Alex Godfrey
@mrgodfrey.bsky.social
Features Editor at Empire magazine.
BSME Best Feature Writer 2023 / shortlisted 2024 & 2025.
Shortlisted for PPA Best Writer 2025.
Previously: words for Guardian / GQ / Esquire / Telegraph / Sunday Times Culture / Wired
https://linktr.ee/MrGodfrey
BSME Best Feature Writer 2023 / shortlisted 2024 & 2025.
Shortlisted for PPA Best Writer 2025.
Previously: words for Guardian / GQ / Esquire / Telegraph / Sunday Times Culture / Wired
https://linktr.ee/MrGodfrey
When I interviewed Spinal Tap and Marty DiBergi this summer, none of them broke character, for the whole hour. Except Rob Reiner, once, losing it when Michael McKean's David St Hubbins talked about minimalism. I didn't use this in the feature and hadn't published any audio, but this is joyful.
December 15, 2025 at 10:24 AM
When I interviewed Spinal Tap and Marty DiBergi this summer, none of them broke character, for the whole hour. Except Rob Reiner, once, losing it when Michael McKean's David St Hubbins talked about minimalism. I didn't use this in the feature and hadn't published any audio, but this is joyful.
Seeing a lot of people reporting on this and I don't know why anyone would think for one second that this unverified Instagram account is actually Daniel Day-Lewis. As if he would chose this as his profile photo.
December 9, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Seeing a lot of people reporting on this and I don't know why anyone would think for one second that this unverified Instagram account is actually Daniel Day-Lewis. As if he would chose this as his profile photo.
Writing about Boogie Nights. PTA really went for it with the John Holmes recreations.
November 30, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Writing about Boogie Nights. PTA really went for it with the John Holmes recreations.
I saw a video from the guy who shot Tom Baker's MBE investiture the other day. "I was Tom's photographer for 15 years," he said. I just think people should check over automated subtitles. They're often a bit mad. If you don't have the audio on this might seem pretty wild. Even Tom looks shocked.
November 23, 2025 at 9:50 AM
I saw a video from the guy who shot Tom Baker's MBE investiture the other day. "I was Tom's photographer for 15 years," he said. I just think people should check over automated subtitles. They're often a bit mad. If you don't have the audio on this might seem pretty wild. Even Tom looks shocked.
Had the time of my life writing this for our new issue: The Tim Burton and Paul Reubens collaboration, mostly on Pee-wee's Big Adventure, but also beyond, including the years when Reubens was very publicly shamed and Burton stood by him. I had a nourishing talk with Burton for it. On sale tomorrow.
November 19, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Had the time of my life writing this for our new issue: The Tim Burton and Paul Reubens collaboration, mostly on Pee-wee's Big Adventure, but also beyond, including the years when Reubens was very publicly shamed and Burton stood by him. I had a nourishing talk with Burton for it. On sale tomorrow.
Extremely engrossing read on the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree, by Andrew Hankinson in The Observer. Some of it reads like folk horror. Some like The Banshees Of Inisherin.
share.google/8Hs2oskTXc5I...
share.google/8Hs2oskTXc5I...
November 9, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Extremely engrossing read on the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree, by Andrew Hankinson in The Observer. Some of it reads like folk horror. Some like The Banshees Of Inisherin.
share.google/8Hs2oskTXc5I...
share.google/8Hs2oskTXc5I...
Volcano breaks silence
November 5, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Volcano breaks silence
I love shots like that. Crew hiding in every nook and cranny. Reminded me of this one from Goodfellas.
October 24, 2025 at 3:50 PM
I love shots like that. Crew hiding in every nook and cranny. Reminded me of this one from Goodfellas.
Hadn't seen this Elephant Man bts before. Lynch and crew shooting Michael Elphick. Cinema!
October 24, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Hadn't seen this Elephant Man bts before. Lynch and crew shooting Michael Elphick. Cinema!
Many levels of not-giving-a-shit going on here
October 21, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Many levels of not-giving-a-shit going on here
One of my favourite things is actors on set in full make-up having a cheeky drink or smoke.
October 21, 2025 at 6:03 PM
One of my favourite things is actors on set in full make-up having a cheeky drink or smoke.
This feature - reuniting Michael J Fox and Christopher Lloyd to talk 40 years of Back To The Future - has been in the works for a while. I knew @ollyrichards.bsky.social would ace it. It's a delightful, poignant, funny conversation. The chemistry is real.
In print only. New issue in shops on Thurs.
In print only. New issue in shops on Thurs.
October 21, 2025 at 1:19 PM
This feature - reuniting Michael J Fox and Christopher Lloyd to talk 40 years of Back To The Future - has been in the works for a while. I knew @ollyrichards.bsky.social would ace it. It's a delightful, poignant, funny conversation. The chemistry is real.
