BEST PERFORMANCES 2017

Moonlight Star Mahershala Ali Got Dumped By His First Girlfriend After 10 Minutes

The actor on everything from his very early days to his big break in the Golden Globe-winning drama.

by Lynn Hirschberg

To nearly everyone’s surprise, the actor Mahershala Ali didn’t take home a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe last night for his stirring performance as a a drug dealer turned father figure in Moonlight. In fact, many felt both he and the film, which was nominated in six categories and took home only one statue—admittedly, it was for top prize Best Drama—were snubbed over the course of the evening. Ali, though, just misses playing the breakthrough character that may define his late-blooming career. Here, he looks back at his beginnings as an actor, and even further back at his first kiss.

What was the first professional job you auditioned for? The first job I auditioned for was [the play] The Great White Hope, playing a version of [the boxer] Jack Johnson—but [in the play he was named] Jack Jefferson—at Arena Stage right out of school. I got that [part].

Had you been a boxer? No. But I wanted to play him desperately, and I knew quite a bit about the play.

Did you see James Earl Jones do it? Not at that point, but shortly after that I watched the film. And Arena Stage, where I did it, was where the play originated. They were doing it for the 50th anniversary of the theater, in 2000.

What was the first movie you auditioned for? A film called Pig Music, which later got changed to Making Revolution. The director Dan Klein, a friend, wanted me to go in for this character Malik, a smaller character that popped up a few times. I remember I called him up and said, “Man, look, Malik’s cool. But this guy Mac—he’s amazing.” He was the lead of the film. He was like, “Yeah, but he’s white.” I said, “Yes, Mac is white. But his sister is adopted and she’s Indian. I could be adopted, too.” Dan thought about it and he was like, “All right, come in tomorrow.” I went in the next day and auditioned. He called me later: “Man, you got the part.”

How did Moonlight come about? I was in L.A. for a few days, and at my new agent’s office. And one of the agents walked up and said, “Hey, Mahershala, you gotta read this movie Moonlight. It’s amazing.” And my manager had just said something to me about Moonlight, like, 10 minutes earlier. And then we’re having a meeting, and my agent brings it up. So it came up three times in about a 45 minute period, and that has never happened before with any project. The buzz for this film that had [a budget of] a bag of nickels was pretty amazing—it preceded me actually getting to read it. And I was absolutely blown away by it. It brought me to tears several times.

Did you have to audition? You never know how things are going to come your way, because Moonlight was one of those projects that I didn’t have to audition for. I shot a small film in 2014 called Kicks. And I remember when I got the offer on Kicks, I was in season three of House of Cards. I was so blessed to have a job on a series, but also there’s a danger in doing a series that I’m sure a lot of actors would share with you, which is that once you’ve been on a series for a few years you can get typecast. When you’re on a large show like House of Cards, and you have acting ADD like myself, you just want to keep it moving. So I got really hungry to do other stuff at a certain point, because I’m a young, hungry actor—well, not young, young enough. And so I got this offer to do Kicks, which was a character that was really surprising to me because I hadn’t shown up to that point that I could play a character from sort of an urban world, especially being known at that point for House of Cards. And I had a great time working on it. A year later, [the producer] Adela Romanski, who has been an extraordinary ally for me, mentioned me to Barry [Jenkins, the writer-director of Moonlight]. He was like, “Eh, he’s a little straight-laced for Juan.”

Because of House of Cards. Exactly. And she was like, “Well, let me show you something.” Adela showed Barry my two scenes from Kicks, and I got the offer. That was my audition, having already played someone of that world. Barry needed to see me where I didn’t have a suit on. Remy [my character on House of Cards] is a very smooth, clean, suave dude. I think those scenes helped give Barry the confidence to make me Juan.

