Harris Dickinson and Drew Starkey didn’t just show up to star in their latest buzzy projects—they brought the drama, the tea, and apparently some very intense eye contact.
Let’s set the scene: Harris, the 28-year-old heartthrob from Where the Crawdads Sing, gets paired with Nicole Kidman in Babygirl (cue dramatic music). Meanwhile, Drew, the 31-year-old smoldering stare champion from Outer Banks, cozies up with none other than Daniel Craig in the romantically charged Queer. Honestly, these pairings are so star-studded you’d think someone threw darts at a Hollywood A-list board and called it casting.
Now, as part of Variety’s “Actors on Actors” series, Harris and Drew are dishing out all the behind-the-scenes deets on what it’s like to act opposite living legends—and spoiler alert—it involves a lot of nerves and even more “figuring it out as we go.”
Harris & Nicole: A Mystery Duo
First up, Harris recalls reading the script for Babygirl. His initial reaction? Sheer panic, naturally. “You start spiraling into that, ‘Am I even good enough?’ black hole,” he confessed, probably while nervously sipping tea. Lucky for him, the film’s director, Halina Reijn, had a pep talk ready, and oh yeah, Nicole freaking Kidman was already on board. No pressure, though.
Harris described Nicole as “intimidating,” which is Hollywood-speak for “she’s Nicole freaking Kidman.” But plot twist: their lack of prep time before filming actually worked in their favor. “We didn’t really know each other. That little mystery added to the tension of the characters,” Harris explained. Translation: they winged it, and it somehow worked.
The role also required them to bring humor into the mix—because nothing screams “Oscar bait” like a little chuckle in between emotional breakdowns. Harris was all about that balance, saying, “You need that humor to undercut the tension.” Because when life gives you Nicole Kidman, you make Babygirl.
Drew & Daniel: Shaken, Not Stirred Chemistry
Over on the Queer set, Drew was dealing with his own brand of intimidation: walking into a table read with Daniel Craig. Yes, Mr. Bond himself. Casual.
Drew didn’t mince words about their first meeting. “We met at the table read, mumbled a quick ‘Hey,’ and then BOOM—straight into reading the script out loud,” he said. It’s giving “first day of school group project.”
What about their chemistry? You know, that “dirty word” in the acting world? Drew said they skipped the awkward chemistry talks and just went for it, which sounds either genius or like a recipe for disaster. Luckily, Daniel turned out to be a dream costar. “He’s super open and makes you feel like an equal,” Drew gushed. Equal?! Sir, this is Daniel Craig we’re talking about. But hey, if James Bond wants to share his insecurities with you, you take it.
Final Thoughts
If there’s one thing we’ve learned here, it’s that A-list chemistry is apparently 90% vibes and 10% preparation. Harris and Drew may have started these projects intimidated and unsure, but they ended up delivering performances that have everyone buzzing.
And honestly? We’re just jealous we didn’t get to be a fly on the wall for all the awkward first meetings, intense staring matches, and probably a lot of craft services coffee breaks. Bravo, boys. Bravo.
