The Surprising Gift Gwendoline Christie Has From Wednesday | PLUS On Set For The October Cover with Kendall and Gigi!

Summary

The Run-Through with Vogue

Episode: The Surprising Gift Gwendoline Christie Has From Wednesday | PLUS On Set For The October Cover with Kendall and Gigi!
Date: September 8, 2025
Hosts: Chloe Malle (Editor, Vogue.com), Chioma Nnadi (Head of British Vogue) — with guest co-hosts and special guests including Gwendoline Christie

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Run-Through dives into two main events capturing Vogue’s attention this week:

• Behind-the-scenes details from the October cover shoot featuring Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid, complete with tales of Western glamour in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
• An in-depth, effervescent conversation with actress and fashion icon Gwendoline Christie about the latest season of Wednesday, her legendary Galliano couture moment, costume obsessions, and the true art of keeping secrets in a tell-all era.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. On Set for the October Cover: Kendall & Gigi’s Western Adventure

[00:25–16:02]

Team Vogue’s Jackson Hole Experience

• Chloe Malle is joined by Ignacio Murillo (Talent Casting Director) and Sam Sussman (Global Director of Social Media) as they recount the cover shoot at Diamond Cross Ranch, Jackson Hole.
• The shoot was described as "Vogue summer camp," a joyful bonding moment in a stunning natural setting (“I tried every hotel in that city... It was a real reset for me.” — Chloe Malle, 02:03).

Fashion & Atmosphere

• The models donned brands like Rodarte, Marc Jacobs, McQueen, Vuitton, and mixed “cowboy couture” with authentic ranch style: vintage boots, real Stetsons, and all.
• Iconic shoot moodboards: Inspirations included Brigitte Bardot, Marilyn Monroe, and Arthur Elgort’s 90s fashion photography.

On-Set Vibes and Memorable Moments

• “The most positive, joyful set. There was never usually… someone gets upset or you feel kind of stress… But this just felt effortless and joyful.” — Ignacio Murillo, 03:38
• Local wildlife and the landscape played into the fun, with cows, bison, and usable horses for the equestrian models. (“Bison crossing moments” became the traffic issue of the day.)
• Both Kendall and Gigi, experienced horsewomen, were in their element. Gigi’s assuredness around a live electric fence drew laughter and admiration.

Collaboration & Creative Input

• Photographer Lachlan Bailey was open to Kendall and Gigi’s creative input:
  “I’ve never seen Kendall work in a way where she was kind of… very involved. It was kind of nice just seeing [that side of her].” — Ignacio, 09:23

Personal Details and Friendships

• Chloe learned the origins of the cover concept — the Western visual was actually Kendall’s idea, a dream deferred from a previous shoot due to weather.
• Candid moments: At their Airbnb, the models bonded over Country Strong and home-cooked meals, underlining the authenticity of their friendship off camera.
• “There is something touching about looking at what happens to a lot of us with our friendships… You can see them, and you just pick up where you left off.” — Chloe, 12:11.

Gigi & Kendall: Admiration from the Industry

• Designers Marc Jacobs, Jacquemus, and Jeremy Scott praised their professionalism (“They are like athletes…never late, good sports, always come to perform,” 13:05).
• Gigi’s secret Disney audition (for Rapunzel) was revealed, and Kendall’s alias at equestrian competitions provides her privacy and normality.

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2. Gwendoline Christie: The Magic in Fashion and Secrets from ‘Wednesday’

[16:49–57:30]

A Rare Podcast Appearance

• Gwendoline Christie, renowned for Game of Thrones and now Wednesday, joins Chloe Malle and Mark Holgate (Vogue Fashion News Director).
• “This is only my third ever podcast. Having previously sworn I would never do a podcast it seems I can't get enough of them.” — Gwendoline Christie, 17:02

First Encounters and Fashion Idol Moments

• Mark shares their first meeting (via Christie's partner, designer Giles Deacon); Gwendoline recalls being awestruck at her first visit to Vogue HQ, reverently declining to enter Anna Wintour's office.
• Mark and Gwendoline reminisce attending the Karl Lagerfeld Met Gala exhibition and wandering in awe (“We were both staggering…far too overexcited by the fashions,” 20:17).

Manifesting Her Runway Dream

• Christie shares the story of how she realized her dream of walking for John Galliano:
  “You said to me... tell me some of your hopes and dreams... and I said, I want to walk in a show for John Galliano. And you said, is that it?... You manifested it.” — Gwendoline, 21:07
• The experience was emotionally transformative, with Galliano himself affirming her beauty:
  “My idol told me I was beautiful. And I felt I could believe him because it was about all of my brokenness and all my vulnerability… The experience was a rebirth.” — Gwendoline, 23:37

The Art of Keeping Secrets

• She takes pride in the “lost art” of secrecy, delighting in surprising friends with her Galliano runway appearance (24:44).

Her Relationship with Fashion and Designers

• High praise for designers like Sarah Burton (Givenchy) and Matthieu Blazy (Chanel). Christie admires their blend of technical mastery, cinematic references, and support for unconventional women.
• Reflects on her deep love for Hitchcock heroines, translating this inspiration into her character for Wednesday (now taking the role of Wednesday’s spirit guide in season 2).

Costume Philosophy and Collaboration

• She details working closely with both Tim Burton and legendary costume designer Colleen Atwood to craft a modern, empowered “Hitchcock woman.”
• For a pivotal Wednesday reveal, she collabed secretly with Sarah Burton on a “Vertigo” suit, melding cinematic past with avant-garde structure:
  “It had to operate on many levels... a nod to the character... melded with me, the actress... modern, but really acknowledge the past.” — Gwendoline, 34:11

On Her Return to ‘Wednesday’ and Life After Thrones

• Spoiler territory: Returning as a ghost in Season 2, Christie reveals she originally thought her role was “one and done” but was lured back by Tim Burton.
• “I’ve wanted to work with Tim Burton my whole life.” — Gwendoline, 37:35

Personal Passions, Style Roots, and the Joy of Fashion

• An extended discussion on corsetry legends (notably Mr. Pearl), growing up absorbing fashion from afar (“I would memorize [collections] because I was trying to learn, trying to understand what the story was,” 47:27), and even applying to St. Martin’s before eventually turning to acting.

Red Carpet as Storytelling

• Christie treats public appearances as narrative moments, prioritizing meaningful relationships with designers and personal symbolism over “method dressing.”

