IN CONVERSATION WITH TOBY WALLACE

interview by MAREK BARTEK

Toby Wallace was most recently seen in Jeff Nichols’ ‘The Bikeriders’ alongside Tom Hardy and Austin Butler, and will next appear in Ron Howard’s ‘Eden’ with Jude Law and Sydney Sweeney, set for release on 22nd August. He is also currently filming ‘Euphoria’ Season 3, joining the acclaimed series as a new regular.

full look SAINT LAURENT
jewellery DAVID YURMAN

In ‘The Bikeriders’, you held your own alongside Tom Hardy and Austin Butler in a film steeped in mythology, masculinity, and rebellion. What part of that world stuck with you, even after filming wrapped?   

Look, the leather jackets, the bikes, the tough, grimy demeanor, that’s all part of the world, and it’s fun to mess around with. But there was a real sense of community on that job. Our stunt coordinator, Jeff Milburn, had us do about a month of training. So, we’d spend long days in the sun together riding around as a gang, making formations, riding different terrain, night and day. Literally riding all different bikes, from the newer Harleys to these old 60s suicide shift ones. Riding at night as a gang is bloody amazing. I got the Biker obsession in those first couple of weeks. It’s so addictive. And then getting to rock up to set with a huge group like that, everybody dressed in 60s leather and denim, standing around smoking and joking and laughing, I miss it. Jeff organized me a Harley after the film. I’ve ridden with him, Karl and Austin a few times in LA, so it’s certainly stuck with me. 

So many of your recent projects (‘Eden’, ‘Inside’, ‘Last Days’) seem to explore people on the edge of identity, of society, of themselves. What draws you to characters who are unraveling or transforming?

I like characters who are active and interesting, who naturally create a bit of drama. That’s what’s entertaining to me, that’s what’s fun to play I think. If I’m drawn to a certain ‘type’ so to speak, it’s ones with an ambiguity to them. When an audience can’t quite figure out whether they’re meant to be on your side or if you’re the problem. In another way, there’s also the possibility that my own identity is a bit borderline, perhaps I’m cracking up a bit, and so you play what you know. But read into that what you will. 

 

full look ENTIRE STUDIOS
jewellery DAVID YURMAN

 

Is there a side of you, personally, that finds comfort in those silences, or do you see those characters as a challenge to crack open?

I think everyone has something silent about them. Something secret and introverted. Despite me being pretty loud and somewhat obnoxious at times, I’m actually pretty shy. It’s not like I have to dig deep to understand quietness in a character. But honestly in film, in cinema, the quiet ones are just always going to make you more curious. What they’re after is a bit of a mystery. What are they thinking? What do they know they’re not saying? As an audience, if you’re left wondering or you’re not given enough information about someone on screen, you begin to lean in and answer all these questions yourself. It’s very effective. Benecio Del Toro has talked about this a lot. Taking away lines of dialogue in ‘Sicario’ for instance, so you have someone who’s a bit more of an enigma. You have to fill in the gaps. 

full look KING & TUCKFIELD
belt GUCCI
loafers MCQUEEN

With ‘Inside’, you’re working alongside Guy Pearce in a psychological thriller. What did you take away from working so closely with someone who’s spent a lifetime digging deep into layered, often unsettling roles?

Guy’s absolutely awesome, that goes without saying. He was incredible to work with. The subject matter of ‘Inside’ is intense, to say the least. I played Guy’s son, and their relationship is extremely complicated. The first day I met him, we barely spoke. Both of us were a bit standoffish, shook hands politely, and went straight into the scene. But by the afternoon, once we knew we’d found it flowed, that the scene was working, we dropped the act, had a laugh, and got along like a house on fire. I was on the phone with him a few days ago, actually. It’s funny because no matter what level you’re at, or how much you’ve done, or how big or small your role is, the job’s the same. You care about doing good work, about finding the scene, understanding your character. All you really want is to connect with the other actor, the rest of it’s noise. 

 
 

sweater TONY WACK
trousers BURBERRY
jewellery DAVID YURMAN

‘Last Days’ premiered at Sundance and feels like one of those intimate, festival-born films that lingers. What was your emotional anchor in that story, and how do you ground yourself when working on material that’s so internal?

The film, I think, was an attempt to investigate a story and a missionary that’s been largely reprimanded. I think it dealt with the subject matter beautifully. It injected a lot of humanity and understanding into a narrative that’s been generally overlooked. My character Chandler is an incredibly charismatic and resourceful missionary. He’s one of the most passionate and determined characters that I’ve ever played. People with that kind of drive, whether it be through faith or whatever, are always endlessly interesting to me. They care, a lot, even if it might be about themselves. 

 You’ve now worked with directors like Jeff Nichols, Ron Howard, and Justin Lin, all so different in style. How do you adapt to their visions while still protecting your own instincts as an actor? 

Film is a director’s medium. We’re all living in their world to a degree. You have to be on the same page as them. I think a lot of your work, before even stepping on set, needs to be about clarifying what movie you’re in. This might sound silly, but it’s super important. The amount of times I’ve been in scenes with another actor and you realize you’re both acting in different films is hilarious. Once you know who you’re working with and their vision and your tone, your instincts can go to town. 

tank top TONY WACK
trousers GMBH
coat ENTIRE STUDIOS
shoes GUCCI
jewellery DAVID YURMAN

You’ve moved between projects that are huge and cinematic to ones that are deeply indie. What kind of creative space feels most honest to you right now — something raw and stripped back, or something big and mythic? 

They’re all honest, and they’re all the same approach. It’s just a different experience I guess. I’m always going to love Indies. Growing up in Australia, the Indies I was part of had this incredible energy. They were raw, scrappy. There’s a real sense of camaraderie. Everybody is treated exactly the same. There was a modesty to them. If you get too big for your shoes, they’ll let you know about it. I grew up with that. That’s what I’m used to. But the big stuff is the same in terms of the work. 

 
 

TEAM CREDITS:

talent TOBY WALLACE
photography MEKHI TURNER
styling BENJAMIN HOLTROP at The Wall Group
grooming CANDICE BIRNS at A-Frame Agency
photography assistant MATEO NAVARRO
editor TIMOTEJ LETONJA
editorial director JANA LETONJA
interview MAREK BARTEK

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