Rose Leslie Interview For Utopia

Posted on July 9, 2014 by Frostie

At the age of 27, Rose Leslie has already won a Scottish BAFTA and starred in two of the biggest global TV dramas of recent years, Downton Abbey and Game of Thrones. Now, she’s starring in the new series of Utopia, Channel 4’s unique, ambitious and acclaimed drama, as the youthful Milner. Here, she discusses the fun of playing pure evil, and why Milner is a character that fascinates her.

The first episode of the new series of Utopia is a bit different, isn’t it? Explain what it’s about.

It is. As a really big fan of the first season, I thought it was a brilliant idea. It basically takes us back to the 1970s and shows us where it all began. We get to see Milner as a young woman, and we get to see why she turns into this ruthless killer. And we see what happens to Carvel as well, and how Jessica and Arby come to be. I was completely hooked by the concept. It’s really a stand-alone episode, and a real treat for the fans.

Milner’s a real hard case, isn’t she? Is it fun to play someone so bad?

Oh it is so much more entertaining playing an evil person than playing a sweet, charming young lady. Before I even went in for the audition, reading some of the scenes and the stuff she does, it was breathtaking. I loved it. As an actor, it was an absolutely thrilling role to play. It was so exhilarating to be such a horrible character.

The 70s are really evocatively recreated. Did you do anything to try and get yourself into a 70s frame-of-mind?

I felt the clothes did a lot of that. The costumes were brilliant – there was a lot of tweed and a lot of beige. That definitely helped me, as did the hairstyling, with the soft curls, particularly at the bottom of the head, that really transported me. And I grilled my parents on what the 70s were like. And I also felt like there was a lot of information that I could use in the script.

The script weaves in some key news stories from the 1970s. It’s very cleverly done, isn’t it?

It is so clever. That was one of the reasons why I was so thrilled to get this part. I think Dennis Kelly is a genius – both his stuff for screen and his plays – and the writing was superb. That’s what hooks the audience. All the garbage on the streets and so in is incredibly evocative of the time, and some of the political intrigue, the way the Airey Neave story is woven in, it’s brilliant. It was a real history lesson for me as well. I was embarrassed about how little I knew of the 70s.

It sounds like you were already a fan of Utopia. Did you watch it when it went out?

I did. I was all over it. It was word-of-mouth for me. I remember talking to a girlfriend of mine, and she told me about this new drama that had started the previous night, and she said that it was unlike anything she’d ever seen on TV before. So obviously that piqued my interest, and I went home and watched it. And the colouring, the direction, the editing, the acting, it was just incredible. So I was a little bit late on the first episode, and then, of course, I watched it every week that it then came out.

When you were cast as Milner, did you then go back and study how Geraldine James had played the role?

I went back and studied it, and of course that was a great excuse to watch the whole series again. So I was very happy to do some homework. But I was also aware that it might become something of a hindrance to then try and pick up her voice and to recreate each mannerism. Of course, as human beings, we develop through time. We develop, we change, and we’re not the same person we were 20 years ago. So I felt that allowed me some artistic license to interpret the character as I saw her as a young woman. But of course it was great to watch Geraldine do her work, and she does Milner magnificently. She sets such a high standard, the thing that really worried me as would I be able to be convincing enough that she would seem to be the same person.

The fascinating thing about Milner and the Network is that there’s a twisted morality at the heart of what they’re trying to do, isn’t there?

Yes, there really, really is. And what’s terrifying is, playing her for a full month, you can see the reasoning, you can see where she’s coming from. They’re doing it for the greater good. They’re doing it for the longevity of our species, giving it the chance to thrive. You can totally get swept up in that. But then you see the lines start to blur, you see what she has to do to make things happen. They can’t afford to have friends, they can’t trust anyone, they have to commit the most terrible acts. That makes you step back and think. But that’s the beauty of Dennis Kelly – he writes it in such a beautiful way, you’re able to see both sides of the argument.

