Actor George MacKay has shared his favourite London spots, from an early morning walk by the Thames to a Sunday roast at the Bull & Last in Kentish Town.
Home and First Flat
MacKay, who grew up in Hammersmith, says home feels like an early morning walk by the river. “I’m an early riser and if I can get out before anyone else and have a minute by the river, that’s perfect. So I’d say home is an early morning somewhere along the Thames.”
His first London flat was in Kentish Town, not far from the Pineapple Pub. “Having grown up west, I thought I’d try north, and I have such fond memories of Kentish Town.”
First Job and Favourite Dates
MacKay’s first job was acting at age 10, in Peter Pan. “A casting lady came around to my school looking for lost boys and I guess a bunch of us looked lost. Suddenly we were embedded in an audition process and that’s how I got my first job that started me on the path.”
For a first date, he recommends the French House in Soho. “It’s a vibey spot and you can’t use your phone in there, which I think is helpful for a first date. There’s a great energy to that pub, there’s an intimacy to it.”
Food, Exercise and Mayor for a Day
His best meal in London is the Sunday roast at the Bull & Last in Kentish Town. He exercises at Pure Gym, noting, “For actors, there’s something about staying in the middle of being in shape then you can kind of go up or down into whatever a role asks for.”
If he were Mayor for the day, he would make all public transport free. His most iconic Londoner is Marc Bolan, who “very sadly died not too far from where I grew up in west London.”
Current Work
MacKay stars in The Animals, a short film premiering at the London Film Festival. Written and directed by Calvin Dunbar, it follows a man in the seven-year itch stage of his relationship. “It’s about insecurity, masculinity, couples… Calvin’s got his own voice, it’s surreal and funny and packs a punch.”
The Animals has its world premiere at the 70th BFI London Film Festival on October 16.
