Bella Hadid Is British Vogue’s Cover Star | PLUS Harris Dickinson’s Directorial Debut at Cannes

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Run-Through with Vogue Episode: Bella Hadid Is British Vogue’s Cover Star | PLUS Harris Dickinson’s Directorial Debut at Cannes
Release Date: May 15, 2025
Hosts: Chioma Nnadi (Chioma) & Chloe Malle (Chloe)

---

1. Introduction to the Episode

In this engaging episode of The Run-Through with Vogue, hosts Chioma Nnadi and Chloe Malle delve into the latest happenings in the fashion and film industries. The episode spotlights British Vogue's cover star Bella Hadid and celebrates Harris Dickinson's directorial debut at the Cannes Film Festival.

---

2. Harris Dickinson’s Directorial Debut at Cannes

[00:59 - 02:02]
Chloe and Chioma kick off the episode by expressing their admiration for Harris Dickinson, highlighting his multifaceted role in his film Urchin, where he not only directs but also writes the screenplay.

Chloe Malle:
"He also wrote the film which he's, you know, it's a one-man band. What more do you want from Harris?"
[00:59]

Chioma Menardi:
"He hosted our fashion and film party here after the BAFTAs and he was just delightful and everybody was charmed by him."
[01:38]

Harris's connection with prominent figures like Nicole Kidman, whom he met at the Met Gala, is also discussed, emphasizing his growing influence in both the fashion and film worlds.

---

3. Bella Hadid's Glamorous Cannes Look

[02:02 - 08:25]
The hosts transition to discuss Bella Hadid's stunning appearance on the British Vogue cover and her presence at Cannes. They admire her "honey blonde" hair and her choice of a "seductive black number" by Saint Laurent, noting how she masterfully highlights her jewelry over the dress itself.

Chloe Malle:
"She's sort of the inexplicable queen of Cannes."
[02:20]

Chioma Menardi:
"She's wearing this gorgeous, very languid black Saint Laurent dress. I couldn't tell if they were flats. I don't think so."
[03:00]

The conversation also touches on the high fashion elements that root Bella as a perennial favorite at such prestigious events.

---

4. Cannes Dress Code Controversy

[03:24 - 06:43]
A significant portion of the episode addresses the newly updated Cannes dress code, which bans voluminous skirts, trains, and sheer dresses to maintain "decency" and ensure smooth traffic flow on the red carpet.

Chloe Malle:
"I find egregious about it is the fact that it was the updated dress code was released on Monday, the day before the festival opened."
[03:24]

Chioma Menardi:
"I still hate that they have that dumb dress code."
[03:20]

The hosts express frustration over the short notice given to stylists, making it challenging to adapt their meticulously crafted designs. They cite last year's incidents where strict dress code enforcement led to uncomfortable moments on the red carpet.

Chloe Malle:
"It seems that the way people are dealing with it is by not dealing with it at all. I saw a lot of Bella's body, and I saw a lot of volume from other individuals."
[05:14]

---

5. Protein Chic and Fitness Trends

[08:33 - 12:04]
The discussion shifts to the rising trend of "Protein Chic" in fashion, inspired by the increasing focus on fitness and muscle-toned bodies. Chloe references an article by Jose that humorously connects this trend to popular culture elements like White Lotus.

Chloe Malle:
"Plus White Lotus. The protein shake being an essential plot twist."
[10:22]

They explore how brands like Collina Strada and Balenciaga are designing clothes that cater to sculpted physiques, linking this movement to the broader impact of health and wellness trends influenced by substances like Ozempic.

---

6. Highlights from Events: Princess of Wales and Connor Ives

[12:04 - 15:13]
Chioma shares experiences from recent high-profile events, including meeting the Princess of Wales at the presentation of the Elizabeth II Award to Patrick McDowell. The episode also celebrates Connor Ives, a British-American designer known for his upcycled fashion, who won the Vogue Fashion Fund.

Chioma Menardi:
"Everyone was completely obsessed with the fact that the Princess of Wales was there. She looked incredible... She's very interested in their process and is clearly getting behind the British fashion industry."
[12:07]

Chloe Malle:
"Connor made this T-shirt in support of the trans community in the U.S. and it went viral, raising $800,000."
[14:51]

The hosts commend Connor's innovative approach to fashion and his commitment to social causes, highlighting the viral success of his "Protect the Dolls" T-shirt.

---

7. In-Depth Interview with Harris Dickinson and Nicole Kidman about Urchin

[16:35 - 43:35]

7.1. Meeting Nicole Kidman and Filming Experiences

Harris Dickinson recounts his first meeting with Nicole Kidman at the Met Gala, leading to their collaboration on Urchin. He shares anecdotes about their interactions and the challenges of filming with trained animals.

Harris Dickinson:
"I thought, well, I could sort of pretend I haven't seen her, as I often do... but I was nervous, so Margaret walked me over and introduced me."
[18:42]

Nicole Kidman:
"She's talking about your cat, Misty. If Misty knew Nicole knew his name, it would be even more arrogant."
[20:23]

7.2. Exploring Character Development and Themes

The conversation delves into the thematic elements of Urchin, focusing on identity, masculinity, and the complexities of human relationships. Harris emphasizes the film's departure from typical erotic thriller tropes, aiming for emotional depth and relatability.

Harris Dickinson:
"I think that was something that was very important for him. And also his directness was always in the script, his honesty with Romy Nicole's character."
[25:02]

Nicole Kidman:
"It's both erotic and a thriller, but it's not just that. And it is very emotional and you see such arcs of both characters."
[28:34]

7.3. On-Set Dynamics and Trust Building

Harris discusses the importance of building trust with directors and co-stars quickly to ensure a smooth filming process. He praises Nicole Kidman's playful and bold approach, which fosters a creative and supportive environment.

Harris Dickinson:
"We felt very comfortable with each other very soon. And then we just got into it and did it."
[31:40]

7.4. Audience Reactions and Impact

The episode highlights diverse audience reactions to Urchin, ranging from humorous comments to discussions on liberation and emotional connection. Harris shares touching and funny feedback from viewers, illustrating the film's broad impact.

