IN CONVERSATION WITH LEILA KHAN
interview by JANA LETONJA
After winning hearts in Heartstopper, Leila Khan is stepping into a very different world with Adultery, ITV’s gripping new relationship drama from BAFTA-winning writer Danny Brocklehurst. Premiering at the end of October, the series follows two families whose lives unravel when teenage sweethearts Jess and Ollie fall in love, setting off a chain reaction that leads their parents into a passionate affair. As the final chapter of Heartstopper arrives, Leila reflects on the whirlwind journey from landing the role through an open casting call to starring alongside acclaimed actors Dominic Cooper and Romola Garai, and why Adultery marks an exciting new chapter in her career.
photography by DAVID REISS
Heartstopper has meant so much to so many people around the world. Looking back, what has that experience meant to you personally?
Heartstopper has completely changed my life in the most personal way ever. I can’t imagine where I’d be today without it and for that I am forever grateful. Not only am I able to pursue a career as an actor, which is something little Leila only ever dreamed of, but I genuinely made friendships for life. One of that show's major themes is chosen family and we unironically became one big family. On top of that, being able to represent so many people and their experiences through my role of Sahar has been a really beautiful thing and given me an insight into the kind of work I want to be involved in.
You landed the role through an open casting call. Can you take us back to that moment and how life has changed since?
I was at university at the time, studying English literature and Drama. It was a fairly long process, but it all happened over the course of three or four weeks. I actually almost lost the opportunity to meet the casting team for the role because their emails had gone to my junk. Cut to a week later and finding out I booked it, I just remember being completely and utterly consumed with joy with a small voice in the back of my head telling me it’s just a dream. For months, even during filming, I remember I just kept waiting to wake up. It was as if I was in Chris Nolan’s Inception. Then when I signed with my agents, I started to calm down a bit.
This year marks the release of the final chapter of Heartstopper. How emotional has it been saying goodbye?
With the final instalment being a feature film, it felt like the perfect send off to these characters we have lived with and that we owe so much to. Celebrating the premiere with the fans was really special too. It hasn’t quite hit me yet, especially because I’m still so close to people in the show, but I think it will hit me later on in the year when enough time has passed and my brain realises that we really aren’t coming back again.
Adultery is a very different project. What was it about Jess and this story that immediately drew you in?
When the audition came through, I was instantly hooked by the shows summary. It was such a genius and complicated concept that I just remember needing to know how it all unravelled regardless. That was exactly how it felt during the shoot too. We had only the first three episodes and whenever Danny Brocklehurst, our showrunner and writer, came onto set, I would hound him for information on how the show progressed.
With Jess, I was given a full breakdown of her life before the events of the show and I instantly connected with her feeling of hating being a teenager and always feeling a lot older than she actually is. With that understanding, it really helped find the nuance to not play her as a stereotypical ‘moody’ teen. Jess has gone through a lot when we meet her and continues to go through it throughout the show, so I aimed to approach her with complete empathy. It felt important to me to break down that stereotype or at least present it to the audience in a new light.
Without giving too much away, what makes Jess different from any character you’ve played before?
Playing Jess offered new challenges for me as an actor. There were moments in the shoot, particularly towards the end of the show, where we were shooting quite emotional scenes all in one or two days, so I really had to learn quite quickly to pace myself and preserve those moments. In Heartstopper, we had a lot of fun, but Jess has to make a lot of big decisions that no 16 year old should have to and so playing those more intense and morally ambiguous moments through the lens of what is ultimately a child was a new feat that I loved sinking my teeth into. Throughout filming, I built a really beautiful friendship with Shelley Conn, who plays my mother in the show, and she was always there to lean on, especially in those moments. On screen it was definitely a mother - daughter relationship, but behind the scenes we felt closer to sisters.
The show explores love, loyalty and the ripple effects of people’s choices. What conversations do you hope it sparks?
One of the things I love about this show and Danny’s writing is the moral ambiguity of it all. It truly feels like a modern day Shakespeare tragicomedy in my opinion. When I filmed the show, I was very much in the mindset that this is black and white because I had been aligned with Jess, but stepping back and watching as a viewer, I felt so conflicted with each episode and that’s what I hope people watching will feel too. Life and relationships are so complex, nothing is black or white. It’s just not that simple. But we’re human, and we are messy and complicated, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we are bad people. Maybe that will bring some comfort to the viewers too. I know it certainly does for me. I’m excited to hear what people think of the characters because no one is inherently bad. These people are only trying to do what they think is right, except maybe Dickhead Dave. I mean, it’s in the name.
The show balances intimate relationships with big emotional twists. What do you think will surprise viewers most?
That is such a difficult question to answer because I remember reading the scripts and being constantly on the edge of my seat. I think the way that these characters decide to act and the choices they make will constantly keep viewers surprised. Even though I know the show like the back of my hand, when I watched it, I found myself screaming at the TV during almost every episode. Another aspect of Adultery that I think is a wonderful relief is the comedy within the show. We are led by two industry powerhouses, Dominic and Romola, that deliver such nuanced and intimate performances throughout, yet there is always room for laughter. There were moments watching it back where I caught myself laughing amongst all the chaos and pain of it all. It’s all very real, which is also quite scary.
You’ve gone from being a newcomer to starring in one of ITV’s biggest dramas of the year. Has your confidence as an actor changed?
It’s been a whirlwind, that’s for certain. The way that I carry myself on set has definitely changed from when I first started. I try to take time to introduce myself and build connections with all of the crew members on set because it’s such a collaborative industry. No department is more or less important than the other and there is always such a hum of talent reverberating throughout the floor. It’s important to me to absorb as much knowledge as possible from everyone. Making those connections with the crew, in my experience, has also given me the confidence to be as vulnerable as the character I’m playing needs to be. Had I not had the opportunities to be on different productions and explore the kind of actor I want to be behind the scenes, I think I would’ve found playing Jess at the start of my career a very different experience. That being said, I do still feel quite new to the industry and I’m excited to see where the industry takes me and how that confidence might evolve in the next 10 years.
How do you deal with the growing attention and expectations that come with being recognised as one of the UK’s rising stars?
Expectations and attention is something I had to learn to navigate at the very start of my career with Heartstopper. I knew when I took the role how much people all around the world had been touched by this show so it’s not something that’s new for me to deal with. I always had my fellow cast mates to lean on in that respect. Quite quickly I decided not to allow those expectations inform my work and I’ve took that forward with me since.
Over time, I’ve realised it’s such a blessing to have people value the work that I do and I feel I have a kind of duty to pay that forward as much as I can by using my social media. I share any open casting calls among other things.
What kinds of roles or genres are you most excited to explore next?
The beauty of this line of work is that there is so much variety. I am currently on a job where I’m able to do some stunt and action sequences, which is really exciting, so I’d love to be able to pick that up again in the future. Above all, I love morally complex characters and a big goal of mine is to one day explore that on stage.
Outside of acting, what helps you stay grounded when life gets busy?
My family for certain. I come from a working class background, so coming home and living close to where I grew up really helps keep me feeling stable and grounded. It also helps remind me that I’m living my dream and not everyone is as lucky to be able to say that. On top of that, I’m a big reader and when I’m away for work, I always find having a good book at hand helps escape from the business of life. A lot of my close friends and family often laugh at me because when I’m dug into a book, I take it everywhere. No place is off limits.
TEAM CREDITS:
photography DAVID REISS
styling PRUE FISHER
hmu CHARLOTTE YEOMANS