Collaboration with Giles Deacon

• Christie and Deacon’s partnership is highlighted as a deeply respectful, creative union — “one of the joys of my life is to have a constant artistic collaboration in that way.” — Gwendoline, 53:41

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Keeping Secrets in the Spotlight
  "It's a very forgotten art. Oh, my. Love it so much. So I told no one I was doing it... I'd just been saying to friends, I've been texting people... but looking into those people's faces, it was life changing."
  — Gwendoline Christie, [24:36]

• On the Galliano Runway Experience
  "My idol told me I was beautiful, and I felt I could believe him because it was about all of my brokenness and all my vulnerability... The experience was a rebirth...."
  — Gwendoline Christie, [23:37]

• Kendall and Gigi’s Friendship Dynamic
  "There is something touching... with our friendships, where you cannot talk to someone for six months, but then certain people, you can just text them something, and it’s like no time has passed."
  — Chloe Malle, [12:11]

• The Love of Costumes
  "Tim Burton said I could have all of my costumes in Series 1, and I was too nervous... I never asked for it… but I was given my gravestone.”
  — Gwendoline Christie, [54:52]

• On Artistic Partnership
  "It is one of the joys of my life to have a constant artistic collaboration in that way. And it is ours."
  — Gwendoline Christie (about Giles Deacon), [53:41]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:25 | Intro: Team Vogue on October cover shoot with Kendall & Gigi | | 03:38 | Positive, fun set vibes; anecdotes from Jackson Hole | | 10:11 | Insider interview: Kendall & Gigi’s friendship, behind-the-scenes | | 16:49 | Gwendoline Christie joins the conversation | | 19:24 | Manifesting Galliano runway wish, the “Met Gala” moment | | 23:37 | Life-changing Galliano Show and the art of keeping secrets | | 27:31 | Fashion week expectations: Chanel, Sarah Burton at Givenchy, Hitchcock | | 34:11 | Creative process behind the “Vertigo” suit for Wednesday | | 37:35 | Working with Tim Burton and returning to ‘Wednesday’ | | 42:09 | Talk on iconic corset maker Mr. Pearl, and early fashion fascinations | | 47:27 | Fashion as storytelling, formative influences, memorizing collections | | 53:41 | Collaboration with Giles Deacon and sustaining artistic partnerships | | 54:47 | Speed round: souvenirs, pop culture guilty pleasures, music, and more |

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Tone and Atmosphere

The episode is vibrant, reverent toward creativity, and full of warmth and wit—particularly between Gwendoline and her Vogue friends. It oscillates between behind-the-scenes candor and deep philosophical musings on artistry, transformation, and the power of personal relationships in fashion.

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In Summary

This episode celebrates the artistry and camaraderie behind both the magazine’s biggest cover shoots and the spotlight of international stardom. Listeners hear not only about Vogue’s October issue and the idyllic chaos of Wyoming ranch adventures, but also the marvels and secrets behind Gwendoline Christie’s most recent creative projects. It’s an ode to transformation, storytelling—both personal and sartorial—and the joys of keeping a little mystery alive.

Transcript

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Hi, I'm Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue's beauty editor at large. Ebay is one of the places where it ends up factoring so much into my fashion month because it lets me find pieces that I know aren't just pushed on me because it's a trend that's happening at the moment. There's an element of discovery with ebay where I'll find something new that excites me.

[Chloe Maul]

This is the run through. And I'm Chloe Mal. And today, actor and fashion icon and obsessive Gwendolyn Christie came to the podcast studio to talk to Mark Holgate, Vogue's fashion news director, and me. The second part of season two of the hit Netflix show Wednesday just dropped last week. So Gwendolyn came and chatted with us about everything from playing Larissa Weems to walking in her Galliano Margiela couture show, which was a seismic moment for fashion and for her. Plus the incredible costumes from Wednesday and the lost art of having a. So you will hear that later, but first, I am here with Sam Sussman, global director of social media, and Ignacio Murillo, global talent casting director, to chat about our October cover. Welcome, guys.

Thank you. And I want to say who I'm here with. Who is Chloe Maul, our head of editorial content for US Vogue? So excited to get into this in a new way. It's all changed now.

It's all different for now.

Went on this cover shoot with you in one way. Now we're chatting about it in a new way.

Thank you.

[Ignacio Murillo]

Now I feel like I have to be, like, extra professional around Chloe.

[Chloe Maul]

That's right.

We better watch out.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

TellTalks.

[Chloe Maul]

Welcome, team. Let's hear everything about our really, I have to say, incredible cover shoot, which was a real bonding moment for me, Sam, and Iggy because we all traveled. It was like Vogue summer camp to Jackson Hole.

I think I tried every hotel in that.

You really did bop around in that city. So talk about life altering. That was. It was a real reset for me, I have to say.

No tears, no complaints. I think it was. It was gorgeous. It was like a dream of years.

[Ignacio Murillo]

Probably the most fun shoot in a long time.

[Chloe Maul]

Yeah. So let's talk about the shoot for a minute. It was over two days. We packed a lot in. We did interview, video shoot, including, I think, up to like eight plus looks.

Definitely. I mean, it was a lot of looks. Yeah.

Maybe 10.

It's like there's 20 pages in there.

They're wearing so many designers. There's such a great mix of real. What felt like cowboy couture. High, low, very couture level fashion with Gigi's vintage cowboy boots and real Stetson cowboy hats. They were in Rodarte and Marc Jacobs and McQueen and Vuitton. The mood boards for the shoot were very amazing. These just really incredible moments. Brigitte Bardot and Marilyn Monroe and these sort of iconic, as you said, Arthur Elgore shoots from the 90s. There were some really amazing references that everyone was very excited about. Tatiana Pats. But yeah, the ranch, it was really fun that the ranch was sort of turned into shoot hq. There was a wonderful Taylor who was there who was fixing everything, and she was wearing a cowboy hat. She came from Texas for the shoot. All the dresses, it almost sort of looked like being in, like the changing room of a saloon performer. What was the vibe like on set for you, Iggy?

[Ignacio Murillo]

I mean, it was like the most positive, joyful set. Like there was never usually. Sometimes, like with on sets, it's like there's always someone gets upset or there's just. You're. You feel kind of like stress because you only have like 8 hours to do things. But this just felt like so effortless and joyful.

[Chloe Maul]

The second day.

[Ignacio Murillo]

Yeah, the second day.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Yeah.

[Chloe Maul]

I think every time there was a distraction, it would be like a cow mooing and we'd all stop and be like, oh, we didn't know cows could make that noise.

It felt like a soundtrack. It was like cicadas and cows mooing and it felt like we just press like cowboy track.

Exactly.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Yes.

[Chloe Maul]

But I feel like the girls really were not afraid to be mucking in the riverbed and the high grass. It was extremely hot. It was high mountain sun. The poor photo assistant got burnt as a tomato on his neck. But the girls were such good sports about it. We were having a really good time taking photos of each other.

So much fun. That's half the fun, right?

Most people I talked to on the shoot said it's the most beautiful location for a shoot they've ever been on. I completely agreed. I remember when I arrived, Sam was.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Like, it's so beautiful.

[Chloe Maul]

It looks like AI created the backdrops.

From the airport ride. I mean, I think Iggy had to pull over and take photo of bison.

[Ignacio Murillo]

Oh, yeah. They basically stop our car. So I had to wait for the bison into, like Passover.

[Chloe Maul]

There was a real bison crossing moment where that was the traffic concern. It was incredible. It was like this. I don't. I prefer not to drive if I don't have to. Living In New York City, that's obviously not a problem. But I got to the Jackson Hole airport, and the Uber 50 minutes to my hotel was quoting me $97. So I was like, I'm just going to bite the bullet and rent a car. And I rented a Jeep Wrangler, and I was in heaven, just zooming in through Grand Teton national park, which is how we got from. I was staying in downtown Jackson Hole, but we were shooting at this gorgeous, wonderful place called Diamond Cross Ranch. And we, Kendall and Gigi said they were in their happy place, that this was like being on vacation for them. And I think we felt similarly.

