, Darkly” should have been credited as follows: Photographer: Louiza Vick Model: Ashley Scott @ Photogenics Jewelry Designer: Yeva Adalyan Makeup: Maria Alejandra Barrios Hair: Mary Ouzo Manicurist: Patty Cake$ Please accept our most sincere apologies for this oversight.
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LETTER FROM THE EDITORS Welcome to the Contrasts Issue.
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Looks like it’s that time of the year again—that time when you realise that it’s never been that time of this year before. OK, that was a needlessly dramatic opening. Of course, the same could be b e said correctly for any time of year with a single anniversary. Even so, the turn of the new year has always been a particularly portentous time for us at FAULT. Our Winter issues give us a chance to reflect—with one eye dwelling wistfully on the old and the other gazing greedily at what lies ahead—on another year in the game, on the relentless shuffling of culture vultures (from old to new and back again), on fallacious fashionistas hastily binning their Spring/Summer looks in readiness for the Autumn/ Winter collections ... Sometimes we wonder just how some journalists and bloggers stay clothed in the months from January to March, such is their eagerness to get a piece of the new before anyone else. That might also have something to do with the climate here at our London office, however. Spring/Summer—when’s that?! The theme of our Winter tidings from 2012-13 is Contrasts. Evalina Romano’s illustration (see page 1) perfectly reflects the rationale for the theme but, to expand, Issue 13 seeks to highlight the differences—and surprising similarities—between the brightest creative talents of our times. From mainstream to independent and every unfortunate stereotype in between, this issue showcases the two sides of the creative coin: from the varying artistic and marketing approaches of different artists to the contrasting perspectives between our featured personalities’ public personae and their rarely-revealed personal sides. Issue 13 is our attempt to reconcile the varying artistic elements within FAULT. Rather than go on the defensive about our always eclectic, often iconoclastic tastes, we have chosen this issue to embrace the Contrasts within our catholic collection of creative loves. From classic film noir ’50s-esque photography to bright, bursting celebrations of current trends, FAULT looks to embody the old and the new, the east and the west, the mainstream and the underground, the institute and the unconventional ... FAULT is one of the few magazines in the world today to bring you such contrasts: from an insight into the artistic pursuits of Oscar-winner and Hollywood stalwart Billy Bob Thornton to a tête-a-tête with Richard Armitage, rising star and lead actor in international epic The Hobbit. We value equally the creative contributions of the likes of Taio Cruz, who last year performed live to billions of people during the Olympic Closing Ceremony, and Andra Day, who has yet to play a major gig after
just recently breaking into the music industry via social media. We were thrilled to have been invited for a candid look at Thanksgiving in the L.A. home of Dr. Dre protégé and contemporary rap legend Game, but we also took great pleasure in shooting yet another exclusive editorial with Thor 2 actress Jaimie Alexander with a few shots of whisky on a freezing November morning in London. We sometimes like to think of FAULT as a room full of the people who most inspire us. We would love to see nine-time GRAMMY Award-winner and Springfield, Ohio-born John Legend rub shoulders with Hong Kong educated, L.A. resident Byron Mann, who stars alongside Russell Crowe in (another GRAMMY winner) RZA’s new film The Man With the Iron Fists. We’d jump at the chance to see a Raveonettes gig in Berlin, or check out how well new FAULT Favourite film Seven Psychopaths goes down in Beijing. But, most of all, we’d want to have you there with us. FAULT has always been—and will continue to be—an open creative platform. We work closely with the Linveco Cultural Foundation to support emerging creative talent. We are the only publication in existence (as far as we know) to offer reduced advertising rates for start-ups and individuals working in the creative industries. We want the contrasts that inspire us to do the same for you—and vice versa. We realise that you may have come for Richard (for example), but we hope you stay to check out some spine-tingling ballads from Andra. Perhaps you are a devotee of the fluid, fantastical creations of Giuliano Bekor, but we are convinced that we can also sell you on the heavily politicised works of Chinese artist Sheng Qi—as well as the ethereal light orchestras that underpin the pieces of Belfast-based Michael Taylor. The fact of the matter is that people from all walks of life will surprise you—and no-one more often than creative people. The content that we have chosen for this issue is ordered in such a way so as to deliberately challenge our preconceptions of brand conventions and creative typecasting. Each piece was chosen to clash, but—at the same time—to complement, the next. Just as the yin is inseparable from and necessary to the yang, we at FAULT feel that Contrasts should inspire and motivate us to greater creative heights. We hope you agree, and hope you enjoy FAULT Issue 13.
