It’s the morning after Chopard’s glamorous gala dinner at Carlton Beach during the Cannes Film Festival, and Finn Bennett is perched on a sofa high above the Croisette inside the luxury jeweler’s penthouse suite at Hôtel Martinez.

Alongside fellow honorees, the 26-year-old actor received a Chopard Trophy during the ceremony in front of an A-list crowd that included filmmaker Quentin Tarantino; jury members like Halle Berry, Jeremy Strong and president Juliette Binoche; and the woman assigned to hand over the trophies, Chopard godmother Angelina Jolie. Needless to say, Bennett needed a bit more time to process the fairy tale evening, one that came after turning heads in such roles as Alex Garland’s Warfare, Issa Lopez’s True Detective opposite Jodie Foster and Joe Barton’s Black Doves opposite Keira Knightley and Ben Wishaw.

His profile is set to grow exponentially in 2026 when HBO Max debuts the next installment in its Game of Thrones universe with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. In an interview on that sofa, with a breathtaking view of the French Riviera over his shoulder, Bennett talks about what it was like to receive the Chopard shine (surreal), his favorite part of venturing into Westeros (a horse called Xandor) and his new theatrical goal (the stage).

I feel a little bit sleepy. (Laughs.) No, I feel really, really great. It’s going to take a minute to sink in, of course, but we’re sitting here overlooking the beach, and it’s so glamorous and nice. I got to sit next to some really, really amazing people that I respect and revere, which was the most important bit of it all. I feel really great.

I’m really bad at going up to people so I made a mental note to speak to at least five people. I think I reached four. As soon as I came in, I saw a British musician and writer called Akala, so I shook hands with him. Then I met a British writer-director called Molly Manning Walker, who I think is just brilliant. After my speech, Jeremy Strong passed by me and he said, “Congratulations.” I told him that I thought he’s amazing and I’m such a fan. I also got to say goodbye to Angelina Jolie, which was another. It was a really amazing night, man. I had some great conversations. After the speech was done, it was a nice time to relax. It’s nice when hard work pays off.

It’s always weird watching yourself on camera, and I try to do it as little as possible. But one of the first things that I did was a series called Kiri, and there were some clips from that in there. I don’t want to self-congratulate or anything, but that was a really proud moment for me. It kick-started everything. I got to work with a really talented director [Euros Lyn] and actors including Sarah Lancashire and Lia Williams, who is now a really great friend. And I’m still working. Everything has been fantastic with the caliber of stuff that we’re doing but that was one of my proudest moments because it’s a great show.

I still speak to those guys every day.

The text chain is still going. A couple of the guys congratulated me [on this award], which felt really, really good. I’m filming something right now, and as soon as I finish, I think a dinner or maybe a show is in order to catch up with a few of the guys.

I’m filming a Sky TV show called Prisoner, which is a really, really good slick thriller. I’m really enjoying it. We’re towards the end of filming right now. Such a talented cast, a really talented showrunner and some great directors. I’m a supporting actor and I’ve had the privilege of watching our two leads, Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle, give their all, 110 percent, day in and day out. I do one day of work and I’m exhausted, but they do it every day and it’s something to aspire to one day.

Yes, but I was quite late to the party. I watched all of Game of Thrones during lockdown.

Lockdown was obviously really miserable, but at least I had Game of Thrones. One of the great things about the show — and where a lot of fantasy shows faltered — is that it’s so political in looking at a kind of War of the Roses setup between these great and noble houses, using such a brilliant caliber of European talent. I know there were a few Americans in there as well, but it was largely European actors, and it was shot in Belfast or just outside. It’s just great. I was a huge fan. I also think House of the Dragon is one of the best shows out there right now. I’m really happy for those younger actors who are holding it up and putting up a good fight with the older actors, who are cream of the crop. Just great, great European talent.