Harris Dickinson:
"People are unafraid to say exactly what they think, particularly when they've just seen it. Like, we've been doing these screenings and... an 80-year-old woman grabbed me and said, 'I can't wait to get home and use that vibrator.'"
[29:21]

7.5. Personal Insights and Future Plans

Harris opens up about his personal life, including his relationship with his partner and their collaborative projects. He also shares his holiday plans and aspirations to reconnect with cooking, adding a relatable and personal touch to the interview.

Harris Dickinson:
"I'm gonna get back in touch with cooking. I lost that a little bit this year because I was busy, so I really just want to make some nice food."
[42:40]

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8. Concluding Thoughts and Upcoming Content

As the episode wraps up, Chloe and Chioma tease future content, including more on Harris Dickinson's work and upcoming fashion and culture news. They also highlight Little Gold Men, a new show by Richard Lawson, offering daily updates from Cannes.

Chloe Malle:
"Join us to get your bi-weekly fashion and culture news."
[16:36]

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Chloe Malle:
  "She's sort of the inexplicable queen of Cannes."
  [02:20]

• Chioma Menardi:
  "I still hate that they have that dumb dress code."
  [03:20]

• Harris Dickinson:
  "People are unafraid to say exactly what they think, particularly when they've just seen it."
  [29:21]

• Nicole Kidman:
  "It's both erotic and a thriller, but it's not just that. And it is very emotional and you see such arcs of both characters."
  [28:34]

---

Final Thoughts

This episode provides an insightful look into the intersections of fashion and film, celebrating influential figures like Bella Hadid and Harris Dickinson. With candid conversations and behind-the-scenes anecdotes, The Run-Through with Vogue offers listeners a comprehensive understanding of current trends and creative processes in the industry.

---

Produced by:
Chelsea Daniel, Alex DePalma, Joanna Solotaro
Engineered by:
Jake Loomis, James Yost
Mixed by:
Mike Kutchman, Stephanie Kariuchi
Executive Producer:
Stephanie Kariuchi
Head of Global Audio:
Chris Bannon

---

This summary is intended for informational purposes and encapsulates the key discussions and moments from the specified podcast episode.

Transcript

[Chloe Mellow]

Support for this podcast comes from Odoo. Imagine relying on a dozen different software programs to run your business, none of which are connected, and each one more expensive and more complicated than the last. It can be pretty stressful. Now imagine Odoo. Odoo has all the programs you'll ever need and they're all connected on one platform. Doesn't Odoo sound amazing? Let Odoo harmonize your business with simple, efficient software that can handle everything for a fraction of the price. Sign up [e-mail] that's O-O-O.com eBay. It's the place to fall in love with new pre loved, vintage and rare fashion over and over again. Your favorite designers expertly authenticated. Yeah, ebay. Things people love. This is the run through. I'm Chloe Mellow.

[Cho Menardi]

And I'm Cho Menardi.

[Chloe Mellow]

And today we are visiting one of our very favorite episodes with the one and only Harris Dickinson. Marley and I just absolutely spooned for him when he came to the studio a few months ago and now I'm like very team Harris now and he has his directorial debut at Cannes with his film Urchin. He also wrote the film which he's, you know, it's a one man band. He does it all. What more do you want from Harris? Fun fact, Joma. He actually met Nicole Kidman for the first time who was his co star in Baby Girl at the Met gala, so. Oh, no way back to the Met.

[Cho Menardi]

He hosted our fashion and film party here after the baftas and he was just delightful and everybody was charmed by him.

[Chloe Mellow]

He's very charming and his girlfriend is a singer who all the Brits love. Liam's a big fan. So yeah, there are a little chic Brit power couple.

[Cho Menardi]

Yeah, they're adorable.

[Chloe Mellow]

Anywho, Chalma, tell me how you're feeling about Ken.

[Cho Menardi]

Well, I'm feeling well. We just launched our cover yesterday.

[Chloe Mellow]

Oh my God, it is so glamorous, Chelma. It is like capital F fashion.

[Cho Menardi]

I didn't really put two and two together that it would also be Cannes. And basically Bella Hadid, who always kind of owns the Cannes red car, she's.

[Chloe Mellow]

Sort of the inexplicable queen of Cannes.

[Cho Menardi]

Oh, she is, isn't she? She always. And, and I love that she's gone kind of like honey blonde for the occasion.

[Chloe Mellow]

Yes, her Bella. Bella goes Blonde was a big news post for us on on Monday. Breaking news.

[Cho Menardi]

Has she been blonde before?

[Chloe Mellow]

She has been blonde before. But I mean, Christian, I were talking about this yesterday that we should make a gallery of like all the people who look great at Cannes but have no real reason to be there. And I'm often scratching my head but. But delighted to the fashion and the jewels Major Chopard rock situation.

[Cho Menardi]

Major Chopard. I mean, I do love that she kind of made the jewels the main event. She's wearing this gorgeous, very languid black Saint Laurent dress. I couldn't tell if they were flats. I don't think so. But wouldn't it be cool if she was wearing like flat sandals?

[Chloe Mellow]

A total defiance of the dress code.

[Cho Menardi]

Yes. I still hate that they have that dumb dress code.

[Chloe Mellow]

I actually, I want to talk about that because we at everyone here is all. Feathers are all ruffled about this dress code. But what I find egregious about it is the fact that it was. The updated dress code was released on Monday, the day before the festival opened. So how were stylists and the whole red carpet dressing industrial complex supposed to react within 24 hours? Surely the voluminous trains had been made, had been custom created. The yards of tulle had been clipped in the ateliers. So now because the rules are not just no naked dressing, which was one, it's in the name of quote unquote decency. No naked dressing, but also no voluminous skirts and no trains. Nothing that can make it difficult to. For to impede. Nothing that can impede the flow of traffic on the red carpet and nothing that can make it difficult for you to sit down and in the theater. But again, I mean, this is a tricky needle to thread. Ha ha. No pun intended For. For the poor stylists and designers who had already have. I mean, I'm sure they've been working on these looks for months.

