MOD Magazine: Volume 9; Issue 4; Autumn 2020; THE ETERNAL ISSUE (Cover 2)

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Editor’s

letter

welcome to the eternal issue...

Where timeless beauty meets fearless fashion to end the year on a lasting note! I am incredibly delighted to present the lovely Dafne Keen as the star of this issue. The brilliant young actress (Logan, The Refugees) opens up about Season 2 of His Dark Materials, and much more, inside.

allow ourselves to simply be. To quote Eckhart Tolle: “The eternal present is the space within which your whole life unfolds, the one factor that remains constant. Life is now.

There was never a time when your life was not now, nor will there ever be.”

Earlier this year, we touched on the power of Presence, particularly in dealing with the unexpected events of 2020. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the eternal state of being—for the rejection of linear time structure is the true key to achieving presence in life. You can only allow yourself to embrace the present, once you understand its infinite, everlasting nature. There is only Now. Past and future are no more than delusions of the mind, which only distract us from the Now. We are so often preoccupied with thoughts of the past, from which we form our identity, and the future, which promises salvation, that we rarely

As the autumn leaves change around me, I’m reminded that the cycle of life is boundless in nature. Each year, those leaves will fall, only to bloom yet again, and the cycle continues. Nature is such a beautiful example of how effortless life can be, if only we’d let it. I challenge you all to accept the eternal state of your existence and the endless possibilities that come with it. And I hope this issue of MOD continues to inspire you!

- Shannon Phelps, Editor-in-Chief

visually striking & cutting-edge presenting the most trailblazing talent of the emerging fashion community

available in print & digital For More Information Visit www.mod-mag.com

contents the eternal issue

Volume 9. Issue 4. Autumn 2020

76

dafne keen

beauty 86

new wave

132

Cover Editorial by Igor Rand

152

metalmorphosis

162

bloom

182

26

undine Cover Editorial by Vlady Vada

36

over the edge

192

chic in the city

features 76

the nomad Photographed by Amie Caswell

dafne keen: her creative materials Cover Feature by Ashley Dawson

126

Photographed by Charles Grant

108

17 chambre Photographed by Ekin Can Bayrakdar

Cover Editorial by Tatiana Kurkova

58

face to follow Photographed by Shilat Mizrahi

Photographed by Marcelle Adrianna

fashion

kn i t Photographed by Octavio Conci

Photographed by Anna Gunselman

98

la vie en rouge Photographed by Tiphaine Molinario

Photographed by Soraya & Rodrigo

92

alone on the moon

yoster jewelry Interview with Designer Hila Amar

176

faith alabi Interviewed by Sandy Aziz

on the cOVER Photographer: BegĂľna Rivas, Hair & Makeup Artist: Neomi Nohales Pons, Stylist: Freddy Garcia Dafne wears: Dress by Lanvin, Jewelry by Gold & Rose

eeting Dafne Keen in the midst of a global pandemic is a cultural mixing bowl of language and movement.

When we join the multi-talented actress in her family home for an afternoon Zoom session, we get a rare glimpse into her colorful offscreen life. As we enter the call, Dafne is chatting with her family in Spanish, while someone teaches a virtual French lesson in the background. The bilingual breakout star, raised by two actors, between Madrid and London, is currently on a meteoric ascent, with a promising career ahead. From landing her first acting job at only nine years old in Spanish drama, The Refugees, to joining the X-Men franchise in acclaimed Wolverine send-off, Logan, and now starring in HBO’s epic fantasy series, His Dark Materials, fifteen-year-old Keen is on track to become one of Hollywood’s brightest young stars.

her to castings and help her practice. “I did my first job at nine,” the actress says, “and that’s when I truly fell in love with it. I thought: This is what I want to do for the rest of my life.”

Having grown up amongst creatives, spending her entire childhood in theaters, it’s no wonder Dafne discovered her talent so early in life. When asked what inspired her to pursue acting as a career, Keen launches into a story about her first moments of passion and excitement for the art.

