"'Wow, how am I going to do this?’,” was Nico Mirallegro’s first response to finding out he’d been cast as the lead in Paramount+’s freshly released comedy, Stags. “How am I going to play this smiling crocodile?”

An account of a pre-wedding groom’s party, as opposed to a group of male deers – over six episodes, the fate of the smorgasbord collation of groom Stu’s (Mirallegro) nearest and dearest becomes so dire you might reasonably advise anyone embarking on a similar jaunt abroad to look away. However, what unravels, an impressive melange of humour, heart, high-stakes danger and, at times, gore is so compelling, they simply couldn’t.

In short, the pals inadvertently swap nights on the strip for a stay in a hellscape island prison, where survival is not a given, perhaps why the filming days, on location in the Canary Islands, didn’t quite live up to Mirallegro’s early expectations. Initially, he says, he thought – “‘Filming in the Tenerifian sun – si por favor,’”, but the reality? “Dust. A whole load of dust. In the eyes, all day long.” After a 5.30 am wake-up call and a couple of hours in wardrobe and make-up, “We’d be contained in the prison ‘walls’, surrounded by squibs, explosions, ice baths, and dust.” Some compared it to working on Apocalypse Now, he says.

But, thankfully, the benefits of signing on for the job, for Mirallegro, look set to more than outweigh even the most gruelling days graft. The 33-year-old, Greater Manchester-hailing screen mainstay has already accumulated considerable fan love and industry nods for a roll-call of roles (My Mad Fat Diary, Murdered For Being Different, Common). However, at the epicentre of a production on the scale of Stags, now feels like the moment for the world to become truly acquainted with his talent.

Below, Mirallegro chats approaching a stag do the right way, what the show’s themes might teach audiences, how patience has got him to where he is today and which blockbuster fantasy drama he would dye his hair blonde for…

Hey, Nico! Massive congratulations on Stags! It’s fair to say, we see a stag weekend gone wrong in the series, but what would you say are the makings of a stag-do-done-well?
I think it’s a case of doing the opposite of our stags. Enjoy yourselves, have a laugh, get some sun, have some drinks, but be respectful and don’t take the piss.
 
When you first found out you got the role of Stu, what were your initial thoughts?
I thought, 'this is going to be some ride and some adventure. I found out with family whilst in Italy and had somehow just avoided three stag dos that April. I suppose some stag dos are meant to be.

Now that you’ve got to know the character very well, where would you say you share similarities? Where are you different?
When you are finding the character, you naturally find similarities and differences. Stu is a fun, likeable, charming guy and appears straightforward, salt of the earth, but has a dark internal conflict that he’s hiding. He carries tension throughout because of his culpability and that had to stay hidden from the characters and the audience. It’s intriguing and intricate to play because a lot of people are hiding stuff and don’t say what they truly feel. We’re alike in having a strong bond with the people we love, and that’s what drives us. We’re also adapters and can camouflage in different environments.
 
You’ve got quite an extensive range of credits under your belt, but leading an international show for Paramount+ feels like a particularly big moment. How would you sum up this point of your career?
Yes, leading a Paramount+ show is surreal and a huge moment. I like to think I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be right now. I’m happy with the work I’ve done and where I’m at but not settled at all. There’s much more to come, which excites me. Working with Paramount and Eleven in a closer, more mature way empowers you as an artist. Working with people like Carissa [Hope Lynch, executive producer], David [Kerr, lead director], and Farah [Abushwesha, producer] — they create a team, and then, as a team, your voice can feel heard. That type of collaboration has given me so much joy.