Nicola Peltz Beckham Is Officially in Her Director Era

With her new film Lola, the actor steps behind the camera and shows the world she’s just getting started.

“You had cell phones, and they made communication much easier, but they didn’t take over your entire life,” says Nicola Peltz Beckham emphatically, as we momentarily steep ourselves in nostalgia.

We’re connecting by phone—she’s in L.A., and I’m in New York City—and the topic is 2002, the year when her new film, Lola, takes place. It’s a soulful and, at times, painful story that’s, at its core, about coming of age. And after six years of work to bring this story to audiences—it’s her first foray into directing and writing—Peltz Beckham is ready to bask in her triumph.

“I’m feeling a lot of different things,” she says. “I’m honestly so excited for everyone to finally be able to see it. I wrote it when I was 23, and it’s been such a labor of love. I’ve put my heart and soul into it.”

The powerful story follows a teenage girl working to protect her younger brother from their chaotic reality. The themes were borne from a creative exercise Peltz Beckham practiced with her acting coach. “Every time I prepare for an acting role and a character, I do journaling as my character—it’s a private thing, and Nancy [Banks] is the only person who reads it,” she details. “Through that, I realized I love writing and that it’s therapeutic for me. I’ve always been curious about expanding my writing, but I honestly didn’t plan on writing a script.”

But that’s exactly what she did—creating the characters first, writing the story in chronological order, and then tweaking once the ending became clear. And she didn’t plan to direct Lola either. Her producer was the first person who planted the seed that she was the right person to step behind the camera.

“I really wanted to find a female director because I wanted that feminine touch and a woman’s perspective,” she says. “But then people were [suggesting] I should direct because I know the characters better than anyone else. I always wanted to direct, but never in a million years did I think I’d do it in something I wrote and acted in. I just jumped in and did it.”

In the movie, Peltz Beckham acts alongside powerhouse Virginia Madsen who plays her mother; Being Mary Jane actor Raven Goodwin as Lola’s BFF Babina; and The Watcher actor Luke David Blumm who is her little brother, Arlo. And, as she’s been on set since she was 13 years old, she wanted to take her experiences and create a safe space, especially for the close, on-screen relationship she has with Blumm.

“I wanted my actors to feel safe to take risks in scenes,” she says. “I didn’t want Luke to feel like he was acting with ‘his director’ or like I was judging him. So before we started filming, we hung out together, painted each other’s toenails, beaded together, and got those moments to bond.

He’s so raw and incredible in Lola. I can’t wait for people to see his performance. I never felt he was holding back in a scene and I really tried to create that kind of environment for him, and for everyone.”

Safety was key as Peltz Beckham took generational trauma head-on in her storytelling. “At the end, when Mona says, ‘I said the same thing when I was pregnant with you,’ it shows you Mona has awful moments, but she wasn’t always like that,” she says. “She is a human and a mom and she’s trying, though that doesn’t mean it’s in the right way. It shows a bit of her past, and I think it’s super interesting when you get to see a bit of how other characters relate to the main characters. If this story was from Mona’s point of view and it was called Mona instead of Lola, people would understand her better.”

Assembling an incredible crew was also a big goal of Peltz Beckham’s. “John Papsidera, the casting director, was the first person who signed on to my project before anyone else, and I’ve been auditioning for him since I was 14 years old,” she says. “He’s cast all the Christopher Nolan films, so he’s incredible. Obviously, Virginia, who, in each scene, is such a beautiful actress. Quincy Jones and Mervyn Warren did the score, which was an absolute dream and an honor. To watch them was a wild and massive learning experience I will forever treasure.”

The film isn’t the only milestone in her life lately, as Peltz Beckham just celebrated her 29th birthday with a cozy pajama party surrounded by her loved ones. The heartfelt moment was a surprise, as those close to her know she’s not big on birthdays. She spent the day with some of her closest friends in one of her favorite places: Sephora. “It was our big event of the day,” Peltz Beckham laughs. Then, the PJ party went down the next night, thanks to very careful planning from husband Brooklyn Peltz Beckham, best friend Selena Gomez, and Gomez’s boyfriend Benny Blanco. “They know I love staying in and being in PJs, so they did a pajama party, which was so thoughtful,” she recalls.