[Cho Menardi]

I mean, I don't know if you recall last year, but there was a lot of minor altercations on the red carpet regarding trains and attendants who maybe were too invasive and trying to move people along. I'm thinking of Kelly Rowland and went down and was. Was quite. I think some people were really upset and their trains were ruffled in the wrong way. I think it was. Maybe that's a bad joke.

[Chloe Mellow]

I like it. I like it. Let's. Let's lean in.

[Cho Menardi]

But maybe that was a response to that Seems very strange to say no trains.

[Chloe Mellow]

No trains. Is abrupt. But yes, we. Radhika Seth from your Team Troma is in Cannes and she wrote a piece about the dress code ban. And then Vogue Business interviewed a handful of stylists about how they were dealing with the ban. And frankly, just from nights one and two, it seems that the way people are dealing with it is by not dealing with it at all. I saw a lot of Bella's body, and I saw a lot of volume from other individuals. So I think we're fine.

[Cho Menardi]

I wouldn't consider Bella's dress naked.

[Chloe Mellow]

Oh, interesting. That wasn't a naked dress to you? You mean because it wasn't sheer.

[Cho Menardi]

I mean, it's not sheer at all. And it's quite. It's got quite a high neck.

[Chloe Mellow]

If I see an underbreast, that's. That's giving nudity to me. A side boob.

[Cho Menardi]

It's side boob. It's barely side boob. All right, barely. I mean, it. It probably from the back is quite, you know, seductive. But I wouldn't say it's naked. Naked is like. That's not naked.

[Chloe Mellow]

What's naked? Shoma.

[Cho Menardi]

Naked is truly transparent. I can see your drawers.

[Chloe Mellow]

Your drawers. What are you. Willa. Catherine. That's ridiculous.

[Cho Menardi]

I mean, there are so many dresses that you can. You can basically see right through them. They're fully transparent.

[Chloe Mellow]

So it's about a sheerness of fabric, not a revealing nature of the cut.

[Cho Menardi]

I guess it's both.

[Chloe Mellow]

Okay.

[Cho Menardi]

I guess if there's nothing of the dress and it's. Or it's completely sheer and you can see everything.

[Chloe Mellow]

So this Sa La was just a. Let's call it a seductive black number. It wasn't a seductive dress.

[Cho Menardi]

I love the way you said that.

[Chloe Mellow]

My body is moving.

[Cho Menardi]

Seductive black number. Yes. I love that description. Let's go with that.

[Chloe Mellow]

Okay, fine. Well, I love Ken. I feel like it's such a fun. People really go for it and sort of pull out the stops for glamour. And so I think it's gonna be a fun 10 days and choma. I want to hear more about your cover because it felt like a major moment. It was shot by Steven Meisel, styled by Ibi Kamara, written by Giles.

[Cho Menardi]

Yeah, it was a really. It was a really major moment for us. I mean, I. I love a supermodel moment. I obviously grew up on the supers. I remember there were. I think when I was a teenager, there were magazines dedicated to every different supermodel, and you could buy them. And it was. It was just. That era was just so defining. And I think Bella is one of our. Is one of the supermodels of today. And she's just so. You know, it's very cool that she's also going into the movie.

[Chloe Mellow]

She's. She just has.

[Cho Menardi]

She's kind of like the models models because she loves fashion so much too, you know.

[Chloe Mellow]

Yeah.

[Cho Menardi]

So I think we were all excited to have Bella on the COVID And so yesterday was a really, was really fun to have that reveal and obviously major to have Steven myself shoot Bella. It was. Bella really wanted to shoot with Steven and I'm so glad that it all worked out. And the hair, the hair is big. It's like go big or go home.

[Chloe Mellow]

The higher the hair, the closer to heaven.

[Cho Menardi]

Thank you. There we go. That's what I was looking for.

[Chloe Mellow]

Drama. I don't know if this has sort of trickled across the Atlantic, but there is major Nick's fever in New York City right now.

[Cho Menardi]

Oh, yeah, I caught it before I left. I've.

[Chloe Mellow]

I've truly talking about it like a disease at this point. But, but people are extremely activated about the Knicks going to the semifinals. I believe their next game is tomorrow night in Boston against the Celtics. And I do feel like this happens. As a New Yorker, I can say I've seen a few of these cycles. Every.

[Cho Menardi]

Doesn't happen often though, doesn't it?

[Chloe Mellow]

15, 20 years. There's like a it's cool to be a Knicks fan again moment and this definitely feels like it. When Timmy Chalamet, born and bred New Yorker, very ardent Knicks fan, arrived at the Knicks game with Kendall and Kylie, Kendall and Kylie were basically in matching outfits, including Knicks hats. Apparently there's some debate and fury over the fact that the Jenners, who are historically devout Lakers fans, have now jumped ship to being Timmy adjacent Knicks fans. But yeah, there it's been a really fun front row vibe at these games. My absolute favorite front row pairing was Bad Bunny next to Susie Essman from Curb youb Enthusiasm.

[Cho Menardi]

Oh, that's a good one.

[Chloe Mellow]

We really want to know what they. We want a lip reader to tell us what they were talking about. Speaking of athletics, Jose did a very funny article this week about protein Chic because as I think we've discussed, we have seen huge numbers from our stories we've been publishing about how many grams of protein a day to eat, what meal is most important to have protein, how to get like all these protein stories. And they have been performing so well. And finally Jose was like, you know what, people are starting to dress like this too. Plus White Lotus. The protein shake being an essential plot twist.

[Cho Menardi]

I mean, the protein shake from hell.