The actress also values authenticity in her friendships. “Basically, I tried to keep everything as separate as possible. I just changed schools and I haven’t told anyone I’m an actress,” she says. Keen prefers for her school relationships to be real, and not influenced by her job in entertainment.

“I want them to like me, and then once they’re my friends, [tell them] I’m an actress.”

“I always thought I would try it at some point, because my parents are actors also,” she says. “I’ve grown up on film sets and stuff, so I always loved it. And I remember, at seven or eight [years old], my mom’s friend was doing a short film, and they needed a young girl, and they said, ‘Maria, what if we get your daughter?’” And thus, a star was born.

“I had the time of my life,” Keen recalls of the experience. Soon after, the actress started attending auditions; though, unfortunately, her very first audition isn’t exactly a fond memory of hers.

“It went horribly. Like really, really, really terribly,” she tells us, before detailing the encounter. “I was just eight, and terrified,” she shares, “and I’d never done a professional acting job before.“ It didn’t help that the other young actors weren’t particularly kind, according to Dafne. One boy, who Keen describes as “seriously arrogant,” bragged non-stop about the numerous gigs under his belt. “Then he turns to me, and he goes, ‘What about you?’”

Feeling the pressure, Keen (who practices aerial silks) cited “circus” as her only prior performance experience. “And he basically burst out laughing,” she says, “then I got home and basically said, ‘I’m never doing an audition again, Mom!’” That sentiment clearly didn’t last long, as the very next morning Dafne was right back at it. “I went to my mom like, ‘So, when are my sides due?’” the actress laughs.

Even through horrifying auditions and embarrassments, Keen’s love for acting only grew, and she continued to ask her parents to take

Of course, being so young meant that her acting career and social life would oftentimes be at odds with one another. “I went back to school, and it was really weird,” Dafne recalls. “Everyone used to say on set, ‘Oh, you must be so cool around all of your friends, and they must be so impressed by it.’ But they were so unimpressed.”

Keen notes that classmates regularly teased her for being an actress, often calling her by her character names. “But I really could not care less,” Dafne states. “I loved acting so much.”

Eventually, she adjusted to the industry lifestyle, learning to balance work with school and friends. She had a teacher who’d tutor her for a few hours each day, and her closest friends would sometimes visit set when she was filming.

These standards and morals were instilled in her by her true coach in the industry, her mother. “She’s my acting coach,” Dafne says. “She comes with me and does all of my auditions with me.” The actress rehearses with her mother every night, and calls her “the great woman behind the child.” When asked about how her parents’ roles as actors influenced her as a young performer, Dafne had this to say: “Seeing them has really taught me the craft. I’ve seen my parents act and direct and write since I was born, so I’ve always known what acting was really about, because you have many people who just want to get into it for the clout and the fame. And being the daughter of theater actors, you don’t see all of the glamorous Hollywood people, you also meet these actors who are juggling acting and waiting tables at the same time. And they do it because they truly love it and not just for the money, which is incredible. And I just think theater is so pure, because you get to see the entire process. As a film actor, you just hop on set, and everyone’s already done pre-production; everything’s already ready for you and you just come in and do your scene and leave. But in theater, you come in, you rehearse for weeks—you’re there throughout the entire production of it, not just your scene...

I really admire theater actors and theater people because of the dedication they put into it.”

The actress also shares her thoughts on how film and television productions vary, having now experienced both: “I feel like you have more time physically doing TV, but you have less time proportionally

Dafne wears: dress by lanvin, jewelry by Gold & Rose

Dafne wears: Full look by Elie Saab

Dafne wears: dress by lanvin, jewelry by Gold & Rose

to what you have to film... But what I love about TV shows is that they can go on and on and on, which is great, because I get to go back every year and see these incredible people that I work with, who I really love and now are like my second family.”

Of course, the “second family” Dafne refers to are none other than her His Dark Materials castmates. And with the acclaimed series returning to HBO on Nov. 16, for its highly anticipated second season, Keen gives us the scoop on what viewers can expect from her character, Lyra, as well as how she’s changed from last season’s events.

