Hero Fiennes Tiffin On The Differences Of His Characters In First Love And After - Exclusive
There are some franchises that are perfect viewings for a girls' night in, rainy fall afternoons, and when you just want to have a good cry. We're thinking of the likes of the "Twilight" series, "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" — and what's the genre of romance series without the "After" quadrilogy?
Based on the written work of Anna Todd, "After" and its subsequent sequels have garnered a chorus of fans thanks to the steamy romance, twisted emotions, and intense heartbreak at the center of each chapter. The film's male lead, Hardin, is a Harry Styles-esque character who has a traumatized streak running through his core. The leading man is brought to life on screen by none other than Hero Fiennes Tiffin, the gorgeous and immensely talented British actor who has made all of us swoon with his intense eye contact and charming acting skills.
While Hardin may have ushered Tiffin into the romantic drama genre, the actor is breaking down barriers with his most recent work, "First Love." A far cry from his character in "After," Tiffin brings the lovable, patient, and perceptive character of Jim to the screen; he catches the eye of Sydney Park's Ann. The two embark on a story that embodies all the nostalgia of young love while presenting real-world issues — and the looming threat of college — to the screen. Ahead of the film's release, we sat down with Tiffin for an exclusive interview, and he dished about his two famous characters' differences.
Hero didn't want to be typecast in romance films, but the two characters are so contrasting
While so many of us know Hero Fiennes Tiffin for his early work in "Harry Potter" and his blockbuster-worthy performances in the "After" films, the Brit was wary of joining the cast of yet another romantic film. When we sat down with the actor, he told us that despite his initial hesitations, he was so taken by the project and the director's pitch that he had to jump on board. What's more is that the character of Jim is incredibly contrasting to "After" leading man Hardin.
"['First Love' is] such a different version and type of romance, totally, than 'After' is. Specifically, the character Jim is so different from Hardin. I figured, [I'm] not going to be doing coming-of-age films in [my] 40s. [I] have to take the roles while [I] can and make the most of it," Tiffin told us. "It's such a different film from 'After' that saying they're both romances is cool, but it doesn't really mean too much anyway, in terms of — I don't feel like I'm typecasting myself or playing into one type of character."
While initially "reluctant," he shared, Tiffin was chuffed to be embarking on such a distinct character.
Hero reflects on the completely opposite upbringings of his First Love and After roles
A main component of Hero Fiennes Tiffin's genre-defining performance as Hardin was the character's depth, darkness, and past experiences. Reflecting on such a role, Tiffin told us that Hardin and his "First Love" character, Jim, couldn't have come from more contrasting worlds, making his development as an actor an exciting process.
"Jim's had a really good upbringing and that's allowed him to be a really mature person who is patient and has the time and listens. He's aware he's got a lot more to learn than he already knows, which is a really wise thing to think at a young age," Tiffin shared, before acknowledging that Hardin's "difficult upbringing" made him far more harsh and reactive.
"It was always really compelling for me to always play a role that's different from the last," Tiffin continued, "but then specifically play a role within a romance that's so different."
"First Love" is now playing in select theaters and is available for rental and purchase on demand.