[Chloe Mellow]

Yeah, exactly. And Khloe Kardashian is launching protein laced popcorn. So anyway, they did a very funny survey of how this very sculpted, toned weightlifting result Body is proliferating across the Runway, and people are really designing clothes for this kind of body, from Duran Lantank to Collina Strada to Balenciaga. And also he connected it, which I thought was interesting, to ozempic and the GLP1s, because it's kind of, what do you do when you've lost the weight? It's like, okay, I took these drugs and I lost the weight I wanted to lose. Now what? Okay, now I tone, now I get muscles. And so it does feel like this. The next frontier after the GLP1 revolution. I also, for Mother's Day, Amanda Hess, who's a great sort of cultural critic, she writes a lot about technology for the New York Times. She wrote a book about technology and motherhood and sort of how our phones have become so intrinsically linked to our journey to becoming a mother. And she wrote an article for us about the ubiquity and irritation of the word mama and how you are suddenly marketed and targeted with everyone calling you mama all the time. Brands and doctors and strangers. And I got. I posted that on my Instagram and so many people replied to that and were like, I hate when people call me mama. It's so annoying. And I agreed with that. What else are you thinking about? Choma? Did you have a good return home? Are you rested?

[Cho Menardi]

Yeah, Yeah. I met the Princess of Wales this week.

[Chloe Mellow]

Oh, yes. Oh, my God. Bury the lead.

[Cho Menardi]

Yesterday was quite a packed day. In the morning, the Princess of Wales presented the Elizabeth II award to Patrick McDowell.

[Chloe Mellow]

What is that?

[Cho Menardi]

It's an award that was initially the Queen Elizabeth started and a few years ago during Fashion Week. And each year, she would order designer for their commitment to sustainability.

[Chloe Mellow]

Okay.

[Cho Menardi]

So this year, Patrick Maddow won the prize. And we all gathered at 180 strand, which is just up the street from. From our offices here at the Adelphi. And everybody was completely obsessed with the fact that the Princess of Wales was there. She looked incredible. She is so tall and stunning. It's quite spellbinding. When she walks into the room, she was wearing this olive green Victoria Beckham suit, and everybody was just commenting on her hair and how charming she was. And she spent so much time with the designers, which I thought was very, very cool. You can just tell she's very interested in their process and is clearly getting behind the British fashion industry, which I think is great. There's also a new. There's a new head of the bfc. Her name's Laura Weir. She used to be at Selfridges. She also Actually, once upon a time was an editor, worked at Vogue and headed up ES magazine. So there's a lot of change happening here in the fashion industry. So it was a good moment. It was basically Laura Weir's first day on the job. And then in the evening, we celebrated Connor Ives, who won the fashion fund here, who's a wonderful design. He's actually of American origin, but lives here in London. And for anyone who hasn't seen his work, he's known for his upcycling. He's done a lot of amazing ruse T shirts, a lot of football jerseys, and those kinds of designs that are made from all about upcycling. And he has his signature on the red carpet are these beautiful silk shawl dresses, embroidered shawl dresses.

[Chloe Mellow]

Ooh. And I think of Connor Ives with the Protect the Dolls T shirt. Right. That's him.

[Cho Menardi]

Oh. He told us he's raised $800,000.

[Chloe Mellow]

That is crazy. Wait, Choma, can you tell people who don't know a little bit what that is?

[Cho Menardi]

Yeah. So Connor made this T shirt, I guess, in support of the trans community in the U.S. given everything that's happening there. Cool. And. And it went viral. I think Troye Sivan wore it at Coachella. Heider Ackerman was the first to wear it. Actually, Heider Ackerman was the first to wear it. Connor told me all of the proceeds go to charity, and it's just. It's just exploded.

[Chloe Mellow]

Pascal wore it.

[Cho Menardi]

Yeah. And now I think the they're back ordered by, I don't know, 9,000 orders or something insane like that. But it's wonderful to see that there's been this global effort to support such an amazing cause. And I think Connor feels really excited by being able to do something positive to help.

[Chloe Mellow]

Well, Choma, safe travels to Paris. And I can't wait to hear about your secret mission. The Run through will be back with Harris Dickinson. Hi, I'm Chloe Mao, editor of Vogue.com.

[Cho Menardi]

And I'm Cho Menardi, head of editorial content at British Vogue.

[Chloe Mellow]

Our show the Run through takes you behind the scenes at Vogue.

[Cho Menardi]

Yes. With two episodes every week. You'll find out what's really happening inside the world of fashion and culture.

[Chloe Mellow]

Every Tuesday, hear from Nicole Phelps, global director of Vogue Runway and Vogue business, as she discusses the latest fashion news and speaks to designers and industry leaders that Vogue editors can't stop talking about. There's so much shake ups happening in fashion. I'm curious what you think of this moment. Ooh. I am here with Marc Jacobs longevity is something we talk about a lot. It's not easy to achieve. How does it feel this moment?

[Harris Dickinson]

I have so much to say on this subject.

[Cho Menardi]

And on Thursday you'll hear from the two of us, Chloe Marle and Cho Minardi, as we share our thoughts on fashion through the lens of culture, from the Oscars to the Met Gala. Plus conversations with the biggest stars right now. Tyler, congratulations on your first Vogue cover.

[Harris Dickinson]

Thank you.

[Chloe Mellow]

Oh my God. Join us to get your bi weekly fashion and culture news.

[Cho Menardi]

Listen to the run through with Vogue.

[Chloe Mellow]

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[Harris Dickinson]

Yeah, it was at the Met gala.

[Chloe Mellow]

So set the scene. That's a very chic meet cute.

[Nicole Kidman]

Yeah.

[Harris Dickinson]

Was it? It was two years ago. I think so. Yeah. I didn't really know anyone there yet. Everyone arrives slowly, slowly, as you know. And then there's different arrival times, whatever. And I bumped into Margaret Qualy who I know A little bit. But I was talking to her, and then I knew that I was doing the film with Nicole, and I saw Nicole sat with Keith over across the way, and I thought, well, I probably should say hello, because we're about to do something together.

[Chloe Mellow]

But you'd never met. But you knew you were doing it together.

