Wicked’s Jonathan Bailey has a scent for each of his theatre characters

Jonathan Bailey said different scents help trigger different memories.

Jonathan Bailey has a “specific scent” for each theatre character he plays.

The 38-year-old actor said different scents help trigger different memories.

He told GQ: “Definitely in theatre I always make sure that I have a specific scent for each character.

“And I grew up in a household where I was the youngest of four. I remember when everyone was downstairs, I’d run upstairs and use everyone’s different perfumes, whatever I could find.

“When I smell people out and about in the street, I immediately remember friends. I remember people. It’s such a memory sense to me.

“So with that in mind, I think if you can have a few scents that you can then switch and be nimble with, you can be as playful with the scents as you can with fashion.”

Jonathan – who is starring in the West End revival of Sunday in the Park with George at the Barbican in London next summer – says fashion and fragrances help him navigate the pressures of being in the spotlight.

He explained: “When you think about a press tour, you think about what you’re communicating to the world in a way. But you’re also thinking about how you can protect yourself in these very high-octane environments, where everyone’s watching. There’s usually a story to tell.

“And it’s the same with the fragrance. It’s an armour.”

Armani Beauty has enlisted the Wicked alum to front its new men’s fragrance, I Will, in a campaign video directed by Todd Field.

In the campaign, Jonathan plays an actor arriving in Los Angeles to search for inspiration and purpose as he prepares for his new role.

Smelling I Will, which features notes of burgundy, lavender, and vanilla, reminds the Bridgerton cast member of the times when he felt most confident, as well as the best nights out he has had.

He said: “This reminds me of some of the best long days that have gone into the night where you’ve started outside and you’ve met your friends, you’ve had a good day at work, and you go out and you drink, and you’re leaving like a bar or a pub.

“And it’s like a really hot day, and the heat is coming off. The aesthetic is sort of a well-lived day. It’s sexy, and it’s enduring. And that’s what it reminds me of my most confident, best nights out. That’s how I feel when I smell this.”