Golden Globes 2017: See What Everyone Wore on the Red Carpet

Natalie Portman in vintage Prada and Tiffany’s jewelry at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Millie Bobby Brown in Jenny Packham at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Blake Lively in Atelier Versace at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Helen Lasichanh and Pharrell Williams at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Winona Ryder in Viktor & Rolf and Fred Leighton jewelry at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Naomi Campbell in Atelier Versace at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Drew Barrymore in Monique Lhullier and Harry Winston jewelry at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Janelle Monae in custom Armani and Forevermark Diamonds at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Nicole Kidman in Alexander McQueen and Fred Leighton jewelry at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Felicity Jones in Gucci at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Brie Larson in Rodarte and Forevermark Diamonds at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Emily Ratajkowski in Reem Acra at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Amy Adams in Tom Ford at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Sarah Paulson in Marc Jacobs at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Reese Witherspoon in Versace at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Lily Collins in Zuhair Murad at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Caleb McLaughlin, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp and Gaten Matarazzo at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Kerry Washington in Dolce & Gabbana at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Jessica Chastain in Prada at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Hailee Steinfeld in Forevermark Diamonds at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Issa Rae at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Natalie Morales at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Sistine, Scarlet, and Sophie Stallone at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Ruth Negga in Louis Vuitton and Gemfields x FredLeighton jewelry at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Mandy Moore in Naeem Khan at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Evan Rachel Wood in Altuzarra at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Thandie Newton in Monse and Harry Winston jewelry at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Priyanka Chopra at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 08: 74th ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS — Pictured: Actress/producer Viola Davis arrives to the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 8, 2017. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

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1/30

You’re really wonderful. Almost all your scenes are with Alex Hibbert [who plays young Chiron]. How old was he? Probably nine or 10. Alex, that kid is a gift. He is such a beautiful little being. You know, I’ve been acting for 23, 24 years. And you know, maybe I have something to say to a young man like Alex who is now 11, I think. But the flip side of that experience is you can forget to be a student. Because you’ve done it so much, you can get lulled into believing that you know what you’re doing. So when you get around a young boy or girl, they have an exuberance and capacity to take in information with such a strong degree of excitement and curiosity, and on top of that have this purity, that for me it became a reminder to work not to work—to try not to act, to just trust and let it go. Just try to be. That quality is something that is easy to lose, at a certain point. To work with a young actor like that, I really do believe I got more from working with him than I could really give him.

And then Janelle Monae, as well—and it being her first acting experience. Maybe I was just more open on this particular gig, but I learned so much from working on Moonlight. I was invested in a way that I can’t say I’ve ever been. I want to be that invested on every project, but I would leave working on Moonlight to go work on something else—I was working on several things—and I would really miss Juan. I would miss Barry. It would kind of ache in a way that I wasn’t accustomed to. I missed being out there and staying in his skin. I definitely mourned saying goodbye to Juan.

Who’s your cinematic crush? Tough question. Um, I really love Don Cheadle’s work. That brother is so good to me. A friend of mine who is extraordinarily good is Tessa Thompson. I can’t wait for her to be seen more. She’s extraordinary. I got to work with her on a play. Seeing anything Meryl Streep has done. There are so many people that I’m blown away by… Gary Oldman, that dude is a genius.

Emma Stone, Natalie Portman, Michelle Williams and More Are the Best Performances of the Year

Stone wears Chloé tunic; Wolford leggings; her own rings. Beauty: Covergirl. Affleck wears Louis Vuitton jacket and shirt.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair for Affleck by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; Hair for Stone by Mara Roszak for L’Oréal Paris at Starworks Artists; Makeup for Affleck by Peter Philips for Dior; Makeup for Stone by Rachel Goodwin for Chanel at Starworks Artists; Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Portman wears Dior dress; Mish New York earrings. Beauty: Dior. Negga wears Carolina Herrera dress; Lalaounis earrings. Beauty: Laura Mercier.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; Makeup by Peter Philips for Dior; Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Adams wears Prada shirt; Djula earrings. Beauty: Giorgio Armani. McConaughey wears Burberry shirt.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; Makeup by Peter Philips for Dior; Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Driver wears AG T-shirt. Mortensen wears Alternative Apparel henley.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; Makeup by Peter Philips for Dior; Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Williams wears Louis Vuitton dress and bodysuit. Beauty: Nars. Edgerton wears Burberry T-shirt; Rolex watch.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; Makeup by Peter Philips for Dior; Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Kidman wears Chanel dress; Tiffany & Co. earrings. Beauty: Chanel. Ali wears Simon Miller T-shirt.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; Makeup by Peter Philips for Dior; Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

La La Land

“My real name is Emily Stone, but when I started acting, that name was already taken by another actress, so I had to come up with a different one. For a 16-year-old, picking a new name is an interesting prospect, and back then I said, ‘I’m now going to be Riley Stone!’ So, for about six months I was called Riley. I landed a guest spot on Malcolm in the Middle, and one day they were calling, ‘Riley! Riley! Riley! We need you on set, Riley!’ and I had no idea who they were talking to. At that moment, I realized that I just couldn’t be Riley. So I became Emma. But I miss Emily. I would love to get her back.”

