Entertainment
The Politician is a star-studded satire bringing names like Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Platt, and Bette Midler to Netflix in September 2019. But there are a few less familiar faces you need to learn about. You should be wondering who plays Astrid on The Politician because she's running against Payton (Ben Platt) for president of Saint Sebastian High School and she's totally giving me some Tracy Flick in Election vibes. Watch out, Reese Witherspoon.
The actress' name is Lucy Boynton. She began her career playing a young Beatrix Potter (with Renée Zellweger playing her older self) in 2006's Miss Potter, the life story of the author of The Tale of Peter Rabbit. She then starred on other period shows like Sense & Sensibility, plus several TV movies before landing a guest spot on the UK version of Law & Order.
She's also no stranger to Netflix, having starred in the 2017 thriller Gypsy opposite Naomi Watts — about a psychologist who becomes obsessed with her patients. Anyone who dare take on Ben Platt in a high school election ought to be tough, so I did some digging to learn more about his opposition.
She's Dating Former Co-Star Rami Malek
Boynton and Bohemian Rhapsody co-star Rami Malek met on set and obviously formed a unique bond on screen as Austin and Mercury that continued off-screen.
Boynton told Porter that watching him work has helped her grow as an actress, which is what makes the pairing especially interesting. “I’d never really seen that in a lead actor before, being involved in every corner," she said. "I’ve tried to do that, being more aware. I think I’ve become more opinionated and I’ve got a better vocabulary, in terms of understanding a project, and my own tastes.”
No matter who's by her side, Boynton has proven she has a great instinct for choosing her roles. Who doesn't love a teenage Californian politician?
The Politician is streaming now on Netflix.