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After over a decade as a musical theatre performer, delighting audiences in the West End and across the country, Andy Coxon set off on a new venture as co-founder of award-winning deodorant brand Akt London. Along with his friend Ed Currie, they sought to create a product that would bring about real results for their sweat problems. After trying and testing their deodorant balms on other West End performers, they found a winning formula which has now also found success with those outside the performing arts sectors. 

This summer will also see Andy Coxon returning to the stage after a year away from performing where he will reprise his role as Brian in Scott Alan song-cycle The Distance You Have Come. After a short run in 2018, Andy teases a few details about how the upcoming production will be slightly different and what he hopes audiences will take away from the show. In this interview, he also reminisces about highlights from his performing career in shows like West Side Story, Curtains and The Last 5 Years. 

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Lauren-Nicole Campbell is Cosmopolitan's newest Contributing Curve Editor and the proud CEO of Fashion Killer. As a plus size social media influencer, she has amassed 10,000s of followers across social media platforms including Instagram and TikTok, exploring and expressing her love for fashion, beauty and lifestyle. A keen advocate for women's rights and representation, Lauren-Nicole remains committed to her values as a businesswoman across her line of work.

In our interview, we talked about what it means to be a social media influencer and how to monetize off her platforms across online networks. As the CEO of Fashion Killer, she works with writers from all backgrounds and tells us about the importance of open discussions around self-expression and how that can lead to healthier relationships with those around us as well as with ourselves. 

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After graduating from Royal Academy of Music, Joe Thompson-Oubari has gone from strength to strength in his pursuit of a career in musical theatre. An early passion for the young performer, Joe has been performing for most of his life. After sharing the stage with Hiba Elchikhe in a cabaret performance in Soho, Joe has most recently been seen in Theatre Royal, Windsor pantomimes 'Aladdin' and 'Cinderella'. Now with the pandemic still circulating, he is about to be seen in a special online streamed production of Adam Gwon's 'Ordinary Days', alongside Will Arundell, Nic Myers and Bobbie Chambers from the Theatre Cafe.

In this special interview, Joe tells us how he made the switch from Civil Engineering to Musical Theatre and describes his experience of training and working in the industry so far. A proud descendant of Moroccan heritage, we also talk about the importance of diversity and fair representation in theatre and the arts. 'Ordinary Days' is streaming from The Theatre Cafe 31st March-6th April.

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One of the most exciting acts to recently come out of London School of Musical Theatre, Freddie King has found audiences wooed by his sonorous voice and boyish good looks. From his debut at Union Theatre's revival of 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' to a special staging of Stephen Sondheim's 'A Little Night Music' last Summer, we can see a long future for the West Midlands native.

In this exclusive interview, we find out what first attracted Freddie to the stage and what it was like taking on a dream role in Holland Park during a pandemic. As well as a huge talent to share with audiences, we also discover a warm and humorous personality. At age just 23, we look forward to what Freddie has to offer in the years ahead.

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Undoubtedly one of the best loved stars of the West End, Kerry Ellis has taken on some of the most coveted roles from Eliza Doolitle in 'My Fair Lady' to Grizabella in a revival of 'Cats' at the London Palladium. As Elphaba in 'Wicked', Kerry became one of the biggest names in musical theatre, later on also becoming the first British Elphaba on Broadway. Also boasting a successful recording career, she has frequently collaborated with Brian May and performed in concerts all around the world. More recently she has also launched a popular new podcast 'Keep Calm and Kerry On' featuring some of the biggest stars of the stage.

In this special interview, Kerry Ellis looks back on the last year and how lockdown has changed her life. We also look at how the theatre industry has changed over the years and what her hopes are for the business after the pandemic. A true ambassador for British theatre, we all look forward to seeing Kerry on stage again and from this interview it seems she can't wait to get back too.

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Over the last 30 years, Ria Jones has literally gone from Swansea and back as she continues to dominate the musical theatre space. After leaving school at 16, Ria Jones has taken on some of the most challenging and coveted roles. By age 19, she was the youngest actress ever to play the role of Eva Peron in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's legendary musical: 'Evita' and soon after made her West End debut in 'Chess'. In 1991, Ria was handpicked by Andrew Lloyd Webber again to workshop the role of Norma Desmond in his musical adaptation of Billy Wilder's iconic 1950 film: 'Sunset Boulevard'. 

So how did Ria Jones go from performing in Swansea pantomime to leading a performance of the role she originated at the London Coliseum? In this interview, we dive into the depths of Ria's eclectic career, exploring what touring is like and how to carry out a performance 8 shows a week. Before heading into lockdown, Ria also took on the role of Mama Rose in 'Gypsy'  so we know after the pandemic ends, we will get to see more of Ria on stage and we look forward to when that happens!

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For 40 years, Tracie Bennett has been entertaining audiences with her tour-de-force performances on stage as well as for her portrayal of well-loved characters on TV. In this interview, we look back at some key highlights of her career such as her Tony Award nominated portrayal of Judy Garland in 'End of the Rainbow' and playing Sharon Gaskell in long running drama 'Coronation Street'.

After the pandemic hit, Tracie Bennett halted working on a Broadway revival of Martin McDonagh's 'Hangmen'. Still, she returned to the stage to rapturous applause at the end of 2020 when she performed in Alex Parker's 'Kings of Broadway' concert alongside other West End stars. In this way, we can expect to see more energetic performances from Tracie Bennett for years to come and we look forward to the day we do.

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In this week's episode, we sat down with Joey D'Rozario, founder and CEO of Velvet Skin Inc. Over the last few years Joey has gone from strength to strength with his skincare line which features a range of facial oils and he has recently released a widely praised shower oil. Using natural ingredients, Joey hopes to revolutionise the beauty industry into a more inclusive and more eco-friendly place.
Joey D'Rozario is also a writer for Speak Out and Fashion Killer magazines. His writing has caught the attention of various publications and as his journalistic portfolio continues to grow, he shares some insight into how his style has evolved as well as his interest in the beauty and fashion industry.

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Welcome to the first episode of Up Close with Carlos Tseng. We are joined by award winning actor Andrew Lancel who looks back on his career, first breaking out on the TV scene with Cardiac Arrest before moving onto play signature parts in The Bill and Coronation Street. Since then, Lancel has also returned to the stage, notably portraying Beatles manager Brian Epstein in Epstein - The Man Who Made the Beatles and Cilla the Musical. 

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