Sonia Rykiel sweater; Commando briefs.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair for Stone by Mara Roszak for L’Oréal Paris at Starworks Artists; makeup for Stone by Rachel Goodwin for Chanel at Starworks Artists. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Gold

“I was attracted to Gold because it reminded me of my dad. He loved shady deals. He’d much rather do a shady deal with fun people than a good deal with a bunch of straight-asses. He invested in diamond mines in Ecuador, and there were no fucking diamonds there. It was a scam, but he loved that. That’s the spirit of my character, Kenny Wells. There’s a little poem we have in the movie—‘Bird With No Feet Sleeps in the Wind.’ And that’s it: If Kenny, or my dad, gets the money or not, does it really matter? Would he change? No. Not that guy. These are people who are going to con, finagle, and boot-scoot their way in the side door. They never had the front-door entrance to the American Dream.”

AG jacket; Current/Elliott T-shirt; Levi’s jeans; John Hardy bracelet (right); Ann Demeulemeester boots.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Arrival and Nocturnal Animals

“Tom Ford became my muse on Nocturnal Animals. My character, Susan, was very personal to Tom, and so I based my interpretation on him. Tom would ask on set, ‘Why is Amy using her hands like that?’ And I said, ‘I’m copying you, Tom!’ I used him. I used him up.”

Gucci shirt; Djula earrings.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Jackie

“Playing Jackie Kennedy is scary. I was nervous at first, and I started by doing a lot of research. The biographies on her are all a little bit trashy, but the transcripts of her interviews with the historian Arthur Schlesinger were really helpful. He taped everything, and you can hear Jackie’s voice. Her intellect and her wit and what she’s bitter about are immediately apparent. At the same time, I was going to costume fittings and makeup tests. When I put on the Jackie wig, the physical and emotional sides came together. The hair itself is so iconic that once you have it right, you can start to see Jackie. I don’t really look like her, but I felt like I was in her skin.”

Equipment dress.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Paterson and Silence

Silence is the story of two Jesuit priests on a journey from Macao to Japan in search of their mentor, a priest who may have renounced his faith. When Martin Scorsese asked me to come to his house to talk about the movie, I already knew that for 28 years it had been his passion project. We talked about Silence, but when Scorsese starts a sentence, ‘When we were shooting Raging Bull…’ you can’t help but say, ‘Yeah, okay, tell me everything.’ So we talked for a long time, and finally he asked me if I would be willing to lose weight for the role. It made sense: How can you play a 17th-century persecuted priest while eating great meals? So I lost around 51 pounds. The weight loss was only bad in that, you know, I’d try to figure out how to play a scene and I had no ideas, because I was so damn hungry. Then I’d have a scoop of peanut butter and suddenly everything turned on!”

Dior Homme jacket; Rag & Bone Standard Issue T-shirt and jeans; Rolex watch. On model: Wolford  stockings.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Hell or High Water

What was your first audition? My parents were both actors. I had just graduated from college, and my father had gone in for an audition for Gilmore Girls. He told the casting directors, “My son is back in town. Will you have him in for a reading?” So it was nepotism at its best. I can’t remember the role—maybe a boyfriend to someone? I got my start playing boyfriends, husbands-to-be, and princes.

In Hell or High Water you play a kind of modern Western antihero. You don’t speak much. When I read the script, the image that came to mind was of a man on a porch squinting through harsh sunlight into the distance, but not talking. I have a lot of similar memories of my father, where we are sitting next to each other and not saying much. Westerns have a stoic silence I’ve always appreciated. These days, we have so many distractions. I have minor ADD, so if anything grabs me and keeps me from petting my dog or collaging or just daydreaming, I immediately pay attention.

