# Luca Pasqualino Recalls 2009 NME Awards Mishap The Skins actor reflects on a clumsy stage moment while presenting an award. - **Source:** [NME](https://www.nme.com) - **Published:** 2026-11-09 - **Topic:** [entertainment](https://brifing.si/c/entertainment) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/ec24847a-4c4b-4b3e-8bb9-d76f55b177ad ## Stage Fright Incident Actor Luca Pasqualino, known for his role in Skins, recently recounted a memorable moment from the 2009 NME Awards held at Brixton Academy. While attempting to present the Best New Band trophy to MGMT, he tripped on the steps. He managed to recover quickly, avoiding a major public spectacle during the ceremony. ## Atmosphere of the Event The 2009 ceremony was characterized by a riotous atmosphere, featuring performances from bands like Friendly Fires, White Lies, and Elbow. Pasqualino noted that he was only nineteen at the time and felt significant nerves. He shared a table with Girls Aloud and observed Pete Doherty engaging in his typical unpredictable behavior. ## Musical Collaborations The evening featured notable musical highlights, including a collaborative cover of Elvis Presley’s Suspicious Minds by Glasvegas and Florence Welch. Additionally, Damon Albarn reunited with Graham Coxon for an acoustic performance of This Is A Low. The Cure also delivered a ten-track greatest hits set, solidifying their status as Godlike Geniuses. ## Career Path Transitions Rivals co-star Alex Hassell reflected on his own musical background, revealing he once played in a band called Short Back And Sides with his brother. Their single, Do The SBS, failed to gain traction, leading Hassell to pursue the more stable profession of acting. He remains nostalgic about that specific era. ## Curating On-Set Vibes While filming the first season of Rivals, Hassell created a playlist of sexy eighties music to set the mood. His daily routine involved listening to Prince’s Kiss and INXS’ Need You Tonight. He also included tracks by Olivia Newton-John and Blondie, emphasizing the importance of music in his creative process. ## Influential Album Choices Hassell highlighted Radiohead’s OK Computer as one of his all-time favorite albums. He also praised the Longpigs record The Sun Is Often Out, recalling a 1997 V Festival performance where he saw the band alongside Iggy Pop and The Prodigy. He described lead singer Crispin Hunt as the coolest person he ever saw. ## Diverse Musical Tastes Bella Maclean expressed admiration for Cleo Sol’s 2021 album Mother, describing the vocals as angelic and spiritual. Meanwhile, Pasqualino identified Stevie Wonder’s Songs In The Key Of Life as his top choice. Notably, Leonardo DiCaprio also cited this specific Stevie Wonder album as a favorite during his own interview with NME last year. ## Future Project Release The cast members continue to promote their current work as they look back on these personal musical histories. Fans of the series can anticipate the next installment of their project, as Rivals season two part two is scheduled to launch on the Disney+ streaming platform on November 11, following the recent promotional interviews. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.nme.com/news/tv/skins-star-luca-pasqualino-2009-nme-awards-interview-mgmt-rivals-3975447 — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._