‘I WANT TO BE SEEN AS SOMEONE WHO MAKES GOOD CHOICES. NOT SOMEONE WHO GOES FOR A SAFE BET’

When she was 19, Hermione Corfield appeared on the cover of Tatler, not necessarily as herself but as the physical manifestation of the ‘New Sloane’, a younger generation of that well-heeled Chelsea archetype who are “leaner, meaner” and are shunning traditional dress codes. But despite fitting the bill in terms of appearances, the actress seems to be actively shaking that stereotype. So far, Corfield has played a buttoned-up hotel manager, a fighter pilot, a princess, a record shop clerk, and a marine biologist: a veritable feast of roles for someone in the early stages of her career.

Hermione grew up in Gloucestershire, the heart of the British countryside, interspersed with trips to London, where her mother, the shirtmaker Emma Willis, and father work. Her entry into the acting world was swift: she joined