It was like a big summer camp. We'd all have lunch. Everything was organized at the ranch. There was a wedding happening at the ranch, so we saw everyone celebrating. There were horses running wild, cows running wild. It was pretty.

Yeah. Gigi and Kendall both are avid horse women and equestrians, and they were so happy there. Kendall had grown up spending time nearby. She has an aunt who has a house very close to the ranch. And Gigi obviously spends a lot of time at her farm in Bucks County. So they are no strangers to farm life and. Or ranch life, rather. And I thought a very telling moment was during one of the shoots. Gigi was leaning back against a fence, and one of the cowboys said, careful, the fence is hot, meaning it was wired for the cows not to go through. And Gigi was like, I know it's hot. I understand. Like, she's. She was. She was cool as a cucumber. In her ranch scenario, I think they.

Were saying they did a lot of photo shoots at the ranch, but they were saving the good horses for Gigi and Kendall. They knew. They knew how to ride them. They were bringing out the best of the best for them. And I think they had. So we had Jericho, who was a fabulous horse who made.

What was the other horse's name? Cap?

[Ignacio Murillo]

All I just know is Buttercup, the one that I got to ride.

[Chloe Maul]

Oh, yeah. Iggy rode the horse for the first time. Iggy, I feel like you had a lot of firsts on this trip.

[Ignacio Murillo]

Yeah, I mean, it's like, probably one of my first. Well, it wasn't the first that I got to go to. Set at Vogue.

[Chloe Maul]

I mean, it was a good one.

You rode horses for the first time?

[Ignacio Murillo]

I rode horses for the first time.

[Chloe Maul]

You went to your first rodeo? Yes.

[Ignacio Murillo]

No, I went. I've been to a rodeo city. Well, in Wyoming. Yeah. But I've been to rodeos in, like, Houston, Texas.

[Chloe Maul]

We went to a Mexico Cowboy bar.

[Ignacio Murillo]

Yeah. We had a topo chica with tequila.

[Chloe Maul]

And ranch water to have ranch water at the most famous cowboy. What's it called?

Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. Shout out to them, Chloe.

Where the seats at the bar stools are saddles and. And there is true line dancing happening. There are Stetsons as far as the eye can see. It's almost like when you look out when it's pouring rain and you see a sea of umbrellas. That's what it was like with cowboy hats. We met some of the cowboys who helped us on the shoot at the cowboy bar. It was all very in character.

It was perfect. And on the shoot, if you. I think we have photos of the wardrobe. Tabitha Simmons styled it. There was just tables of cowboy boots, tables of cowboy hats. Everyone certainly was trying all of the. Everyone was like, I'll hold this cowboy hat. You could just look around and see everyone really loving the western inspired fashion, which was beautiful.

Kendall and Gigi's horses that they rode were named Chance and Jericho. And they did one shoot that was probably my favorite shoot to witness where the two of them were wearing these sort of twinning, diaphanous Alexander McQueen dresses. Kendall and lavender. And Gigi's was a sort of minty celadon color. And they were galloping across the field with cowboy hats on and having the best time. And they would go back and forth and sort of slap hands on the way. Tabitha Simmons daughter, who's like 9 years old, FaceTimed in the middle. Tabitha's like, look. Look what mommy's doing at work. And it was like, that's a cool thing for.

I've never seen this talking about firsts. So, you know, models nowadays do like to peek and see what's happening on the screen. They get to look at the photos being taken. And Kendall walked her horse right up to the screen and was peeking.

Jericho's muzzle did get right up in there.

It was really fun to watch. And I think they felt so at home on the horses and were having a lot of fun at the shoot.

[Ignacio Murillo]

But also it was really fun just watching Kendall, because I've never seen Kendall work in a way where she was kind of not art direct in the shoot, but she was very involve. Like, I've never seen that side of her. So it was kind of nice just seeing.

[Chloe Maul]

And Lachlan Bailey, who's the photographer, really, sometimes photographers are quite possessive of their shoot vision. And he was so open to their collaboration and really wanted their involvement. I feel like Kendall and Gigi, as you can read in my story. And as you know, they been in this game a long time. They've been at a lot of fashion shoots, so they do have thoughts on what looks they like best, what photos they prefer. And Lachlan and Tabitha really let them collaborate, which I thought was great.

That's amazing. I know. When you. Chloe, got to take a little moment with them to do the interview. And is there anything you learned that you. You didn't know about them?

Well, I did learn that. I asked if they'd ever been on double dates before, and Kendall told me that Gigi tried to set her up with someone who was friends with someone she was dating so that they could have, like, a little foursome or. But it didn't take.

Well, you know, that's the basis, I think, in our video, we talk about Kendall Finds a Cowboy. You know, maybe that's a great series.

Maybe that series will catch Can He Finds a Cowboy. Exactly.

[Ignacio Murillo]

Produced by Con and Ass Studios.

[Chloe Maul]

Iggy, where did this shoot idea come from?

[Ignacio Murillo]

So the idea came from Kendall. So we were doing a shoot over a year ago for the summer issue, and she really wanted to shoot in Wyoming, but based on our deadlines, like, we have to shoot three months in advance, the weather was basically winter in Wyoming, so we couldn't do it. So then we have to wait. And then Kendall kind of reminded us again that she was dying to do a western shoot inspired by, like, the Arthur Elgore iconic shoots at vogue in the 90s. And then Anna said yes, and then it escalated to a cover, and she wanted Kendall with a friend. So then who else could be better than Gigi?

[Chloe Maul]

Perfect.

[Ignacio Murillo]

And then we just started working on that. But it came from Kendall that I.

[Chloe Maul]

Was on that shoot. She was in Mexico to be on our summer cover, and that was her dream.

That was, what, 18 months ago? A year?

[Ignacio Murillo]

Over a year ago.

[Chloe Maul]

Over a year. But so both of them being on the shoots separately were just like, this was our dream shoot. Just doing what we love, being in Wyoming. I mean, it turned out in the best clothes.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

They also.

[Chloe Maul]

They rented. They were there with their agents and their team, who they're obviously very close with. And so they all rented an Airbnb nearby. And the first night, they all watched Country Strong together. They were cooking together. They wanted to go riding on their own. When we were filming the video and some of the first shots, it was along a little creek, and they were skipping stones and wanted to go swimming. It really felt very authentically enjoyable for them. And I have to say, I found It. I interviewed them for the COVID story and about their friendship over the past decade, working in the industry together. And there is something touching about looking at what happens to a lot of us with our friendships, where you cannot talk to someone for six months, but then certain people, you can just text them something, and it's like no time has passed. You can see them, and you just pick up where you left off. And with the two of them, they've never lived in the same city, but they've always been there for each other in work and life and have popped back and forth into each other's lives. And it feels like this very sincere, comfortable place for them.