“When we meet Lyra for the first time [in season one], she’s quite arrogant, quite egotistical, quite self-centered—not great.

But by season two, I think she’s grown,” Dafne shares. The actress also reveals that there will be “much more darkness” this go-round. Lyra maintains her personality, but instead of being the “outgoing and trusting” girl from season one, she becomes increasingly leery of those around her. “This season, we find her absolutely traumatized, and alone and incapable of trusting anyone and anything,” she says. Though this may sound like a dark turn for the character, there is hope yet.

“Season two is about trust,” she continues. “It’s about people bringing other people out of their shells and caring for each other. It’s about all the different ways love exists in the world.”

The actress also described this season as raw, emotional, and gripping. Moreover, viewers can expect to see “beautiful new relationships and friendships.”

Dafne’s journey to landing the lead role as Lyra was certainly not an easy one. The audition process was grueling, and she didn’t hear back from showrunners for a year before they cast her. “I did my first audition right after I did Logan, so at age eleven or twelve,” she says, “and I had an entire year where I didn’t hear back from them.”

While filming in Puerto Rico, Keen suddenly got a call requesting an additional audition for the show. “I was really surprised because I thought they’d already cast, because it’d been a year, literally,” she recalls. But before she could submit her audition tape, she was promptly stung by a Puerto Rican jellyfish. “So on my tape for His Dark Materials, I had a really red, disgusting, swollen face,” the actress laughs, “it was quite intense.”

Against the odds, however, the directors called saying they loved Dafne’s jellyfish-stung audition, and she was asked to do a chemistry test with Ruth Wilson: “I came into London, and I did a chemistry test with Ruth, and it went incredibly well. She was amazing. She was really charming, really nice. And Jane Tranter was there and Dan McCulloch, and the casting directors. And everyone was just lovely. And I remember leaving there thinking—every time you leave an audition, you always think you’ve done a bad job. But this time, I thought I hadn’t done a terrible job. I thought, it wasn’t amazing, but it wasn’t really bad either. So I came out, not confident, but not unconfident, you know?”

And about a month later, Keen was cast.

When it comes to getting into character, the actress says there are two main factors that contribute to her process: chemistry and preparation. “I think with such an amazing crew and cast, it’s really easy to get into character,” Dafne says. “I think we all brought out very good sides of each other. We all have tons of chemistry and got on really well.” Keen highlights that her cast mates Ruth and Lin brought out the best in her, and that everyone on the His Dark Materials set made it easy to bring Lyra to life.

“As for preparation,” she continues, “at night I go home and rehearse the scene. Then I analyze the scene and what I want from the other person in it. And then I think forward to how this is going to affect my character in the future and how I want that to build up to the end of Lyra’s story.” It’s actually quite a complicated process, according to the actress; though she finds it easier now, after playing Lyra for two seasons.

“I also figured out what her handwriting was,” she proudly adds, “I wrote all of my script notes for Lyra in her handwriting, which really helped me get into her mindset.”

Dafne enjoys the complex characters most, and she hopes to play more in the future. “I want to get through every single genre possible—see which one’s my favorite,” she says. Having already conquered coveted roles in the wildly popular fantasy and comic categories, it’s safe to say the young actress is off to a pretty good start.

Keen’s big-screen debut in the gritty X-Men installment, Logan, is what catapulted her to superstardom. Her fierce portrayal of Laura— also known as X-23, the daughter of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine— captivated audiences worldwide. Dafne shared a bit about her time on the set of the film, as well as her experience working with Jackman. “Oh, he’s lovely,” she tells MOD, “I love Hugh. I used to call him Fake Dad.” She also describes the Wolverine actor as a “ten-out-of-ten human being” and recalls having dinner at his house and visiting water parks with him and his daughter. When asked the most important thing she learned from “Fake Dad” while working together, she notes Jackman’s thoughtfulness and positivity. “He was really thoughtful about everything and everyone,” she says, “and he tried to remember everyone’s name; he learned everyone he could.”