But as a beauty girlie, I had to back up and get the tea on what went down in Sephora, of course. “It was me, Ang [Peltz Beckham's best friend], and Gracie [Teefey, Gomez’s little sister], and obviously, the first stop was Rare Beauty,” Peltz Beckham shares. “We get it, but we gotta support. Her brand is amazing and it’s my favorite thing in the world.”

Like many of us, Peltz Beckham pulled up hoping to score the brand’s Brow Harmony Flexible Lifting and Laminating Eyebrow Gel because it’s one of the products she always stocks in her cabinet. She and her crew also hit the perfume aisle, because why not? “Honestly going into Sephora is my favorite thing—it’s so therapeutic,” she says. “I feel like I can just walk through the aisles and test everything. It’s so fun.” A woman after my beauty-loving heart.

Peltz Beckham’s friendships are everything to her, and her mom has been preaching the significance of these relationships since she was a child. “My mom says it’s so important to have amazing, strong women around you and strong women friendships,” she says. “I feel so blessed to have such incredible friends because they’re my chosen family. And being out here in L.A. while my parents and siblings are in Florida, there’s nothing better.” 

Her support system is crucial for dealing with the slings and arrows that come with visibility. And though Peltz Beckham has been in the business for nearly 15 years, comments about her job still hurt. “I get a lot of mean comments on my Instagram that, unfortunately, I do read, and they always comment, ‘She doesn’t work,’” she shares with noticeable pain in her voice. “And that’s fair, and I don’t blame them for saying that because it’s not like I’m posting my Lola experience every step of the way. But I really have been working on Lola for six years. It’s such a massively long process.”

Most moviegoers don’t understand it can take upwards of five years on average to put a film into the world from start to finish. In fact, Peltz Beckham’s parents tried to dissuade her from getting into acting because they knew how brutal the industry can be. “My parents said no to me a million times about acting,” she reveals. “When they finally agreed, they sat me down at 12 and said to go audition and expect a no, and if you get a yes, you won. That’s how I’ve been able to keep my sanity through this business.”

It’s abundantly clear her family and friends are there for her smiles, tears, and every emotion in between. Case in point: mother-in-law Victoria Beckham’s gushing Instagram post featuring the two of them hugged up on the pink carpet. “Family is everything to me, and I mean that with my whole heart,” Peltz Beckham says. “I’m so close to mine and Brooklyn’s family and I think there’s no better feeling than knowing you have a strong support system. It’s such a blessing, and I never take it for granted.”

Peltz Beckham confides in her mother-in-law for lots of things but especially loves having a sounding board for career advice. The former Spice Girl and current mogul of eponymous brands Victoria Beckham and Victoria Beckham Beauty knows a thing or two about the professional pivot. “I love her, and she’s such an incredible, successful woman,” she says of Victoria Beckham. “How lucky am I that I get to ask her for advice? I’m blessed!”

Having a healthy marriage is also of the utmost importance for Peltz Beckham, and she has formidable examples in both her and Beckham’s parents. “Anyone who has been married for a long time, it’s such a beautiful thing,” she says. “My parents have been together for maybe 40 years? And David and Victoria have been together since Brooklyn was a baby, which is like 25 years. My parents, their love inspires me every day. It sounds cheesy, but that’s how I feel.”

The Beckham patriarch always tells his eldest son to put his wife first, which Peltz Beckham appreciates. “He’s so amazing with Victoria, and Brooklyn is so amazing to me,” she says. “I’m so thankful they raised such an incredible guy I got to marry.”

Family vacations and time spent IRL are some of the ways Peltz Beckham restores her creativity, mind, and spirit. “I go to Florida any chance I get, and we stay at my parents’ house,” she says. “It honestly makes me so happy to wake up and have my siblings around. It’s really hard to get us all in the same place because there are so many of us. When we’re all together, it’s so fun.”

