The actor opens up to L&rsquo;OFFICIEL about the physicality of her role, working with action legends Charlize Theron and Uma Thurman, and how the Netflix movie&rsquo;s message of mortality inspires her to think about her own.

PHOTOGRAPHY Kevin Sinclair
STYLING Oretta Corbelli
Warning: spoilers ahead.&nbsp;
When The Old Guard first dropped on Netflix in July 2020, the action-fantasy film based on Greg Rucka&rsquo;s comic book was an overnight sensation. Sure, it blissfully delivered some much-needed peak-pandemic entertainment in the form of immortal mercenaries with inexplicable healing capabilities. But it also stood out thanks to its thoughtfully layered plot, as well as its unprecedented representation of queer superhero characters. Today, Charlize Theron, Kiki Layne, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and the rest of the regenerative gang officially return in The Old Guard 2, and you&rsquo;d better believe that things are about to get even more intense in the sequel.
Layne&rsquo;s former Marine Corps character, Nile, kicks the plot into motion when she has a vision of an unknown woman. As the group of warriors set out to find the mysterious stranger, danger lurks around every corner&mdash;and, naturally, death-defying stunts abound. &ldquo;One of my favorite things about playing this part is getting to tap into my own strength and physicality in ways that I don't day to day,&rdquo; she tells L&rsquo;OFFICIEL. &ldquo;It's just cool how this film puts women at the forefront, and to see so many people get behind a story where women are really kicking some ass.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Kicking ass, indeed. In addition to Layne and Theron&mdash;who stars as the Old Guard&rsquo;s leader, Andy&mdash;Uma Thurman joins the cast as Discord, the first of the immortals and the sequel&rsquo;s main villain. For Layne, who made her Hollywood debut in the critically-acclaimed 2018 Barry Jenkins drama If Beale Street Could Talk, sharing the screen with the Kill Bill and Mad Max legends was a gift in itself. &ldquo;Working with Charlize and Uma was unbeatable, especially given what they represent for women in action,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;To see them go head to head was insane, and as a fan of the action genre, my mind was blown. I&rsquo;m really living my dream by working alongside some of the most impactful and inspiring women in this business.&rdquo;
In keeping with its predecessor, The Old Guard 2 explores themes of mortality and legacy. Layne, for her part, believes that there&rsquo;s one universal takeaway. &ldquo;The message of, What are we doing with the time that we've been given, and where are we finding purpose in our lives? has stuck with me from the first film to the second,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve really been wrestling with that and trying to look at my own life and examine whether or not I&rsquo;m using the time that I've been given in a way that feels meaningful or joyful.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Photography by Kevin Sinclair

Now, she&rsquo;s finding joy by celebrating the film&rsquo;s release&mdash;as well as her recent engagement to her Don&rsquo;t Worry Darling co-star Ari&rsquo;el Stachel. Here, she opens up to L&rsquo;OFFICIEL about her approaches to storytelling, representation, and, of course, wedding planning.&nbsp;
L&rsquo;OFFICIEL: The stunts in the sequel are next-level, and on top of that, you're playing a former Marine. How did you prepare physically for the role?
KIKI LAYNE: It's a lot of time in the gym. Strength training, cardio, just trying to get into better shape. It's exciting for me as an actor, though&mdash;I see it as part of character building. It's intense, but it's fun. I got to do a stunt where I climbed up the side of a villa, jumped to a flag, and went swinging through the window. All of that was me, which was cool. But obviously we're super grateful to our stunt team and our stunt doubles, who show up for us if it's something that's too dangerous. 
L&rsquo;O: The first film was directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood; the sequel is directed by Victoria Mahoney. Did that creative shift change the dynamic or tone at all?
KL: Every artist brings a new energy. So in welcoming Vic into the fold&mdash;along with Henry [Golding] and Uma&mdash;it was really cool to see how the ensemble just grows and blossoms and makes space for all of these artists. We love each other, and that's really wonderful&mdash;and it&rsquo;s not always the norm on these big Hollywood film sets. I also think it's special that Charlize and her company, Skydance [Media]&mdash;as well as Netflix and Marc Evans Productions&mdash;are giving Black women directors an opportunity that they don't often get. 
L&rsquo;O: Charlize&rsquo;s character is often a mentor to yours. Does that dynamic translate off-camera? Or was there anything you learned by watching her or Uma?&nbsp;
KL: Of course. When you're working with legends, you're always going to learn something. For me, it was just watching their commitment to sharp storytelling: Spending time with Uma&mdash;really looking at a scene, breaking it down, making sure we're on the same page about it&mdash;and watching Charlize be the lead of this film, while also balancing being a producer and a mom was important for me to see. Just being able to stand beside them, and to watch and learn from them so intimately&hellip;really, there's no way you can't grow when you're working with icons.

Courtesy of Netflix.