[Harris Dickinson]

We'd never met, but I'd been cast, and I knew she was doing it. And I thought, well, I could sort of pretend I haven't seen her, as I often do, as is sometimes a little unsee moment. You know what I mean? Just to make things easier. But I was nervous, so I got. Margaret saw me looking, and she was like, who are you looking at? I said, well, Nicole's over there. And she said, come on, I'll take you over. Cause I know her. So she walked me over and introduced me, and it was fine. She was lovely.

[Nicole Kidman]

How was Keith?

[Harris Dickinson]

He was lovely, as expected. Sang a song. And he did not just to correct. So he did not do that. Yeah.

[Nicole Kidman]

Speaking of Nicole, she also seemed to be quite endeared by your cat. She said that when you guys were first speaking on, like, a Zoom call, kind of early in the process.

[Harris Dickinson]

Yeah.

[Nicole Kidman]

She saw your cat walk across the background of the Zoom, and she was like, okay, this guy is gonna be perfect for Samuel. Do you know what I'm talking about?

[Harris Dickinson]

If this cat knew that Nicole Kidman knew its name, it would be even more arrogant than it is.

[Nicole Kidman]

Is that what they. What's the cat's name?

[Harris Dickinson]

Misty. I tried to call him Terry. Terrence. Terry for short. Terrence. And my partner didn't want to go with that, so Misty ended up being his name. But he's very sweet. He's a good lad. He's cultured. Have you ever seen that thing of Willem Dafoe talking? He's like. He loves classical music. He's into ballet. And it's like me talking about my cat.

[Nicole Kidman]

What's his favorite cultural activity?

[Chloe Mellow]

Misty loves Wagner.

[Harris Dickinson]

Misty loves Wagner. He's into the arts, you know, your.

[Nicole Kidman]

Defoe'S not bad, I have to say.

[Harris Dickinson]

No, I was doing a Zoom, and whenever I do Zooms, he sort of. You can't control him. He just potters around in the foreground or the background and assaults me. He's really violent. I've got scars all over my hands from him. But, you know, we come back to them. We love them. Yeah. No, she's an animal person as well, so I think that was maybe what. Maybe what she meant. She's got dogs and stuff.

[Chloe Mellow]

So I did think that it's one of the more dramatic first reveals of a character I think I've seen in a while. Was you taming the dog? Are you a dog healer?

[Harris Dickinson]

Pocket full of sausages? Yeah. Yeah. That dog was tricky, amazing dog. But it was designed. Not designed. It was trained to, like. Often these dogs in film and tv, they're trained to, like, I guess, like, safely attack and stuff. So he had so much energy. And so it was really hard getting the dog to, like, just be calm. And there was times where I just. Was just feeding it sausage after sausage to try and, like, calm it down. But it was a lovely dog. And then there was a scene in the street where Nicole gets. You know, the dog jumps onto Nicole, the dog runs towards her. And I just looked over at Nicole. Nicole was just laying in the middle of the street in the middle of Manhattan, and everyone was walking past, like, what is going on? I mean, she's on the mat, but I'm like, what are we doing as a job? Like, what is happening?

[Nicole Kidman]

She's also talked about how she likes being on the floor. Do you like being on the floor?

[Harris Dickinson]

I don't mind being on the floor. Okay, don't mind it. Yeah. Why not? Do you?

[Nicole Kidman]

Honestly? Yes. I'd love to be on the floor of a conference room.

[Harris Dickinson]

What do you like about it?

[Chloe Mellow]

It's. Man.

[Nicole Kidman]

Well, I do like to recline. I don't like.

[Harris Dickinson]

Don't recline on the floor.

[Nicole Kidman]

I do just like being asleep. And maybe there's a. Some kind of creative energy. You're grounded, quite literally. You know what I mean?

[Harris Dickinson]

No, it's just humbling, isn't it?

[Chloe Mellow]

I want to know what Halyna told you about her vision for Samuel, because I have to say, this morning I listened to your interview with Andrew Garfield, which was very charming, but also helpful to hear about your vision for Samuel and not having it fit into different tropes or cliches of what this could have been. How did. When you first got the call describing who this character was? Because it came out of her mind. What was the most important thing for her in describing Samuel to you?

[Harris Dickinson]

I think she spoke, if I remember, quite a lot about his struggle with his own identity and masculinity. The idea that there was this young guy coming up against a version of himself that he was still grappling to understand, I think, which is important in today's climate where young people, young men, but young people as well, are just anyone is so easily strayed, influenced, and potentially controlled by the Internet. And pop culture and film, whatever. And there's confusing. There's different narratives and confusing ideals that we come up against. So I think that was something that was very important for him. And also his directness was always in the script, his honesty with. With Romy Nicole's character. Because, you know, you're seeing this character, the first part of the film in Romy Nicole's character, that she's a high powered CEO. She's holding it together with a sort of control, great control. And there's everyone around her is revering her, respecting her. And Samuel comes in and he just pokes through it and sees what happens. And he watches her, studies her, and then he dares to challenge her. And once he challenges her, he understands that it's ultimately what, you know, interests her. It turns her on, it kind of makes her tick. And so that was a big part of it.

[Nicole Kidman]

And yet it's not like he's sort of like this swaggering, like he. Man, like, there is, like, a politeness to him. There's a kind of halting quality to the way that he's, like, sort of confident and strident. So, like a very interesting sort of line that you're walking between being, like, respectful, acknowledging that what he's doing is not quite okay, but then also kind of going forward anyway.

[Harris Dickinson]

Yeah.

[Nicole Kidman]

Was that something that sort of developed just sort of as you were working that sort of.

[Harris Dickinson]

Well, I think it was obvious that we couldn't just have this guy that was, like, uber cool and uber, like, dominating. It's kind of been done, and it's a little uninteresting. It's a little more unrelatable. So a big thing Helena spoke about, which is clear when you watch the film. And I think some of the best parts of it is when you see the awkwardness of what sex and relationships and even just normal interaction can be with, like, two people fumbling their way through, like, roles that we play. So I really was interested in that. And I think that when you watch it, you see those moments of embarrassment that are kind of real, you know, because it is a little embarrassing to do those things. And we were able to lean into it and laugh. And you kind of see us, like, coming in and out of the performative element of, you know, that the father.

