It’s an exciting time in the Beckhams household as Victoria and David’s second son Romeo gears up for his acting debut – a timely distraction from the ongoing family feud with estranged son Brooklyn and his wife Nicola Peltz. And excitement is fast building after the trailer of his queer tennis romance film Forty Love was released this week.
In the 90-minute-long teaser of the French ‘sensual and coming-of-age’ tennis drama, Romeo, 24, is seen giving it his all as the ‘charismatic new rival’ to young tennis star Sacha, portrayed by French actor Paul Kircher. As the pair toy with the boundary between hate and love, their competitive rivalry soon turns into heated passion, with the sports stars seen sharing a passionate kiss and lying in bed together as their feelings clearly take over.
Romeo’s character even tells Sacha, ‘It’s not my fault if you’re f***ing in love with me’ while in another scene during a tense match, there’s palpable chemistry between the two stars as Romeo warns his rival, ‘Sleep with your eyes open, I’m coming for you.’
Romeo’s girlfriend Kim Turnbull showed her approval, posting crown and trophy emojis, and his brother Cruz posted a picture of Martin Scorsese captioned ‘Absolute cinema’. Family friend Gordon Ramsay said, ‘Congrats, Romeo, well done.’ Some fans were also thrilled for the film. One said, ‘This feels like a fanfiction of a gay Rafa Nadal ….and I’m IN for it,’ with another remarking, ‘Close enough, welcome back Challengers in a Heated Rivalry.’
But there was also backlash over his leading role despite having zero acting experience or formal training. ‘Did he train at RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art)? Or a nepo actor?’ said one, while another commented, ‘He’s now an “act-or”. Just like he was a “tennis player”, then “in a band”. A third posted, ‘Another Beckham doing a career he’s not qualified for. Nepo much?’
Like Romeo, Paul, 24, is also a nepo baby, the son of actors Irene Jacob and Jerome Kircher. Forty Love, directed and written by fashion photographer Pierre-Ange Carlotti, is set for release in French cinemas on 25 November, followed by an international release. Producer Hugo Sélignac said the project is a ‘sensual, romantic and deeply moving fable and coming-of-age story’ about the ‘demands of high-level sport, and everything that lies beneath the surface… led by outstanding performances’.
This is Romeo’s first acting job, although he is used to the cameras with his previous jobs as a model for Burberry, Balenciaga and Yves Saint Laurent. Most recently, he walked the runway at Paris Fashion Week for Tommy Hilfiger. He has also dabbled in football, playing for Brentford B and his father’s team, Inter Miami, and tennis, where he trained with Scottish star Andy Murray.
It comes as his brother Cruz, 21, is thriving in his music career, while sister Harper, 15, also has big plans to be a businesswoman with her beauty brand Harlo by Harper, which has no doubt been inspired by her mother Victoria. Meanwhile, Brooklyn, 27, has had a varied career. He is now a hot sauce founder and cooking influencer after his failed photography and football careers.
Victoria, 52, and David, 51, are said to be proud and over the moon about Romeo’s latest career move, but following the past tension with Brooklyn over his own career choices, they’re determined not to make the same mistakes twice.
‘Victoria and David are proud of Romeo,’ we’re told. ‘It’s a low-key part, but they are joking that Romeo could become the new gay icon – laughing that he could be following in the same footsteps as his dad in his heyday! They have always supported all of their children. And seeing Romeo taking on his first big film is a huge moment for them. They couldn’t be more proud of him and what he has achieved.’
It was reported in June that Romeo had acting lessons to ensure he felt ‘confident’. A source said, ‘By all accounts, he loved the experience, and it’s likely there will be more roles to come after Forty Love comes out.’
The former footballer was also described as a ‘grafter’ by the source, who claimed, ‘Romeo knows there will be a lot of eyes on him, but his work will speak for itself. This film will show people what Romeo can do. He is an impressive actor, and this is a great starting point for him. He is still working as a model, and he has just launched his clothing range, Intra, which is a project he has been working hard on in the background.’
An insider says, ‘David and Victoria are thrilled that after all the stick and ridicule Brooklyn got from the public about his forays into photography and cooking, Romeo, like his brother Cruz, seems to be making a mark. They are all very proud of him.
‘Both Victoria and David are trying to learn their lessons from some of the mistakes they may have made with Brooklyn – to guide them more carefully in their careers as the scrutiny is no intense – and not indulging in their every whim. They have been trying to guide their guides not to be obvious “nepo babies”, but to choose projects carefully and to put in the necessary graft so the outcome is usually much better.’
The source adds, ‘In hindsight, they know they probably did indulge Brooklyn too much in his career choices and leaving him open to criticism and scrutiny as a result, so they are keen not to repeat same mistakes.
‘They want them to be successful in their own right, and now Harper could be the biggest success of them all if the branding and products work well.’