I
t’s the way all good stories
are supposed to go. After are supposed to go. After
studying architecture, Yahya studying architecture, Yahya
Abdul-Mateen II was Abdul-Mateen II was
working as a city planner working as a city planner
when he was laid off. But when he was laid off. But
acting had long been in the back acting had long been in the back
of his mind, and what some would of his mind, and what some would
see as a setback, the 30-year-old see as a setback, the 30-year-old
saw as an opportunity. “I didn’t saw as an opportunity. “I didn’t
want to have any regrets,” he says. want to have any regrets,” he says.
“I thought I’d give it three years “I thought I’d give it three years
and see if I could make and see if I could make
something of it.”something of it.”He did – graduating from He did – graduating from
the prestigious Yale School of the prestigious Yale School of
Drama and landing a role in Drama and landing a role in
Baz Luhrmann’s TV series Baz Luhrmann’s TV series
The Get DownThe Get Down. Earlier this year,. Earlier this year,
he appeared in he appeared in BaywatchBaywatch and is and is
currently in Australia filming his currently in Australia filming his
role as Black Manta in role as Black Manta in AquamanAquaman..
Next up, Abdul-Mateen is about Next up, Abdul-Mateen is about
to hit screens as trapeze artist Wto hit screens as trapeze artist WD D
WWheeler in big-screen musical, heeler in big-screen musical,
The Greatest ShowmanThe Greatest Showman, with Hugh , with Hugh
Jackman and Zac Efron. Safe to say Jackman and Zac Efron. Safe to say
things haven’t turned out too badly.things haven’t turned out too badly.portrait of the
(trapeze) artist
H E ’ S WOR K E D WI T H S OME OF H OL LY WOOD ’ S B I GGE S T
NNA MA ME S , B UE S , B UT YA H YA A B D UT YA H YA A B D UL - ML - MAT E E NAT E E N I I ’ S O V I I ’ S O VE R NE R NI GI GH T H T
S US UC CC CE S S H A S B E E NE S S H A S B E E N A D E C A D E I N A D E C A D E I N T H E M T H E MA K I NA K I NGG..GQ: You’re working with GQ: You’re working with
Zac Efron again. Are you Zac Efron again. Are you
good mgood mates now?ates now?
Yahya Abdul-MYahya Abdul-Mateen II: ateen II: Yeah, Yeah,
I’mI’m team teaming up with ming up with my guy, Zac. y guy, Zac.
It always helps to put you at ease It always helps to put you at ease
seeing somseeing some fame familiar faces. He iliar faces. He
actually FaceTimactually FaceTimed med me with e with
director, Mdirector, Michael Gracey, to ichael Gracey, to
let mlet me know that I got the job. e know that I got the job.
That was pretty exciting. That was pretty exciting.
GQ: Your career’s really taken GQ: Your career’s really taken
off. Does it feel like it’s all off. Does it feel like it’s all
happened pretty quickly?happened pretty quickly?
YA:YA: I dunno, m I dunno, man – it’s easy an – it’s easy
to assumto assume it’s been quick, but e it’s been quick, but
I probably have about 10 years I probably have about 10 years
of figuring this out and about of figuring this out and about
seven years of actually working seven years of actually working
towards it. I’ve been really towards it. I’ve been really
blessed to have somblessed to have some success, e success,
but it has been on mbut it has been on my my mind for ind for
a long tima long time.e.
GQ: People mGQ: People might recognise you ight recognise you
fromfrom The Get DownThe Get Down. W. What was it hat was it
like to work on?like to work on?
YA:YA: It’s interesting because with It’s interesting because with
The Greatest ShowmThe Greatest Showmanan, I felt , I felt
like I went fromlike I went from one circus to one circus to
another. Wanother. With Baz, everything is ith Baz, everything is
about the colours and the lights about the colours and the lights
and the theatrics. But the scale and the theatrics. But the scale
that we were working on also that we were working on also
mmade it really comade it really comfortable for fortable for
mme to step onto the big screen, e to step onto the big screen,
with with The Greatest ShowmThe Greatest Showmanan and and
AquamAquamanan. I felt like I had the. I felt like I had the
hang of it.hang of it.
GQ: Speaking of GQ: Speaking of AquamAquamanan, how’s , how’s
it all going?it all going?