No, for sure. After they spoke to you, I think they were like. It was so nice. Cause they just. They were like, we got to just talk positively about each other and discuss about each other.

[Ignacio Murillo]

Well, I just love how they support each other. Like, it's not like. I mean, they're obviously technically competitors in a way, because it's like they do the same thing, but they're always just.

[Chloe Maul]

Supporting, like, sports stars.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Yeah.

[Ignacio Murillo]

It's like they just support each other no matter what.

[Chloe Maul]

Yeah.

Yeah. And it was fun. I also spoke to a few designers who they've walked for and who work with them a lot. And it was so interesting to hear Marc Jacobs and Jacques Amus and Jeremy Scott all saying what professionals these girls are, how they are like athletes in a way. They are never late. They are always good sports. They always come to perform and be on and do their job. And I think it was nice to hear that that sort of good behavior is rewarded.

I'm like. Cause they are athletes. I mean, Gigi is a volleyball player. She talks about that in the video we did. Kendall, obviously riding horses. I think they have such a good work ethic and they're ready, but they have a little fun like they did on the shoot.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

So.

[Chloe Maul]

And one fun reveal for Gigi. I asked them what Disney character the other one would be in real life. And Kendall said that Gigi would be Rapunzel from Tangled. And Gigi said, I can't believe you just said that, because I actually auditioned for the live action Rapunzel a few months ago, and I didn't get the part, but I loved the experience, and it was so exciting to be challenged and pushed out of my comfort zone.

[Ignacio Murillo]

Gigi also told Kendall that she was gonna show her the audition tape. And I'm also dying to see the audition tape.

[Chloe Maul]

Yeah, we need to get the audition taped on that.

It's interesting. Kendall clearly is someone who likes her own space and solitude and riding her horses anonymously. Well, what I did learn is that she actually competes in equestrian shows, competitive horse jumping. And with the helmet and sunglasses on and the whole uniform, no one knows it's her. She goes under an alias, which I think is fabulous. And she was telling Gigi that Gigi should try it. And Gigi was really awed by the idea. And I think that she is filming Keeping up with the Kardashians right now. But it doesn't seem like that's going to be a priori, like, a focus for Kendall.

[Ignacio Murillo]

I don't think it's ever been like a focus. I think it's just doing it for the fam.

[Chloe Maul]

But Gigi, yeah, Gigi says she loves riding horses, but she's sort of. When she's with her daughter Kai at the farm, she's really with her and is around horses a lot, but not riding that much. And then when she's not with Kai, she's really working or with her boyfriend, Bradley Cooper.

It's all a balance, life balance.

[Ignacio Murillo]

And then this new season, I'm hoping that they do Vogue world Hollywood on October 26th.

[Chloe Maul]

Oh, yeah. Cause the last time that they were on horses horseback together was Vogue World Paris. Much different environment. They were clopping through the place Vendome clad in Hermes, Django and Choof.

Right, right.

Those were real fancy, I think dressage horses.

So I can't wait to see what we're gonna get them into for this For Hollywood Edition.

The run through will be back. Gwendolyn Christie.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Whenever I'm looking for things with ebay authenticity guarantee, it often ends up being sneakers. I'm not necessarily sneakerhood, but there are specific sneakers that I may have, like, fallen in love with and have been discontinued. And it's really nice to find them on ebay. And so it'll be just like a pair of platform Converse loafers. It will be a pair of vans, white slippers with, like, a very specific low. And so it's great with ebay to just be like, this is a real thing. It's in the size that you want, it's in the style that you want, and it's real.

[Chloe Maul]

Gwendolyn, we are over many moons to have you here. This has been a real exciting moment for the pod. We got a very last minute. Gwendolyn will be in New York. We said yes immediately. We want it.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Thank you so much. This is only my third ever podcast.

[Chloe Maul]

Oh, wow.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Having previously sworn I would never do a podcast it seems I can't get enough of them.

[Chloe Maul]

Now.

Some people, they say, have a face for radio. You do have a voice for radio.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Thank you very much. I have a face, the voice of a goddess, a face of radio and a voice for silence.

[Chloe Maul]

We are here today with Vogue's fashion news director and a dear friend of the pod, Mark Holgate.

[Mark Holgate]

Hello.

[Chloe Maul]

When did you two first meet?

[Mark Holgate]

When did we first meet, Gwendolyn? I'm sure it was with your lovely partner, the brilliant designer Giles Deakin.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Yes, I believe it was with my lovely partner, the brilliant designer Giles Deacon.

[Mark Holgate]

He is a very wonderful designer.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

And it was very exciting for me because he was planning to come and see you and he was coming here. It was. I don't think you'd been here for very long.

[Mark Holgate]

Right.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

And I still feels that way. Well, I'd been to Vogue when you were at Times Square. That was my first experience, which was mind blowing to me. Okay. I was shown all manner of delights by Sarah Brown because they sensed how I get very overexcited. This means a lot to me to be here. So I was shown the fashion closet. I was shown the sacred space of the boss's office. And they said, you can go. And I said, I would never dare.

[Mark Holgate]

Did you hear heavenly choirs when you stepped over the threshold?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

I evaporated.

[Mark Holgate]

Many do, I think, Holly, including myself. I atomized on a daily basis.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

But actually, everybody was sort of marveling at quite how excited I truly was. And out of nothing other than pure respect, I said, I will not cross the boundary line. I will cross that threshold.

[Mark Holgate]

Cross the threshold then. I think the last time I saw you was backstage at Sarah Burton's Givenchy debut.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Yes. Now, we've had a number of encounters in between.

[Mark Holgate]

Well, we have. Because I wanted say more, but I wanted to ask, because one thing I do remember, I had enormous fun because I'm terribly shy and socially awkward, particularly at the Met. And I was walking around the Karl Lagerfeld show and then I bumped into you looking fabulous and wonderful. And then we went around that exhibition together. And then I believe that we had a conversation about John Galliano.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

I hold you perhaps responsible in some way. So it's my first ever magic maker. Yes. It was my first ever Met gala, and I went with a wonderful Mr. Kim Jones Fendi. And he'd created this beautiful gown for me. And I was.

[Chloe Maul]

What was the exhibition that year?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

It was Karl Lagerfeld.

[Chloe Maul]

Okay, I'm sorry you just said that.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

And I was the only one in there. And I was standing, reading the sort of text for the entry of the exhibition, and Tom Ford walked by and said, reading impressive, which I thought was hilarious. And I just shouted, I love you, just so faintly. It sort of came over all week. But I then saw you, and you and I were the only ones there. And Usher was there, actually, with Bianca Saunders.

[Mark Holgate]

He was indeed.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

That's right, yes. And so we were gliding around there and I have never.

[Mark Holgate]

I think you were gliding. I was kind of stumbling, awkwardly shambling.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

We were both staggering. We were both staggering around the exhibition and far too over excited by the fashions, actually. But you said to me, so, Gwendolen, tell me some of your hopes and dreams. Tell me some of the things you might like to achieve in life. And I said, I want to walk in a show for John Galliano. And you said, is that it? And as simple as, obviously, you know, I want to work with great directors, I want to do. I loved every second of it, Mike. I want to, you know, do profound work. I want to, you know, go through enormous change on a personal level. But that's really what I wanted to do. And you said. And you manifested it well, you said, that shouldn't be any problems. So I'm guessing that Mark silently did the casting that season.

