full look. Ami Paris
jewellery. A Sinner In Pearls
opposite
full look. Ami Paris
jewellery. A Sinner In Pearls
Actor Staz Nair knows a thing or two about jumping between genres. He’s played roles on productions like Game of Thrones, Supergirl, and beyond. One role that has clearly pushed him into stardom is Rebel Moon, the epic space opera film directed by the one and only Zack Snyder. Nair plays Tarak an animal-loving nobleman-turned-blacksmith who, after reading the script, Nair connected with instantly. With the response from the first part of the film, which came out at the end of 2023, audiences connected with Tarak, too, and are eager to see how his story unfolds in the second part of the film out in April.
Schön! chats with Nair while he’s in the middle of filming his next project — portraying a detective in the upcoming BBC thriller Virdee — to chat about his career, what the film has meant to him, and more.
gillet + trousers. Han kjobenhavn
shoes. Hernan Guardamagna
sunglasses. Tom Ford
watch. Omega
opposite
gillet + trousers. Han kjobenhavn
shoes. Hernan Guardamagna
sunglasses. Tom Ford
watch. Omega
When you look back over your time as an actor, how do you feel you’ve grown?
I feel like we grow as actors after every job. Firstly, experience is the most invaluable teacher and I believe the beauty of acting is, there’s always more to understand about the human condition. Connecting to life and connecting to personal experiences to draw from, is a never-ending process, and to me that’s the most alluring thing about the craft – you can always be better – but I think where I’ve grown most is learning to trust myself. So much of acting is getting out of your own way and trusting the work you’ve done and letting it all go once you’re in the scene. It’s not your job to tell the whole story, it’s your job to tell your part of the story and trust the rest of the cast and crew to follow suit.
What thread do you look for in a character? Is there an immediate connection when you read for them? What angle do you approach them from?
I think the most important thing to do to connect to a character is to find out what drives them, what they want to achieve and why. Also figuring out what brought them to the place they’re in when you find them at the beginning of the script. How they view the world and how they operate in it is always an indication of how to position the character and figuring out what role they have to play in the grander story is also essential.
I also try to find connections by figuring out the nature and nurture of the characters and how I admire them. I find places where they are flawed and find moments in my life where I’ve possessed those same qualities and look to embellish them to start to bring the character off the page which helps me find where we intersect. I think people think about adding those qualities to themselves to portray characters when we should be embellishing similar characteristics that already exist within us, however small they may be, and inflating them. Stepping into a character is always still stepping into a version of yourself.
When reading the script for Rebel Moon, what captivated you about it?
For starters, I’ve been a Snyder fan for over a decade, so being a part of one of his worlds drew me in instantly. I was also instantly blown away by the world-building and how all of them gave a nod to cultures that already existed. Also, anyone brave enough to try and pursue a career in acting is an underdog and this is the story about the few against the many and what we’re willing to do to stand up for what we believe in, the sacrifices, the compromises, the hard work, so that really resonated with me. Also, as a bird nerd, getting to fly a griffin-like creature was a childhood dream come true.
shirt. Etudes
opposite
suit. Etudes
shoes. Hernan Guardamagna
watch. Omega
What were your first thoughts about Tarak?
Tarak instantly felt like a man of honour — a man who carried his failures and shame with him everywhere and struggled to find a way to fill the void after losing everything. Yet, despite all that loss, he still wanted his shot at redemption. What I love the most about Tarak is that he subverts the usual, expectation of what a prince looks and acts like, almost as if he absconds it — believing he wasn’t worthy of the title. His rise to the occasion represented that coming back to the man that he once was to re-earn that title that he left behind with his home planet.
During your career, you’ve covered several genres from sci-fi, fantasy and superhero. What is a genre you’d like to explore that you haven’t already and why?
Honestly, what I love about acting is there are so many worlds and genres to delve into, each of them giving unique insights into human capacity and condition whether the genre is fictitious or factual. Genuinely, I welcome any opportunity in any new genre with an equal sense of excitement and exuberance. Any new genre is a choice to stretch the muscle differently and learn a little more about myself and the human experience. If I had to choose one, I would love to do a period piece. There’s something about being able to go back in time and look at the anthropology of what brought us to where we are now that I find alluring. You can’t know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve come from, and working in period dramas is a wonderful way of getting into the proverbial time machine to walk a few miles in the steps of our predecessors.
Reading an interview you did with the Hollywood Reporter, you mentioned auditioning with Zack Snyder – what was that process like for you and how did you feel once you walked out of it?
