CYRIL NRI
Our Actor of the Year, who made such a dynamic impact in TV’s Cucumber, thinks his sexuality is no big deal. But Cyril Nri will talk about it one more time. Just for us
WORDS DAVID MCGILLIVRAY
Attitude Award Winner
ACTOR OF THE YEAR
PHOTOGRAPHY JOSEPH SINCLAIR
STYLING NICK BYAM
GROOMING SANDRA HADI
SUPPORTED BY Marriott
In the café of London’s National Theatre, where he’s appearing as the Governor of an Australian penal colony in a revival of Timberlake Wertenbaker’s 1988 play Our Country’s Good, Cyril Nri tells me that the photo shoot he’s just done to tie in with his Attitude Award was good fun. He liked his “James Bondy” dinner jacket. “But I’m not up against Idris for the part,” he’s quick to remind me. Nri appears sufficiently easy-going for me to ask if we can talk about anything. “Yes, I don’t think anything’s out of bounds,” he replies. Sex may rear its head, I caution him. “I’m sure it will,” he says resignedly.
Cyril wears suit by F&F, shirt by Burton
Over the next hour we talk about everything from the migrant crisis to opportunities in the UK for black actors. But sex comes up because how could it not? Nri starred as Lance, tragic victim of homophobia, in Cucumber, a TV drama that was criticised for having too much sex. Nri is on record as saying it’s the best thing he’s ever done. “It was, definitely,” he confirms, but adds with the modesty that dominates our conversation, “if anyone’s to thank for any awards it’s [writer] Russell T.