A Night Like This interview: Alexander Lincoln and Jack Brett Anderson unpack their ‘beautiful and profound’ gay romance

Words by Sam Damshenas

‘Gay romps are the lifeblood of existence,’ Alexander Lincoln (correctly!) tells Gay Times. Yet his new film, A Night Like This, trades romp for reflection — a soulful meditation on queer intimacy, loneliness and the fleeting miracle of human connection, captured in a single transformative night in London.

Making his directorial debut, Liam Calvert’s queer romance follows Lukas, a struggling German actor portrayed by Jack Brett Anderson, and Oliver, a privileged “wanker” (Lincoln’s words!) whose audacious bravado collides with Lukas’ gentle, introspective demeanor.

“It doesn’t lean so much into the sex aspect that so many LGBTQIA+ films do,” Lincoln explains. “Instead, it’s about this really beautiful element of a relationship, where it’s just two strangers meeting and truly seeing each other.” 

For Anderson, the film was an opportunity to explore how, even in life’s chaos, two strangers can find truth in each other’s struggles — and discover that what feels fleeting can still be profound.

As the romantic drama hits UK cinemas (26 September), we caught up with Alexander Lincoln and Jack Brett Anderson to discuss the character-driven direction of A Night Like This, their "instant" chemistry as Oliver and Lukas and how they identified with its existential themes. 

GT: Alexander, Jack, congratulations on the release of A Night Like This. First off, what drew you both to this film and its themes? 

Alexander: Would you like to take this one first, Jack?

Jack: Yeah, you go first. Go on, boy.