It’s all coming a little full circle for Nicholas Hoult.
When Hoult was just a round-faced 11-year-old, he starred in About a Boy opposite Brit rom-com legend Hugh Grant and Toni Collette, the latter of whom played his mom. As part of the actor’s extremely busy 2024, which also included the historical drama The Order and Robert Eggers’s blockbuster vamp flick Nosferatu, Hoult reunited with Collette in Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. Now, he’s starring in Burberry’s latest campaign, “It’s Always Burberry Weather,” which takes its cue from—what else?—British rom-coms.
But as much as About a Boy has shaped Hoult’s career, he’s evolved into someone known for playing characters entirely unlike the charming romancers that were Grant’s specialty back then. Just look at his run over the last 12 months. In The Order, he transformed into a white-supremacist terrorist. In Juror #2, he’s a man sweating his way through jury duty when he realizes he’s actually responsible for the murder being tried in court. And Nosferatu finds him in 19th-century collars getting his blood sucked by Count Orlok, the centuries-old vampire who wants to have sex with his wife.
He’ll continue this run next year when he goes bald to play the villainous Lex Luthor in James Gunn’s highly anticipated Superman. Hoult hopped on the phone with GQ to talk about the Burberry campaign, the rest of his hectic schedule, and a lesson he learned from the cinematographer on About a Boy.
GQ: This campaign is inspired by British rom coms. As a child you were in a classic London-set rom com, About a Boy. What was your reaction to being asked to participate?
Nicholas Hoult: Growing up, those classic British rom-coms—Notting Hill and Bridget Jones, and Four Weddings and a Funeral, that Richard Curtis era—were so iconic and just really captured such a beautiful element of romance and humor and England at that time. I thought it was a great idea for them to play with the tropes of that and also pay homage to it in a way, so it was an exciting prospect.
Do you have a favorite of that era?
Notting Hill has always been one that I just found so funny. And Hugh’s performance was brilliant. And there’s so many great moments within that. That’s one of the standouts for me.
Had you seen that before you did About a Boy?
I don’t think I had, no. I don’t think so. And that was kind of a weird thing, I guess, at that age. Because, going into the auditions and screen tests for that, you’re aware that Hugh Grant is a famous actor, and in these movies that are kind of part of your subconscious somehow, but at the same time, I don’t think I’d seen most of them, if that makes sense? You’re aware, but you’re also unaware as a kid, which is kind of probably the best place to be going into that.
When you were doing the campaign was there anyone you were specifically thinking about?
I wasn’t trying to emulate anyone, but I remember being on the set of About a Boy, and them doing a water wet down. And I remember Remi [Adefarasin], the director of photography on that, was talking about—this is so weird that I remember this, because I was 11 years old—but I remember him talking about how when the cobblestones on the street are wet, how it reflects the light and bounces back up again and how beautiful that can be in terms of photography for film.
And so whilst we had the rain cannons and the wet and all that, as much as it’s kind of a trope of English weather and those movies and being caught like that in the romantic moments or whatever, there was also part of me that was like, “Oh yeah, I was reminded of one of my first [on-set] memories, of a director of photography explaining why they were wetting down the street to make it sparkle the way it did.”
Not counting About a Boy, the only rom-com you’ve done is Warm Bodies, which is very different. Would you be down to do a more classic version if presented with the opportunity?
I’d love to get into that genre again. It’s funny—culture changes and swings, but then it kind of goes back the other way and the needle shifts. So it’s one of those things whereby I feel like it’s probably due a return to that form of entertainment for people, an escapism and to counter the world that we’re living in now.
Last year was a huge year for you with The Order, Juror #2, and Nosferatu all coming out within a few months of each other. What was it like having those three projects converge?
It was kind of one of those weird moments in life. I shot those movies all back to back with like, a weekend between each one. So it was kind of quite an intense period of work. Obviously, they were filmed close together, but then you expect them to be more spread-out, probably, in terms of release. So it was quite something to have them all kind of landing at the same time. But they were also such different movies and such different experiences. I’m proud of all of them. It was kind of fun to have a few things come out once and people be like, “Oh. Yeah, you’re working.”
A lot of critics rallied behind Juror #2 after it seemed like it was being sidelined by the studio. What did you think about that?
That was kind of lovely to witness, to be honest with you. When you look at cinema history, Clint is kind of one of the biggest parts of it ever in terms of the films he’s obviously starred in but also, the ones that he’s directed. And I think he’s just got such a beautiful way of approaching stories and telling them and trusting audiences and creating. There’s a real flow to how he creates. So I was glad that people were supporting him and everything that he’s done for the industry over the years, because I don’t think we’ll ever see anyone like that again in many ways in terms of being so prolific on screen and behind the camera. Also, I call him a friend. He’s a friend of mine, he’s someone I care about. And so I was happy that people were reacting well and kind of supporting the movie in that way for him in many ways.
