Paapa Essiedu fans out over Channel 4 comedy Big Boys: ‘I’d recommend it to anyone’
The Lazarus Project/I May Destroy You star shares his top culture picks with Attitude
Words: Jamie Tabberer; picture: Provided
He’s one of the fastest-rising stars of stage and screen – and now, Paapa Essiedu has shared his top culture picks with Attitude.
Asked for LGBTQ culture that has impacted his life, the Men actor said: “In terms of TV and film, my friend Jack Rooke wrote a show called Big Boys, and that [male love] is just one strand of what this show is about. It’s about friendship, being young, finding yourself. But I’d recommend it to anyone.”
Speaking on the red carpet of Thursday’s (1 September) Soho House Awards in London, the actor told us: “Content I’m binge-watching – I’ve just started watching the new Game of Thrones [HBOs House of the Dragon]. I’ve got a couple of mates in it.
“It’s amazing. I’ve only watched the first episode, but it’s super, super ambitious and large scale. I think it’ll do really well.”
Paapa – whose television credits include I May Destroy You (as gay character Kwame) and The Lazarus Project – said his career in television has “ruined reality TV for me.”
“I can’t quite get on board with pretending The Only Way Is Essex is unscripted!”
“I can suspend my disbelief for the dragons, but I can’t quite get on board with pretending The Only Way Is Essex is unscripted! I want to do it, but I can’t!”
On LGBTQ-focused culture recommendations, Paapa also pointed to a 2015 novel by Hanya Yanagihara: “Have you ever read the book A Little Life? It’s amazing. I just watched a stage version of it directed by Ivo van Hove in Edinburgh.
“It was four hours’ [long]. It’s the most amazing exploration of male love, both romantically and friendship-wise. Super intense, super affecting, but a beautiful piece of work!”
Paapa won the Trailblazer award at last night’s ceremony, which honoured emerging talent in the creative industries.
The Attitude September/October issue is out now.
