Billie Piper Is FAULT Issue 21’s STYLE Cover-Star
Fashion Editor RACHEL HOLLAND
Words OLIVIA PINNOCK
Makeup NICKY WEIR @ SARAH LAIRD USING BOBBI BROWN
Hair TAKUYA MORIMOTO @ BROOKS AND BROOKS USING L’OREAL PROFESSIONAL
Nails DIANA DRUMMOND @ NAILS BY BAPTISTE AGENCY USING CHANEL ROUGE NOIR AND ESSIE MADEMOISELLE
Photographer’s Assistant JACOB SNYMAN
Fashion Assistant BELDA CHUNG
How did Billie Piper get to where she is today; starring in Showtime’s high-budget horror Penny Dreadful with top names in the industry? FAULT talks pop beginnings, wild teenage years and how acting was always the plan. It feels like only yesterday we were putting on our best pair of cargo trousers and singing ‘Because We Want To’ into our hair brushes but Billie Piper, the teenage pop princess, grew up into one of British television’s favourite actresses. With two platinum albums, 70 award wins and nominations and two children already in the bag by 32, is she a go-getting, force to be reckoned with? No, says Billie, she’s just restless.
FAULT Issue 21 features the star on our internal Style cover and we chat Penny Dreadful, upcoming movies and what it takes to go from teen POP-star to simply a popular culture icon – Only available in Issue 21!
Leopard Print Bralet: Base Range
Black Pants: Base Range
Fishnet Tights: Wolford
Green Suede Boots by Robert Clergerie
Photographed in Suite 610 at the South Place Hotel
What was the hardest thing about becoming famous at such a young age?
Never being able to just walk around normally. And when you’re a pop star you’re always on duty. You’re suddenly a role model even though you don’t start out with ambitions of being a role model and also you’re a fallible mess yourself. So trying to keep some resemblance of togetherness and good behavior was just shit as a teenager.
Mostly that you couldn’t walk anywhere without people wanting pictures and autographs and I found that so suffocating. We all did at that time. I went out with Rich from Five and we used to just sit in our flat for days, if we weren’t working, and never leave. It made you really reclusive. That’s the stuff I hated.
Black Mesh Top: Aries
Black Suit Trousers: ISSA
Boots with gold heel: Antiana
What have been some of your favourite acting projects?
I love them all to be honest. I’d say I’ve had some of my best times doing plays. I’ll always
have an enormous soft spot for Dr Who. That was a gift as a job and everyone was so nice which is rare. I loved Secret Diary because it was mad and loose and other-worldly.
You’re playing Lily Frankenstein in Penny Dreadful which is out at the moment. It’s a bit similar to Dr Who with its supernatural elements. Is that something you enjoy?
It’s funny that I get cast in things like that, it’s either prostitutes or time travelers!
Black Leather Jacket: BLK DNM
Gold Spike Earring: Majdan Rocks
Small Gold Hoops: Billie’s Own
You’re playing Lily Frankenstein in Penny Dreadful which is out at the moment. It’s a bit similar to Dr Who with its supernatural elements. Is that something you enjoy?
It’s funny that I get cast in things like that, it’s either prostitutes or time travelers!
Is that something you would advise your children on?
Yeah, I think I’d be quite firm about it. I don’t know that I’d let my children get involved in that world until they’re about 16 or 17. But who knows?! Because if they were really dedicated and really gun-ho and passionate about it then you just support that but if you’ve got a kid who just wants to be famous I would just totally rule that out.
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