“He used to buy these lottery tickets,” she continued. “And he’d go around to everyone on set saying, ‘Happy Friday!’ And he’d give one to each of us.”

One day, Keen asked Jackman why he did it, and he told her: “Because as an actor, you don’t get to meet everyone in the crew. And you owe them. Everything you do is thanks to them. So I just like to get to say thanks at least once a week.”

“That really stuck with me,” Dafne says, “I still remember it to this day.”

With so much talk of work and set life, of course, we had to address the elephant in the room: COVID-19. Though some Hollywood projects have resumed filming recently, Keen has yet to return to

a film set, since the start of the pandemic. She is, however, finding ways to stay occupied and express her creativity, while in quarantine.

“I’m a very active person,” she says, “and as I mentioned earlier, I do aerial silks—I do circus. So I bought a silk, which I hung from my ceiling, and every time I get a bit stressed, I just climb up there and do something.”

She’s also been writing, painting, and designing with her free time.

“Yeah, I wrote a short film,” Keen says casually.

“I’m constantly busy,” the actress continues, “which is actually very good. COVID gave me time; like, a few good months for me to get my stuff together.”

When it comes to staying creative during quarantine, Dafne says she sticks to this mantra: Let them catch you by surprise with a pen in your hand—which means, “don’t expect the muse to appear while you’re having lunch,” she explains. Her advice to any young artists struggling to create during the pandemic? “Just be working and hope that something will appear while you’re doing something,” she says, “and keep at it.” If you’re a painter, look at good paintings—if you’re an actor, watch good films. “Look at things that inspire you,” Keen says. “Just learn. Because learning makes you know more, and it makes you more creative.”

Despite the setbacks and hardships of the year, Keen still manages to find the silver linings of the situation. “So many people have been able to actually be with themselves and get to know themselves properly,” she says, “and being alone for three months straight, for me, came like a bucket of cold water. It was a big shock.”

Shocking as it was, the actress did appreciate the opportunity to get to know herself, by herself. “You really do get to know yourself, because you have to spend a long amount of time on your own. So that’s the biggest silver lining for me; just getting to know who I am without people around me. Because the people around you can influence you so much. At times, I’d find myself wondering who I am without [them]. And I finally got to experience that.”

Dafne’s Favorites: Food: “I really love Asian food. Like, I love it. I’m really into sushi, at the moment.”

Playlist: “I have some Lizzo—really love her. I have tons of old music, because I’m really into old music. I have Radiohead, The Clash, a lot of Amy Winehouse—big fan of Amy Winehouse. I have Eminem, Miss Lauryn Hill—absolute goddess. I’ve also been listening to a bit of classical music, surprisingly. I’m also listening to a lot of Grime, which I discovered during quarantine—like Stormzy, that vibe.

TV Show to Binge: “I love Family Guy. I love how sarcastic it is—I’m a very sarcastic person.”

Book: “I really liked Frankenstein... and I loved Watership Down because that was basically the first book I properly read when I was little. It holds a very, very dear place in my heart.”

Fashion Designer: “I love Dior.”

Brand of Clothing: “I’m obsessed with Levi’s jeans. Classic. So good.”

Season 2 of His Dark Materials premieres on Monday, November 16, at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO and HBO Max.

Dafne wears: Blouse by Elie Saab

ell us a little bit about your life, growing up.

I was born to an orthodox immigrant family from Gerba of North Africa; one of the most isolated Jewish communities in the world, they have lived peacefully for hundreds of years as a minority in a Muslim society. Known as skilled goldsmiths, these techniques were passed forward from generation to generation. I grew up in Be’er-Sheba a peripheral city located at the edge of Israel’s desert. My origin and upbringing have been a major influence on my art. I graduated from the department of Jewelry Design at Shenkar College in Israel/ Palestine, participating in an exchange program in Idar-Oberestion, Germany. I launched my career as a sculptor of contemporary jewelry. I presented at several art exhibitions, including the Israeli Jewelry Biennale. My dream to initiate Yoster was to set up a new space and a home where I could express myself freely. A place where I can not only design wearable art but also connect and bind artists, genres and people.

