A Gentleman’s Ascent: C&TH Meets Tyler Conti

Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen returns to Netflix for a second season – an explosion of charm, violence and Cockney grit from the filmmaker who defined a decade of British crime cinema. This time, the world expands: bigger sets, wilder characters, and new blood. Among the fresh faces is Tyler Conti as Joe Green, a coke-dealing geezer from a dynasty of dealers, reconnecting with old flame Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario) when he crashes back into the story.

At the same time, Tyler is leading Starz’s Fightland, a brutal new boxing drama executive produced by Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson, as Justin ‘Jay’ Hall – a disgraced boxer returning to London to settle scores in a world of money and violence. Between these two major releases and a third project just wrapped in Madrid, 2026 is set to be Tyler’s breakout year. Ahead of the return of The Gentlemen, we sat down with him to talk landing his dream role, the surreal Peru-that-wasn’t-Peru, and why a smile on the Tube changes everything.

‘I feel very honoured to be a part of it, so get ready!’

Q&A: Tyler Conti On The Gentlemen & Fightland

Life sounds pretty hectic at the moment.

Yeah, life is going well. It’s super busy at the moment. We’ve got two shows being released in the same week, which is pretty wild.

You’re joining The Gentlemen series 2 as a series regular. What do we have in store?

The Gentlemen series 2 – you can expect your standard Guy Ritchie TV series, but bigger and better than before! It’s season 2, so you know it’s going to be crazier, with bigger explosions and wilder characters. I feel very honoured to be a part of it, so get ready!

You join alongside Hugh Bonneville and Maya Jama. What was it like to sign onto such a high-profile series – and do you remember how it felt when you got the call?

I never thought my name would be amongst the names joining season 2. I still can’t believe it. I’m absolutely buzzing. I got a call from my agent while I was getting a tattoo in Scotland, and I was waiting to hear whether or not I’d got the job. I jumped off the tattoo bed, rushed to answer the phone, and she told me I’d got it. I couldn’t believe it.

I put the phone down, finished my tattoo, and when the tattoo artist asked if I liked it, I remember saying, ‘To be honest, mate, I don’t really care.’ I hope he wasn’t offended! My mind was elsewhere. What an experience. I then rang my mum and had a massive grin on my face the whole train ride back to London.

Tyler joins The Gentlemen as ‘Cockney geezer’ Joe. (Netflix)

Tell us about Joe Green.

I play a Cockney geezer called Joe Green. He comes from a coke dynasty, so he’s a coke dealer from a coke-dealing family. He’s Jack’s old friend from school. Joe and Susie [Kaya Scodelario] used to have a thing when they were younger, but they lost touch. Joe had been doing some work in Miami, and now he makes an entrance in season 2, where he and Susie rekindle a bit of what they had in the past.

What’s your favourite line?

My favourite line is the one I say to Susie about Eddie Halstead [Theo James]: ‘He’s a bit posh for your line of work, isn’t he?’ We talk about it in the pool hall in one of our very first scenes together. I’m just mugging off Eddie.

What was the dynamic like on set?

It felt very collaborative and very creative. We could offer our creative instincts to Guy or Eran [Creevy], the other director, and they were always open to them. We could really work with the script and play around with things, so it felt very fluid. It was a lot of fun.

Eran would often play music, and we’d mess around a little bit to get into our characters. It created a more relaxed atmosphere, while still being very professional. We knew the calibre of the show we were working on, and the level of talent around us, so everyone really stepped up to the mark. We knew we were working with such professionals, and I think that naturally brought out the best in all of us. I really enjoyed it.

Any standout moments from filming – and favourite locations?

A standout moment for me was when I was told we were filming in Peru. Later in the series, the guys get to go to Italy and film on a lake, but unfortunately, Joe isn’t in that episode. So when I was told we were going to Peru, which on paper sounded incredible, I was very excited. It turns out we were actually going to Guildford, where they had transformed a forest into the deep Peruvian rainforest.

It was incredible. They’d built these shelters where they were making cocaine from all the raw materials, and me and Kaya were driven there with bags over our heads. It was just such an awesome experience and an exciting place to be. We had machine guns, snakes and all sorts of animals around us to really give it that Peruvian vibe. It was honestly such a mad experience.

Tyler: ‘Fightland feels quite close to home because we were filming in places where I grew up.’

You’ve also just finished Fightland, the 50 Cent-produced boxing drama. What was that like?

To be a part of Fightland has been insane! It feels amazing because we’re creating something completely new. Obviously, 50 Cent has made shows before and created the Power Universe, but this is such a standalone show, and it feels very unique to be making an American show in London.

It feels quite close to home because we were filming in places where I grew up. We’re creating the world, developing the characters and establishing everything from the ground up, so it feels really personal. What an honour to start this journey with the people I’m starting it with, from the cast and crew to the production team. Everyone is just so excited to be part of the 50 Cent world and create something really special, and I can’t wait for people to see it.

How do the two compare – The Gentlemen versus Fightland?

Fightland has its own uniqueness because we’re creating something from scratch, and you really get to own the character and the world you’re building. With The Gentlemen, I felt like I had to find the rhythm that was already set and then jump into it.

