eiynan Lonsdale likes to say he “came out of the womb dancing”. It’s not hyperbole — he was, in fact, on stage by the age of four. Not long after, he was layering cassette tapes to remix his favourite artists into a different sound, all before
he could see over the kitchen counter. Dancing came first, then music. Acting, he says, arrived later.
“I just thought it was fun,” he says of those early drama classes. “But it wasn’t until I was called up to step in for the lead as an understudy in my first musical that people basically told me … ‘You’re an actor.’”
There’s an ease to the way that Lonsdale describes his creative life, as though it unfolded naturally rather than being something he pursued. Even now, nearly two decades into a career that has stretched from cult series such as Dance Academy and The Flash to breakout rom-com Love, Simon, he doesn’t speak like someone who chased fame. If anything, he followed instinct — which is, perhaps, why his latest project, War Machine, feels so at odds with him. The Netflix sci-fi action film places Lonsdale inside the tightly regulated world of military life — an environment that rewards discipline and endurance, where overt emotion is subdued in service of the mission. For someone who has built a career on fluidity through music, dance and self-expression, that rigidity proved both confronting and unexpectedly compelling.
“I was very fascinated with the uniformity of the military,” he says. “They’re soldiers; they have to strip themselves of a certain amount of expression that’s not really useful when you’re doing your job.” While the film demanded intense physical stamina, including gruelling boot camp sequences, the greater challenge for Lonsdale was internal: learning not only how to enter the role, but how to step out of it. In that sense, War Machine marks a quiet turning point for him.
When we speak, Lonsdale is in Sydney, rehearsing at the Sydney Opera House for his theatrical debut in Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart. Set during the height of the AIDS crisis, the production is emotionally heavy, politically urgent and, for Lonsdale, unexpectedly healing. Here, he reflects on War Machine, queer storytelling, resisting industry pressure and the person who inspires him the most in life.
ELLE: War Machine is one of your biggest projects yet. What drew you to the film?
KEIYNAN LONSDALE: Since I was a kid, as much as I was a sensitive, soft boy, I really liked action, fighting and superheroes. I also love doing things that are super challenging. The script had this constant drive to it, but also a beautiful depth, and I think it’s very tricky in action films to be able to find that sort of emotional connection. Despite playing characters that in many ways have to strip themselves of a certain amount of expression to do their job, there was a warmth there, and that fascinated me. Also, the uniformity of the military mixed with this sci-fi element was really interesting. It was very much a project that both scared me and excited me.
K
AS HIS NEW FILM 'WAR MACHINE' HITS OUR SCREENS, ACTOR KEIYNAN LONSDALE TALKS RISK, RESILIENCE AND RISING TO THE CHALLENGE
Photographed by Jake Terrey. Styled by Patrick Zaczkiewicz.
Words by Sarah Noonan.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY JAKE TERREY
STYLED BY PATRICK ZACZKIEWICZ
WORDS BY SARAH NOONAN
GROOMING BY GAVIN ANESBURY AT VIVIEN’S CREATIVE.
JAKE TERREY IS REPRESENTED BY HART & CO.
Wearing POLO RALPH LAUREN.
This story appears in the march 2026 Issue of
Polo Ralph Lauren cardigan, $899, vest, $999, shirt, $289, hat, $349, and tie, $219.
Keiynan Lonsdale wears Polo Ralph Lauren top, $159, long-sleeve top (around neck), $339, knit (around waist), $499, pants, $379, hat, $349, and belt, $119.
IN HIS
ELEMENT
Polo Ralph Lauren jackets, $1899 and $519 (around waist), shirt, $219, jeans, $539, tie, $219, and bag, price on application.
ELLE: From the trailer, it seems like an intense project. Was there a moment that pushed you further than you expected?
KL: Honestly, every day on set. Sometimes I’d read the script for the next scene and think, Oh, this will be chill, and then suddenly you’re fighting for your life, running down a hill you weren’t prepared for. We had a small amount of training, but they were pretty much expecting us to be ready to go. The ranger training scenes were particularly challenging: climbing ropes, jumping over obstacle courses and doing hours of bear crawls in the heat. Maybe it’s not the healthiest thing, but I kind of love being pushed to the limit and going as far as I can. I can also be an overthinker at times, but [on set] there was no time to do that. The only thing I could think was, You’ve just got to make it happen. I was really proud of myself for leaning into that and walking away from the project able to apply that mentality to other things in my life.
LEFT Polo Ralph Lauren coat, $2559, top, $139, jumper (on bag), $689, pants, $679, and shoes, price on application; stylist’s own socks. RIGHT Polo Ralph Lauren top, $219, and caps, $99 each.