This is your FAULT.
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PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST Billy Bob Thornton’s upcoming film, Jayne Mansfield’s Car, is not strictly speaking autobiographical but, given that he’s written, directed and starred in the Dixie-based family drama, it does offer some of the industry icon’s reflections on his own past. After years of dealing with the Hollywood gossip bandwagon, it is good to hear Thornton speaking as an artist in his own right once again. words by heather seidler + photography by dove shore
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Billy Bob Thornton occupies a unique place in contemporary film culture; he’s long been the standout square-peg fixture in a fishbowl field. He’s the oddball in the counterculture corner; the gumshoed, southern-fried savant; the virtuoso music-maker who is more reliant on big ideas than big budgets. And yet he’s also put together an enviable and lengthy cache of credits with films like Monster’s Ball, The Man Who Wasn’t There, A Simple Plan, Love Actually, Friday Night Lights and Bad Santa. Thornton has managed to leave his gritty prints all over Hollywood for over two full decades without bowing too much to conventions. Now, sixteen years after writing/directing/acting in Sling Blade (the movie that won him his first Oscar), Thornton is back and operating under the same successful trifecta in his new film, Jayne Mansfield’s Car. “It’s a film about how war and tragedy affect people and how they manifest themselves in families”, Thornton explains. Jayne Mansfield’s Car is a southern-gothic tale about a Western family colliding with a British family due to a family tragedy. The film mirrors much of Thornton’s “small-town” childhood in the deep south, elements exactly parralelling his own relationship with his father who died when Thornton was only 18. The film, in part, appears to be a veiled reckoning with his father. Thornton, born in 1955, grew up as the eldest of three sons in “God’s Country” Arkansas. He admits his relationship with his father was a caustic one—there was both verbal and physical abuse. “He was a very intense guy who I don’t think I ever had a conversation with”, Thornton admits. “From the time I was four years old, my dad would take me out to car wrecks, and I saw some things I probably shouldn’t have seen when I was really young. We actually saw Jayne Mansfield’s car, and it was weird. They brought the real car around to small towns and set it up at fairgrounds or store parking lots, and you’d pay 50 cents
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to look at it, which is pretty morbid. I’ve always wanted to put that into a movie. My dad had a strange curiosity about horrible things. He had been in the Korean war, and I don’t think he knew how to articulate things very well. I mean, I didn’t sit down and have a deep talk with my dad about anything. I think somehow he was always trying to figure out this weird thing about life and death and the randomness of life, which is what the movie is about.” Thornton is here to talk about the movie, and he knows it’s a necessary evil of his business. But talking about the movie means talking about his past, and since the movie is quite personal and semi-autobiographical, we want him to show us the wires, to discuss the pathos and method, which
it’s not always just about the things you’ve done. Sometimes it can be personal— sometimes they have a hair up their ass about you anyway. Of course, I’ve had plenty of [false] things written about me: Apparently I only eat orange food, and I’m an OCD wacko—none of that’s true. Once I really did tell a journalist I was Benjamin Franklin, because he had been politely asked not to get really personal with me but, one way or another, he got really creepy about asking some personal questions, and I ended up telling him I was Benjamin Franklin. I was just totally messing with him. But, as it turns out, he wrote that I actually believe I’m the reincarnated Benjamin Franklin! For about two or three years, I had to explain that one to people.” But Thornton knows that, as part of the fatuous science of marketing, talking about himself goes with the territory. Despite the distortions laid bare in the media, Thornton and Jolie remain really good friends, and he only has praise to say of her. He has accepted the trappings of celebrity and thumbed his nose at the whole shebang by living the “normal life” in the house he shares with his longtime girlfriend and his four children. Which, right now, he admits, is the most crucial thing in his life. “I would say [that] my kids are the most important thing to me. But then, that also has something to do with my career, because I’ve got to keep working to take care of them. So I think I’m really concentrating on doing good movies, but at the same time you realise that we don’t get paid what we used to for movies; the whole movie industry has changed. Unless you’re doing a bigevent movie, you don’t really get paid much anymore. So, with a family, you really have to think about that. It’s like, ‘Well I guess I’m going to have play Spider-Man or something’. You have to think about stuff like that and try to pick a good one.” But Thornton admits he’s best at making his own movies and writing his own