YA:YA: It’s going great. The scale is It’s going great. The scale is
epic and this mepic and this movie is going to be ovie is going to be
so good! I can’t say too mso good! I can’t say too much, but uch, but
in the hands of [director] Jamin the hands of [director] James es
WWan and with Jason Man and with Jason Momomoa at oa at
the helmthe helm, I think people are going , I think people are going
to be really happy with it.to be really happy with it.
GQ: You play villain Black MGQ: You play villain Black Manta. anta.
Have you had to bulk up?Have you had to bulk up?
YA:YA: Yeah. It’s been about five Yeah. It’s been about five
days a week in the gymdays a week in the gym and doing and doing
fight training, too. I have a fight training, too. I have a
love-hate relationship with love-hate relationship with
working out. I do not enjoy the working out. I do not enjoy the
experience when I’mexperience when I’m doing it, but doing it, but
I never regret it. I think I’mI never regret it. I think I’m in the in the
best shape of mbest shape of my life. y life.
GQ: Enjoying your timGQ: Enjoying your time filme filming on ing on
the Gold Coast?the Gold Coast?
YA:YA: It’s just so low stress. I love it It’s just so low stress. I love it
and have been telling everyone and have been telling everyone
that if they ever get the chance that if they ever get the chance
they should comthey should come visit. I kind of e visit. I kind of
assumassumed all of Australia was like ed all of Australia was likethe Gold Coast – so I was telling
people Australians just work people Australians just work
out and go to the beach. Like, out and go to the beach. Like,
Australia has it figured out! But Australia has it figured out! But
then I went to Sydney and it was then I went to Sydney and it was
nothing like the Gold Coast – but nothing like the Gold Coast – but
I still loved it. I still loved it.
GQ: There’s a lot going on GQ: There’s a lot going on
in the States at the min the States at the momoment. ent.
Nice to get away?Nice to get away?
YA:YA: It is. I enjoy the chance to It is. I enjoy the chance to
take a physical break – and a take a physical break – and a
mmental break. It’s really given mental break. It’s really given me e
the opportunity to have somthe opportunity to have some e
perspective. But you can’t let it perspective. But you can’t let it
stay that way for too long stay that way for too long
because you risk becombecause you risk becoming ing
inactive about the things you inactive about the things you
care about. But I don’t mcare about. But I don’t miss the iss the
political mpolitical messiness of what’s essiness of what’s
going on over there. going on over there.
GQ: You’ve done architecture GQ: You’ve done architecture
and acting. Is politics next?and acting. Is politics next?
YA:YA: I don’t think I’d be directly I don’t think I’d be directly
involved in politics. But when involved in politics. But when
I was doing city planning, I was I was doing city planning, I was
involved in policy minvolved in policy making so I amaking so I am
very mvery much interested in quality uch interested in quality
housing for people of low housing for people of low
incomincome. I think everyone has e. I think everyone has
the right to a comthe right to a comfortable life fortable life
– that’s som– that’s something that I really ething that I really
care about.care about.
GQ: Now you’ve got a bit of GQ: Now you’ve got a bit of
a profile, do you feel the a profile, do you feel the
responsibility to get involved?responsibility to get involved?
YA:YA: I don’t necessarily feel a I don’t necessarily feel a
responsibility, but I have a desire responsibility, but I have a desire
to – it’s not burdensomto – it’s not burdensome for me for me. e.
I’mI’m very excited to see how I can very excited to see how I can
use the platformuse the platform I’ve been lucky I’ve been lucky
enough to acquire, to menough to acquire, to move ove
forward causes that I care about forward causes that I care about- and learn what other causes – and learn what other causes
there are out there that mthere are out there that might ight
not even be on mnot even be on my radar. y radar.
THE GREATEST SHOWTHE GREATEST SHOWMMANAN IS IS
IN CINEMIN CINEMAS ON DECEMAS ON DECEMBER 26BER 26
“I don’t
miss the
political
messiness
going
on over
there.”
FILMBASED ON A FEATURE BY GQ WRITER SEAN FLYNN ABOUT A BAND OF ELITE FIRE-FIGHTERS,
ONLY THE BRAVE, STARS JEFF BRIDGES AND MILES TELLER AND IS IN CINEMAS NOVEMBER 30.6 0 GGQQ. C O M. C O M. A U. A U MME N OE N OF T H E Y E A R 2 0 1 7F T H E Y E A R 2 0 1 7THE