Now starring as Romeo in a new adaptation by Julian Fellowes, the young actor who turned heads as Pip in 'Great Expectations' talks with Francesca Babb about backstage London and his love affair with Italy...
Where have you just come back from? Right now I'm in New York, but only for three days. I was here at the end of last year too, shooting Darren Aronofsky's next movie, Noah. Then I went home to London, then to the Maldives, then back to London to shoot another movie, and now here again. So the Maldives was a much-needed holiday between jobs.
Name a place that most lived up to the hype New York. I was told it's a great urban jungle, and it is. I feel like a badger in a warren and only come out into sunlight in Central Park. You can completely lose yourself in New York and have a lot of fun.
And the place that most disappointed? My grandfather was Spanish and there are some parts of southern Spain that just don't feel like Spain at all. But drive into the mountains, into Las Alpujarras, and it's beautiful. I went mountain-biking around the Sierra Nevada once. You just think, 'Everybody's going to the wrong place!'
Which is your favourite city? London. Not just because it's home, but because it's so diverse. I love cities with tales to tell and every little corner of London is interesting. I live near Bermondsey Street, and I never tire of my views of the river.
Which is your road most travelled? Literally, the road between my house and my girlfriend's. On a plane, it's London to LA or London to New York, for my job. My best friend lives in Los Angeles and I love going there. It's laid-back with great weather and brilliant sushi restaurants like Katsuya (www.sbe.com/katsuya) in the Valley. And I love the original Nobu (www.noburestaurants.com/los-angeles).
Describe your favourite view I think the Alps are very beautiful. And Yellowstone or Yosemite: those mountain views make me feel happy and free.
What's your guilty pleasure? I love theme parks: the scarier the ride, the better. In Las Vegas there's one at the New York New York hotel that sticks out the side of the building. That's terrifying. I'd love to do a world hop around theme parks to see which one scares me the most.
Describe a memory from a childhood holiday We once travelled across the west of the USA in an RV, from LA to Vegas and up through the Rockies, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon. I remember sitting in Yellowstone one morning having my breakfast, overlooking this gorgeous river and there were bison roaming by. This cocky gentleman thought he could get up close to take a photograph and I sat there laughing into my Coco Pops as he got chased. It was probably a very dangerous situation, but as a kid I found it hilarious.
Where did you go on your first holiday without your parents? I'm a terrible surfer, but I went to Portugal on a surf camp. My mum made me sign this fake contract before I could go: I won't drink too much; I won't take drugs; I'll be careful; I'll never go into the sea on my own. That was when I was 15. Nowadays, I'm allowed to travel without signing anything. But my surfing hasn't improved.
Tell us about a great little place you know In London, Maltby Street Market on a Saturday (www.maltby.st) is cool. I think it was set up because people were getting sick of the prices at Borough Market. Bea's of Bloomsbury at Maltby Street (www.beasofbloomsbury.com) is amazing for breakfast and Little Bird Gin (www.littlebirdgin.com) does incredible breakfast martinis.
Which is the smartest hotel you've ever stayed in? I've stayed at both Four Seasons hotels in the Maldives - Kuda Huraa and Landaa Giraavaru - and they were beautiful. The service is amazing, the food is great and the staff… You can get anything you want. 'Oh, I'm just going to go and jet-ski with the dolphins.' I was in heaven.
'I lost my heart in...' Italy, just outside Rome when I was filming Romeo and Juliet. People are paid €120 to adopt a stray dog, but the problem is they do it for the money and then don't look after them. There was one puppy someone had let loose but wouldn't let him go fully, because they wouldn't have got their money. I had to leave him behind and it was terribly sad.
Confess to one thing you've taken from a hotel room I've sometimes swiped shampoos for my gran, and I often keep toothbrushes because they're very handy when people come to stay.
Who is the most interesting person you've met on your travels? I went on an amazing safari in Tanzania and we had a guide called Hilary, who was brilliant. We would sit round the campfire at night and he would tell us stories. I think I drove him mad because we were there for the migration, and every time we saw 10 zebra, or buffalo, I'd be going, 'Is that the migration, is that the migration?' When we did see it, there were millions. I was like, 'Oh that's the migration.'
What do you pack first? An adaptor. Then underpants. Double the amount I think I'll need.
Which foreign phrase do you use most often? Ou est la toilette? I always need a wee, and that's the only other language I know how to say it in.
Most regrettable holiday souvenir? I do have a fly swat made out of cow-tail hair I don't think I've used. And a couple of Maasai clubs I haven't had the opportunity to hit anybody round the head with yet. They're very beautiful, but they are in a cupboard.
'Romeo and Juliet' starring Douglas Booth as Romeo is in cinemas now. Published in Condé Nast Traveller [/i] September 2013. Related stories
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