Between truth and tenderness: Alexander Lincoln on queer visibility, indie cinema and emotional storytelling

British actor Alexander Lincoln reflects on queer intimacy, creative freedom and the power of untold stories, as he builds a career rooted in emotional truth and quiet, radical visibility.

Alexander Lincoln carries a kind of grounded intensity that doesn’t demand attention—it earns it. Since his rise through mainstream British television in ‘Emmerdale’, he’s become a quietly disruptive force in independent cinema, choosing roles that centre emotional nuance and queer intimacy. His performance in ‘In From the Side’ unlocked a wave of global recognition, not just for his craft, but for the kind of stories he chooses to champion.

“It was an experience that shaped me in many ways,” he reflects, speaking about the film’s resonance following its release on Netflix. “I always knew how many people struggled to join in sport from a young age, but hearing from so many who said the film shifted their perspective… that’s been truly wonderful.”

His shift from mainstream to deeply personal films hasn’t been accidental. At BFI Flare, one of the UK’s most celebrated queer festivals, Lincoln’s latest project ‘A Night Like This’ debuted to acclaim. The story—built around two strangers trying to make sense of their lives in one shared night—offered something rare in queer cinema: quiet, unresolved loneliness. “They obviously don’t get it right,” he says, describing his character Oliver with equal parts affection and frustration. “But at its core, it’s a film about connection. It unpacks a sense of loneliness in a way I’ve not seen before.”

Beyond acting, Lincoln has stepped into producing, building projects from the ground up. He sees it not as a career strategy, but as a natural evolution of his creative instincts. “I’ve always been fascinated by how things get made,” he explains. “As I also write, producing felt like the natural next step. What excites me most is telling stories that haven’t yet been told—uncovering truths in characters that were lost, or not yet created.”

“What excites me most is telling stories that haven’t yet been told—uncovering truths in characters that were lost, or not yet created.”

Alexander Lincoln

That drive to uncover the universal in the specific runs through everything he does. When choosing a role, he looks for resonance rather than spectacle. “I often don’t feel we’re all that different—our hearts and heads feel the same things. It’s the lives we live that set us apart. That’s what I look for in a script: how and why I relate to this person.”

While many of his recent projects centre LGBTQIA+ narratives, Lincoln pushes against the industry’s tendency to categorise. “So many queer stories I’ve done are just genuinely interesting from a character perspective,” he says. “But there’s still this push to label everything—this film is for this group, that film is for another. I don’t think that helps us move forward. I want to see films that are for everyone, so we can all grow together.”

One of his latest projects, ‘The Groomsmen’, is a romantic queer trilogy co-starring Jonathan Bennett of ‘Mean Girls’ fame. Shot in Bulgaria, the experience felt like summer magic. “It’s a lovely little story, and shooting in the sun all summer? I thought—absolutely YES,” he laughs. “Jonathan and the whole team were incredible. It was such a joy.”

Outside the screen, Lincoln doesn’t court fashion headlines, nor does he chase endorsement deals—though the idea isn’t entirely off the table. “I haven’t really thought about brand partnerships, if I’m honest,” he shrugs. “I’m not a fashion guy. Jeans and a T-shirt—that’s my vibe. But I do love hiking, so maybe something along those lines could work.”

Lincoln has also been refreshingly transparent about not identifying as straight—a choice that has offered visibility but also brought industry challenges. “People tend to see you as a thing and cast accordingly,” he says. “That’s why so many keep their personal lives private. You want to be seen as an actor—not a brand. But increasingly, ‘the brand’ is what you’re selling. It’s a difficult line.”

Looking back on his younger self, just stepping into the industry, Lincoln offers no grand manifesto—just a quiet, steady wisdom: “Embrace every single moment, enjoy the bad times—they’re part of it. Don’t overthink. Trust your gut. The world keeps spinning.”

And so does he—through stories yet to be told, through characters that demand tenderness, and through a career shaped by the courage to be fully, beautifully human.

Credits:
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Photo by @benjamindmoxham
Styling by @maki.so_
Grooming by @travisnuneshair