"THE GIRL BEFORE'S" BEN HARDY IS BACK!

BY: DINO TAKASHI

It’s been a while since Ben Hardy’s last project on television but he’s back.

PHOTOGRAPHER: JOSEPH SINCLAIR
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The BBC One soap opera Eastenders (2013-2015) launched his acting career, playing Peter Beale. In 2016, he had his film debut in X-Men: Apocalypse as “Angel” and went on to appear in more films with a notable role as Roger Taylor, Queen’s drummer in Bohemian Rhapsody. Throughout his career, Hardy has demonstrated his versatility and prowess as an actor within both drama and sci-fi superhero genres. Hardy’s career, now approaching its first decade since his foray into television, is not slowing down.

In March 2021, Hardy learned that he booked the role he auditioned for back in December 2020. “I had a Zoom audition in December the year before so I thought it was kind of dead and buried. I just finished filming something else so I was preparing to live off the lockdown then thankfully I had The Girl Before come in.” Filming for the four-part BBC One/HBO Max limited series The Girl Before, based on JP Delaney’s bestselling psychological thriller novel of the same title, reached its conclusion in July. Summer came along, then the film The Voyeur with Sydney Sweeney premiered on Amazon Prime Video.

While on his press round, I had a chat with Ben about The Girl Before, his desire to star in another action sci-fi film like X-men, his process as an actor and what he has learned about himself during this global pandemic. “I suppose, I learned that I love people. I was and still am an introverted guy. I definitely spend a lot of time on my own to recharge but having been forced to spend all my time on my own, I realized that being around others and socializing with others.”

STYLING: OLGA TIMOFEJEVA AT THE ONLY AGENCY GROOMING: NATHALIE LENI USING OXYGENETIX PHOTO ASSISTANT: CONNOR HARRIS
Suit and Shirt: ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA Boots: MALONE SOULIERS

Hi Ben, how are you?

I'm good. Thanks man

Are you in London?

Yes I am.

It is cold here back in New York.

Same here, It’s cold and crisp like autumn.

What are you busy with right now?

I've got this BBC/ HBO Max four part series called The Girl Before that comes out this December [in the UK], February 10 on HBO Max. We wrapped on that and I'm excited to see what people think of it and it’s something that I'm proud of.

I did like a little bit of research about you and I think it's your return to TV and you haven't done it since 2015. Is that correct?

Yeah you’re right it didn't even cross my mind.

What’s the difference between doing TV and a few years later doing this one The Girl Before?

The last time I did TV, every shoot was different. The nature of that one - everything felt quite rushed and it was even dubbed and the shoot is scramble and if it translates to America, it is mad rush. At the end of the day, we try to shoot things in half an hour. This time it is keen to make sure that wasn't the case. We have a great first AD and great Director and great crew. It’s a four part show so it is basically shooting a four hour movie. It didn't feel like the schedule was too condensed.

Where did you film it? Were there any challenges because of COVID?

We filmed it in Bristol in England. It’s close to where I am from and it’s nice to be back in the woods. In terms of the challenges, yes there were restrictions in place but as we went through filming, some of the national restrictions were lifted. It was quite enjoyable to be among some great people, and I made some great friends in the cast and crew to be able to go out and experience life again in some form of normality and experience that together is quite special - with a transient work family and enjoy that experience with.

When did you start filming this?

March ‘til July [2021]

Suit and Shirt: ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA, Boots: MALONE SOULIERS

I've seen your other movie The Voyeurs and let me know if this is the same genre - psychological thriller. What is so special about your character Simon in The Girl Before?

I suppose they are similar genres with The Girl Before and The Voyeurs in some ways but my characters are wildly different in both of them. What I really find interesting in my character Simon, is that he's a guy who's in a relationship and he’s realized essentially that his partner no longer wants to be with him. He is doing whatever he can to stop that from happening. He is constantly living on that thin ice, living on the edge of trying to keep and get someone to stay when it's clear that they’ve got one foot out the door. I've never played someone like that before but I've experienced similar things in life. It is interesting to me to explore and to see where that could lead and where that could take someone living on that edge.

So when the script was sent to you, how did you know that the role was for you and that you actually wanted to read for it?