Brunello Cucinelli sweater; Sandro trousers; Loewe shoes.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Michael Kors henley. Model wears Araks robe; Stella McCartney Lingerie bra; Fifi Chachnil briefs; Falke stockings; Gianvito Rossi shoes.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer. Retouching: DTouch; Produced by Kyle Heinen and Joey Battaglia for Rosco Production; Digital Technician: Nicholas Ong; Photography assistants: Nick Brinley, Maru Teppei, Kris Shacochis, Brian Bee; Fashion assistants: Ryann Foulke, Sam Walker, Dena Giannini, Schanel Bakkouche; Hiar assistants: Quentin Barnette, Kristin Heitkotter, Louis Orozco; Makeup assistants: Grace Ahn, Miguel Ramos; set-design attestants: Tony Cecilia, Lizzie Lang, Andre Andrews; production assistants: Mike Stacey, Davin Singh, Damian Sanchez, Asli Akal; Special thanks to Quixote Studios, Los Angeles.

Loving

“When I auditioned for the part of Mildred Loving, I had to sort of disappear into her character. Usually, I don’t create a costume for an audition, but this time I wore a summer dress. I knew that coming in the door looking like this woman would have an impact. A year later, I learned I got the part. At the premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, I walked up the steps of the Palais in full makeup, and I walked down the steps with mascara dripping. It was such an emotional experience. All I could think was that I needed to blow my nose before it dripped all over my frock.”

Prada top and skirt; Fabiana Filippi  top (underneath).

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Hidden Figures

“I’m a pretty good actress. You could say that, right? Well, to play Katherine Johnson, a mathematician who figured out a way to get NASA astronauts into space, I had to be believable as a math expert—and I failed math in college. Precalculus looked like Chinese to me. Even with two tutors, I still failed. So God has an incredible sense of humor, because now I am playing a mathematician! Even on set, they would have a professor there to try and teach me. I said, ‘Show me what I have to write and I’ll memorize it, because I’m not gonna get it.’ Take that, math! I won: I became an actress.”

Monse shirt; La Perla bra; Forevermark by Natalie K earrings; Jimmy Choo shoes.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Rules Don’t Apply

“I never knew Howard Hughes, so I’m able to take liberties, to allow my imagination to go to work. I like to quote Henry Ford, who said, ‘History is bunk.’ I like to quote Winston Churchill, who said, ‘History will be kind to me, because I intend to write it myself.’ And, in Rules Don’t Apply, I quote Mr. Hughes himself. He said, ‘Never check an interesting fact.’ ”

Jeffrey Rüdes sweater.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair and makeup for Beatty by Natalia Bruschi. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Manchester by the Sea

“I used to love movies that made me cry, and now all movies seem to make me cry. I don’t like that so much. I have my own things to cry about. I remember being young and sitting on the floor in my father’s apartment watching The Elephant Man on his black and white TV. When the Elephant Man did his speech—‘I am not an animal’—I started sobbing. That’s a tearjerker. That film made a superstrong impression on me. It set a certain standard in my mind of what was possible.”

Louis Vuitton pants; Falke socks. On model: Alexander Wang sweater.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

A Monster Calls and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

“Recently, I seem to be doing a lot of dying onscreen. Lizzie, my character in A Monster Calls, has cancer, and I became obsessed with the way someone’s voice changes as their body deteriorates, and how they change the way they hold their body. Cancer patients would tell me things like, ‘You become obsessed with painting your nails, because your body is out of control.’ It became harder and harder to play Lizzie. I don’t think I’m going to die anymore.”

Giorgio Armani dress; Djula earrings; Tacori  ring.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Allied, It’s Only the End of the World, and Assassin’s Creed

“It might sound weird, but I always cry at the end of Step Brothers. I’ve seen the movie 10 times, and it still touches me at the end, when Will Ferrell sings. You don’t expect to cry watching that type of comedy, but I always do.”

Burberry trenchcoat; Loro Piana sweater; Chopard earrings.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Hell or High Water

“I remember doing an interview years ago and being asked if I was one of those actors who takes the part home with me. I answered, ‘No. Not really.’ My wife happened to be in the room, and she started to laugh. Apparently, I had been playing a terrible person—a killer or someone who buries people alive or something—and she definitely noticed. I wasn’t fun to live with.”

Boss coat; A.P.C. jeans; the Frye Company boots.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Lion

“When I was cast in Slumdog Millionaire I was 17. At our first major screening, I walked the red carpet in my school shoes and a terrible suit I found on the high street, in London, with my mum. My costar, Freida Pinto, was very beautiful, very glamorous, and they said, ‘We can’t have this kid walking the red carpet with her! He’s spoiling the whole picture!’ So they gave me a new suit and fixed me up. It was a bit like Pretty Woman.”