How did you get your start as a designer? When did you decide that this was what you wanted to do?

When I was little, My mother’s closet was my playground. It always had surprises—boxes, jewelry, spoons (that’s how I started my famous spoon collection). A world of treasures. I could spend hours there touching, absorbing, dressing, I think that’s where it all started. The excitement from materials and textures.

Who/what are some of your greatest inspirations in life and design?

My source of inspiration comes from the landscape of my house—the desert, the Negev: the poetic, delicate and quiet that exists in the desert in front of the power and monumentality. The textures and colors that are in the desert .. this is something that can very quickly be recognized in my jewelry as well. I try to create elegance and delicacy out of the rough and the raw.

How would you describe the aesthetic of your work?

Yoster comes from the desert. From its harsh conditions, abstract landscape and raw materials. Inspired by the pace of wind crafting stone with an emphasis on sculptural silhouettes. We search for forms whose essence contains both spirit and materialism. Yoster’s vision is to put at the center of its art, the rawness of

the materials, delicately designing them into sculptural jewels. Our goal is to empower women through luxury design and encourage personal expression. We want our clients to form a bond with their jewelry.

How did you develop this style? What drove you in this particular artistic direction?

I feel it comes from a very natural process of development, growth with my designs and accuracy is just something that happens over time. The new designs are an evolution of the preious and there is nothing better or less in it for me, but just another interpretation.

What’s your favorite piece from your latest collection and why?

From my latest collection, I really love all the bloomings hoops. Design-wise, I think they have something very interesting in their three-dimensionality and volume along with the fact that they are very light on the ear and the movement they create and swing makes it very delicate yet unique. And also—The Chain collection, this is an interpretation of Yoster to the classical chains jewelry.

With the texture that characterizes us and the fact that each link is solid and has weight with presence, this is a collection that I really like and uniquely.

If you could design for any celebrity, who would be your celebrity muse and why?

I really appreciate someone who has an agenda, a statement and a socio-political commitment. I too live in a very political country and my position is clear, presented and conveyed in my business. So if I had to choose, then I would be very happy for these people to wear my jewelry: Jane Fonda, Dua Lipa, Yara Shahidi, and Solange.

Many artists have certain conditions in which they work, to help their creative process—whether it’s listening to music, working outdoors, etc. What’s yours?

Yes it really is these things—everything that stimulates the senses. For me it must be with movement, dynamism, travel... it does me very well and in general everything foreign and different from me excites me.

If you weren’t a jewelry designer, what do you think you’d you be doing, instead?

Ummm I have no idea, but I know it would have to have these three components: Independent. Dynamic. Working with people.

What are some of the most notable ways you’ve evolved as a designer, since the start of your career?

Being independent it develops you greatly, both personally and professionally. But in terms of design, there is no doubt that I have developed a lot in terms of product design - understanding the manufacturing process is only evolving more and more, building the first model,

developing mechanisms, reading the problems that may arise in advance, choosing the right supplier, the right material .. I am more and more specialized As a designer every time again. And it mostly also comes because I really like to challenge myself in terms of designs.

What’s been the highlight of your career, so far?

For me it is that very quickly from the beginning of the establishment of the business I have worked with designers and stores around the world. I had collaborations with designers from Tbilisi, London, Vancover, Australia etc…

It’s a lot through Instagram that gave me to meet a lot of people that I very quickly wanted to work with and we managed to put out some very interesting collaborations.

Where would you like to see yourself and your designs in the future?