In print only. New issue in shops on Thurs.
In print only. New issue in shops on Thurs.
Just heard someone singing Blood, Sweat & Tears' 'Spinning Wheel' and remembered Nicolas Cage telling me how much David Lynch hated that song.
October 18, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Just heard someone singing Blood, Sweat & Tears' 'Spinning Wheel' and remembered Nicolas Cage telling me how much David Lynch hated that song.
I Swear is in UK and Irish cinemas today. It's an emotional workout - sweet, sad, funny, upsetting and, ultimately, as uplifting as cinema gets, I reckon. John Davidson is an inspiration, and Robert Aramayo does him justice: it's a gobsmacking performance, in a hugely compassionate film. Go see it.
October 10, 2025 at 9:28 AM
I Swear is in UK and Irish cinemas today. It's an emotional workout - sweet, sad, funny, upsetting and, ultimately, as uplifting as cinema gets, I reckon. John Davidson is an inspiration, and Robert Aramayo does him justice: it's a gobsmacking performance, in a hugely compassionate film. Go see it.
Please stop doing this! I know there are contractual reasons etc for name placements on posters but this is maddening. Unless it's a body-swap movie. Which it isn't. It hurts my eyes.
September 23, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Please stop doing this! I know there are contractual reasons etc for name placements on posters but this is maddening. Unless it's a body-swap movie. Which it isn't. It hurts my eyes.
Magazine cover of dreams (and nightmares).
September 20, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Magazine cover of dreams (and nightmares).
Giger (and Ridley Scott) on the original Alien set.
September 20, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Giger (and Ridley Scott) on the original Alien set.
One ep of Alien: Earth to go and every time a beastie pops up I think of HR Giger, and how none of this exists without him. A gazillion films and TV shows over nearly 50 years, and arguably none of it would have hit - or endured - were it not for his art. An incredible legacy for such perverse work.
September 20, 2025 at 8:29 AM
One ep of Alien: Earth to go and every time a beastie pops up I think of HR Giger, and how none of this exists without him. A gazillion films and TV shows over nearly 50 years, and arguably none of it would have hit - or endured - were it not for his art. An incredible legacy for such perverse work.
David Lynch's 'compound' is up for grabs. I always find this sort of thing a little ghoulish. But this interior shot got me all emotional. I can just see him in here, tinkering away, smiling contently, conjuring dreams.
variety.com/gallery/davi...
variety.com/gallery/davi...
September 12, 2025 at 9:14 AM
David Lynch's 'compound' is up for grabs. I always find this sort of thing a little ghoulish. But this interior shot got me all emotional. I can just see him in here, tinkering away, smiling contently, conjuring dreams.
variety.com/gallery/davi...
variety.com/gallery/davi...
A couple more Sign O' The Times screenings have been added at BFI IMAX, for those who missed it...
whatson.bfi.org.uk/imax/Online/...
whatson.bfi.org.uk/imax/Online/...
September 11, 2025 at 2:37 PM
A couple more Sign O' The Times screenings have been added at BFI IMAX, for those who missed it...
whatson.bfi.org.uk/imax/Online/...
whatson.bfi.org.uk/imax/Online/...
Crimes against cover art. This should be beaten to death and buried in a cornfield.
September 10, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Crimes against cover art. This should be beaten to death and buried in a cornfield.
Enjoying these two in Alien: Earth. Noah Hawley's basically doing a sci-fi Stepbrothers with these hybrid man-children. And why not.
August 23, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Enjoying these two in Alien: Earth. Noah Hawley's basically doing a sci-fi Stepbrothers with these hybrid man-children. And why not.
I loved the shit out of Highest 2 Lowest. Not Spike at his very best - it's wonky and baggy - but definitely Spike at his most playful, mixing genres like there's no tomorrow, effortlessly throwing up properly showstopping setpieces, dialogue that SNAPS, and a hilariously relentless score. CINEMA!!
August 18, 2025 at 8:55 PM
I loved the shit out of Highest 2 Lowest. Not Spike at his very best - it's wonky and baggy - but definitely Spike at his most playful, mixing genres like there's no tomorrow, effortlessly throwing up properly showstopping setpieces, dialogue that SNAPS, and a hilariously relentless score. CINEMA!!
Terence Stamp on how he provided such a strong performance as General Zod. Basically: tantric sex.
(From theplaylist.net/terence-stam...)
(From theplaylist.net/terence-stam...)
August 17, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Terence Stamp on how he provided such a strong performance as General Zod. Basically: tantric sex.
(From theplaylist.net/terence-stam...)
(From theplaylist.net/terence-stam...)