I feel bad for some actors, because some want to play character parts, but the audience just wants to see them be the hero in a big action movie.” most celebrities are loath to do. (Especially when the articulate actor in question has been greatly scrutinized by the guttercrazed media for years.) We’ve all heard the scuttlebutt about his eccentric relationship with Angelina Jolie and the infamous “vials of blood” they wore around their necks. (In truth, they were lockets containing only a single drop of blood.) All the constant media attention during their three-year marriage may seem absurd now, but he’s in an absurd business. “[The press] can lead people down the wrong road unnecessarily because, frankly,
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material. “Well, it’s easier to learn your lines. [Laughs] I think, having written it, you don’t have to do as much work on the character, because you already know the character. I mean, you wrote it, so you know it inside out, as well as the other characters. But, at the end of the day, it’s fairly close to the same either way. Even if it’s something I didn’t write, I try to really disappear into the character. I had the good fortune of growing up as a character actor, so even when I played a certain character, I could still play them as a real character. Some people are forgiven for that; the audience doesn’t mind the flip-flopping back and forth between extreme characters and leading man. I feel bad for some actors, because some want to play character parts, but the audience just wants to see them be the hero in a big action movie.” Jayne Mansfield’s Car is hardly an action movie—it’s quite the opposite, actually. It’s the kind of lived-in, layered, characterdriven movie that delves into the rarefied territory of the after-effects of war and our perceptions of it as it indelibly trickles down through the generations. It’s a darkly humorous drama, and Thornton’s character in the film is enduring, with dialogue only he could write. “I’ve always been interested in war, because my uncles, my dad and my grandfather were all in the war”, Thornton admits. “I had an uncle who was in Vietnam, and he had what they now call post-traumatic stress disorder, but back then they just thought you were a lunatic—they had a another word for it: shell shock. Growing up during the Vietnam era, what always interested me was how the different generations were affected. “When you talk to the guys who fought in World War I or World War II, they won’t talk about it too much. They had this view that they were soldiers who did their job, and they didn’t seem to be affected by it as much as they probably really were. It probably manifested itself differently in them. My grandfather was a very quiet man: he rarely spoke, and he would never really talk about it. Whereas the guy [who served] in Vietnam ... that’s all he talked about, because they weren’t treated the same way as the World War II soldiers were—they came back as
big heroes, even though they’d seen and done horrible things. So that subject always interested me.” Thornton has certainly filled his film with top-notch dynamic actors: He is in exalted company alongside Kevin Bacon, Robert Patrick and his mentor, Robert Duvall. Duvall has worked with Thornton five times in the past, and Thornton wrote the character specifically for Duvall. “It’s amazing to work with Robert Duvall. He’s been my mentor and my hero for years. And then I cast John Hurt, who I’ve known for 25 years but have never worked with. This was his part. He’s been the British version of Duvall to me. I was finally getting to work with my favourite American and Brit[ish] actors”, Thornton imparts. “They are all very different from each other, you know, and it’s a pretty great dynamic. It was a hard movie to make because, these days, you don’t get as much time and money to make a movie when you’re doing an independent film. Oh, and it was 105 degrees every day, so that really killed me. But it was just so good to be around all those great people, you know? Plus, the crew was terrific down in Georgia. I can’t say enough good things about all those people.” Up until now, Thornton hadn’t directed a film for twelve years, not since he directed and adapted Cormac McCarthy’s All The Pretty Horses. That state of affairs is due in small part to the major discrepancies between his original version and the studio version of All The Pretty Horses. The “beards in charge” made Thornton cut 42 minutes from the movie’s run-time, in addition to dropping Danial Lanois’ haunting original score. Thornton had no idea how little control he’d have over the final product. “You kind of go away and lick your wounds for a few years. I certainly wasn’t ready to direct immediately after that. I waited until I could do my own movie and do it the way I saw it, because the most important thing is [having] a clear vision of what you want to do. When there are so many people involved, changing that vision ... that kind of champs your ass a little bit”, Thornton says with a wry laugh. “We like the way All the Pretty Horses turned out, though. It was a good movie, but I think the movie we actually made was better.”