I want to grow and continue to work with more retailers around the world. I plan to come out with a new collection of jewelry that is not jewelry and by that I mean jewelry/ objects that are not intended for the human body. In the near future, I plan to focus on the development of a collection with another artist who has developed a film technique that dissolves in water and becomes a layer of floating ink that can move anywhere and we create a jewelry and film collection .. which is very interesting and exciting. The world is in a big crisis and in our little kingdom we strive to be the joyful and exciting factor, to innovate, surprise and spice up life in their transition.

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned on your journey in fashion, thus far?

While it is focused on the fashion industry but it is of course relevant to all—and it’s just being nice to people, talking respectfully and pleasantly .. and in this industry there is a lot of pressure, ego and tension which is why the energy you bring is so important and can changes everything.

What advice would you give to young, aspiring designers out there?

Dare! create and be original, let their authenticity explode.

And of course—patience, understanding that things develop and take time, just keep on doing!

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

Ok it’s a really funny and cute story that characterizes me: I’m the youngest daughter after 3 very disciplined and routine sisters .. and I am not :) In first grade when we got certificates for the first time so I did not understand the obvious and happily ran home and said to my parents— what fun! I have all the numbers on the certificate! and my sisters were in the shocked how come I do not have only 100 in first grade?!?!? But my parents were happy about the different and creative way I came to see reality in that I have all the numbers on the certificate.

“Only when we question received knowledge can we move forward, and I think it’s vitally important we do. By doing so, we can free ourselves of dusty and archaic definitions of our being, and just be who we are in the moment.”

We can all resonate with Faith Alabi’s words at this moment. Even if you haven’t had the chance to watch We Are Who We Are yet, this year has us living out the parallel themes from the show in real life—namely shaking social stigmas, reshaping conventional notions about identity, and rearranging priorities. And with the show being referred to as “coming-of-age poetry” we wanted the scoop on Jenny, played by London-native, Faith Alabi. Not only did the actress give us the exclusive on her character, but she dished all the details on life lately and how she has been coping with the year’s challenges.

andy: Tell us about yourself and where you grew up.

Faith: I’m an actress from London. I spent most of my childhood in an area in East London called Shoreditch, Hackney.

Sandy: How did you get into acting?

Faith: I did a summer youth theater course with Talawa theater company, a British, Black-led theater company based in London, and after it finished, they encouraged me to apply for drama schools. I hadn’t really heard of any and they told me which ones to apply to. I made a deal with myself that if I was offered a place, then it was a sign I had enough talent and potential to make a go of acting professionally. Typically, around 3000 applicants audition for roughly 25 places at each school. I was offered a scholarship and trained at Guildhall, a conservatoire in London, for 3 years. I signed with an agent at the beginning of my final year, and started auditioning and working from there.

Sandy: Have you always wanted to be an actress?

Faith: Hmm, secretly. Growing up, it was always a private wild fantasy of mine that I harbored quietly. I didn’t know anyone in the profession and as a Black British girl growing up, I never really saw loads of examples of it being a viable option for myself. Little did I know, I’d actually get to live out the fantasy one day. I’m extremely grateful I get to fulfil my dream and live in my purpose.

Sandy: If you weren’t acting, what do you think you would want to be doing instead?

Faith: Something where I’m moving through my body, like a dancer or an athlete. I was a pretty speedy hurdler and I played netball competitively in my teens. Or, a human rights lawyer/activist, although I’d have to get really good at remaining emotionally

detached enough to do a good job! I get so invested—I’m highly empathetic—and can often get a visceral reaction to others pain.

That’s great for an actress feeling for their character—not so helpful if you need to form a coherent case where someone’s or a group of people’s lives are dependent on it. I am surprisingly calm and sharp under high pressure though, considering I can barely sit through some charity commercials with a dry eye.

Sandy: How would you describe yourself in three words?

Faith: I’m a witch.

Sandy: Let’s talk about We Are Who We Are. How would you describe this show in your own words?