[Mark Holgate]

Is this the case? I actually emailed John directly and said, you've got to include Gwendolyn. No, I didn't.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

I even said, I should be, you know, in larks. I should be opening and closing the show.

[Mark Holgate]

And then there you were, literally the.

[Chloe Maul]

Show that changed everything.

[Mark Holgate]

The fashion world, everything. Yes, yes, the show that's still being.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

I'm very lucky to be a part of that, really, though, I mean, what.

[Chloe Maul]

Was the most surprising thing about walking in a show that you didn't expect?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

The whole experience was truly blissful as. I really love design. I love every aspect of it. I love the process. I really love. I've always loved being in designer studios and the whole process of designing, the research, the designing, the creating of pieces, and to see John's process, I felt extremely lucky. Actually. It was a really significant moment to me because he was very generous and open and showed me all the references and the piles of references and the fabric references and. And to be so included in every aspect, from being shown all of the research, all of the references, and then in the fittings, always being asked, was I comfortable? Which in working with one of the great, true greats, which John Galliano is, you know, you switch that off because you're there to facilitate the process And I want to enhance the process. But he cared that I was comfortable. He cared that I felt. He cared that I was happy. The whole experience with him was just extraordinary. It's difficult for me to talk about it without. Because I. Because it's so emotional, because John has been one of my idols for over 30 years, and my idol told me I was beautiful, and I felt I could believe him because it was about all of my brokenness and all of my vulnerability, my inconsistencies, and my. I mean, the shape that he enhanced was so subversive. It was all so unexpected. The experience of walking in the show was a rebirth. Wow. For many of us. But certainly for me. And I do mean it when I say it has changed me and made me realize it's one of the things. Life can be so beautiful sometimes. It really can. It was also kind of like I died while I was doing it, because I was looking into the faces of all the great and good people I've known for 20 years. And obviously, I told no one. So this is becoming apparent that I love, love keeping secrets. It's so underrated in today's environment. In this era of broadcasting, it's a very forgotten art. Oh, my. Love it so much. So I told no one I was doing it. Oh, wow. Yeah. Giles knew I was doing it. So Giles was there. He knew, but I told no one else. And I'd just been saying to friends, I've been texting people that go to those shows, editors at Friends of mine or Styles, and said, are you going to couture? Do you think you might go to this show? But looking into those people's faces, it was life changing because I saw we were all immersed in this experience, and we all lost control of ourselves a little bit. Wow.

[Mark Holgate]

Has that been the end of any desire to walk a Runway show, Gwendolyn? Does it feel like that was the apotheosis and there's no other Runway you would like to walk?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

I'm walking my own Runway shows every single day, Mark. Every time I stand, I am walking in a Runway show. And Giles reminds me sometimes, you know, of. Oh, do you remember when you modeled down this country Lane?

[Mark Holgate]

The world. Is that your world?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Is that sometimes just switching it on in the supermarket can really make my week. I can believe it. After gliding around that met gala with.

[Mark Holgate]

You, I treated it just. I treated it just like whole foods.

[Chloe Maul]

Are there any, well, Runway walking happening this September or just. Are you attending these shows?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

So it's an exciting time, a surprise.

[Mark Holgate]

To remember as we say, I think for all of us, our dance card is full with new engagements, new designers, new debuts galore.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Well, it feels the start of something new, doesn't it? On so many different fronts. And we've had this sort of time in a kind of no man's land where there haven't been creative director figureheads in place. And I like to think that everyone's. It's given food for thought about what it is we expect, what it is we want. What is. One of the reasons I love fashion is it's the marriage of art and commerce. It fascinates me. It really does because it's just about as difficult a task as you can manage that to retaining one's soul, you know, whilst in pursuit of something that is available and can communicate with people. So I haven't quite decided yet. I never like to go to too many, but simultaneously I'm sort of there patiently the second images drop.

[Chloe Maul]

Going on the Vogue Runway app, of course.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

No, I'm not joking. I've done so much filming where I've not been able to go to shows and I have just been there and I said, and just please can I have my break now because I just need five minutes because the images are dropping in and refreshing and often there's not reception. I'm like, I've got to find a place and I'm just refreshing.

[Mark Holgate]

Focus on WiFi. Famous on Wi fi.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Yeah, WI fi. WI fi. I need WI fi just now, Just now. It'll probably take about. The show will be about 12 minutes long so I'm gonna need probably by the time the images come. But it is a, it's a sweet joy to me to see all of that. But yes, I think I'm very, I mean I'm really interested to see what everybody does.

[Chloe Maul]

Who are you most excited about? What are I and what are you hoping happens?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

What are you hoping tittle is to. I have no hopes at all. You know, I'm excited, I'm very excited to see what happens at Chanel. Yes, I really am because I think Mattel Blaisey's work has been fascinating and it seems that he has a real interest in the craft and of being extremely hands on with the creative process in terms of producing clothes and interest in fabrics and different sorts of fabrications, different processing of fabrics. So. And I really have admired everything that he's done. So I think that would be very, very interesting and I admire that sort of front footed desire to take over a position that was held by Karl Lagerfeld. I think that shows dazzling confidence and ambition, which is exciting creatively.

[Mark Holgate]

I would agree.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Who else? I really. I love Sarah Burton. I've always loved Sarah Burton. I thought that was a very exciting debut at Givenchy. And what I liked about it was that I felt that she had gone back into the DNA of the house. How I first became aware of Givenchy was watching movies. So I was fascinated by Audrey Hepburn's wardrobe in so many of those films. I think they did. He certainly did Funny Face, certainly did Breakfast at Tiffany, certainly did Sabrina, I think.

[Mark Holgate]

I think Sabrina's who.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Yes. And also how to Steal a Million. So, I mean, that was, to me, the marriage of things that I adored, which were movies and fashion. The idea of those coming together of elements, really has never stopped exciting me throughout my whole life. And I feel like that is where Sarah is placing a focus now. We also know she's proper. She can do it. She can really make clothes, she can really design. She understands. She obviously worked with Leigh McQueen for so many years, and it was actually looking back through those shows, one of my favorites was Always the Man who Knew Too much, the Alexander McQueen Show. Well, that, of course, I was told. I don't know if this is correct, but I was told was his commercial collection. That was Lee's commercial collection.

[Mark Holgate]

Was that the very Hitchcock one?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

It was based on Kim Novak.

[Mark Holgate]

Yes.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

So it was Hitchcock and based on. And that's when the Novak perverted Hitchcock came from. Yes. The Novak bag, which I always. I was a student. I couldn't afford one. Wanted one so badly. It was so heavy. Still. Anyone out there fancies gifting me a Novak bag? I'm right here.

[Mark Holgate]

I say, I might have one, please not, it's yours.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

She was obviously involved in that show and all of those cinematic elements coming in, so I'm just excited to see what she does. Also because she's good at making a business work.

