Celebrity 10 Jun 2026

Lou Llobell On Chasing Thrills In “Passenger” And Staying Present

“I have a few friends who have left the cinema being like, ‘I can’t walk at night,’ or ‘I don’t want to get in the car.” I’m like, that’s what I want! I want you to be scared—then I’ve done my job.

Lou Llobell might be someone who values her peace in day-to-day life, but the worlds she inhabits on screen are anything but calm. Having starred as the brilliant Gaal Dornick in Apple TV+’s sweeping sci-fi series Foundation, the 31-year-old actress has built a reputation on navigating high-stakes, multi-layered universes. Her latest film, Passenger, directed by horror maestro André Øvredal, pulls her out of the cosmos and drags her down to earth—specifically, onto the dark, winding roads of a psychological horror film designed to keep audiences on the very edge of their seats.

Dress, Zimmerman.

The film follows a couple who leave their Brooklyn apartment to become van lifers, only to witness a chilling accident that tests their bond. Llobell plays the introspective Maddie, whose relationship with fiancé Tyler (Jacob Scipio) unravels under pressure, creating claustrophobic tension within their shared van. “What I really loved about the script was the push and pull between the two characters,” Llobell reflects. “That would be a movie in itself, even if we didn’t have a highway demon haunting us.”

The production’s intense, six-week journey of night shoots in Washington State proved challenging yet rewarding. For an actress accustomed to the massive, green-screen sets of sci-fi productions, filming in real forests and on real beaches was a grounding experience. “Doing a whole movie almost entirely on location was really special for me,” she recalls.

Navigating those eerie, pitch-black night shoots became much easier alongside her co-star, Jacob Scipio. “Jacob is brilliant,” Llobell shares warmly. “He’s a brilliant actor, he’s a great friend, and we became fast and very close friends on this movie—we had each other.”

Jacket & Skirt, Ewusie.

Llobell’s own journey is just as expansive as the projects she chooses. Born in Zimbabwe to a Spanish father and Zimbabwean mother, she grew up between Spain and South Africa before moving to England in 2013 to pursue acting full-time. Reflecting on her trajectory from drama school to film sets, Llobell pauses when asked what advice she wishes she could give her younger self.

“Enjoy the moment,” she says thoughtfully. “Don’t think too far forward. Just commit to the moment—whether that’s in a scene, in a job, or if you’re living in a new city. We don’t do that enough, do we?”

Top & Trousers, Cult Gaia.

When she isn’t running from highway demons or calculating space-time coordinates, Llobell is fiercely intentional about how she spends her downtime. Her personal style mirrors this desire for minimalist authenticity, leaning heavily into high-quality wardrobe essentials.

“I like building on basics,” she says about her style, which she describes as comfortable and occasionally androgynous. “I’ve started this new thing of having fewer pieces, but more special pieces. I’ll go to a designer vintage store in London called Nordic Poetry once every few months and buy just one piece that my friend pulls out for me. If I buy something similar to what I already own, I donate the old one. I don’t need two of the same white blouse.”

That same appreciation for simplicity carries over to her summers in Spain. When asked about her ultimate way to unwind, she paints a picture of pure, sun-soaked bliss in Seville. “I wake up and eat my pan con tomate—maybe with some avocado or anchovies if I’m feeling spicy,” she laughs. “Then I go to the beach, come up for a big family lunch, and have a mandatory two-hour siesta. You wake up, have a café con leche on ice because it’s hot, go back to the beach for the sunset with a beer in hand, and then go for dinner somewhere yummy. That’s me for two weeks before I head back to reality.”

Dress, Ewusie.

With Passenger now out in the world, Llobell is eager to keep experimenting across genres, everything from indie dramas and rom-coms to spy thrillers. But given the absolute terror her character, Maddie, endures in a van on screen, one can’t help but wonder: Is she officially sworn off road trips forever?

Llobell laughs, “I would risk it, you know! I think I’ve got my survival skills down now,” she chuckles. “I’ve learnt the rules of the road: do not drive at night, and if you do drive at night, do not stop for anyone. I’ve never been a true van-life girl—I’d do a night or two max—but I’d still do it. I’d do it for the plot.”