ALSO FEATURES EXCLUSIVES WITH AIMEE LOU WOOD, LASHANA LYNCH, EDDIE MARSAN AND NOAH JUPE
‘HOLLYWOOD AUTHENTIC’ – ‘A LOVE LETTER TO THE MOVIE INDUSTRY’ QUARTERLY PRINT MAGAZINE AND DIGITAL NEWSLETTER FOUNDED BY PHOTOGRAPHER GREG WILLIAMS
ISSUE #2 IS OUT TODAY
Today (13th Oct) Greg Williams, one of the most trusted and acclaimed photographers in entertainment, launches issue two of his magazine Hollywood Authentic – available in print and online here today.
In this issue, Ana de Armas talks to Hollywood Authentic about playing one of the most iconic women in American history, Marilyn Monroe in new film Blonde. Ana sits down with Greg Williams for an in-depth discussion, including the experience of making Blonde, drawing comparisons between Marilyn and her character Paloma in No Time To Die, which started shooting just two days later. The ten page feature is accompanied with exclusive photographs from Greg shot on the set of Blonde and Venice Film Festival where Ana received a 14 minute standing ovation for her role in the critically acclaimed film.
Ana De Armas says: “I was scheduled to shoot No Time to Die and then Blonde, but my schedule changed because we had to wait for Daniel [Craig] to recover from an injury before we could do our action scenes, so the Cuban part was pushed back to the very end of shooting the movie. Which meant I had to do Blonde first. There were two days between finishing that film and starting on Bond, so there is no question some of Marilyn informed Paloma. It wasn’t a conscious choice. I think it just happened because I didn’t really have time to say a proper goodbye to Marilyn. I was suddenly on the plane, right to London and I was Paloma. I think the combination of characters just happened naturally. I was really happy, though, because it felt like Paloma was a Cuban version of Marilyn”
Greg Williams says “There are many photographers who have inspired me to work the way I do today – think Dennis Stock documenting James Dean getting a trim in a barbershop, on his uncle’s farm or – of course – mooching through Times Square, huddled in his overcoat. Which is why it was so great to get to spend a day on set with Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe and hang out in her trailer. It made me feel like I was accessing a piece of history.
Though the images of Ana in this issue relate to her latest role – as Marilyn Monroe in Blonde – they are actually the culmination of a relationship that goes back six years; one which I saw her grow from being a little-known Cuban actor at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival who didn’t speak English to an artist who has played the most famous American woman in History. I was by Ana’s side while she was making Bond, and then Blonde – and then Bond again when I returned with her to No Time To Die for her mesmeric turn as agent Paloma.”
Alongside world recognised stars, Hollywood Authentic takes pride in shining a light on the most exciting and emerging talent. For issue #2, we meet Aimee Lou Wood, who stars in new film Living, a remake of the Akira Kurosawa 1952 classic Ikiru. Aimee shot to fame in drama Sex Education and talks openly to writer, Gemma Billington about her role as Aimee in the recent Netflix series, what it’s like to star in her first leading role and acting opposite the iconic Bill Nighy.
Aimee says “Bill is just amazing. I’ve loved him forever, so it was a bit of a moment when we went for lunch – me, him and Oliver Hermanus, the director – and I was like, “be cool, be cool!” I did have a bit of a freak out, internally, but he would never have known, thank God!.. ‘There’s a scene we have in the pub together and when I left that day I could not stop crying because I’d just witnessed something so special,’ she says. ‘It’s the best acting I’ve ever seen up close”.
In a heartwarming piece told in the first person to Hollywood Authentic, one of Britain’s great character actors, Eddie Marsan takes us back to Hackney, London where he grew up. We meet his childhood friend and ‘big brother’ Emanuel, who relive their youth dancing the ‘Northern Soul, Wigan Roll’ together, captured beautifully on film by Greg Williams. Eddie also discusses his acting heroes, watching classic films with his father and receiving advice from Gary Oldman. Eddie stars in new film Vesper, out 21st October.
Lashana Lynch, best known for her role as MI6 agent, Nomi in No Time To Die tells Hollywood Authentic in her own words, why the authentic portrayal of the black experience on screen is so important to her. She also talks about working with a black female director, Gina Prince-Bythewood for her new film Woman King, based on a group of female warriors in Africa in the 19th Century and embracing her inner strength to perform her own stunts.
Lashana says “Woman King was unusual as I was working with a Black female director. Usually I am not. And when I say there’s always a little bit of me in my characters, that goes for the responsibility I feel to ensure the Black experience, and the Black female experience, in particular, is portrayed authentically on screen”.
This issue’s guest in the ‘A Little Nonsense’ regular feature is the young British actor, Noah Jupe. At just seventeen years old Noah has already had notable roles in the hit TV series The Night Manager and films Suburbicon and A Quiet Place, his new film Dreamin’ Wild, also starring Casey Affleck is out now.
Hollywood Authentic issue 2 also showcases Greg’s unmistakable awards season photos – covering highlights from this year’s Cannes and Venice Film Festivals including Baz Luhrmann, Penelope Cruz, Colin Farrell, Julia Roberts and Jodie Turner-Smith.
The first issue of Hollywood Authentic (May 2022) featured Award-winning actor, filmmaker and co-founder of CORE, Sean Penn on the cover with an in-depth interview and exclusive photos by Greg Williams. Inside the magazine featured behind the scenes photos of ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore’, Simone Ashley, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, Sofia Boutella, and Greg’s unparalleled awards season photos from SAG, BAFTA and the 94th Academy Awards.
Hollywood Authentic serves as a ‘love letter to the movie industry’ – giving its readers an intimate and unfiltered look at the biggest and most exciting names within the global entertainment industry. The quarterly magazine is hand-crafted by Greg Williams – with both the imagery and interviews done by Greg, transferred to editorial by a number of brilliant editors and contributors. Hollywood Authentic is edited by Peter Howarth, former Editor-in-Chief of Arena, British Esquire and Man About Town and columnist for the FT, The Times and Men’s Health. Howarth currently is the Men’s Style Specialist for The Times Luxx Magazine and CEO of SHOW Media.
Hollywood Authentic is available in print and online today (13th Oct). Readers can sign-up for the next edition of the magazine for free here – https://hollywoodauthentic.com/.
About Greg Williams:
Greg Williams is one of the most trusted and acclaimed photographers in entertainment – his name and candid portraiture synonymous with authentic glamour.
Greg established his reportage style as a photojournalist in the ‘90s—covering war zones in Burma, Chechnya and Sierra Leone. An assignment for the Sunday Times Magazine gave Greg his first access to the film industry and he has now shot ‘specials’ on over 200 movies, including four poster campaigns for the Bond franchise. Greg has also enjoyed exclusive access to BAFTA, the Golden Globes and the Oscars and is a regular contributor to Vanity Fair and British Vogue.
In addition to his prodigious photographic output, Greg is also a filmmaker, principally with his first person, ‘moving reportage’ documentaries, and a product designer—Greg’s limited-edition Leica Q2, in partnership with Daniel Craig, is Leica’s fastest selling large scale edition. His education platform Skills Faster, is home to his highly successful Candid Photography Course, with the intention of ‘democratising good photography’. Late last year Greg launched Skills Pro – an online photography programme for professional photographers. The twenty-part programme offers invaluable insight into professional photography shoots and the business of photography.
After 30 years in the business Greg’s talent and brand relationships are second to none. He publishes exclusives to over 1 million followers on Instagram and on gregwilliams.com where he also sells his products and prints. Greg Williams Photography operates from Greg’s studio and gallery space in Mayfair, London.