[Chloe Maul]

Mm.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

And she's a proper person. She believes in relationships and having real friendships. She will give you the time. She'll sit down with you, she'll get to know you. And she's not afraid of women's proportions. She gets excited by an unconventional woman. She really does. She gets. You know, I said to. You know, when we discussed working together, which we did recently, which was so thrilling, I said, it's not gonna be so easy. And she was just excited by it.

[Chloe Maul]

You did. You just wore a fantastic suit. Can you tell us a little bit about.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

I would actually love to tell you about this suit.

[Chloe Maul]

Give us a Rundown of the Gwendolyn Wednesday Part 2 press tour.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Well, there was always. Growing up, I was fascinated by Hitchcock. I was fascinated by the Hitchcock woman.

[Chloe Maul]

Mm.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

So when I received the script for Wednesday Season one, and the absolutely extraordinary and wonderful Tim Burton said, do whatever you like. This is just what came to me was this sort of idea. And I've always been interested in the Hitchcock woman, but I didn't want her to be a victim. I wanted her to have agency. I wanted her to have intelligence and be strategic and exact her own revenge and be difficult and murderous and messy. So it just felt right. Strangely, Tim and Colleen Atwood had had the same idea.

[Chloe Maul]

Oh, interesting.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

About Tippi Hedren and the Buds.

[Chloe Maul]

Oh, well, Colleen Atwood, obviously, the iconic.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Fabulous costume designer, multi Oscar winning costume designer who's sublime to work with. So my basis was Tippi Hedren for the first season.

[Chloe Maul]

And your character is just for everyone who doesn't know. The schoolmaster. Larissa.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Yes, Principal. Larissa Weaver.

[Chloe Maul]

Principal. I'm so sorry.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

School.

[Chloe Maul]

I guess school master is a different word for that.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

I love School Mastermind. I might ask if they'll change it. So season two. I am Wednesday's spirit guide, the ghost. I've kept Larissa. I kept it secret for so long. I'm so inhibited about speaking about it and really watching what I say. But I read the novel, the French novel of Vertigo, and because I wanted to move further into this idea of a woman that comes back from the dead. And I just became obsessed by that film. It doesn't stop giving to me in terms of mystery and it's weird passion. It's perverse passion. And when I knew we were going to have this extraordinary moment in Australia, which I knew about for some time, actually, and they would reveal that Weems was coming back to Wednesday, I wanted it to be. For me, it had to operate on many levels. It had to be a nod to the character, but it had to be exactly melded with me, the actress. It had to be modern, but it had to really acknowledge the past. It had to have surreal elements. And I felt with Sarah at Givenchy, with its cinematic roots, with her involvement of that show of the man who Knew Too Much and its basis on Kim Novak, her working with Liam always being so prominent in the process with the Novak bag with all of those elements, and that having watched the show and seeing a skirt suit come down the Runway with that, you know, with extraordinary, surreal sort of nature of turning them back to front or placing a V in the back and also knowing that that construction is unbelievably difficult. What you're dealing with is a backless corset. It's something that doesn't exist. But she's working with engineering at such a sophisticated level that she's causing that to work and also to live. So I asked her. I couldn't tell anybody, but I asked her on the. Actually, I think I sent a voice note and then said, please delete this. I said, would you consider, you know, the full spiel about what I'd spent all this time immersing myself in and said, would you consider designing your version of a Vertigo suit for me to wear in this moment? And she obviously said yes. And we had. She sent me this exquisite package of designs, and we went through every detail and we did lots of fittings. I do love doing fittings. And something just came to life that, for me is about, personally, an archetype that I was always told I could never achieve because I'm considered to be quite unconventional about a character that I'd always wanted to play that seems to have come out of the ether and I have helped bring about. So it helps support the confidence in my own creative abilities and process and that I am, you know, welcomed into a creative conversation with brilliant collaborators. And the celebration of that character living, that's just given me so much and is the polar opposite of Brienne of Tarth from Game of Thrones.

[Mark Holgate]

Now, I believe that when you appeared on stage in Sydney, there was kind of gasps because your character. Spoiler alert. Had actually seemingly expired at the end.

[Chloe Maul]

Of the last season.

[Mark Holgate]

Foaming at the mouth. I seem to reveal now you are.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

The second person today that's highlighted me foaming at the mouth mark.

[Chloe Maul]

Not the last.

[Mark Holgate]

I'm not Nate, given how well you keep secrets now, did you always know that you were going to be returning?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

No, I didn't. I mean, it's part of what attracted me was that it was a one and done.

[Mark Holgate]

Oh, okay.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Because terminal. I'd spent 10 years on game of Thrones playing Brienne of Tarth and loved the experience. But it's a big commitment. I mean, you give over a lot of your life, not just terms of time, but in terms of creative power. Everything is dedicated to having that part live. So you carry that with you all the time. And you also just in a very sort of practical sense, you don't have the time to do other things. And I really want to do lots of other things. And also, in today's world, it's not like it used to be where people say, oh, I wish I had a camera. It, you know, you recognize for a part when you're. When you work in film and television all of the time. Particularly if you're 6 foot 3 with a penchant for heels.

[Mark Holgate]

Sound like me.

[Chloe Maul]

You're speaking Mark's language.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

This is why we responded. This is why we're first drawn to each other.

[Mark Holgate]

Exactly.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

But it was irresistible. I've wanted to work with Tim Burton my whole life.

[Mark Holgate]

What was your first meeting with him like?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Oh, so it was over Zoom. Well, I got a text about it.

[Chloe Maul]

A Tim text?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

No, not Tim, but from my representative. I received a text, which is colossal information to receive in a text. And I had to go for a long walk to sort of process it. And then we did a zoom and I just, I was bright red. I'd broken out, you know, in a rash, stress rash. I was sort of. I was shaking, pouring with sweat. I mean, I couldn't have made. My body, couldn't have made me less attractive in that moment or less seemingly capable to carry out any form of work. But Tim was astoundingly generous and kind and charming. I couldn't and didn't want to say no. I wanted to say yes. I really did. So we just had a great time together. Even though the first shoot was somewhat complex due to environmental factors that actually, before the end of the first season, we talked about me carrying on and then they had to find their way to bring me back.

[Chloe Maul]

What about season three?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Well, actually, I'm writing it and that's a surprise I want to reveal on today's podcast.

[Chloe Maul]

Really?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

No. A total non exclusive for this Vogue podcast. I mean, I can't tell. I can't tell you a thing. And frankly, Chloe, even if I did know, I wouldn't tell you.

[Chloe Maul]

You're a vault.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Oh, I am indeed. It's all locked away, but.

[Chloe Maul]

So Ms. Weems says she's taking a well deserved sabbatical at the end. Have you ever taken a sabbatical? Have you ever taken a break from something or wanted to?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

I mean, I'm desperate to. Aren't you? Well, what you do. Every single day, I'm about to walk out of the door. I'm living on a knife edge. Yeah, I mean, I can see it. Someone suggested to me, fairly recently, actually, I had a meeting with them and they said, do you know what I think you should do? I think you should open an animal sanctuary. That was their word of advice to me. And I thought, you're right, because of course, it was Tippi Hedren, wasn't it, that opened Shambhala?