Peltz Beckham loves to plan family time in beautiful places. “If my family is going on one or if Brooklyn’s family is going on one and they invite us, that’s really when we take vacation,” she says. “So we work around that most of the time. The last time I planned something was for our anniversary when we went to Napa, and we just went to the Bahamas with Brooklyn’s family, which was beautiful.”

Other trip highlights include going to the South of France last summer and her and Beckham’s summer jaunts to New York City. “I think it’s all about who you’re with,” she says. “I love being cozy with the people I love because there’s no pressure and you can fully be yourself.”

But if you do catch Peltz Beckham in a far-flung locale, she’s going to ensure the hotel room is on-point, like the true cozy girl she is. “Brooklyn is such an explorer, and he makes fun of me, saying, ‘I could bring you anywhere, and you would love the hotel room,’” she funnily adds. “Yes, 100 percent! He’s the person who says we have to go to this restaurant, while room service sounds great to me. But sometimes I have to go out. I can’t be so boring.”

For now, it’s heads down promoting Lola and all the exciting events to come surrounding the film’s release. I was surprised and quite impressed to learn that Peltz Beckham’s style choices are a true family affair, as she hasn’t had a stylist over the last year and her mom has been a trusted advisor on what she steps out in. “I’ll give my mom three options and ask her what I should wear, or she’ll sometimes send me what she sees and likes,” she says. “I feel lucky to have relationships with Victoria and Valentino and some other brands, so I can just ask them to send me clothes. But it’s very different from having a stylist.”

And while, for her, fashion is a more laidback endeavor that’s all about feeling out the vibe, Peltz Beckham does NOT play about her skincare routine. “I don’t care what time I get home. Even if it’s 4 a.m., I’m doing a full face routine,” she says. “It’s the thing that winds me down and it’s therapeutic. Brooklyn will be telling me it’s time for bed, and I have to tell him, ok, I’m almost done! I love skincare.”

Experimentation is key for her, too, and TikTok is definitely to blame for a lot of interesting purchases she’s made over the last couple of years. “I look at TikTok and fall for everything,” she says. “I buy all the questionable things, then I sort them out. I bought a freckle pen a few weeks ago, and it exploded on my face. They really get you when they do those videos.”

Now that Lola is out in the world, Peltz Beckham simply hopes people can connect to the story. “When people watch my trailer or the film and tell me they can connect to them, that means the world to me, and that’s all I care about,” she says. “There are several themes in the film, but above all, it’s about getting a second chance at life. It’s never too late to start over, and I think that message is super powerful.”

And though acting has proved fruitful for her, Peltz Beckham gives the same warning about getting into Hollywood her parents gave her. “If there’s anything else you love, do that,” she says. “And if you can’t stop thinking about acting and it’s in you, then whatever you do, don’t let it affect your mental health. Don’t let a ‘no’ from an audition affect how you view yourself. It’s so important not to let those voices harm your insides.”

The promotional cycle for Lola has only just begun, but I see more firsts and risk-taking in Peltz Beckham’s future—mostly because she’s already hyping herself up for what’s next. “I’m nowhere near where I want to be, not even close,” she emphasizes. “I just hope to continue to work with people I admire. I think that truly is the goal. Doing Lola and working near such incredible people meant so much to me. I just gotta keep going.”

Credits

Talent: Nicola Peltz Beckham

Photographer: Emman Montalvan

Beauty Direction: Hallie Gould

Creative Direction: Jenna Brillhart

Hairstylist: Hiraku Hirano

Makeup Artist: Georgi Sandev

Manicurist: Zola Ganzorigt

Stylist: Laura Sophie Cox

Styling Assistant: Ruby Smith-Merovitz

DP: Brandon Scott Smith

Set Designer: Amy Jo Diaz

Assistant Camera: Derek Smith

Photo Director: Kelly Chiello

Video Director: Justine Manocherian

Video Editor: David Rice

Production Assistant: Amanda Lauro

Booking: Talent Connect Group

Up Next: Get to Know Nicola's BTS Team: Nail Artist Zola Ganzorigt and Hairstylist Hikaru Hirano

Read the original article on Byrdie.