Thornton says his next few projects will be small independent films that are close to his heart. It seems he traded in the opportunity to play the president in some thriller for a little elevated culture. “I’m attached to three movies next year, and hopefully I’ll be doing some more so that I can make a living”, Thornton tells us. “They all have really terrific scripts, and they’re the kind of things I love to do, but they’re definitely labours of love.” One of those movies is Parkland, which is a recounting of the events on the day JFK was assassinated. (It’s due out in 2013.) He’ll also be shooting a thriller alongside James Marsden called Red Machine early next year. Jane Mansfield’s Car will also open in theaters early 2013, hopefully in time for the Awards race. In addition to his cinematic pursuits, Thornton also recently wrote an absorbing book called The Billy Bob Tapes, in which he lays bare his storied life and upbringing. He recounts how he almost became a major league pitcher before coming to Hollywood in 1980; how he worked all sorts of side jobs, from telemarketing to offshore wind farming; how he nearly starved himself to death for his craft. (Not to mention three chapters or so on how our culture is crumbling.) Thornton’s nonchalant approach to fame, combined with his proclivity for an almost hermit-esque lifestyle, stokes the suggestion of a man who lives his life to the beat of a different drum—without secretly vetting an agenda to collect Bentleys and endorsements galore. “People have sort of gone back to looking at me as an actor again and, for some reason, people are so interested in high-profile relationships that if you’re not in a high-profile relationship, then you can just be a regular artist again.” Southern gentleman, misfit, rebel ... you name it, Thornton has been called it. In reality, however, there is no better description of the man than the one thing he himself purports to be: a genuine artist who prefers to live his own life rather than the one others have drawn out for him. If you ever come across Thornton, expect him to be polite, straightforward and, very probably, smiling wryly as he gathers material for his next project.
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All clothing is Billy Bob’s own.
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SNOW QUEEN To thaw a frozen heart ... photography by alexandra leese + styling by lucy kebbell photography assistance by noellie fournier + hair by elvire roux makeup by tina solberg torstad using m.a.c.
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This page: Lace bodysuit by Kriss Soonik; silk bra and briefs by Fifi Chachnil. Opposite: Embroidered dress by Temperley London; leather ballet shoes are model’s own.
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snow queen Latex bodysuit by Kim West for Luxury Latex; beaded cape by Charlotte Simpson.
