Sitting down with Alex Lawther is like opening a door into several lives at once. Known to many as the blackmailed teen from Black Mirror’s “Shut Up and Dance", the awkward, deadpan would-be psychopath James in The End of the F**ing World*, or more recently as Karis Nemik, the rebel philosopher in Andor, Lawther now stars in A Second Life, an introspective indie feature exploring identity, grief, and reinvention. Speaking late at night from a film set in Canada, Lawther joined us to reflect on his journey through genre-defining series, micro-budget cinema, and the fine balance between fame and freedom.
On finding acting by chance
"I think I wouldn't be doing this at all if I hadn't been in the right place at the right time when I was about 16," Alex reflects, discussing his early break in theatre. It was an open audition that snowballed into further work. For someone so distinctively associated with the craft, the idea that acting happened "by happenstance" is striking. "Yeah, it was kind of luck."
That sense of fate has continued to follow Lawther through his career. Born on May 4th—internationally recognized as Star Wars Day—he would go on to join the Star Wars universe in Andor. "It’s so funny. It wasn’t until I was in my 20s that people started saying ‘May the 4th!’ to me," he laughs. "I never even clocked it growing up."
A Second Life: The beauty in constraint
Lawther describes working on A Second Life as the antithesis to blockbuster filmmaking. Shot over just two weeks with a skeleton crew, the film gave him something rarely found on larger sets: space. "There were never more than six or seven of us on set. That kind of scale makes for real intimacy," he says. "Constraints make you inventive."
The film, directed by Laurent Slama, was made on a shoestring budget—around a couple hundred thousand pounds—yet it explores complex themes like race, identity, and reinvention. Lawther is clearly inspired by Lunetta’s multi-hyphenate approach: directing, writing, shooting. "We’re told you need a certain amount of money to make a good film, but A Second Life proves otherwise."
What stood out for Lawther wasn’t just the subject matter, but the style of production itself. Shooting on the streets with minimal crew meant navigating real environments and responding in the moment. "You’re more awake when passersby can interrupt a take. It’s thrilling, but exhausting."
Jumping between scales: Alien and the intimacy of indie
Jumping between projects of vastly different scales is something Lawther not only enjoys but finds essential. "I wrapped on Alien and a few weeks later I was doing A Second Life," he shares. Then came a TV project in Ireland, and now another larger production. "There’s something about that contrast I find energizing."
While Alien: Earth, the upcoming FX/Hulu series from Noah Hawley, involved months of studio shooting and physical preparation, A Second Life was filmed quickly and largely in real-world environments. "In Alien, it was about stamina and staying sane inside a studio. With Second Life, it was about staying present in the chaos of the real world."
That contrast, he says, keeps him creatively sharp. Big-budget work exposes him to top-tier technicians and expansive storytelling. Indie work teaches him agility and problem-solving. “Short films especially—they teach you how to be nimble. And that stays with you, no matter the project size.”
Alien: Earth – More than monsters
Though sworn to secrecy, Lawther reveals enough to stoke excitement about Alien: Earth. "What I really loved is how Noah Hawley makes something recognizably Alien, but also totally new," he says.
His character, a medic whose arc involves grief, memory, and the emotional complexity of artificial intelligence, gave him a rare challenge: balancing action with introspection. "It’s a sibling love story inside a sci-fi world. Not all guns and backflips."
Lawther also praises the ensemble cast, made up of talents from around the globe—from Bollywood stars to Australian indies to actors based between the UK and Gambia. "We all found ourselves in Thailand. That was surreal but beautiful."
The series, set to debut later this year, offers viewers a chance to sit longer with the existential questions previous Alien films only hinted at. "What does it mean to be human, or machine, or alien? The show really gives you the space to explore that."
Nemik lives on—and so does the Manifesto
Although his Andor character Karis Nemik dies early in the series, the young revolutionary’s writings live on—literally. The manifesto becomes a guiding force throughout season two, quoted in voiceovers and shared across the galaxy.
"I didn’t even get the manifesto when we were filming," Lawther admits. "Tony [Gilroy] was like, ‘Don’t worry about it.’ It was only during ADR that I finally saw it."
Fans have since printed the manifesto on t-shirts and shared it across forums. “It’s nice to know thoughtful storytelling can exist in huge franchises. It’s not all effects and explosions—there’s space for meaning too.”
At upcoming events like Comic-Con, where Lawther will appear to promote Alien, he hopes to meet Star Wars fans. “Maybe some with Nemik shirts—that would be brilliant.”
Reflecting on Black Mirror’s cultural relevance
Lawther’s breakout moment came in Black Mirror’s infamous “Shut Up and Dance,” an episode still discussed for its jarring twist. "I just remember wanting to be part of it. That twist? I skimmed past it at first, but the writing was so good."
He remains a fan of the series, praising its newest episodes for tackling AI and human psychology. “Charlie Brooker’s work is so full of dread—but it mirrors our relationship with tech in such a potent way.”
Would he return to the show? "They don’t really bring people back... except Will Poulter. I’m jealous of that." He jokes that if Charlie Brooker were to call him again, he’d love to appear in a new role—perhaps not as morally complex as his last.
Lawther also shared a few of his favorite episodes, including the haunting "Be Right Back" with Hayley Atwell, and the dystopian memory-control episode from season one. "That show is genius. And it’s aged so well."
The leap to directing: RHODA and lessons from the giants
Alongside acting, Lawther has stepped into the role of director. His second short film, RHODA, is currently on the festival circuit. Editing it while shooting Alien gave him a new appreciation for managing creative energy across projects.
When asked if he’s borrowed tips from directors he’s worked with—Ridley Scott, Wes Anderson, Charlie Brooker—he says their styles are so deeply personal, they’re difficult to emulate. "You end up learning more from how they carry themselves."
For Lawther, smaller-scale directors like Old Boys’ Toby MacDonald made a lasting impact. “It’s about staying calm, staying present. By the time you start a short, the train is already moving. You just try to guide it safely.”
On RHODA, working again with his DOP David Pimm and actress Emma D’Arcy, Lawther says he felt more confident offering creative suggestions. “It’s about doing the thing more and more, and slowly finding your footing.”
As RHODA prepares for screenings in Indianapolis and Los Angeles, Lawther is keeping an eye on what’s next. “Festivals are a place where films live and breathe for the first time,” he says. “It’s really humbling.”
Looking ahead
With Alien: Earth launching soon and RHODA making its rounds, Lawther shows no sign of slowing down. Whether he's on an epic studio set or filming guerrilla-style in France, his compass remains steady.
He even recalls a small keepsake he took from the Andor set—one of the faux-gold Star Wars credits used in the scene where Nemik is killed. "It’s just a plastic block with an insignia on it, but it means something to me."
Though he left Alien without a souvenir, he’s more focused on what’s to come. “Let’s see how the first season lands,” he says with a grin.
“Constraints or budgets aside,” he concludes, “you just try to stay honest to the work. That’s what carries you through.”
You can catch Alex Lawther in the upcoming FX series Alien: Earth and follow his directorial debut, RHODA, as it tours festivals in the U.S. this summer.