But I think playing Joe Green has been a real standout for me because it feels like a childhood dream come true. I grew up watching Guy Ritchie films, so it feels pretty surreal to now be a part of one of his worlds. That was definitely a dream come true for me.

‘I was a huge Skins fan.’

What else is in the pipeline?

I can’t say too much, but I’ve just finished filming in Madrid for the last two and a half to three months on a new Apple TV show that will hopefully come out sometime next year. It was really fun – very energetic and fast-paced. I also got to work with one of my favourite actors of all time, and the time I spent with her on set is something I’ll never forget.

Who’s been your favourite actor to work with?

Kaya! I was a huge Skins fan – she’s going to hate me for saying that! It was really cool being on set with her and being able to follow her lead and learn from all of her experience. I felt very lucky to work with her.

What genre would you love to do more of?

There are so many genres I’d love to be a part of. I’d love to do a Western – I think it would be really cool to ride a horse and shoot some guns. I’d also love to do a romance, maybe a really emotional relationship drama. Something like Manchester by the Sea, Marriage Story or Silver Linings Playbook would be amazing.

And I’d love to do a horror. I think that would be so much fun – something messy, bloody and completely chaotic would be right up my street.

‘It’s nice to get out of the city every now and again, but ultimately, I’m a city boy.’

Anyone you’d dream of working with – actor, writer, or director?

I’m deep into The Bear at the moment! Ebon Moss-Bachrach is just incredible, and I’d love to do a scene with him. I think it would be really fun to see what we could come up with together.

Do you spend much time at home?

Yeah, I spend a fair bit of time at home. I’ve been doing a lot of DIY lately. I’m really into woodwork and have been keeping myself busy building things around the house. I’ve been laying decking on our balcony, making fences and planters for the trees, and I’ve even been retiling the bathroom. So, I’ve definitely been spending a good amount of time at home lately.

Do you live in town or country – and which do you prefer?

I live in London and I love it! I’d say I’m definitely more of a city boy, but whenever I get the chance to escape to the country, I can really feel the anxiety start to dissipate. There’s a real sense of freedom that helps me relax and switch off. So, it’s nice to get out of the city every now and again, but ultimately, I’m a city boy.

‘I try not to take things too seriously.’

How would you describe your interior design style?

I’d say it’s quite industrial – kind of loft-style, with double-height ceilings, lots of glass, exposed brick, lintels and metal beams. But I like to balance that with really soft furnishings to make it feel super cosy, because I don’t want it to feel cold.

I love deep, rich greens, oranges and burgundies, big rugs and dark, chunky oak. I don’t know if there’s a specific name for that style, but that’s definitely my style.

How do you find balance between personal and work life?

It can sometimes be hard to find a balance, but I think what’s important, for me anyway, is that my personal life should always come first. I try not to take things too seriously and really practise that attitude of ‘what will be, will be’.

I always try to think about how my grandad would look at life and see things through his lens. He was so silly and always making jokes, and I think that’s a good way to look at things. It’s just not that deep. Be with the people you love, the people who make you laugh, and let that come first. If you can find some of that in your work too, even better, but I try not to bring work stuff home.

‘I’m a bit of a challenge-aholic.’

How can we all live a little bit better?

I think we all need to smile at each other on the Tube. One smile at a time – that’s all it takes! Just give someone a little smile and hopefully make their day a bit better. Nothing creepy, nothing weird, just a cute little smile, and then carry on with your day. Hopefully, it’ll spread!

Anything fun coming up – professionally or personally?

I’m going to Sweden for a little bit because my girlfriend is doing a play out there, so that’ll be really nice. I’m also heading to Sardinia with some friends, which I can’t wait for. Then, in December, my girlfriend and I are going to go campervanning around Patagonia, which will be amazing.

I’ve also got a charity cycle that I’ve been putting off because of work. I’m planning to cycle from London to Istanbul, and I’m challenging myself to do it in 30 days. I’m a bit of a challenge-aholic, so I’ve signed up for it and it’s going to be a solo trip. I’m hoping to make it happen next year when I can find the time, but it’s definitely getting done!

‘I can’t get enough of reality TV.’

What Tyler Is Loving Right Now

I’m currently watching… DTF St. Louis with Jason Bateman and David Harbour. Really recommend!

What I’m reading… My dogs’ antibiotic prescription.

The last thing I watched (and loved) was… The Bear, Toy Story 5, The Invite – all amazing projects.

What I’m most looking forward to seeing… The Odyssey

Favourite film of all time… Space Jam for nostalgia and Inside Out and Good Will Hunting

Favourite song of all time… ‘Naïve’ by The Kooks, ‘Fluorescent Adolescent’ by Arctic Monkeys, ‘Unwritten’ by Natasha Bedingfield

Band/singer I always have on repeat… I love Mac Miller – RIP!

My ultimate cultural recommendation… Going for a run around the canal in East London

Cultural guilty pleasure… Reality TV – I can’t get enough of that crap, ha!

Tyler Conti stars as Joe in The Gentlemen season 2, streaming now on Netflix.

Credits

• Photography: David Reiss
• Grooming: Charlie Cullen
• Styling: Nathan Henry
• Fashin: Pull & Bear, Oliver Spencer, Blue Blue, GH Bass