I thought I had flubbed it. I thought I had done such a terrible job in the audition and I called Bella as soon as I came out and said, “It didn’t go well. It didn’t go my way.” She phoned the office of the lovely casting director, Lucy Bevan, and they said, “No, it went great. It went great.” I thought, well, of course they would say that. I can’t remember how long the wait was but I more or less put it to bed thinking I didn’t get it. Not a chance. When I got the call, I really couldn’t believe it. Warfare was already booked in [my schedule], so I went to go film that and then went straight on to venture into Westeros.

So much fun. I did sword training, and my favorite part, which may sound really boring, was riding horses. I absolutely loved it.

No. Never. Obviously, I’m not anywhere near as good as any of the stunt guys, but you do get fairly proficient. They would tell me that I could come off the horse and sit in the greenery, but I would walk him around. Not quite galloping but just kind of slowly walk him around and talk to him. It was quite a nice experience to have.

Xandor. He was a big, big black horse. Very scary looking but the most gentle. Because they are trained within an inch of their lives, these horses, they are the most gentle and most kind. They really look after you when you’re in the saddle.

We filmed it in Belfast, which is where my family is from, and I got to reconnect with a lot of family I hadn’t seen for a very long time. They’re from Newtonabbey and Belfast. We met very old friends of my father’s who said they knew me when I was a lad, so that was cool. I loved being in Belfast. We had a great crew that really took care of us.

No, not massively. I’ve slowly been bracing myself but also not expecting anything. If it doesn’t come, it doesn’t come. Hopefully, I’m lucky enough to do something that will bring that kind of reception. All I can hope is that people like it. We worked really, really hard on it. The leads are incredible, and showrunner Ira Parker is just a great captain of the ship.

No, no, no. When I did True Detective, my favorite thing that Issa Lopez — our writer, director and showrunner — would do is that she would bring me over to the monitor. She would say, “Kid, you see when you do this, that’s really annoying. Don’t do that.” It was a small technical thing, and I really liked that. I think if you’re watching too much, you get psyched out. And you start to over think, “Why am I doing this?” Or, “Why am I doing that? It looks silly!” I prefer to only see it when it’s all strung together. Obviously, I see a little doing ADR and everything. But I’ve seen some exciting stunts already and that was just good fun. I had a great stunt double. Of course, he gets all the credit but I might tell a few people that’s me. (Laughs.)

We had a three-week rehearsal period, and I asked her what I should be doing to prepare. That’s what you do when you work with an incredible, incredible performer. She said, “What do you mean? Go dancing?” What she meant was: Turn up, take the work seriously. Learn your lines. Hit your mark. Take the notes. Don’t take yourself too seriously. You don’t need to live in this fiction you’ve created for yourself. I think some people do, and they get incredible performances from it. I’m not sure I am one of those people. I would like to try it some day. But on this, I had seven months to keep myself happy. I learned to take the work seriously but not myself.

I just want to keep working. I’ve been really lucky to work with the best of the best people and I want to keep doing that. I want to keep making films. I want to keep doing TV. I’d really like to do some theater. I try to at least go to the theater every week. It’s a real test of your strength as an actor.

I saw Jonathan Bailey in Richard II, which is phenomenal. He’s such a good Richard II. He’s got all the nuances, and it’s so amazing to see someone be able to land a joke from centuries ago. I also loved Retrograde at the Apollo Theatre, a show about Sidney Poitier. It all happens in one room, in one really long scene. A really brilliant, phenomenal three-hander. Can’t miss.

It such a handsome watch. It’s from the classic collection. I just really love a leather strap and that kind of rose gold color. Just nice and simple. Very classy.

Were you a jewelry guy before this?

I do like my jewelry. I have a little clad here, an Irish ring, and I have a beautiful necklace that I’ve taken off for today. Chopard has been incredibly generous. The event they put on last night with all of that talent in the room, it’s incredibly generous and they really care about the arts and they really care about film. It’s more than jewelry. Maybe in a couple of years I will buy the watch I was wearing last night if it’s still available.