Faith: We Are Who We Are is a story about two American adolescents, Caitlin and Fraser, who live on a U.S. military base in Italy. It’s a cinematic and immersive exploration of friendship, first-love, and identity. We follow Caitlin and Fraser, along with their families and friends, on a journey navigating the highs and lows of exploring sexual identity and orientation. Each of the characters has an awareness of, or preoccupation with how others perceive them and juggles with the identity/expected role of a parent, child, spouse, girlfriend/boyfriend, friend, man, woman, adult, minor, etc. The series offers the idea that our identities are not bound to fit a mold, and that people can continue to discover themselves throughout life, not just during adolescence.

Sandy: You are Jenny in the show. Tell us how you relate or don’t relate to Jenny in real life.

Faith: I’m not really like Jenny at all, which is why it’s so exciting and interesting for me to play her. I think my job as an actress is always to try and relate to my character and understand the justifications for their choices, traits and behaviors—so much so that given your characters’ circumstances, you would be and do the exact same. The more parallels you can draw with your own lived experience, the easier it can be to relate. I can relate to feeling like a foreigner in a

different culture. As a Black British woman, I can relate to times growing up and certain environments where there’s a desire to assimilate as a means of survival, at the expense of abandoning my origins and truth, as Jenny does with America. I can relate to having a deep, complicated, and often painful history which isn’t evident to people when first meeting me, as with Jenny behind her smile and warm, cheery disposition. I’m not conservative in the slightest, though I can relate to finding safety and comfort in some traditions or rituals—mine are just less conventional than Jenny’s.

Sandy: How is this character different from the other roles you have played?

Faith: Jenny’s more conservative, repressed and submissive than the other characters I’ve played. She idolizes America and being American eschewing her realness to an extent, and the other characters I’ve played have all been pretty true to themselves— even if they put on the occasional front.

Sandy: What is it like working alongside Oscar-nominated director, Luca Guadagnino?

Faith: Amazing. I was really spoiled with WAWWA. Luca was generous enough to write into the script some ideas I had from personal experiences I’d discussed with him, and my heritage. His direction is poetic, he will find succinct words to describe exactly what he wants from you like a Shakespearean sonnet. He allows plenty of room for your choices and it feels very collaborative. He involves you in much more decision making with your character than a typical director does, which allows so much creative freedom. He’d ask me which cake I think Jenny would make on this occasion; or if I think Jenny would be tearful at this moment; or I’d say I think hibiscus is more Nigerian than cardamon. He has so much artistic integrity that we wouldn’t do the scene until we had the exact right muffins with dried hibiscus, even though they were only featured for a flash of a second in the background of a scene.

Sandy: The show explores identity and has been called “coming-ofage poetry”—why and how do you think the discussion of identity is important in this day and age?

Faith: Discussion stimulates personal and intellectual growth by listening to other views and opening ourselves up to opportunities to correct important mistakes. I think it’s vital to continuously challenge the status quo in order to know why something aligns or does not align with you in society today. We’re at such an exciting time now, with younger generations expressing their genders and sexual identities in ways that make sense for them in the moment.

We’ve accepted labeled identity for so long without challenging it, and only through having discourse can we widen our lens and progress. Why is it necessary for my passport to say male or female

on it?—why do you need to know which genitals I was born with to pass through an airport? Why and when is gender or gender expression vital? Similarly, why is my marital status with Miss/ Ms/Mrs only relevant because I don’t happen to be male? Why and when is it relevant at all? Identity has so often through history been used essentially as a marker for people to know how much to oppress you by or discriminate against you. White supremacist patriarchal systems used categorization of humans in order to justify abhorrently prejudiced treatment and this has somehow trickled down into what we now hold onto as ‘identity politics’ today. Humans are so heavily preoccupied in differentiating and creating tribal culture rather than identifying our commonalities.

Only when we question received knowledge can we move forward, and I think it’s vitally important we do. By doing so, we can free ourselves of dusty and archaic definitions of our being, and just be who we are in the moment.

Sandy: What do you hope people take away from this show?

