Yandrick Agius: 'I think it’s that everything passes and equally is that what is meant for you won’t pass you by'

Yandrick Agius graduated from the Arts Educational School London in 2022, where he attended thanks to a Malta Arts Scholarship. Before securing his professional debut in Moulin Rouge, he also performed as Louis Lemanteur in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Electric Skate 2 in The SpongeBob Musical. Yandrick is proud to be a Maltese immigrant in a show that celebrates freedom, beauty, truth and love.

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?

A million things. Check my phone, which is awful, make coffee, wash my face and do skin care, make my bed, have a ginger shot. I take my vitamins, like boring stuff, but they’re the things that I always do in random order.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

I think it’s that everything passes and equally is that what is meant for you won’t pass you by. I believe that very, very much. I believe that there is room for everyone in this world and in this industry.

What do you never leave the house without?

My phone. I am more likely to forget my house keys than I am to forget my phone.

Pick three words that describe yourself

Silly. Kind. Honest.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?

Being really happy with my life and really liking the life that I live, and I think that is my greatest achievement really.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?

I really, really, really enjoy watching trash TV like the Kardashians. I absolutely love it. Or RuPaul’s ‘Drag Race’. I really enjoy that. I also love getting a filthy pizza, very greasy with a cheese stuffed crust, to enjoy with with good friends and red wine. Those are my guiltiest pleasures.

What is the most important lesson life has taught you?

I think that everything is temporary and everything passes, the good and the bad. Equally we all have our challenges and different things that we have to deal with. So I think it’s like, being very conscious that we all have our struggles and hard times.

Property and cars aside what’s the most expensive thing you’ve ever bought?

I don’t really care for expensive things and try to avoid buying them because then I just end up never using them. I’m a much bigger fan of sentimental things. Probably the most expensive things aren’t things that I buy for myself but presents for others, presents that I could never justify the expense of buying for myself.

What is one thing you wish you knew when you were younger?

That different is good and that you don’t have to be like everyone else. You can do your own thing because everyone is allowed to do their own thing and it’s not a race. I’m really coming at you with a cheesy quote here, but I really needed to know that when I was younger. Everyone is on their own journey and we all want different things.

Who’s your inspiration?

I’m quite inspired by a lot of people around me. I am very inspired by people who are hard-working but at the same time are humble and down to earth, and who don’t make it a big deal about what they’re doing. I feel like I’m inspired by people who are down to earth.

What has been your biggest challenge?

Oh God, so many of them. I think I can pin this down to two things in my life. I would say, the first would be my law degree and writing my dissertation in Malta whilst I was travelling back and forth to the UK to audition at drama schools. So essentially I threw together my dissertation in three weeks which was absolutely crazy and I wasn’t happy. It’s a pressure cooker really, because it shifts to agents and auditions for external things and it just gets a little tense.

If you weren’t an actor, what would you be doing?      

Sleeping (laughs). I don’t know if I’d actually be doing it but maybe I would be a notary, because that’s what I wanted to do when I studied law. I think I’d love to be working in fashion or working as a guidance counsellor.

Do you believe in God?

Kind of. I believe in something bigger than me. I believe that everything happens for a reason and I don’t believe that this world was just here, you know what I mean. I just very much believe that there is something bigger than me and I believe in kindness.

If you could have dinner with any person, dead or alive, who would it be?

Lady Gaga because I’ve loved her music for years. I love Saoirse Ronan, the actress. I absolutely love her.

What’s your worst habit?

Biting my nails. I think that’s pretty gross and my worst one.

What are you like when you’re drunk?

I behave like such an idiot. I think I know how to have fun when I’m drunk. We all have different levels of being drunk, but I think I’m silly. That’s the best way to describe it.

Who would you have play you in a film?

Not a clue, but the most important thing to me is that it would be someone who is Maltese or of Maltese heritage. I want someone who is Maltese telling my story if anyone ever cares to tell it.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

I just dislike people who are unkind, unhelpful, unwelcoming. There’s no need for it. You can be having the worst day and you can still be nice to someone. It’s really not that hard.

What music would you have played at your funeral?

Wear colours to my funeral, get drunk and have fun. Why not?

What is your most treasured material possession?

A few bits of jewellery that I was given to me by my family. I like sentimental stuff. I have my dad’s gold chain that my mum gave him for their engagement. They’re still together but he doesn’t wear it anymore. I’ve got his wedding ring, that he never wore, because he doesn’t like wearing rings. So, small bits like that, old gold that I’ve got.

What is your earliest memory?

I think just running around my parents house.

When did you last cry, and why?

I’m not a big crier. I actually don’t cry very often but I think the last time I’ve felt a bit emotional in one of the early shows we had because I was like, wow, I feel really lucky to have this life. I’m not a cheesy person... but I clearly am.

Who would you most like to meet?

I guess I would like to meet Cynthia Erivo. She looks like a really lovely person and she’s super-talented.

What’s your favourite food?

I love Indian food. Indian food is my favourite food.

Who’s your favourite person on social media right now?

I do genuinely love G K Barry. She is a UK Tiktok influencer and she just makes me laugh and I enjoy her podcast.

If you could travel in time, where would you go?

Oh let’s be appropriate to work. La Belle Époque in Paris, that would be cool.

What book are you reading right now?

I’ve started and put them down so many times but in between ‘Daisy Jones & The Six’, I’m reading or trying to re-read, ‘Straight Jacket’ by Matthew Todd.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

The ability to travel, like instantly to anywhere.

What’s one thing you want to do before you die?

My mind went instantly to this episode of the Simpsons where Homer says that he wants to die choking on food. But one thing I want to do before I die, apart from being happy, is to sky-dive.

What music are you listening to at the moment?

I barely listen to music because I’m one of those strange people who doesn’t focus when listening to music when I’m doing tasks but I’m listening a lot to Taylor Swift’s new album.

In the shower or when you’re working out, what do you sing/listen to?

Fun, upbeat songs. Feel-good, early 2000s songs from RuPaul’s Drag Race.