‘The Idea Of You’ Star Nicholas Galitzine On Reviving Rom Coms

There’s a brand new boy band on the town — and its central heartthrob might not be who you count on. 

Actor Nicholas Galitzine stars in The Thought of You as Hayes Campbell, a 24-year-old member of the boy band August Moon. The movie, which comes out Thursday, charts Haye’s age-gap romance with 39-year-old gallery proprietor Solène Marchand (Anne Hathaway) after an opportunity assembly at Coachella, and the struggles their sudden love brings. Whereas the premise — a mother falling for a younger singer seemingly patterned after Harry Types or Justin Timberlake — reads decidedly just like fanfiction from websites reminiscent of Wattpad or Ao3, it’s really tailored from the hit debut novel by Robinne Lee, which got here out in 2017. 

Galitizine, 29, who has gone from small streaming roles to helming main tasks, isn’t any stranger to book-to-film diversifications. He beforehand starred in Crimson White & Royal Blue as Prince Henry, one a part of the fictional homosexual romance between the First Son of the US and the Prince of England, which was tailored from Casey McQuiston’s BookTok hit. In Bottoms, he was dumb quarterback Jeff, an fool with a helmet and a deathly pineapple allergy. In Mary & George, he performs the George Villiers, the conniving son of the Countess of Buckingham (Julianne Moore). Now, he’s remodeled right into a bonafide boy band member for this twist on the same old Could-December story. (With the assistance of author Savan Kotecha, Galitizine sings a number of authentic songs within the movie.) And he tells Rolling Stone that leaping the wide range of roles isn’t simply happenstance — searching for out full-body transformations is usually a serious a part of his course of.

“A variety of that comes [with] simply constructing out a physicality with all of those totally different roles,” he says. “The actors I love probably the most are capable of obtain a stage of versatility by way of their profession. And with the ability to shapeshift is one thing that I feel is absolutely thrilling.” 

However the capacity to chart the subsequent steps in his profession additionally comes with a spot of humility. After I point out different good-looking actors who’ve swung from romcom results in dramatic tasks, like Charles Melton, Galitizine can’t assist however joke.

“I’ve chatted with Charles and it’s been cool to get to know by way of my press tour and his press tour,” he says. “Although I’ll say, he’s a lot prettier than me.”

Rolling Stone caught up with Galitzine to speak concerning the motion of boy bands, working with Anne Hathaway, and why he retains enjoying royalty. 

How well-versed have been you within the land of boybands earlier than you bought the script for this venture? 
I wouldn’t say I used to be fluent. I appreciated boy bands earlier than however I form of grew up on rock bands and blues music and disco. Actually, my sister was the one who launched me to boy bands. The one I primarily listened to as a child was The Backstreet Boys, which form of ages me. Due to the performers boy bands are, I feel the notion of enjoying one was actually thrilling as a result of it’s so bodily in a means. You must be so charismatic on stage. 

You’re a singer as effectively. Did this movie make you take into account a possible pop profession sooner or later? 
I’ve some pals who’re musicians and pop stars. And the approach to life to me — it’s so loopy. I’ve such admiration for them as a result of whether or not you’re happening tour or performing in entrance of 80,000 folks, it’s simply completely totally different. Appearing is sort of insular in a means, whereas being a musician, you need to give all of your vitality outwards. [I had such fun doing the music side of it. But whether I can be a pop star in real life, I think is maybe a different thing altogether.

So from Bottoms, to Red White & Royal Blue, to Mary & George, the roles you take on are often extremely varied. Is there an emotional or thematic throughline that you follow? What excites or intrigues you about these projects? 
I’d say yes and no. I find people in very heightened circumstances, people who have to fight against their perception or a sense of responsibility — and I think — subverting the archetypal characters quite interesting to me. 

What was it like working with Anne Hathaway and developing this chemistry between the two of you? 
Honestly, it happened so organically. I don’t ever remember a moment where I felt intimidated. The chemistry test went so well. And I think sometimes someone’s had such a huge body of work like Annie, you don’t expect them to necessarily be as collaborative or open because they have a procedure of doing things. But her ability to play and go along with the bit was just something I hadn’t expected. She’s very ‘Yes, and?’ which I love. And I think that works very much in line with how I like to work too.

So far in your career, you’ve had a real knack for playing royalty…
I do like to make the distinction that George is not royal. I mean, obviously, Prince Robert and Henry are undoubtedly royal, but George kind of ascends to royalty adjacency I would say. 

Royalty adjacent then. As someone so well versed in these royal roles, how do you distinguish performances between similar projects?
With Henry, it was just someone who was hiding the truest form of himself and was repressed and just had a beautiful sentimentality to him. But then with George, if we’re including him in that conversation, I mean, he’s probably the most interesting person I’ve ever played. [He’s] so multifaceted, each naive and fragile, however then turning into somebody Machiavellian and highly effective and conniving. So archetypically they form of appear a technique, however to me all of them really feel like extraordinarily totally different folks.

If you have been enjoying Hayes, what sort of interior world did you uncover about him as you labored by way of the character?
We talked quite a bit about the place he’d been earlier than becoming a member of the band. What his aspirations have been, and what was his house life. That was one thing that I discovered actually attention-grabbing as a result of oftentimes, the individuals who actually battle and want probably the most affection and nourishment are those who don’t have steady household life or group. And that’s very a lot Hayes. His dad now all of a sudden desires a relationship now that he’s well-known. His mother, she’s obtained a brand new companion and he doesn’t get to see her as a lot. However as you talked about earlier than, a big cause why the connection works is that he does have an actual sense of emotional maturity and morality about him. He’s very assured of himself in sure methods. Sure, he does have to be liked in one other means and he’s on the lookout for that perhaps not even consciously. 

Have you ever ever felt constrained by the truth that loads of your roles are based mostly on what basically comes all the way down to you having a really good face.
I recognize that. In Mary & George, there was a way of weaponizing one’s seems to be that I assumed was actually intriguing. I felt extra company in that for the primary time. And I’ve at all times had fairly a practical method to to my performing the place oftentimes I’m doing tasks that may not be, let’s say probably the most creatively nourishing, however they transfer the needle in a route to get me to some extent the place I get to do all of the roles that I need to do. 

“Not probably the most creatively nourishing” is a really, very form strategy to discuss previous tasks you may not have felt have been the strongest.
Look, I feel it’s necessary to not admonish the place we’ve been as a result of they’ve all led to the purpose that you simply’re at now. I’ve been a broke struggling actor earlier than and there are such a lot of splendidly proficient folks on this trade who by no means get the possibility. Folks took an opportunity on me and I at all times recognize that.

What are you most excited for folks to form of uncover about The Thought of You.
The entry level is one in all such enjoyable and pleasure, however I do assume that there’s a deeper message inside there. There’s a energy that comes with the storyline of a girl form of coming of age at 40 and rediscovering herself. Rediscovering her autonomy. I like that the film has that too. I feel the film actually has multitudes which is what you need in a venture. It’s additionally actually thrilling that this rom-com style is being revived. It’s nice having the Oppenheimer’s as effectively. We love these films, but additionally with the ability to have a lightness additionally has worth.