What is it like being on set with 94-year-old Clint Eastwood?
He’s sharp and has a wicked sense of humor. And also, an ease about it. He’s got a confidence in himself, but also in the process. He has this very laid-back, calm temperament and it’s very easy come, easy go. He puts all the parts together that he wants and then lets people play. And that’s what I think audiences tap into sometimes in watching his work. It’s not over-explained or over-complicated. You get one take, maybe two if necessary, then you continue. It was a good lesson for me in terms of letting go, I suppose, and trusting the moment. Because I’m an actor who’s kind of neurotic and who can keep asking for another take and trying things and be like, “Let’s leave no stone unturned.” Which can be useful, but there’s also an element of—you’ve got to release that, a little bit.
What was it like working with Toni [Collette] after she played your mom in About a Boy all those years ago?
The first scene I shot with Toni was the last scene in the movie when she comes to the door. That was the first scene we shot together, which was weird, because I’d open the door each time and there would be Toni who I remember being so kind and loving to me when I was 11. And now 23 years later, here we are doing this scene. It’s that strange moment where someone that you know from another life in some ways, but then now being in this moment.
How do you choose parts these days? Because in some ways it feels like almost everything I see you in subverts the idea of a classic leading man.
It’s obviously trying to work with good directors whose work I love, and then trying to find stories that are interesting to me that are exploring things that I’m fascinated by and feel unique and different to what I’ve done. I want people to hopefully be surprised or be like, “Oh, I didn’t expect him to do that.” Or, “Oh, that’s a character unlike something he’s done before.” As an actor, that’s something that I feel is part of your job is to try and disappear and try to be unexpected and try to be different. That stops me from getting just bored doing the same thing over and over again. It’s kind of a challenge each time because you get excited about the prospect of doing something. And then also then you get the fear of being like, “Oh, can I do this?” That compels you to work hard and be humble and keep your head down and try and do the best work you can so that hopefully it does work out.
What has it been like watching people embrace Nosferatu, from debates over the ending to memes?
It’s wonderful. I feel like Rob Eggers is such an incredible creative mind and director, and the team that he works with, it felt like we were making something unique and special whilst we were there on set. I think people have picked up on it just being a unique piece of cinema. And also kind of an insane love triangle and story that’s unlike things that we’ve seen recently in some ways. I’m like, “Oh, it’s just nice that it did find an audience,” because you can’t always guarantee and I think [Nosferatu is] one of those movies that isn’t necessarily one that if you are a studio or someone, you’d be like, “Oh yeah, let’s definitely take a risk on this.” And I think it shows that things that are crafted differently and stand apart can find an audience and become part of the conversation.
How did you approach the love triangle aspect?
It is probably one of the worst love triangles ever on film or in story at all. It’s one thing to find out that the person that is attempting to steal your wife is a 200-year-old vampire is a different one to deal with. And poor Thomas, I think he’s such a caring, loving husband who’s really trying to do the best, but is very naive and ill-guided through that story. And then ends up prey himself.
So how are you preparing for the onslaught of Superman press this year?
I’m just kind of excited to see the film. I haven’t got a chance to see it yet. As a fan, that’s something I’m excited about. Also I think that James Gunn and just, he’s incredible as a writer and director and what he crafts, and his films are so unique and have so much heart and humor. I’m really looking forward to seeing how it’s all come together.
What was it like taking on the role of Lex Luthor, which has such weight to it?
There’s obviously expectation around it, but the expectation comes from people being enthusiastic and excited about what’s to come. So it’s kind of trying to use that energy and pressure, I suppose, to benefit the process in some ways. It was one of those things that when I first read the script, I was like, “Oh, Lex is a brilliant character.” I think James has just done a wonderful job of creating him on the page. Hopefully what I’ve done and what we did on set has brought that to life in a fun way.
How does the Burberry look fit into your sense of style?
It’s practical, it’s stylish, it’s something that you can throw on easily and wear anywhere. Where it can kind of fit in no matter what you’re doing and what you’re wearing. So there’s an ease to it and a classic kind of element to the trenches and the styling where you go, “Oh yeah, that’s easy to wear, but cool and stylish.”
It was great. I mean, Daniel is one of my best mates and he’s such a wonderful creative mind. So it’s been really fun to grow up with all the Skins crowd. You get wonderful things out of that. You get some of the best performances ever that Daniel’s given, you get Dev [Patel] now directing and starring in Monkey Man. And then Kaya [Scodelario] and The Gentleman. You go, “Oh yeah, this is fun, just to be on this journey with these people, that you care about and also are doing wonderful things and you can learn from and share it with.”
