Entertainment
I Want To Be Lucy Boynton's BFF
The Politician is a star-studded satire bringing names like Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Platt, and Bette Midler to Netflix in September 2019. But there are a few less familiar faces you need to learn about. You should be wondering who plays Astrid on The Politician because she's running against Payton (Ben Platt) for president of Saint Sebastian High School and she's totally giving me some Tracy Flick in Election vibes. Watch out, Reese Witherspoon.
The actress' name is Lucy Boynton. She began her career playing a young Beatrix Potter (with Renée Zellweger playing her older self) in 2006's Miss Potter, the life story of the author of The Tale of Peter Rabbit. She then starred on other period shows like Sense & Sensibility, plus several TV movies before landing a guest spot on the UK version of Law & Order.
She's also no stranger to Netflix, having starred in the 2017 thriller Gypsy opposite Naomi Watts — about a psychologist who becomes obsessed with her patients. Anyone who dare take on Ben Platt in a high school election ought to be tough, so I did some digging to learn more about his opposition.
She's Played An Iconic Muse
Boynton portrayed Freddie Mercury's real-life love Mary Austin in the 2018 biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. After Mercury came out to Austin, they remained friends until Mercury's death. He left her half of his estate, according to the Daily Mail.
Boynton told Bustle that playing Austin taught her a profound lesson about love. She found "the understanding that if you do have that very solid and strong foundation, you don't really need to define your love or define your relationship."
If you believe in breakout years, 2018 was Boynton's. Bohemian Rhapsody and her role as Austin put her on everyone's radar despite 10+ years in the business.
She Was Raised In England
Boynton was born in New York but raised in England as you can probably tell from her accent. Her aesthetic definitely gives me British vibes, but there's no denying some East Coast influence. She told Glamour her favorite show is Bob's Burgers. Seriously, how are we not best friends yet?
She's Skeptical Of Instagram
Boynton is not afraid to push fashion boundaries — as is obvious from the image above. But she recently told Vogue Australia that while her classic yet eclectic vibes show through on her Instagram feed, she uses the platform cautiously. "I think... it's kind of… not really conducive to our job," she said. "An actor's job is to encourage you to suspend your disbelief that we are this or that, and so then to present so heavily on social media doesn't really make sense to me. So I try and use it in a measured way.”
She's Dating Former Co-Star Rami Malek
Boynton and Bohemian Rhapsody co-star Rami Malek met on set and obviously formed a unique bond on screen as Austin and Mercury that continued off-screen.
Boynton told Porter that watching him work has helped her grow as an actress, which is what makes the pairing especially interesting. “I’d never really seen that in a lead actor before, being involved in every corner," she said. "I’ve tried to do that, being more aware. I think I’ve become more opinionated and I’ve got a better vocabulary, in terms of understanding a project, and my own tastes.”
No matter who's by her side, Boynton has proven she has a great instinct for choosing her roles. Who doesn't love a teenage Californian politician?
The Politician is streaming now on Netflix.