ELLE: You’re currently rehearsing for a production of The Normal Heart, at the Sydney Opera House until March 14. That’s quite a pivot.
KL: It’s the opposite extreme entirely. The show is quite heavy emotionally, as it’s based on the AIDS epidemic in the ’80s, and my character in particular is focused on patient care, so there’s a lot of emotional weight. But it brings a tonne of presence out of you, both on and off the stage. For something that I maybe wouldn’t have been able to carry earlier in my life, it feels great to be able to honour it appropriately. Particularly as it’s my first time doing a play and being surrounded by majority gay guys to tell this story. Truly, it’s been one of the most nourishing experiences.
Polo Ralph Lauren trench coat, $2159, knit, $279, and shirt, $209.
ELLE: You’ve been part of some influential queer stories including Love, Simon and now The Normal Heart. How does it feel to see the impact those projects have had?
KL: With The Normal Heart, even though it was written in the ’80s and first premiered during that time, its relevance now is quite astonishing to me. I think in order to go forward, you need to understand what’s happened in the past. That’s something that’s very present for me in this show. Love, Simon was a big one and created this kind of cultural shift that I don’t know if any of us could have expected. Now, seeing the impact of [gay ice hockey drama series] Heated Rivalry, which has caused a whole other cultural shift forward, is particularly warming. We’ve always known that gay is sexy and spicy and fun and beautiful, but [Heated Rivalry] really went so far and merged all of that with tenderness and pain. It makes me excited for the kind of queer love stories and queer realities yet to come.
Polo Ralph Lauren jacket, $269, shirt, $219, pants, $399, tie, $219, and belt, $159.
ELLE: Working on larger productions in the US, you described feeling like a fish out of water. How did you navigate that period?
KL: It was a shock to the system. I went from teaching dance classes in Sydney six days a week to save money to get over to America, to being on one of the biggest film sets in the world for [sci-fi action movie series] Divergent. With some of the biggest stars around the world, too. There weren’t many Black Australian entertainers in those spaces. People didn’t quite know what to make of me, and I didn’t always know when to speak up or when to listen. I wasn’t comfortable with myself, to a degree, but I knew how to be professional and give something my all.
Polo Ralph Lauren jacket, $2199, hat, $349, cap, $129, $689, pants, $679, and shoes, price on application.
ELLE: During challenging roles, have you ever had moments when your identity felt hard to hold on to?
KL: During War Machine, I actually called one of my old mentors because I started to feel very insecure and like I needed to perform my masculinity for everyone on set, even off-camera. I could feel myself dimming. In my career, my biggest struggles have been when I’m home at the end of the day and not knowing how to hold that character’s energy or let go of it. There are a lot of people in this industry who prepare you to get into a role, but there’s very little support to help you get out of a role. So I called her, and she helped me come back to myself. She gave me the tools to find my safe spaces and feel empowered with all versions of myself. And after that, I ended up having the best shoot ever.
LEFT Polo Ralph Lauren jacket, $269, shirt, $219, tie, $219.
RIGHT Polo Ralph Lauren cardigan, $899, vest, $999, shirt, $289, hat, $349, tie, $219, and shoes, price on application.
ELLE: Outside of your work, who’s the woman who shaped you the most?
KL: My mum. She raised six kids on her own in Western Sydney, so I learnt a lot about the power of a woman, the vulnerabilities of a woman and, in many ways, a lot of the pain. She taught me to be strong and courageous but also nurtured my sensitivities and reassured me that I could dream big, even if the world didn’t quite see it yet. She still teaches me to this day.
ELLE: If you could give your younger self advice?
KL: Lean into that feeling of creativity. It doesn’t quite matter what form it takes — the muscle of creativity is what you need to flex. Also, lean into the things that frighten you. Sensitivities are a strength; they teach you about the world. And spend less time doubting whether you’re deserving of living a dream-filled life. Oh, and don’t neglect admin — business and financial awareness. Those things are actually important.
War Machine is streaming now on Netflix.
“I WENT FROM TEACHING DANCE CLASSES IN SYDNEY SIX DAYS A WEEK TO BEING ON ONE OF THE BIGGEST FILM SETS IN THE WORLD”
– KEIYNAN LONSDALE
“I LOVE BEING PUSHED TO THE LIMIT AND GOING AS FAR AS I CAN ... I WAS ABLE TO APPLY THAT MENTALITY TO OTHER THINGS IN MY LIFE”
– KEIYNAN LONSDALE