[Nicole Kidman]

Figure scene, like that dance scene, Was that on the page?

[Harris Dickinson]

Yeah.

[Nicole Kidman]

And was that choreographed?

[Harris Dickinson]

No.

[Nicole Kidman]

Like the way you're moving.

[Harris Dickinson]

Oh, you thought it looked choreographed?

[Nicole Kidman]

I mean, not. No.

[Harris Dickinson]

Big, big jazz hand number. I should have. Now I look back, I should have Done a big Busby Berkeley. Yeah.

[Nicole Kidman]

I was like, there's something going on here. I'm gonna move.

[Harris Dickinson]

No, I got sent the song a long time before and it was. It kind of said in the script. I can't remember what it said, but you know, he moved through the space and then Romy was sat down and I thought, God, well, this is like. This can't be like a lap dance. This is, you know, that's really embarrassing. I can't. So I thought, this has kind of got to be for himself, but also for her. And I may have had a few drinks for that.

[Nicole Kidman]

Seems like that would have come in handy. Yeah, it's very vibey.

[Harris Dickinson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was speaking about this earlier, but like more embarrassing because of the crew. Like, you spent so long with these people that you see every day and it's like, hey, how you doing? How's your weekend? Like, what are you having for dinner? You know, like very normal, like banal chat. And then. And then it's like the boom ops and the grips and it's like all of a sudden you've got your top off and you're like jiving around. You know, you're like, oh. You catch eye contact with them and you're like, sorry about that. You know, it's like, oh, God.

[Chloe Mellow]

I do feel like people are talking about this movie as sort of bringing back sexy scenes in a way that we haven't seen for a while. Because there was sort of a post MeToo fear of having sexy movies. And people seem thrilled for the return of a. Quite emotional. I mean, it's not. I thought it was interesting that you said that it's a bit diminutive to call it an erotic thriller. It's both erotic and a thriller, but it's not just that. And it is very emotional and you see such arcs of both characters. But I wonder what it's been like navigating responses from people about this. I thought it was interesting that Nicole said she feels like a sex therapist because people just keep spilling their souls to her in response to seeing the movie. Is your family seeing this over Christmas?

[Harris Dickinson]

My family saw it. My mom's very open minded. My mum saw it in London. She loved it. She said she wore a turtleneck in case she needed to cover her eyes.

[Chloe Mellow]

Very thoughtful.

[Harris Dickinson]

Yeah, yeah. Bless her. So she loved it though. She was like, oh, no, absolutely brilliant. She was really fond of it and same with my sister. Yeah. But, you know, people's responses have been interesting. I think it's been a real Range of, like, thought provoking to filthy, to be honest with you. Like, people are unafraid to say exactly what they think, particularly when they've just seen it. Like, we've been doing these screenings and, you know, like 80 year old women have been saying some very funny stuff to me.

[Chloe Mellow]

Give us an example.

[Harris Dickinson]

I mean, is this like, can I be explicit or no, please. I mean, it's not that explicit. But she came out and one of them, she grabbed me and straight away she said, well, I can't wait to get home and use that vibrator.

[Nicole Kidman]

And I said, you're a liberating woman.

[Harris Dickinson]

I said, all right, well, yeah, go and do that. That's good. And then another one said to me, well, honey, I've got no one to sleep with tonight. And she tickled me. And I thought, well, there's a room full of people. Go and meet.

[Chloe Mellow]

The night is young.

[Harris Dickinson]

The night is young. Yeah, Just maybe look elsewhere.

[Nicole Kidman]

Yeah, like straight to the source.

[Harris Dickinson]

Yeah, yeah. So if, if the shoe was on the other foot is all I'll say. No, I mean, it's, it's interesting. It's definitely igniting liberation in people, which is, which is good. You know, at the end of the day, there's a positive conversation being sparked and, and dialogue around it is. Is positive. So we like it. Yeah.

[Chloe Mellow]

You have worked with so many fantastic directors, and I wonder if different directors are like different parental figures. You learn different things from each person. Is it harder to become trusting with different people? Is that process different?

[Harris Dickinson]

I think it changes. I always have a process of figuring out trust with someone. You know, it's normal, isn't it? Like building trust with someone. But with directors, you kind of have to do it and you have to do it quick, otherwise your performance suffers, I think. Because if you're scared of stuff, if you're worrying about how you're gonna be, you know, looked after, at the end of the day, you just want to be. You just want to be looked after in the right way and step into, like, safe hands. And, you know, I've been lucky. All of the people I've been lucky enough to work with, you know, Sean Durkin, Eliza Hitman, you know, Ruben Osland and Joanna Hogg. I've just been really fortunate. It's always a process and it always takes me a minute. I feel like I'm probably not the easiest person to like. Well, you know, I don't just give.

[Chloe Mellow]

It straight away, but I just imagine sort of day one of a movie like this. Was there any Sort of trust exercise to begin with or some sort of way that you. Yeah, you got to know each other like you, Nicole and Elena type of thing.

[Nicole Kidman]

And like, her being an actor, did that change the dynamic?

[Harris Dickinson]

Yeah. I'll answer the exercise thing first. We didn't do a lot of that. We had a small. We had like one day rehearsal, and it was just a very brief period where Nicole, Helena and I sat down and spoke and looked through all the scenes. And then we were lucky in the sense that me and Nicole bonded really quickly. We felt very comfortable with each other very soon. So that was like a tick off the list. And then I think we just got into it and we just did it. But Helena, yeah, as an actor, I think it changes what you expect from yourself because she's. Even with the crew, she's like, showing us what she imagines it to be. And she's like throwing herself around the floor, like, you know, no shame, just showing us exactly what she thinks might be an interesting choreography. And I think everyone kind of got on board with that, with that, like, full in mentality. And even the crew were just like, okay, this is someone who we should get behind and like, go full speed with. And same with Nicole. Nicole has got this mad, like, playfulness as a performer. She's so bold with stuff. She's not scared to try stuff. And then you think, oh, I can try stuff as well.