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PLAYING THE VILLAIN From his electrifying debut as the terrifying Adebisi on Oz, to his brief but unforgettable turn on Lost as Mr. Eko, Adewale Akinnouye-Agbaje has marked out his place on the roster of remarkable British character actors. FAULT caught with him before he embarked on what will perhaps be his biggest role yet: that of an elvish supervillain in Thor: The Dark World. words by maya hambro + photography by louis sheridan
FAULT: How does it feel to have been part of the saga that was Lost? ADEWALE: Its almost five years on, but it was such an honour to have been part of such a cult thing. It’s always nice for an actor when your work resonates with an audience, and it was one of the highlights not only of my career, but also of my life. The opportunity to live in Hawaii, get paid handsomely and do some really great work which [was] seen all over the world ... it’s the dream! I still get jobs off that performance, and the fans are so loyally obsessed; it’s nice to be remembered. Many people have said that yours was the best performance on Lost, and many of your fans were very upset when you left. Were you aware of that at the time? Yes—I’ve had people come up to me and tell me that! Its very moving. And its amazing, no matter where in the world I go, no matter if I speak the language or not ... people will come up to me and recite Mr. Eko’s lines. I once met a man who tattooed an image of Mr. Eko on his arm! It’s a brilliant tattoo actually—I was very flattered. Someone else had it cut in their hair. They do go for it. ... Did you experience the opposite effect with Adebisi on Oz? No, actually, people come up to me a lot. They loved how crazy he was! I remember I was in the DMV getting my driver’s licence renewed in L.A., and I heard this voice behind me say, ‘That was real’, and I looked around and there was this huge guy—must have been 6’5”—standing next to me, and he said, ‘I did 12 years in the state pen[itentiary]; you represented’. He started to tell me other stories, and he had this really malevolent grin on his face as if we were kindred spirits, so that was pretty interesting. …
Do you prefer playing morally complex characters, or would you be tempted by playing a clear-cut hero or villain? It’s always juicy to play villains. I like to think I’ve married the two in my characters—that I’ve added some complexity and humour while showing the human side of them [as well]. At the end of the day, they’re all human beings: they may have chosen a path that is dark, but they still have families and decisions and vulnerabilities. I love playing a villain who has some texture, as opposed to the quintessential ‘baddie’. You’re set to play Algrim the Strong in the new sequel to Thor, a character who is described as a “Dark Elf”. Can you tell us a little about him? When I was first approached about the role, I was a little confused, because my perception of an elf was a dwarf, and I thought, ‘This is interesting—are they going to morph me into this dwarf character?’ But, actually, it’s a very interesting take on a dark elf—this creature who is dark because he comes from a dark world. I can’t tell you that much about it, but I can tell you Marvel are going all-out to really give this character an incredible visual impact! Its very exciting for me, not just as an actor, but as a guy. I mean, you grow up reading these comics, and then to play one of the characters in them and get dressed up in the costumes and the prosthetics—it’s a boy’s dream! Although you were born and raised in England, your parents were both Nigerian, and you’ve played a few Nigerian roles throughout your career. Do you feel very connected to your Nigerian heritage? I do—I feel very connected to my heritage, which is why I never changed my name.
It’s ironic, actually, that while I never lived in Nigeria, when I went to Hollywood, they would cast me in these roles. (Although, when I auditioned for Adebisi in Oz, he was not written as Nigerian, but of all the interpretations that I offered, that was the one they liked best.) I’ve actually written a screenplay that I intend to direct and will hopefully use it to marry Hollywood with Nollywood [Nigerian cinema]. Can you tell us more about that? It’s based on my upbringing here [in England]. I originally wrote it as a manuscript, and then developed it in the Sundance labs [Sundance Institute, started by Robert Redford as an independent filmmakers resource in 1981]. It deals with what happened to those children who came over from Africa with their parents, but who were fostered out to white families whilst their parents were working or studying. It’s a great tale of triumph over adversity. It celebrates a lot of what is British: British humour, music, style and fashion. At the same time, it is an indictment of some aspects of our society. It’s also a story of love: looking for love from others and learning to love yourself. We’ve heard rumours of a Black Panther movie adaptation. Is that something we could look forward to? I’d love that; it’s always been something that’s been dear and close to my heart, and if we could gravitate towards that ... well, it’s something I’d love to do. It’s something that I aspire to do as an actor. What is your FAULT? I’m not sure. You’d probably have to ask the people I associate and live with! Off the top of my head, I suppose it would be obstinacy.
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