New kid on the block: Raff Law following in footsteps of parents Jude Law and Sadie Frost

Raff Law stars in a new take on Oliver Twist, and while he's been familiar with film sets much of his life, his pedigree doesn't mean he gets around doing the hard work needed to succeed

Wed, 27 Jan, 2021 - 11:55

Ed Power

Before his first day on the set of his new film, Twist, actor Raff Law was taken aside by his father for a pep talk. The parental advice was to be calm and confident, and to learn everyone’s name. Standard dad tips in other words. The difference, of course, is that Raff’s father is movie star Jude Law.

“People are always going to relate your surname to what gets you jobs,” says Raff by Zoom from his lockdown residence in London.

“Obviously I’m very aware of that. And very lucky to have been around such talented people [growing up]. But as I took it upon myself to start auditioning for things I realised that once you’re there, in front of a camera or meeting people, it’s really down to your own doing.”

If anything, he says, a famous name can bring extra pressure. And he has two of them, as the son of Jude Law and actress Sadie Frost. Jude and Sadie were famously part of the “Primrose Hill set” of glamorous young things in the Nineties. It was an illustrious gang that also included Ewan McGregor, Patsy Kensit, and Rhys Ifans. However, their eldest, now 24, says his childhood was anything but starry.

“Me and my family had a very wholesome upbringing,” he says. “We were going to school and then coming home and sitting down to dinner as a family. That is something that was really important. Obviously, when I was younger, I was lucky enough to go to film sets and see my dad and mum in their work environment. In some ways that made me comfortable in that atmosphere. But nothing can really prepare you for when it’s you in front of the camera.”

Twist is a modern-day retelling of Dickens’ Oliver Twist. Critics have been giving a mixed response to film that feels largely aimed at kids.

The cast, at least, is top notch. Michael Caine plays Fagan. Pop star Rita Ora is the Artful Dodger (here given the alias “Dodge”). Lena Headey is magnificently villainous as the wicked Sikes. And there in the middle, as the titular Twist, is Law – a dead ringer for his father circa Wilde and the Talented Mr Ripley.

“I definitely found it nerve-wracking,” he says. “In a lot of ways, it was a positive type of nerves. Working with such an experienced and talented cast made me feel the pressure was on me to be at the best of my abilities. And it’s a really proud moment. I feel I really put in the work beforehand and when I was on set.”

One thing he learned from his parents was that talent will only get you so far. Ultimately it’s all about preparation. Much of Twist takes place across the roof-tops of London, where Law’s 21st century Oliver Twist gets up to no-good as a free-runner (he has also a Banksy-esque predilection for graffiti -bombing).

Law has a decent head for heights. and so didn’t mind filming high above the city. He did as many of his own stunts as feasible (and permitted by the insurers). To get in shape he trained with leading free-runner Sébastien Foucan – best known to film-goers for his cameo in the opening chase in Bond movie Casino Royale.

“It’s with any craft – you’ve got to put in the hours,” says Law. “Twist is the first big production I’ve been part of. Since doing it, whether you’re watching TV or films, you become appreciative of the hard work that goes into it – whether it’s the set or the costumes or the editing or the angles the camera man is trying to find. You appreciate every single shot.

He feels that Twist is a perfect calling card as he sets out to establish himself as an actor. It has a slightly cheeky sense of humour. He’s sharing the screen Michael Caine, a bone fide acting legend. And there are lots of action scenes – useful preparation should he wish to follow the example of his father, who branched into the superhero industry as the villain in Captain Marvel.

“This was a great start,” says Raff. “Not only was I working on my part and my character. I also had a skill that was embedded within Twist [i.e. the free-running]. It was helpful in becoming Twist [the character]. I was picking up on all the different things we did.”

Law has tried to stay busy during lockdown. He’s been writing songs with his band, Outer Stella Drive. And he’s been filming and submitting audition tapes. Like the rest of us he’s spent a fair amount of time on the couch, too. As it happens, he believes Twist is ideal viewing at the present moment as it doubles as a love letter to pre-pandemic London.

“Obviously different situations have affected people over the last year and a half,” he says. “Whether it’s having a close family member sick or not being able to see them. Or being a young kid just turned 18 and wanting to go out and see friends. People have been at home for a while and need things to uplift them and keep them positive and optimistic.” Law’s parents divorced in 2003 when he was seven. He remain close to both. From age 13, he attended Bedales, the exclusive Hampshire school where students are encouraged to express their creativity. Bedales has rich history of producing talent. Past pupils include Kirsty Allsopp, Lily Allen, Minnie Driver and Poppy and Cara Delevingne. Law threw himself into extra-curricular activities, from singing in the choir to starring in plays. Music was his first love (his band puts out an EP in early February). He even wondered briefly if acting was for him.

“It wasn’t that I was hesitating about pursuing acting,” he says. “It was more about me as a late teenage boy trying to figure out what I wanted to do. There were a lot of advantages and disadvantages to pursuing an acting career and going into music. The headspace I was in, I wanted to focus on music. I’d just left boarding school. Being back in London meant we could rehearse during the week and play gigs. “At the time my head was really in music. But having had some space after school, I realised acting was something I enjoyed. I start putting a lot of work into myself. I got into fitness, which I hadn’t since I left school. And then Twist came along. It was really good timing.”