[Chloe Mellow]

So what's an example of something that she tried that made you feel like you could be free to do something kooky or goofy?

[Harris Dickinson]

Okay, the rave, for example. The rave. She's there. Like, I mean, a lot of that was scripted, but the rave, she's. She just threw herself into it and she was like, grabbing people and kissing them and stuff. I was like, well, I can't. Doesn't mean I can do that. But, you know, she was saying this. And there's scenes like, for example, the Cheap Motel. It's like seven page scenes, you know, so we're having to navigate between so many different tones and, you know, on the floor and wrestling, and it's like. It's just bonkers.

[Chloe Mellow]

Wow.

[Harris Dickinson]

Yeah.

[Chloe Mellow]

Bonjour. It's Richard Lawson, chief critic at Vanity Fair and co host of Little Gold Men. The Cannes Film Festival is just around the corner and we're packing our mics to bring you fresh daily updates straight from the French Riviera. We'll kick off on Monday, May 19, sharing our takes on world premieres, giving you the inside scoop on red carpet moments, recapping exclusive parties and More. Follow Little Gold Men and tune in every day from Monday, May 19 through Friday, May 23 to hear all about the biggest moments at Canneso.

[Cho Menardi]

This episode of the Run through is brought to you by booking.com booking.com is one of the most downloaded travel apps in the world. This makes it the place to list your vacation rentals if you want to earn more with consistent bookings, reach new markets and turn hosting into a steady income. It's not just access to amazing guests. Booking.com also makes it easy for you to run your growing business. You can chat with guests, accept or decline bookings and have total control over your property's calendar and finances. It's hosting on your terms for the bookings you've dreamed of. List your property on booking.com.

[Nicole Kidman]

You'Ve built up quite a body of work. I think your breakout was what, sort of seven, eight years ago with Eliza Hitman's Beach Rats. What was your kind of life like? I know that you self taped for that role. What was your life like at that moment? I know you were doing sort of odd jobs kind of. What were you sort of, what was sort of on your mind as you were kind of preparing to put yourself out there in that way, kind of. What did you want from a career at that point?

[Harris Dickinson]

I like to think, you know, I love the idea of me going, yeah, I knew exactly what kind of things I wanted to do. But the truth is I, I just wanted to work. I just wanted to do anything. You know, I was working a hotel, I'd done some theater and I'd done some like smaller like unpaid stuff. And the irony of that situation is that I spent six, seven weeks in LA doing like pilot season and I saved up from my hotel job and I went to pilot season and I didn't get a thing. And I auditioned every day, which is fine, it's very normal. I auditioned every day and didn't get anything. Seven weeks went by, I went back to the hotel, I saved up for another seven, eight months and I went back and did it again and again. Didn't get anything, got close to a few things, went home, went begged for my job back at the hotel and then I got self taped through in my home in East London and did it in my childhood bedroom and it ended up being the thing that ultimately kind of launched my career, you know, one Sundance and, and people were so kind about that and my involvement in it just almost you know, enabled me to keep on working. But yeah, I just really wanted to work. I just wanted to do stuff and learn, you know, I hadn't been to drama school, so for me, being on set was like my education in some way as well. So.

[Chloe Mellow]

Have you ever been an intern?

[Harris Dickinson]

Yeah, I've been a runner a lot on. I used to be a runner on music videos, and so I was a run of one of the most memorable ones. I was a runner at Notting Hill Carnival for a rapper.

[Chloe Mellow]

Oh, wow.

[Harris Dickinson]

Yeah, that was crazy. Like, running around with. With this rapper and, like, a really small crew. And then for the.

[Chloe Mellow]

When was that?

[Harris Dickinson]

That was maybe 10 years ago. I was like 16, 17. Oh, goodness. That was carnage. But I also tried to. I think I was here in this. In this building doing something with. For Iron Claw with Zach and Jeremy. And at the time, I was preparing for Baby Girl, and I'd never worked in an office. I didn't know that environment very well. So I got lost and just pottered around for a bit and was bothering people in the office. Oh, my God. Yeah. And asking questions to, like, find out.

[Nicole Kidman]

What it was like to, like, push paper. It's like, that'd be a great TikTok.

[Harris Dickinson]

It's such an actor thing to do. Yeah. So I took six months off and worked in an office. It's like, okay, well done. You went to a mail room.

[Chloe Mellow]

Staplers.

[Harris Dickinson]

You made a cup of tea. No, but I. I just wanted to understand the office environment. I'd never been. I'd only done retail, hospitality, other stuff. The office was. I was not an office boy.

[Nicole Kidman]

So what did you learn?

[Harris Dickinson]

So many things. Wealth of knowledge, I'm sure.

[Chloe Mellow]

Like, I've learned nothing at all. We have a dear British colleague who writes about music a lot for us, and he reminded us before this interview that he recently wrote a wonderful piece about your partner and that you had directed one of her videos. And I wonder if there's any overlap. And he was like, they are the most important British couple for me right now and for all of young England. I was like, okay, that's very sweet. I love that. For Liam.

[Harris Dickinson]

Oh, it's Liam.

[Chloe Mellow]

But I wonder, do you sort of have rules with each other if we're not talking about this, but we're both public facing. I'm directing your music video. So we are working together, but we are going to keep certain parts of our work live, separate.

[Harris Dickinson]

Well, I think it's nice because we're in different industries. You know, she's a musician and there's rarely overlap. I mean, the music video stuff is something we've been doing for a while. And then I guess it became. It was just an extension of stuff we'd already done together. But it's nice that our worlds are different. I always get very starstruck by musicians. I'm always, like, meeting musicians and being. You know, we went to Confidence man the other day, or I met Caroline Polachek, and I always feel like. Or like Charlie xx, You know, I'm always so, like, fascinated by what they do, and I'm so impressed by what my partner does. Like, it's a hard world, but I don't know. I think there's certain things you have to keep sacred, you know, you have to keep stuff between us just to keep it special, you know, Understand.