Hermès sweater; Frame Denim jeans.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

The Edge of Seventeen

Where was your first kiss? My first kiss was actually onscreen. I was in a graduate-thesis film called She’s a Fox, and I had to kiss two guys in it. I think I was 12. I was very nervous. One of the guys was shorter than me, and he had to stand on an apple box… Awkward! He told me, “I’m going to pretend I’m kissing my mom!” I was pretty sure that’s not the thing you say before you kiss a girl, so I looked at him and said, “Okay, I’m going to pretend I’m kissing my dog!”

Where was your first real-life kiss, then? At my house, by my front door. Which kind of sucks, because every time I walk through my front door I think about it. The kiss was a little messy, and I looked at the guy and said, “No, no, you can do better.” That’s not what you’re supposed to say, but I said it anyway.

Max Mara bralette; DKNY pants; Cartier earrings; Jimmy Choo shoes.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Max Mara bralette; DKNY pants; Cartier earrings.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer. Retouching: DTouch; Produced by Kyle Heinen and Joey Battaglia for Rosco Production; Digital Technician: Nicholas Ong; Photography assistants: Nick Brinley, Maru Teppei, Kris Shacochis, Brian Bee; Fashion assistants: Ryann Foulke, Sam Walker, Dena Giannini, Schanel Bakkouche; Hiar assistants: Quentin Barnette, Kristin Heitkotter, Louis Orozco; Makeup assistants: Grace Ahn, Miguel Ramos; set-design attestants: Tony Cecilia, Lizzie Lang, Andre Andrews; production assistants: Mike Stacey, Davin Singh, Damian Sanchez, Asli Akal; Special thanks to Quixote Studios, Los Angeles.

The Witch and Split

You say you don’t like watching horror films—so what’s it like for you to act in them? I’m a real scaredy-cat. I’m not good at being frightened. But I do like acting in a horror movie, because I get to feel so intensely. You put yourself in these extreme emotional situations, and it wears you out in a great way. Afterward, I go home and get a good night’s sleep. The work chills me out: I’m a lot more stable since I’ve been in scary movies.

What frightens you? Revolving doors. I worry they’ll cut me in half. Strangers will see me tense up and hold my hand as I’m going through them. I’m constantly worried that I’m not going to make it through the door alive.

Gucci  jacket, shirt, and pants.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Midnight Special, Elvis & Nixon, and Nocturnal Animals

“Doing a sex scene is just like having sex, except without any of the pleasure. The horror, fear, anxiety, sadness, and loneliness of sex is all there to enjoy—but none of the happiness.”

Saint Laurent jacket, shirt, and tie; Tiffany & Co. watch.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Hacksaw Ridge and Silence

“The majority of my process in playing a priest in Silence was praying. I’d never really prayed before, and I developed a relationship with a power greater than myself—call it God, call it love, call it what you will. It became very natural to me, and I realized that we’re all praying all the time. There’s that human impulse to worship and to long for a connection to the divine. Unfortunately, in our culture we are driven to worship things that are false and empty. I had a year of exploring this idea of what we are truly longing for and how we actually go to the places that can feed that longing. We all get glimpses of eternity every day. It’s just a question of whether we’re looking up from our iPhones long enough to notice.”

Alexander McQueen jacket and pants; A.P.C. shirt.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Maggie’s Plan and 20th Century Women

What is your karaoke song? It’s the nerdiest one ever: “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” by Billy Joel. It’s one of those songs that if you were a certain kind of teenage girl—me!—you thought knowing all the words would help you get a boyfriend. And then, about 30 seconds too late, you realize that it won’t. But it remains my song. I had the same thought about “Modern Major General,” by Gilbert and Sullivan. I thought guys were looking for a girl who could memorize a lot of names, but they didn’t care about that. They just cared about getting a hand job or something.

Do you have a cinematic crush? I would have to say Melanie Griffith in Working Girl—the first time she meets Harrison Ford at the bar. She’s all done up and she tells him, “I’ve got a head for business and a bod for sin.”And young Harrison Ford…what a dreamboat! But it’s her I truly love. She’s so compelling and funny. She’s sexy without being plastic. I think a lot of people miss seeing women that way.

Proenza Schouler dress; Guidi boots.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Moonlight

Were you a dramatic child? Yes, I used to stand in front of the mirror and try to make myself cry. I would also try different accents. I was living in an imaginary world, usually with Michael Jackson. He was going to rescue me! I used to draw pictures of me and Michael getting married, and I would send them to his fan club. I would imagine Michael waiting for me at the gate of my school, eager to whisk me away to a happier world.