[Mark Holgate]

Yes.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

With the lions.

[Mark Holgate]

Yes.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

So that's where I see my destiny. But it'll probably be with physically handicapped donkeys or, you know, any sort of animal that doesn't immediately find its place within classification.

[Mark Holgate]

Okay.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Want to join me? The room goes silent with excitement and anticipation.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Dressing for fashion shows requires a little spontaneity, and you have to plan for the events of your day, but also be open to what's around you. And a lot of that'll be influenced by the street style that you're seeing. Just like in the moment, sometimes everybody's wearing low bun scrunchies. Obviously, we know that for a while they were wearing trench coats. So whenever I'm using the search bar on ebay, I'm really thinking about, like, a theme or like an aesthetic that's interesting to me at that moment. And so sometimes it really is just like sheer, sparkle, mesh. Ebay will end up directing me in places that I could have never anticipated. And so much of what I'm wearing for fall shows is from ebay.

[Chloe Maul]

I want to know about the amazing. We got some exclusive photos for Vogue.com of the set featuring all of your cast meets at the big ball. And you are wearing the most incredible sort of panniered cream. Is it taffeta?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Yes.

[Chloe Maul]

Marie Antoinette esque dress? Yes. What was that? Painfully uncomfortable? Was it a delight? What have been your favorite costumes that you've worn so far?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

That costume was easy. Interesting. I don't think. But, you know, I'm someone that's used to a steel corset, but you see, you're like, easy.

[Chloe Maul]

Do you know the famous corset person that everyone's always talking about?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Mr. Pearl. Mr. Pearl. Mr. Pearl. So I don't know Mr. Pearl. I wish I knew Mr. Pearl.

[Chloe Maul]

He looms large in our office.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Well, Mr. Pearl is a legendary figure, I hear. And in the 90s, of course, also an Edinburgh.

[Mark Holgate]

He's from Edinburgh. And he's living in Edinburgh?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Yes, I believe.

[Chloe Maul]

Oh, is he not from there?

[Mark Holgate]

No. He's a kind of mysterious figure. But I always remember the first McQueen show I saw, which was the Birds. Halfway through the show, he came out in a white shirt and a corset and a black pencil skirt and high heels. And then maybe about six months later, maybe I was on the Central line in London. Central Line, the underground. And this chap gets on with kind of little kind of a bank clerk kind of look, raincoat and trousers. And I think he sat opposite me. I thought, that's Mr. Pearl. And all I could think when I was sitting opposite him on the Central Line was thinking, do you have a corset on under that raincoat? But he seems to, I think, gone into somewhat.

[Chloe Maul]

Is he on a sabbatical?

[Mark Holgate]

Semi reclusive. Cause he was living apparently in this incredible Dickensian, or, for want of a better description, kind of apartment in Paris on the Ile St. Louis. And then he and his partner have now gone to Edinburgh. So, yes, it's kind of fascinating. He's a kind of mythic figure.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

He is indeed. And what a perfect place, Edinburgh, with all of its Gothic gloriousness and Old World charm. A brilliant place to be. So I sort of, in my late teens, I assisted a student at St Martin's on the MA fashion course, because I'd been really obsessed with St Martin's and obsessed with the designers that came out of there. I went to Drama Centre London, which is a drama school that was part of the University of the Arts, so it became part of St. Martin's and that was reassuring to me in terms of its outlook and its attitude and its tone. But Mr. Pearl I learned about early on. I mean, he was the corset maker.

[Mark Holgate]

Absolutely.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

And he worked with Thierry. Did he work with Thierry Mugler?

[Mark Holgate]

He worked with Mugler, exactly.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

And he obviously worked with McQueen. And did he work with John?

[Mark Holgate]

I think he did.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

I think he did. I mean, I think he worked with all the true grapes.

[Mark Holgate]

I grew up with some of the Dior couture, I think. Yeah.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

And in fact, when I was sort of about 18 years old, I worked with an independent designer that made corsets. So I remember them fitting a look on me and it got so tight. I remember sort of feeling very faint. And so they laid me down to rest and then put orchids in my hair and would take photographs of me.

[Mark Holgate]

Whether you liked it or not.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Oh, I loved it. You loved it every second.

[Mark Holgate]

Talk to us about where this love of fashion came from, Gwendolyn. Where did it start? And were there people in your life, family, friends, who were particularly kind of inspiring to you?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

My mother has always loved clothes. My father always loved clothes. My father was always immaculately turned out. I mean, very detail orientated. And my mother, incredibly just beautiful, radiant soul and an innate sense of sort of ethereal glamour. But I was interested in the nitty gritty of it. I wanted to know what made it work. So ever since I can remember, it does genuinely come out of my own feelings of Discomfort with myself. It comes out of wanting to transform. And fashion always felt like the most immediate form of transformation. It also felt like a non cerebral form of storytelling from the aspect of obviously the design and the design story, but its construction and what it does to the wearer. How one designer will make you feel radically different to another. Particularly those who are truly intentional. They're alchemists in a way. They know how they want you to feel or hope you might feel. So I love the. The craftsmanship of it has been really important to me. It was important to me to understand it. And I read, you know, I grew up in the countryside, so it was really hard. You get magazines three months later. You know, who used to get Collectione magazine? What is that? Oh, I love that you're asking this question. That was the Internet, wasn't it, Mark?

[Mark Holgate]

It was the Internet in kind of printed form. Yes.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Yeah.

[Chloe Maul]

How do you spell Sione?

[Mark Holgate]

Collectione. It was a kind of Italian magazine that brought together all of the little Runway images and they would almost run the entire show. And you could go from Armani right through to, I don't know, Zandra Rhodes or whatever.

[Chloe Maul]

So every show Armani Duzorran.

[Mark Holgate]

Yes, thank you. Or De Zoran. And you would literally just. You would look through them and they cost something like 900 pounds. I mean, they were so expensive.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Expensive.

[Chloe Maul]

Really.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

It was a major. And each image would be about an inch high.

[Mark Holgate]

Do you have to get the magnifying glass out to kind of.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

But I mean, I would go through that and memorize the collections. There wasn't a lot to do in the countryside, but I would memorize those of what the looks were because I was trying to learn, trying to understand what the story was. That's what I was trying to do. And it just seemed like another form of. Of storytelling. And then this whole language and whole incredible discipline that was again that marriage of the technical and discipline with furthering your imagination. You had to have an unbridled imagination. Similarly, you had to have a strong grip of reality. And I was interested in women. I mean, when I grew up, you know, sort of in the 80s and 90s, there still wasn't necessarily a liberated form of women as a day to day format. You know, still now women are not paid the same as men. It was, it was a way to understand my own sex. And I wanted to learn everything. So everything I could get my hands on, I explored. And I used to draw a lot as well. So I was drawing all the time and it just seemed another world.