[Nicole Kidman]

What do you listen to? Like, what's your taste in music?

[Harris Dickinson]

It's cliche. Everything. I don't know. I've.

[Chloe Mellow]

What was on your Spotify Rap.

[Nicole Kidman]

Oh, yeah. What was your top?

[Harris Dickinson]

I tell you, rather than trying.

[Nicole Kidman]

Absolutely.

[Harris Dickinson]

But embarrassingly, Father Figure was on there because I listened to it a lot.

[Nicole Kidman]

It's a great song, but it's also no shame. George Michael.

[Harris Dickinson]

Rest your top songs. 2024, Missing, Todd Terry, Everything but the Girl. You know that one?

[Nicole Kidman]

Nope.

[Harris Dickinson]

Am I allowed to play it? You get it? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Some of these are embarrassing.

[Nicole Kidman]

What makes something embarrassing?

[Harris Dickinson]

Sega bodega. No, that's not embarrassing. Crush. Jennifer Page. I don't know. Sega bodega.

[Nicole Kidman]

I've never heard any of these words.

[Harris Dickinson]

No. Gangstar.

[Nicole Kidman]

These seem cool to me.

[Harris Dickinson]

Gunnar. I like Gunner. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I like rap, classical, Ludovico and Audi.

[Chloe Mellow]

There you go.

[Nicole Kidman]

Literally, my top artist was Bach. And I'm like, that makes me seem more interesting than I am. Or worse. I don't know.

[Harris Dickinson]

No, no, no. As long as you don' Lead with that. It might seem a bit like. Imagine if you asked me and as soon as. Without a beat, I said bark.

[Chloe Mellow]

I mean, mine was Moana, so. Was it Moana? Yeah.

[Harris Dickinson]

For the little ones.

[Chloe Mellow]

That's right. And for myself.

[Harris Dickinson]

Yes, yes.

[Chloe Mellow]

Harris, I want to talk about Prada and other things. Obviously, we're a fashion podcast. I want to know, is it a chore to dress for a press tour or is there sort of fun in it? Are you. We've been talking a lot at Vogue about how everyone is method dressing these days. They're sort of dressing.

[Harris Dickinson]

Theme dressing.

[Chloe Mellow]

Theme dressing for their press tour. Any thoughts about Samuel? When you're getting dressed for you guys.

[Harris Dickinson]

Into the theme dressing really depends.

[Chloe Mellow]

Can go very wrong very fast.

[Nicole Kidman]

It goes on for quite a long time.

[Harris Dickinson]

Yes, yes. Well, luckily, me and my stylist, Ben Schofield. The lovely Ben is. We've not done that so much because Samuel is wearing sort of regular, normal baggy suit. So I don't think we need to.

[Chloe Mellow]

I love his chain.

[Harris Dickinson]

His chain's nice. His chain's nice. And his little. Did you notice his little. His little clipper thing? His little carabiner with his keys? No. Dressing for prestals is not a chore. It's fun. I mean, like, when you've got help, it's really fun. I can't imagine having to do it on my own. I'd be a mess. But, no, I love it.

[Chloe Mellow]

What are you wearing today?

[Harris Dickinson]

Today I did actually. This wasn't actually a look. I changed because I was a bit uncomfortable, so. But I mean, whatever. It's fin. This is just. I'm wearing Prada shoes, nice trousers, and then an Adidask top, because I just wanted to high and low. I wanted to just feel more like myself. And sometimes when I dress very smart, I don't feel like myself, so. You know what I mean?

[Chloe Mellow]

Yeah.

[Nicole Kidman]

Yeah. This is good.

[Harris Dickinson]

And we're flying after, so. Boom, boom, boom.

[Nicole Kidman]

Where are you off to?

[Harris Dickinson]

Going back to London.

[Chloe Mellow]

Oh, good. Oh, wow.

[Nicole Kidman]

Are you, like. Are you done?

[Harris Dickinson]

Yeah.

[Nicole Kidman]

Oh, my God.

[Harris Dickinson]

Fab, fab, fabby, fabby, fabi.

[Chloe Mellow]

We're gonna let you go, but I just want to know what the Christmas plan is.

[Harris Dickinson]

Yeah, I'm gonna get back in touch with. With cooking. I lost. I lost that a little bit this year because I was busy, so I really just want to, like, make some nice food.

[Chloe Mellow]

What's the recipe? The holiday recipe?

[Harris Dickinson]

Well, there's a lovely ragu that I wanted to try again. Like a short rib ragu. I did recently. That was. I say recently. Last year is the last time I did it, and it was just like, yeah, chef's kiss. And then luckily, I don't have to do the cooking at my family's. I've got. I've got a big family that will do. That will do it for me. So that's. Yeah, I can just rock up with the booze and. Yeah.

[Chloe Mellow]

Harris, thank you so much.

[Nicole Kidman]

What a delight.

[Cho Menardi]

Thank you.

[Chloe Mellow]

I hope that your ragu is everything you dream it to be.

[Harris Dickinson]

Thank you guys.

[Chloe Mellow]

And that is it for the show this week. We will see you guys soon. The Run through is produced by Chelsea Daniel, Alex DePalma and Joanna Solotaro. It's engineered by Jake Loomis and James Yost. It is mixed by Mike Kutchman, Stephanie Kariuchi is our executive producer, and Chris Bannon is Conde Nast's head of Global audio. I'm Jameela Robinson, host of Food People. On Food People, we talk about how food and drink shape our society. I talk to the luminaries making big moves in the culinary industry, from chefs and entrepreneurs to celebrities and even activists. The combination between a school and a restaurant, the next generation of Ethiopian chefs. A lot more than food goes on in a kitchen. It's where you have your loudest arguments. It's often where you have your loudest laughter.

[Harris Dickinson]

I'm Italian, Mexican.

[Chloe Mellow]

I'm a comedian. There's gonna be lots of opinions. So if you want to go deep on how food creates the world we live in, join me on Food People. Food People is available on the podcast app of your choice.

[Harris Dickinson]

From prx.