Why Michael Jackson? I imagined myself as a Peter Pan kind of character, and Michael represented that existence. He was my guy.

Miu Miu coat, sweater, shorts, and shoes.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Manchester by the Sea

“As a little kid, my first love was IMDB [the data bank for movies and television]. I would memorize the birthdays of child actors. I really wanted to be an actor, and I related to the kids in the industry. But now that I think about it, memorizing their birthdays is not cute at all—it’s a little serial killer–ish.”

Prada sweater; Brooks Brothers  boxers.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.

Lion

What was your favorite birthday? When I turned 40, my husband, Keith [Urban], drove me up to the top of this small hill in Australia and sat me down. He had put together this huge fireworks display. It was just for the two of us! It was sexy.

What is your pet peeve? When people say they will do something and they don’t. And I know it’s terribly demanding, but I don’t like it when my husband doesn’t answer his phone. I have to keep calling and calling, and I get anxious. Does that make me high-maintenance?

What movie has made you cry? Last year I saw Room, and I was absolutely devastated by it. I’m raw as I get older. I have to be careful what I let in.

Where was your first kiss? This is crazy: We were playing hooky from school. I had my first kiss while watching The Shining. Is that not weird? And we did a few things other than kiss too! I didn’t see a lot of the movie.

Chanel sweater, dress, shorts, and shoes; Bulgari earrings.

Photographs by Craig McDean. Styled by Edward Enninful. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlando Pita Play; makeup by Peter Philips for Dior. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists. Set design by Piers Hanmer.
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What is your favorite Gary Oldman performance? The Professional, which I saw as a kid. Oh, Jeffrey Wright; I love Jeffrey Wright. I saw Jeffrey Wright on Broadway in, like, ’91 or ’92, in Angels in America, then later on in Basquiat. I have always wanted to see him get to do more. He’s one of those brothers that go way, way back that I really appreciate. I’m also really inspired by Andre Holland, who’s in Moonlight. Andre is one of those dudes who I think is gonna be around a really long time. He’s got something to say, the way he processes character and puts them together. I can go on.

Where was your first kiss? I was in like fifth grade, in Hayward, CA. I was coming back from school and, you know, kids doing that whole, “Are you gonna kiss? You’re not gonna kiss her! You’re not gonna kiss!” So I think we were in someone’s backyard or something. Jennifer McKissack was her name, actually, funny enough. Isn’t that crazy?

And did you make the first move or did she? I think it was kind of a mutual first move. It was, like, talked about: “So we’re gonna kiss today after school.”

How was it? It was cool. I have a better story, actually. I was in first grade and I went to this school that had, I don’t know, maybe 200 people. And this girl, Kelly Creighton, was so cute. She was a year older than me, so she was in second grade. We were in a class together. So I get this note in class—it says, “Hey Hershel,”—they called me Hershel back then, don’t you dare—”will you go with me? Check yes or no.” So I’m like, “Oh, yes.” I send the note back to Kelly. And I’m like, “Me and Kelly are going together, me and Kelly are going together. Me and Kelly are going together.” I’m sitting there, geeked. And then I get a note. I’m like, “Oh, it’s from my girlfriend.” I open it up: “I want to break up. You talk too much.”

Golden Globes 2017: Natalie Portman, Michelle Williams and More of the Best Dressed Actresses on the Red Carpet

Natalie Portman wears a vintage Prada gown and Tiffany & Co. jewelry at the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 8, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California.

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Millie Bobby Brown wears a Jenny Packham dress and Edie Parker clutch at the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 8, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California.

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Michelle Williams wears a Louis Vuitton dress at the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 8, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California.

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Evan Rachel Wood wears an Altuzarra suit at the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 8, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California.

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Nicole Kidman wears an embellished Alexander McQueen gown and Fred Leighton jewels at the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 8, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California.

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Sienna Miller wears a Michael Kors Collection cut-out dress at the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 8, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California.

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Thandie Newton wears custom Monse at the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 8, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California.

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Emma Stone wears Valentino at the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 8, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California.

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Amy Adams wears a black sequin Tom Ford gown at the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 8, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California.

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Ruth Negga wears Louis Vuitton at the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 8, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California.

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