Photography by John Balsom | Styling by Grant Woolhead
"I'm being given this extraordinary experience of being able to play this woman [Lili Elbe], but with that comes this responsibility of not only educating myself but hopefully using that to educate an audience."
Sweater and pants by Louis Vuitton. Socks by Falke.
“I suppose it depends on what you think of as masculine and feminine. I was musical, and I was into theater and arts, but I was also into sports, so I had quite a broad spectrum. I can also totally see that other people see a femininity in me.”
Leather shirt by Polo Ralph Lauren. T-shirt by Sunspel
“People were so kind and generous with their experience, but also so open. Virtually all of the trans men and women I met would say ‘Ask me anything.’ They know that need for cisgender people to be educated. I felt like, I’m being given this extraordinary experience of being able to play this women, but with that comes this responsibility of not only educating myself but hopefully using that to educate [an audience]. Gosh, it’s delicate. And complicated."
T-shirt by Sunspel. Jacket by Burberry Prorsum. Jeans by Polo Ralph Lauren.
“But I did start talking to Lana [Wachowski] about Lili and she told me how important the book, Man into Woman, was to her. And also the art, specifically of Gerda. She very kindly continued my education, pointed me to literature, and where I should be headed.”
T-shirt by Sunspel. Jacket by Burberry Prorsum. Jeans by Polo Ralph Lauren. Shoes by Dries Van Noten.
“I absolutely salute [Caitlyn Jenner's] courage. Hers is a very specific story, and it’s one that shouldn’t stand for everybody’s. But it is amazing what she’s gone through and how she’s done it. It’s a civil rights movement.”
T-shirt by Sunspel. Jacket by Bottega Veneta.
What the role of Lili Elbe has taught him about gender:
“That it’s fluid, I suppose. And also that it needn’t be labeled. My greatest ignorance when I started was that gender and sexuality were related. And that’s one of the key things I want to hammer home to the world: You can be gay or straight, trans man or woman, and those two things are not necessarily aligned.”
Producer: Craig Shipman. Market Editor: Michael Cooke. Fashion Assistant: Jessie Culley. Grooming by Petra Sellge
T-shirt by Sunspel. Jacket and pants by Valentino.
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