Faith: I hope people feel seen. And experience something which moves them in some way. I hope it broadens their world view somewhat and opens up some questions for them. I hope they experience something which transports them into a completely different space and time. And perhaps they’re challenged on some level in a healthy way. For anyone currently questioning or struggling with their identity—I hope they feel comforted that that’s okay, and they don’t need to rush into confining themselves to any narrow, reductive definition, and that they allow themselves to just be who they are.

Sandy: Of all your recent roles—Jenny, Amber, Melanie, Eliza—which was your favorite to play and why?

Faith: Jenny because she’s the furthest from me and makes some wild choices, which were challenging and interesting and exciting to find justifications for. I stan a complex queen.

Sandy: What type of acting roles would you like to pursue next?

Faith: Ooooo, I’d love to do some action! I really enjoy martial arts and using my body so action, or maybe playing a dancer or athlete or something like that. I’d definitely love to kick some ass! Stunts excite me. Even better if it’s as a villain. I love getting behind the psychology of people whose morals are so different to mine, it’s a great exercise in practicing compassion.

Sandy: Who is someone you would like to work alongside next— could be director, producer, actor/actress, etc.?

Faith: There are so many! I worked with Danai Gurira on her play Eclipsed and I’d love to work with her again. I’d love to work with Steve McQueen. Daniel Kaluuya too—I could go on and on.

Photographer: Joseph Sinclair, Makeup: Sam Lascelle, Hair: Carl Campbell, Stylist: Tilly Wheating

never felt “soI’ve connected

to my loved ones around the world as I’ve been this year, and it really put my healthy relationships in the spotlight.

”

Sandy: Tell us something fans may not know about you.

Faith: I have a BA Hons Degree in Art History.

Faith: Undoubtedly, 2020 has been a challenging year. Tell us how you have been feeling and coping with the year’s challenges.

Faith: I’ve always been germophobic and that was amplified, as I’m clinically vulnerable—my immune system often has a hard time fighting infection. I had to do shielding during lockdown where I wasn’t allowed outside not even to put garbage out. I was getting texts from my doctor and the government telling me to pack a hospital bag ready in case, so I was inevitably fearful and anxious.

Bonus was people were bathing and leaving me alone though.

But real talk, it got intense, particularly during BLM protests—I really wanted to be involved so I had to adapt the ways I could participate in activism. I’m online and using my phone way more now to connect with people. I’ve never felt so connected to my loved ones around the world as I’ve been this year, and it really put my healthy relationships in the spotlight. I’m blessed and grateful. I experienced agoraphobia for the first time, fearing illness and racist society outside. I overcame that with help from a badass therapist and incredible support from my loved ones. Now I’m gallivanting no end and it’s reignited my lust for travel again. I completed and passed a diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and felt proud —I ran free wellbeing workshops for performers, black people, and

trans people. I coped with challenges such as disappointments with work (this would have been my first time at Cannes Film Festival where WAWWA was due to premiere before it got cancelled!) by nurturing more home-based mindfulness activities and skills, ranging from crocheting 2,984,654,856 bags (do you want a bag???) to learning how to do my hair from the magic YouTube girls and installing 26” long locks. I deepened my spiritual practice. Used aromatherapy and meditation a lot. And continued practicing radical self-love, care, and compassion. I read a lot, and basically completed all the streaming platforms. We watched the Marvel movies in order of release, like nerds. We had time! Right now, with everything going on with Nigeria, it’s particularly challenging, and I’m fiercely practicing hope as a discipline. I’m finding joy and pleasure each day, against all odds. As tough as it is to find at times, I see my joy as a revolutionary act of resistance against the power structures that seek to ensure I don’t enjoy or value my life.

Sandy: Can you tell us what else you are working on?

Faith: I can’t reveal much at the moment, as it’s all very hush-hush, but I’m currently gagging on COVID tests all the time for filming a Netflix series.

We Are Who We Are is available now on HBO and HBO Max.

Photographer: Joseph Sinclair, Makeup: Sam Lascelle, Hair: Carl Campbell, Stylist: Tilly Wheating