I mean it’s the same as any script. You just try it and approach it like a blank slate. Try not to think “So and so is going to be on it so and so is directing it.” I just try to think how the script will work because sometimes you get carried away if a certain studio or network is making something. If there's a certain star attached. But the choice is just to look at it and discern what I think of it solely as a script and if there is something to me that I can engage in. It is much like the book JP Delaney The Girl Before where the book was adapted from. Our script as a reader, my character Simon became more known to me as I went through the script and learned more about him and I felt he was someone i could relate to enough to get inside of but also far enough from the characters I played before to make it interesting and make it something I’ll get out of creatively.

Did you audition for this role?

I had a Zoom audition in December the year before so I thought it was kind of dead and buried. I think they can't find The Girl Before, the actor played by Jessica Plummer. She's a very good actress. So I didn't hear for months and then I got the call saying the gig was mine and I was absolutely thrilled and I just finished filming something else so I was preparing to live off the lockdown then thankfully I had The Girl Before come in.

Congratulations, we can't wait to see it!

Thank you man!

Out of the roles that you've played is there any role or character that really resonated with you the most and why?

It feels like I've been betraying one to say that there was a favorite. I’m gonna do it anyway. In terms of favorite character, I think that question is loaded in the sense of: “Is that person my favorite out of the group or is it my favorite part because it stretched me?” I think what stretched me the most is my part in The Girl Before. So I would say that’s my favorite part. In terms of my favorite person that would be in Bohemian Rhapsody because I got to be a rock star [Roger Taylor] for a little bit and I really enjoyed it. He’s the guy I'd rather have drinks with than my character Simon in The Girl Before.

Your current work has been leaning more into the serious drama genre. Are we going to see you again in a superhero movie like X-Men?

Never say never. I love those movies. I am a big fan of comic book franchise movies. I love the action genre as well. I would love to go back and do an action movie again. I think it all just depends on what is emotionally exhausting like “The Girl Before.” I probably would like to go back to the action genre because it has a different vibe. There is a lot more adrenaline leaning on the edge of experience rather than exploring someone’s emotional depths trying to come back without feeling too traumatized.

I’ve been asking this question to actors a lot. Do you get exhausted from being angry or crying? How did you prepare for this role?

I wouldn’t say I'm a method actor. I do like to keep some character traits handy whether that would be vocally or movement wise, trying to spend a lot time on those to make things feel more natural and not clunky. Like I'm putting them on like a dress that doesn't quite fit right. I like to feel that it is tailored. In prep, before doing something, I might just go out and about on the street. I like to journal as well . I like to do that every day leading up to something, trying to do it before and after a scene to think about what my character is thinking at the time and to write as them, to speak as them.

What's a genre that you have been dying to be part of?

I am a huge sci-fi fan. I would love to be part of a sci-fi movie. I suppose you could say that

X-Men is sci-fi. I think that is something I would like to re-enter. Denise Villeneuve is my favorite director so that will be the dream

So what's a valuable lesson that you always bring with you?

I suppose, applying to work and life, If a scene isn't doing well in the same way, that life of a day isn't going well, you could take that narrative take over and it can continue into many resets at the end of the day. Or it can take a real lot to get out of that funk. I try to say to myself, I am in charge of the situation. I have some control of the situation and that’s one version of the script. One version of the narrative is that the scene is not going well or this day is not going well, and then letting that take precedence over the scene all day or I can change the script right now. I wanna flip the script and I have that control to make that happen. That will be my rather long winded lesson to myself.

Jacket: ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA Jumper and Trousers: THE KOOPLES Boots: MALONE SOULIERS

What did you learn about yourself during the pandemic?

I suppose I learned that I love people. I was and still am an introverted guy. I definitely spend a lot of time on my own to recharge but having been forced to spend all my time on my own, I realized that being around others and socializing with others, I think we all do know by now at least I do get so much from that experience. I’m so thankful for that and I'm so thankful for things that COVID did not change like being in the countryside or near the sea. I found my world centered around those natural phenomena and I really appreciate those much more.

What are you looking forward to for the rest of the year?

I am excited about Christmas. I am hoping this is going to feel like a normal Christmas. I feel like last year’s Christmas wasn’t quite real. It wasn't for us here anyway. It was muted. Was it going to happen or not going to happen or will it be canceled because of COVID. so I'm optimistic and looking forward to a normal Christmas this year.

If you were a book what would it be and why?

I would be The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemmingway because I am like an old man and I love the sea and I get to see it every day and that would be me.

Thank you so much!

Thank you man!