L&rsquo;O: You share a major storyline with Uma, along with some intense scenes. How does it feel to be able to say, &ldquo;Uma Thurman stabbed me through the heart&rdquo;?
KL: It's pretty cool! It's an honor. It's amazing to have them introduce this new character played by Uma, and to see Nile's storyline become so beautifully intertwined with hers. I think that knowing I&rsquo;d get to do some really special scenes with her was the best part.
L&rsquo;O: In the movie&rsquo;s final moments, we learn that Nile possesses a larger power in the grand scheme of things. How do you think she&rsquo;ll move forward, if the story continues with a third film?
KL: Nile&rsquo;s a fighter, period. Obviously it ends with Quinn and Andy setting up to go after the gang, but we can't forget that, in the first film, it was Nile who came back and really set in motion rescuing the team. And so that is definitely something that I would be looking forward to if we get a number three. I really hope that I&rsquo;d get to fight Uma. That would be the highlight of number three for me.
L&rsquo;O: What did you do after a long day of filming such intense action scenes? KL: I would take a beautiful bath with some Epsom salt. I had to soak every single muscle, because everything hurt. Things that I didn't even know were part of my anatomy were in pain. We were also shooting in Rome in the middle of the summer and it was so hot. I was trying to run into that air conditioning wherever I could find it just to cool down and try to manage the sweat.
L&rsquo;O: Does filming this kind of story make you think about your own mortality at all?
KL: It definitely comes up. Even though you see this group of people and they've been given this gift&mdash;or what some might call a curse&mdash;of immortality, they still have to wrestle with so many of the things that we wrestle with day to day. They're experiencing loss. They are trying to figure out the purpose of the time that they've been given, and it just so happens they've been given a lot more time. But I think we all ask those types of questions about what we are doing with this time and what will be our legacy, impact on, or contribution to the world. We all thought deeply about that, and it's reflected in our performances. I think that's what really resonates with our audiences, because it feels very human.

Photography courtesy of Netflix.

L&rsquo;O: Is there a superpower you wish you had?
KL: I wish I could speak every single language on the planet fluently. Just being able to travel and communicate&hellip;I mean, maybe that's kind of lame as a superpower. But it would be so cool to really know every language that well.&nbsp;&nbsp;
L&rsquo;O: Acting-wise, how do you approach a role like this compared to a role in something like 2024&rsquo;s Dandelion or 2018&rsquo;s If Beale Street Could Talk?
KL: I always try to figure out what parts of me are already in alignment with the character that I'm trying to understand, and what parts are out of alignment. In Dandelion, I play a musician. And I am a songwriter [in real life], so I can connect very deeply to that. But with Nile, I am nowhere near as physical as this woman. I have to get honest with myself about that and understand what work I need to do. Sometimes I think actors go too far and we end up harming our instruments in service of character, and that's not the way to go, either. You&rsquo;ve got to find that balance.
L&rsquo;O: Is there a common thread among the roles you&rsquo;ve been choosing recently?
KL: I like to stretch myself and do different things, but if anything, the thread is just trying to represent for Black women as best as I can. Trying to go after things that maybe aren't the norm for where we are seen&mdash;even leading an action film, we're getting a few more moments of that recently, but it still is not common. And usually in a music film starring a Black person, it's going to be about R&amp;B, hip-hop, or blues. So for Dandelion, what does it mean to see a Black woman performing Folk Americana? I'm thinking about the representation that I'm giving to the world, and about how a dark-skinned Black woman can be seen.
L&rsquo;O: Whose career has inspired you?
KL: Viola Davis, for sure. She's someone who, every time I see her onscreen, I feel like I see myself being reflected back to me. I think that's incredibly important. And then Will Smith and Charlize, too, because of the versatility of their careers. They've done so many different genres, and that's really something that I want in my own career. Just to be an actor who you can believe exists in so many different worlds.

Photo by Kevin Sinclair, courtesy of KiKi Layne.

L&rsquo;O: You also just got engaged in May, so congratulations are in order. Are you excited for your bridal era? What kind of bride do you think you're going to be?
KL: If this man and I can actually start the planning&hellip;[laughs]. I have no idea. I keep getting stumped on the guest list, as soon as I start. I have a big family and I'm like, I cannot invite all of y'all. No way. So, yeah, I don't know what's happening. Ari are not the strongest planners.
L&rsquo;O: Have you started the wedding dress-shopping journey?&nbsp;
KL: I'm trying to get it together, because I'm known to be incredibly last-minute. You would think I wouldn&rsquo;t be for the wedding, but I'm making no promises.
L&rsquo;O: You met your fianc&eacute; on the set of the 2022 film Don't Worry Darling, which saw its fair share of scandals in the press. What kind of place does that project hold in your heart?
KL: I guess it holds the reminder that everything happens for a reason. You may go into something and think it's going to be one thing, and then it becomes another. But it doesn't take away the meaning of that moment. Nothing can take away the fun and joy that I had, and, of course, meeting the love of my life. I definitely hold that as a source of perspective when things don't go the way I thought they would, but I'm always where I'm supposed to be&mdash;no matter what's in or out of my control. So that's the place that project will always hold for me. Like, it brought me my man! No complaints.

For KiKi Layne, 'The Old Guard 2' Is All About Legacy

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