This young British powerhouse is poised to shine and she is deservingly enjoying it all.
PHOTOS: Joseph Sinclair
TALENT: Ruby Stokes
STYLING: Brillant Nyansago
MAKEUP: Sara Hill at The Wall Group
HAIR: Davide Barbieri at A-Frame Agency
WORDS & POLAROIDS: Jasmine Perrier
STYLIST ASSISTANT: Ilaria Guerra
SPECIAL THANKS: Shelter PR
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Ruby Stokes is unlocking success
The interview and photos in this story were conducted before the SAG-AFTRA strike.
“I was a little bit shy as a kid,” Stokes confesses, recalling how she accidentally found her way to acting. It’s hard to imagine that when the 23-year-old shows up right on time for our meeting, appears self-assured, and eventually almost apologizes for “waffling.” According to her, it all goes back to the youth club that she attended during childhood to gain confidence. “Being around like-minded people was enlightening. It was all-encompassing, and I loved singing and dancing.” Growing up in Hackney, she was introduced to a wide array of creative influences early on. “I remember the first time my parents showed me a music video of The Black Keys — it was Everlasting Light and I was like 10. That was the first time I watched something and absorbed it. I remember I played it in my classroom, we had to play like a living party. When he put his middle fingers up in the air, my teacher was like, ‘You need to turn that off right now.’ And I was like, ‘It’s the Black Keys!’” She cites Dolly Parton as a figure she looks up to. “I spent years growing up with her music in my house, so how was that not going to have an influence on me? She is true to herself and true to where she came from, and I think that’s really cool.”
Whether Stokes acts on camera or talks about her job, it is undeniable that passion and dedication shine through her eyes. As natural as it was, it didn’t take long for her to be in her element and get her foot in the door. “[As a kid] I did some stuff on and off but as a hobby,” she explains. “I auditioned for a series on BBC [Just William] and I got the role of the grumpy girl. I thought, ‘I hope it’s not reflective of my disposition,’” she laughs. When she decided to take her craft to the next level at 15, she didn’t have a plan B. “When I was in school, my friends would be like, ‘I don’t know what I want to do,’ and there is such a huge amount of pressure on young people at the age of 16 and 18. I was very lucky that I didn’t necessarily have that feeling because my parents asked me what I wanted to do and signed me up to clubs to give me a huge scope of understanding of what I enjoyed and what I didn’t.” She adds, “I don’t think they can think of anything worse than being in front of a camera [but] I don’t think I would be in the position that I am now if it wasn’t for my parents. I worked hard but they were also very encouraging. Not everybody has that.”
It was an especially thrilling beginning of the year for the actor who fronted Netflix’s Lockwood & Co., based on the young adult book series by Jonathan Stroud. “It’s been heartwarming to see people enjoying it and loving it because of how much love I and everybody else involved in creating the show poured into it,” she says. “I did have a moment of, ‘That’s insane,’ when they released a new version of the Lockwood & Co. first book and my face was on it.” Shortly after its release, the supernatural thriller series topped the Netflix streaming charts and made waves with rave reviews and Stokes’ compelling performance. Despite that, it was announced in May that they ultimately did not renew the beloved fantasy show. “People have been very kind and I’ve had some very encouraging and supportive messages on social media. I think there is no show or no film without an audience or a fanbase.” Her psychically gifted character, Lucy Carlyle, portrayed fierceness, ambition, and cool-headedness. It gave the performer a chance to tap into her youthful energy, creativity, and physicality as she was taught sword fighting and trained in stage combat and movement. “It’s the beauty of the job,” she says. “I’ve never had the opportunity to work so intensely on a job before. I was in for nine months, so it was a unique experience where I learned a lot as an actor — what it’s like to be on a set all day, every day, how to pace myself, and I can see myself going on this journey from episode 1 to episode 4. I grew in confidence and ability.”
A couple of months after wrapping Lockwood & Co., the rising star went on to film The Burning Girls, a six-part series based on the novel of the same name by C.J. Tudor. “In this village, it appears quite tranquil and serene but it is not as it seems,” she describes. “It’s quite different from Lockwood. It’s older and the character is quite different from myself, so that was a fun challenge to play.” In the Paramount+ thriller, the actress shows off darker hair, playing the daughter of a Reverend (Samantha Morton) that the show revolves around. “It’s really nice to work with people a little bit older than yourself because you learn from them and you are just soaking up.” She refers to her experience as Francesca Bridgerton on the set of Shonda Rhimes’ period drama, where she felt valued alongside her co-stars like Ruth Gemmell and Luke Thompson. “I think people who often make a mark on me are people who treat you with such genuine sincerity. When people show genuine interest in you, it teaches you a lesson of, ‘Wow, I want to make people feel the way that that person made me feel.’”
As she rides the wave, she doesn’t want to close any door. “I am yet to play someone vastly different from myself, like someone dark,” she says. For now, she just wants people to enjoy what she is able to bring to the table. “You’re always thinking, ‘When is the next thing?’ But I love working and I love being stimulated creatively in that way.” Reflecting on the type of material that piques her curiosity going forward, she adds, “I’d love one day to do a biopic, like Madonna or Dolly Parton,” before being enthusiastic at the prospect of experiencing theater. A few months later, she was at the Orange Tree Theatre to make her theatrical debut in That Face. “I think that’s a different entity within itself. You get a rehearsal process, you are part of a company, and then you go on stage every night and find a new way to do the same thing.” Next up for Stokes is Beth Steel’s Till the Stars Come Down, playing at the National Theatre in the Dorfman from January 24. As established during our conversation, music has always been a personal enjoyment for her, but when asked if she would do a musical, she replies, “Are you joking? I love musicals but I think I need some singing training first [laughs]. I’d love to play more instruments like playing piano. Maybe I’d love to take that forward and do it within a project.”
In regards to her blooming career, life hasn’t changed overnight for Ruby Stokes. “I still bump along on the tube and have fun. I think that’s important that you can still get on with your everyday life.” In fact, she remains calm and approaches each project without too much intimidation. “I didn’t necessarily feel a whole pressure [working on Lockwood & Co.]. I think once you get the ball rolling on something, you are so entrenched in that world. I was just at work doing my thing, loving life, and having fun learning and absorbing so much. I’m excited for the future.”
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