Actor Alex Fine fronts the MMSCENE Magazine November cover story, photographed by Ryan Blackwell and styled by Lewis Stratton. The actor has built his screen career through an unconventional path that moved from football, professional bull riding and fitness into roles in Taylor Sheridan’s 1883, Peter Berg’s American Primeval and Guy Ritchie’s MobLand, where he appears as Donnie opposite Tom Hardy. The editorial features looks from Dior, Issey Miyake, AMI Paris, Sandro, Canali, Philipp Dorner, Benjamin Robin, Geordie Campbell and untitlab, with grooming by Hayden Cassidy at A-Frame Agency using Dior Beauty and fashion assistance by Logun Screen.
MMSCENE EXCLUSIVES
In the accompanying interview, Fine reflects on the route that brought him to acting, the physical discipline behind his performances and what he learned from working on major productions. He also discusses his experience alongside Hardy on MobLand, his growing connection to fashion through runway appearances for KidSuper and Louis-Gabriel Nouchi, the influence of fatherhood on his decisions and the kind of roles he wants to take on next.
You’ve had an unusual route into acting, through football, fitness, and even bull riding. When did acting become the thing you wanted to pursue seriously?
It always was something I wanted to pursue but I didn’t know how to growing up. We didn’t have art and theatre programs really. There was no one before me in the area I could follow in their path. I just hoped for the opportunity and was lucky enough to get that. The very first audition was when I wanted to pursue it, it’s the greatest job in the world.
You went on to study acting in London alongside ballet, dialect, combat, and weapons training. What did that process reveal about you that athletic training never had?
With sports it’s a simple formula to success. Hard work and talent = success. With acting I wanted to work on everything I felt vulnerable in. Before I was stiff as a board from so many broken bones so ballet was brutally hard, my dialect naturally is pretty southern which was hard to shake, and weapons training and combat I’m comfortable with but wanted to get technically sound. I want to prepare for future roles. If the opportunity presents itself I just want to be ready.
Your roles in 1883, American Primeval, and MobLand all involve men living in fairly unforgiving environments. What keeps drawing you toward that kind of character?
I just want to be a part of great story telling, writing and directing. I love all of these guys’ work from Guy Ritchie, Peter Berg, and Taylor Sheridan. If they asked me to do anything I would say yes, because they’re some of the best.
Donnie enters MobLand as an adversary to Tom Hardy’s Harry. What did you want to bring to him beyond the physical threat?
A calmness, stillness, a mystery. I think it’s cool you don’t know his background. If he was CIA, military, scouted from prison. Donnie is intelligent, and loyal to his boss.
What was it like building that tension with Tom Hardy when so much of a scene can depend on what neither character says?
He’s the best. He became my closest friend on the show. First day on set we met 1st season, I called my wife and said I think this guy tom hardy is pretty fuckin cool. We might be best friends.
MobLand brings together a cast with very different acting styles. Was there something you picked up from watching the other actors work?
Yeah, I would go in on some off days just to watch them. I learned a lot from them on those days, because it was similar to watching live theatre.
You’ve spent years understanding the body through sport and fitness. When you’re acting, how consciously do you use posture, movement, or physical presence to define a character?
I think posture, movement, and how you walk into a room tells everything about you before saying a word. If you want to seem confident, or vulnerable, scared, excited. That can all be seen through your body before a word is said.
You’ve walked for KidSuper and Louis-Gabriel Nouchi in Paris. What does fashion give you creatively that acting doesn’t?
I honestly don’t know, it’s kind of just something that is so cool and foreign to me and I do it because childhood me wouldn’t believe it. I had no idea what designer brands were, what fashion shows or what fashion weeks even were. So to walk in them in Paris for cool people is just something for my childhood self.
You’re also a father of three. Has family changed the way you think about ambition or the projects you want to give your time to?
I don’t think it ever changed the way I think about it. I think it just heightened my love for acting if anything. It’s so special to me because film lives forever and I just want my kids to be proud of me and the work I do. I just want to be a part of special projects, if it’s a small role that’s fine and if it’s number 1 on the call sheet that’s great. I just care that it’s special. Luckily with Mobland, 1883, and American primeval they’re all very special.
You’re still relatively early in your acting career. What would you like people to discover about you on screen that they haven’t seen yet?
I’m not sure what I want people to discover they haven’t seen yet. Maybe a foreign film where I speak Spanish. Or maybe a comedy, or rom com. Dream roles would be bond villian, or Waffle House index, a X men.
Talent: Alex Fine
Photographer: Ryan Blackwell
Stylist: Lewis Stratton
Grooming: Hayden Cassidy at A-Frame Agency using Dior Beauty
Fashion Assistant: Logun Screen
Interview: Katarina Doric