Auditioning for Zack was surreal from the get-go just because I spent so many years watching his movies. Instantly I could tell he was a passionate and diligent man who had a clear impression of what he wanted. I started by breaking down what I thought the audition scene was about, what it meant for the character, and what it represented to him, and then Zack just let me do my thing. I did one take, he gave me a single note, and then asked me to go again and just smiled. We spoke a little about our love for dogs, and then off he went. It was kind of a blur, but I remember coming out of it feeling good which is rare.
Looking through Instagram, it looks like you had the time of your life during the press tour for Rebel Moon – what are your highlights/fondest memories?
I had the time of my life doing this press tour. Not only were we fortunate enough to travel to different parts of the world, but it was a wonderful opportunity to catch up with the cast. I know everyone says they get along with the costars, but we genuinely did. This is such an eclectic group of personalities and somehow it all works. It was a wonderful celebration of all the hard work we put in and just a pleasure to meet the fans and those who we made this story for. I also got to bring my wife along and I’m always happier and more sane when she’s around, so I had the best time sharing those moments with her too. Seeing my first billboard in Hollywood and having her there was a memory I’ll never forget.
full look. Han kjobenhavn
ring. The Crown Collection
opposite
shirt. Etudes
Now that Rebel Moon – Part One is out in the world, what has it been like to see the response in real-time?
I think every actor has apprehension about how it will be received when they make a movie of this scale. People are sometimes divisive with Snyder movies and for me, that’s what art is about. It’s subjective — no piece is meant to be for everyone. It was amazing to see the response on Netflix and be the number-one movie in the world for two weeks. I’m super proud of all the work we did and I hope when people watch part two they remember that it is exactly that – part two. What I mean by that only when both parts are combined, the first story is fully told. They cannot be seen as separate entities. I’d liken it to stopping a book halfway for three months and then picking it back up again to finish it. That is the arc of Rebel Moon parts one and two — two sides of the same coin. I really look forward to people watching it in its entirety.
What is a piece of advice you’d give to your younger self knowing everything you do now?
Honour the craft. Respect that time and experience are on your side and not the enemy, so don’t rush. Remember that the best inspiration comes from real-life experience. Keep living and keep observing life with a whimsical sense of interest. I’d also tell myself to be patient and remind myself that persistence is far more important than progress.
What are you most looking forward to in 2024?
Well, for starters, I’m fortunate enough to be doing my first detective drama for the BBC called VIRDEE. I feel very fortunate to be starting my year with something that requires such a nuance and emotional range and delves into culture and family dynamics in such a beautiful and complex way. I think any actor dreams of jobs that challenge them and educate them in not only the craft but also themselves. I’ve also been co-writing and co-creating a TV show with two of my closest friends which we will be selling this year. Getting to create work with people who you love is an honour — bordering on a miracle — so I look forward to getting that off the ground.
What is one long-term goal you have for yourself?
To never get complacent as a creative. I think humility is so important in our industry — being receptive and humble enough to still be willing to learn and work hard at any point in your career is very important to longevity and satisfaction. One of my goals is to make sure I never lose my work ethic, my willingness, and my desire to learn and be better. Also, to make sure that my personal life doesn’t come with the cost of my professional one, where possible. My greatest role at the moment is being a husband to my wife, and one day it will be being a father to my children. One of my long-term goals is to make sure I always know to prioritize that and find a balance between the two because my love for my partner and my desire to have a positive and healthy family dynamic are most important to me and most integral to my happiness and joy and content in this life. [It’s about] finding the things you enjoy that don’t cost much money, that keep you content, and that keeps you curious and present. Make time for them.
What is a lesson you’ve learned about yourself on your acting journey that you’d share with an aspiring actor?
For me it’s fostering and being with dogs, it’s going out to people-watch. It’s being a nature, listening to music and the bath. It’s quality time with my wife — laughing and crying with those that I love and really trying to listen to them. I think, as actors, as we get so focused on our next job we forget to nurture the experiences and mind states that make us prepared and ready for when the next job comes along. Being a part of the world and existing and observing it serves as such great inspiration for our work, and also satiates us when we’re not working. So, make time for those things and those people, whatever they are for you. Also, make sure you truly love acting and the craft because the industry won’t always love you back. Keep falling in love with music, art and acting as a fan and as a participant.
full look. Dior
opposite
suit. Etudes
shoes. Hernan Guardamagna
watch. Omega
Rebel Moon — Part One is out now. Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver, is scheduled for release on April 19.
photography. David Reiss
fashion. Jermaine Robinson
talent. Staz Nair
grooming. Charley McEwen @ The Only Agency using John Masters Organic
production. Clara La Rosa
fashion assistants. Brandon Philips + Stephanie Gnahore
interview. Dana Reboe
