Taking center stage in Twilight’s sci-fi sequel, along with a handful of other projects, Max Irons sports his suave side with a second campaign for I.N.C. Stealing those dashing genes from his esteemed father, actor Jeremy, and looking every bit the stylish gent — if not also a touch "smug" (his words, not ours) — he took a few days stateside to host a party officially launching the campaign. Spilling the beans on his celebrity crush and the potential of becoming a certain Christian Grey, we share some This is your second campaign with I.N.C, which aspects of the brand do you like?
"I like the clothes, to be honest. You never want to have to try too hard when you’re deciding what to wear and Macy’s makes it easy, but is also fashion-forward."
So you have a straight-up, straight-down kind of style?
"Yeah, I like it simple. I like Alexander Wang, I like Dior, Lanvin – they bust the bank, those two. I don’t like wearing suits, and I’m quite scruffy really. I wear a lot of black — what does that say about my mental state? Something, probably. I have a coat from Raf Simons and I just feel so cool in it. It makes me look quite menacing, which is good because I was mugged a few times when I was small."
A few times!?
"There was a stage of knife crime in England. It was a combination of being 5"5, wearing white shirts a lot, and having highlights."
Do you feel comfortable as a model?
"No."
Okay, do you feel comfortable as an actor?
"Yeah — no. Now I think about it, why do I do it? It’s different levels of discomfort. Modelling is a different thing, your mind isn’t so much involved."
So, have you always had your sights on acting?
"Since I was about 15. I had dyslexia so acting was always difficult and I would go into panic mode, but then I started to learn things, and got a few parts at school and thought that was probably as much fun as you could have. Before that, I wanted to be a fighter pilot, like Top Gun. I mean, what’s wrong with you if you don’t want to be a fighter pilot?"
Were you a real boy’s-boy? You know, playing with soldiers and building Airfix kits?
"Airfix kits! I want them to come back, there’s something remedial about it — you sit there and do your thing. I don’t know what girls thing about them… Geek-chic?"
Let’s talk about The White Queen, BBC’s next big drama.
"Yes, it’s going to be awesome. I play King Edward IV for six months, filming in Belgium. I’ve seen the film In Bruges so I think I have a very romanticised view on it. Hopefully I bump in to Clemence Posey… because that would be the best thing that could ever happen to me."
And, you’re the lead in The Host. Twilight fans are notoriously intense, are you ready for R-Patz fame?
"No, no…no. Look, its great for him and he’s doing great Kronenberg projects which come of the back of doing something like Twilight, but you also have to sacrifice a part of your life, and that I don’t particularly want to sacrifice."
Being a British boy, are you a fan of US TV?
"I just finished watching Generation Kill. And before that, Oz- both HBO. I’ve got into boxsets, I’m watching The Wire, just watched Veep. That was very good."
We penned you as one of our wishes for the part in 50 Shades Of Grey (blush). Is that something you’d ever consider?
"Whatever brings people out of their shells. Whatever makes people embrace the nasty shit that goes on in that book, I guess."
Ha! And who would you chose to be your Ana?
Have I mentioned Clemence Posey?