Spare a thought for the Hollywood rising star. And the old suns too, really. Because their life is one big job interview, except with a lot more "no"s and a lot more showing off. It's an eternal wait for a text back from a 10 on Hinge, but all the more important, because it covers rent. And even if you do land that dream gig, chances are you might not get another. Then, once you're on-set, dazzling in front of a weeping director and being told to really feel it, there's another trial by fire on the campaign trail. You want to make a name for yourself. You maybe want to score a contract with a deep-pocketed brand. You want to be a STAR, kid – but one that is humble, and grateful, and not looking too desperate to fill the limelight.
Brandon Perea is, perhaps, at the age when this professional minefield is at its most Somme. His big break, sci-fi head-scratcher The OA, was kneecapped when it was cancelled after two seasons. Onwards! There's an even bigger break: Jordan Peele's extraterrestrial horror, Nope, another lauded box office smash from one of Hollywood's most exciting directors. Scarier still: the red carpet that comes with such a highly anticipated release.
But Perea doesn't seem skittish. On the contrary, the 27-year-old has hit the red carpet like a veteran, and in the stuff that's far more exciting than the stuff of veterans (sure, navy suits are fine at premieres, but they're just that: fine). At Nope's world ribbon-cutting, Perea went for lilac seersucker, with fanged out lapels, and a single button belted fastening, and grandma's pearls, and spongy white sneakers. Prom night at Euphoria High. It's also yet more evidence of just how far we've come, because Perea doesn't look like he's trying particularly hard. He's simply following the precedent set by other actors of his cohort, like Timothée Chalamet, John Boyega and Joe Keery – guys that look good because they have a genuine, actual interest in the mad alchemy that goes into looking good.
