Luke Fetherston Talks Flowers in the Attic: The Origin, Bringing Much-Needed Representation to the Screen, and More

Luke Fetherston is one of the industry’s most promising young talents. He’s known for the dynamic characters that he’s brought to life on the stage and screen. His past credits include The Emily Attack Show, Pandora, and Almost Never.

This summer, he stars opposite Jemima Rooper and Max Irons in the must-see miniseries, Flowers in the Attic: The Origin. Based on V.C. Andrews’ novels, this limited series tells the origin story of Olivia and Malcolm Foxworth and how dark family secrets shape the Foxworth family from the very beginning. Luke shines as Joel Foxworth, a young man who’s discovering who he is in the world.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to chat with Luke about Flowers in the Attic: The Origin, bringing much-needed representation to the screen, and more.

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting and storytelling?
Luke: I was eight years old. I remember that my grandparents would always take me to the theater in London. It was really that simple. Apparently one day, I said, “I want to do what they’re doing.” Before I knew it, my sister got me an audition for a local theater company. Then I started doing shows and that led me to drama school. It was quite an easy progression for me. I never had to worry about what I was going to do or what I was going to be. It was something that I’ve always seemed to know I was going to do.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Luke: I’m inspired by so many different things. To begin with, it was movie musicals, specifically those with Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, and Donald O’Connor. They were the guys that I grew up watching. Their ability in dance is incredible, which is what led me to train in musical theater. I just wanted to be able to do everything that they could. Those old-school Hollywood stars were probably my biggest inspiration at a young age.

PC: Having gotten your start in theater, what’s that transition been like for you going from the stage to the screen?
Luke: It’s tricky, especially in England. You have to convince people that you are more than just a musical theater performer, more than just a dancer, etc. You have to have a lot of patience and determination. You have to trust the process. But I’m glad that I did it. I made the decision in 2017/2018 to take a pause from theater while I tried to pursue TV and film. It’s been tricky at times, but it’s going well.

PC: You’ve got a new project out now. Tell us about Flowers in the Attic: The Origin, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Luke: It’s based on V.C. Andrews’ novels. We shot The Origin as the prequel to Flowers in the Attic. You get to find out why things are the way they are at the beginning of the novel. It’s always interesting to hear the backstory or the untold story. It’s always interesting when projects like this come up.

I was very aware of the novels, although I had never read them. When I did read it and read Joel, I vividly remember being like, “I have to play this role.”

What drew me to him? I could relate a lot to Joel and his experiences and his connection to Harry. It was so beautifully written. I was like, “I can do this.” It felt like me on paper, except for some of the experiences that he has to go through.

PC: Over the course of this miniseries, we see this beautiful relationship formed between Joel and Harry. What was it like collaborating with Jordan Peters as you brought that dynamic to life?
Luke: Jordan is an amazing actor and such a brilliant person. It was so easy. We spoke about our characters a lot together, and he was fully committed to the relationship that they had. It was so fun. He’s so dynamic and brings tons of personality to the role. It was a dream to work with him. It really was. There was never a moment where we disconnected.

Our very first scene together is the moment when Harry and Joel first kiss. It could have been really tricky and difficult. It could have been all sorts of things, but it was just brilliant. I hope I get to work with him again.

*Spoilers Ahead*

PC: Joel’s parents send him off to conversion therapy after discovering his sexuality, and there are so many emotional moments leading to that point and also in the aftermath which you handle with so much nuance. As an actor, how did you create the space for yourself to dive into those emotional arcs?
Luke: For me, it was research. I had to do as much research as I could on the type of therapy that Joel gets put through and the side effects of it. I felt like if I did all that research then I would be able to go onto set and play around since I knew I had done the groundwork. I was lucky. In Romania, I had a lot of spare time. I would often be on my own, and I would go over the scenes. I would go over all the research that I’d done and watch tons of other films and TV programs that also portrayed conversion therapy to see their take on it. But in terms of giving myself the space, it came from the research and knowing that I was giving that moment as much weight as possible because of everything that I’d learned about it.

PC: You deliver such a commanding performance, especially in the third part of this miniseries. When it comes out on Saturday, is there a scene that you’re really excited for audiences to see?
Luke: Thank you, firstly. One of my favorite scenes is when Joel plays the piano in order to lure Harry to the house. There is something about that scene that summarizes Harry and Joel. It’s a really beautiful moment. I hope that audiences like it.

PC: You’ve also said in previous interviews that Wentworth Miller and his openness gave you hope as you were starting out in your career. What has it meant to you to know that you’re paving the way for this next generation?
Luke: If I am, I’m completely honored. It’s hard to fathom that might be the case that I’m having an impact on younger guys that identify as gay and want to be actors. That would be a dream if I was able to help anyone or make someone feel confident in being who they are.

PC: You definitely are. What would you say is the biggest takeaway you took away from this project? Did anything surprise you about the overall experience?
Luke: I guess what did surprise me about the overall experience is that I made some of my best friends on this show. Often when you go onto a set, it’s disjointed. You don’t get to connect with half of the actors. But because we were filming during COVID, we were all very closely knit. I’m very grateful for that. That was probably the biggest shock—that I’m still very close with a lot of the cast. It’s wonderful.

PC: This is such an exciting time in your career. As you look ahead to the next five to ten years, is there a dream role that you would love to bring to life on the screen or stage?
Luke: My favorite novel is The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. I’m probably too old, but I would absolutely love to play Achilles or Patroclus.

To keep up with Luke, follow him on Instagram. Watch Flowers in the Attic: The Origin on Lifetime.