[Mark Holgate]

And what took you, Gwendolyn, from. Because it seems like from everything you're saying, you might have actually ended up studying at St. Martin's and studying fashion. What then drove you to take up acting instead?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

So this is another exclusive, is that I did apply to St. Martin's did you? And I brought a portfolio, and I was given great advice. I was told, you need to go and do a foundation, art foundation. You could do that here. And then you might not want to necessarily work in fashion. And so I said, because I was pretty mouthy. Then I said, no, well, like what? And they said, well, like fine art. And I came out of that and I thought, couldn't be an actress.

[Chloe Maul]

And here we are.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Well, you know, it was. It's the most glorious hobby in the world. It's a true passion. It's something that I love that is disconnected from my job.

[Mark Holgate]

I mean, I love the joy you get out of it, but I also love the. That it's so intentional for you. So when you're thinking about red carpet appearances, are you thinking about narrative and story and all of those things?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Oh, absolutely. And really about relationship, and increasingly about relationship, because no one knows better than you do. But red carpet has changed so much. The way in which we consume images has changed beyond all recognition. We have a deluge of images all of the time. And so what I just keep coming back to is meaning. And it has to mean something to me. It has to. Often I have to know the people who've designed the clothes. I have to have a relationship with them, like a genuine one, to feel that there's something there. And we're having a dialogue about something. It's generally about my experience of the character in some senses. I don't know Game of Thrones, again, the world was a different place then, but I was interested in showing my difference to the character rather than my similarities. I wasn't doing anything that I believe is referred to as method dressing. I wasn't. I've never been sort of interested in that. It really is about what I'm trying to express and what I'm trying to communicate. And sometimes I might not be trying to communicate anything.

[Chloe Maul]

I want to know how that dialogue works with Giles.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Oh, yes.

[Chloe Maul]

How do you two collaborate? And does it end with slammed doors and broken plates?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Absolutely. Not at all. Well, I've always had a firm point of view, and, you know, Giles has really helped to give me a massive amount of confidence in my own ability as an actress, but also as a creative. Very early on, he told Me many things. He told me, you know, he told me I was beautiful. He told me that I had great ideas, and he told me that I had good knowledge. And he operates at the very highest standards of artistic practice. He truly does. And I've always admired his work. He was always one of my favorite designers. And his work ethic is second to none. And it inspires me every single day. So he knows me very well. But also I know his work pretty well. And I respect him and I respect the extent of his knowledge, how comprehensive it is, how he is always working, how it is his life's passion, how he does artistically what he wants to do about he in the highest levels of execution that are possible. He has really almost no ego. And it's thrilling to work in that way. It's very respectful. It is one of the joys of my life to have a constant artistic collaboration in that way. And it is ours.

[Chloe Maul]

Gwendolyn, we are so excited that you've been here and we want to keep talking forever, but we're not going to. And we're going to go into our speed round of questions for you.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Okay. I'm Nevis.

[Chloe Maul]

Be prepared.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Okay. I'm doing my breathing.

[Chloe Maul]

The best part of your hometown.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Nothing Collectione. Yeah. Incredible.

[Mark Holgate]

Something you think didn't go well, but you got the job.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Every single meeting, every single performance.

[Chloe Maul]

Best quality in a co star generosity.

[Mark Holgate]

Do costumes and makeup help you get into character more beyond.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

It's a whole other level of storytelling and I love listening to what I often have a lot of quite strong ideas. I love to hear what they have to say. I want to know how they see it first so it becomes enmeshed and something hopefully with at least three dimensions.

[Mark Holgate]

Another quicker side question. Is there one costume that you've kept?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

So I just want to put this on tape. Tim Burton said I could have all of my costumes in Series 1, and I was too nervous because this is the sort of person I am. I can't act on these opportunities. I never asked for it, but I mentioned it recently in front of Miles and Al and they kind of made noises that said, think again. I've never, ever taken anything, and it's a great regret, but I was given a really fantastic gift, which was.

[Chloe Maul]

Don'T keep this in the vault.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

I don't know if I can say this. I was given my gravestone.

[Chloe Maul]

What does it say?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

I'm not elaborating any further. You've had quite a lot already.

[Chloe Maul]

You greedy, grubby. When's the last Thing you wrote in your notes app.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Oh, it would have been notes on how to effectively promote the show because I think I must always do better.

[Mark Holgate]

Spotify song. Favorite current Spotify song.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

I've never had Spotify.

[Chloe Maul]

What are you listening to right now?

[Mark Holgate]

I always thought it was like an acne crap. It was spot fabulous.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Amazing collaboration.

[Chloe Maul]

Yeah.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

You could bring out your own spot cream.

[Chloe Maul]

Be your own.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

You're going to have to develop acne in order to develop a spot cream. And then you can collaborate with Spotify.

[Mark Holgate]

There we go.

[Chloe Maul]

And clothing.

[Mark Holgate]

There we go.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Sleaford Mods. Always one of my absolute favorite bands in the world.

[Chloe Maul]

What is your pop culture guilty pleasure at the moment? Are you a Love island fan?

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Oh, a godless world. Ooh.

[Chloe Maul]

Say more.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

It's I love garden.

[Chloe Maul]

I love garden as well.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

So soothing.

[Mark Holgate]

It's like someone just whispering on the radio. On Radio 4 in the UK. Yes. Monty Dal. Gardens about gardens.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Yes. In gardening.

[Mark Holgate]

And famously, he made incredible jewelry in the 80s.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

What? Yes, he did, didn't he?

[Mark Holgate]

He did. He made incredible jewelry in the 80s.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Did he want Stephen Jones?

[Mark Holgate]

He did. Yes, he did. All these incredible chandelier earrings and he was quite the man about town. And now he's about the man about gardens.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Yeah.

[Chloe Maul]

Wow. We learn something every day at the Run through podcast.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

Yes.

[Chloe Maul]

Gwendolyn, thank you very much for joining us. Round two. I thought it was just part two of Wednesday. Get ready for part two of Wendy for Thursday. Have to wait another six weeks.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

It'll take at least six weeks to listen to.

[Chloe Maul]

The Run through is produced by Chelsea Daniel, Alex De Palma and Stephanie Kariuki. It's engineered by Pran Bandy and James Yost. It is mixed by Mike Kutchman. Chris Bannon is Conde Nast head of Global Audio.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Right now I'm wearing this, like, perfect kind of like almost periwinkle purple metallic leather jacket that one of my best friends got me for my birthday just a couple weeks ago and she got it on ebay. And the first day I wore it was to the Vogue offices. And as I was walking in the door, one of my cool friends stopped me outside and was like, this jacket is so cool. The color is so radiant. Was it made for you? And I was just like, my friend got it on ebay. And it is perfect. I'm wearing it once a week, if not more. But it's the kind of thing that I plan also to be wearing for fall shows. Like, that's a completely appropriate thing to wear as an editor who's going backstage to be interviewing people, sort of like behind the scenes. But maybe you end up finding yourself, like, with a seat at the show. La la. Or maybe you have to go straight from there to a dinner that's, like, very fancy. Everything kind of needs to take you everywhere. And my ebay style is, like, it can go everywhere.

[Gwendolyn Christie]

From prx.