You’ve had a pretty amazing few years, starring in Downton Abbey and Game of Thrones. Those experiences must have changed your life.

They really have. I’ve felt hugely privileged, from the bottom of my heart, to have been a part of those two shows. They were wonderful platforms – being part of something that’s popular is a wonderful springboard for any actor. I had an absolute blast on Game of Thrones – they were the best three years – meeting all these amazing people, and working with fantastic crews, and going to these incredible locations. I would never otherwise have gone to Iceland, and now I have a great love for the country.

Is it true you had no idea how big Game of Thrones was until after you’d auditioned for it?

Yes, and it’s the first time in my entire life that I’ve been so happy to be ignorant. If I’d had any idea just how popular it was after the first season, I think I’d have been far more nervous walking into that room. Luckily, it just felt like another audition to me. By the second round, I’d clued up and done my research, and I managed to get the part. But the first stage is always the toughest, and I walked into that room blissfully unaware. It could all have gone very differently.

Do you get recognised a lot now? How do you find that experience?

I get recognised quite a bit from Game of Thrones, and so far it’s been great, because the fans are so passionate about it. People just want to come up and have a picture taken with you or have a chat, because they love the show. It’s been a great experience. Now that I’ve said that, I’ve jinxed it. I’m going to get eggs chucked at me and be abused in the street.

Your first big project was New Town, a Scottish drama set in Edinburgh. You won a Scottish BAFTA for that. You must have thought this acting game was pretty easy at that stage.

Noooo! I think the wonderful thing about having gone to drama school is they made every single person well aware of just how cut-throat and hard this industry can be. So I was all too aware that it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Are you a proud Scot?

I am a proud Scot. I consider myself Scottish, but I also consider myself British, and I want Scotland to stay within the UK. I’m very passionate about that.

Which actors do you particularly look up to? Who would you really like to work with?

There are so many that I’d like to work with. I think Andrea Riseborough is astonishing, such an amazing talent. I’d love to work with her, and with Cate Blanchett. I’m a huge fan of Mark Rylance too.

What do you watch for your own entertainment?

I have just finished Breaking Bad. I can’t believe I was such a latecomer to it. It was phenomenal, every single episode. I’m ashamed to say I watched the whole thing, every series, in about five weeks.

Utopia will broadcast from 14th July, Channel 4, 10pm.

Channel 4 Dispatches Investigates The Scottish Referendum

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Frostie

Channel 4 Dispatches looked at claims of personal attacks and mudslinging on both sides of the Scottish referendum debate. (The Great British Break-up? Channel 4 Dispatches. aired 8pm Monday 7 July, available on 4OD)

Among the stories covered in the programme are allegations that many businesses have been pressured into staying silent; accusations that the Westminster government has been misleading voters in Scotland and the revelation that British embassies have been instructed to support the case for a No vote.

Polls show the single most important issue for voters is what might happen to the Scottish economy after independence. While business leaders are probably best placed to answer some of these questions, Channel 4 Dispatches investigates allegations that many have been pressured into staying silent.

Channel 4 Dispatches contacted 50 companies and business leaders believed to have concerns over independence. Five told the programme privately they’d been contacted by the Scottish Government and said they felt pressured to stay quiet about their views. Of the five, one claimed they had been visited by a Minister, two claimed they received a phone call from a Minister, and two claimed they had received a call from the First Minister’s office. And a further 14 claimed to know of other businesses who felt under pressure.

Gavin Hewitt, the former Chief Executive of the Scotch Whisky Association tells Channel 4 Dispatches that he or senior members of his staff met with Angus Robertson – the SNP leader in the House of Commons – on at least six occasions over the past two years:

“He and the SNP have regularly tried to get the message to the Scotch Whisky Association that the Scotch Whisky Industry should stay out of the independence debate. He was, I think, trying to neuter business comment. There was a genuine fear that in fact if we were seen to scupper by coming out publically against independence, there would be retribution down the track.”

“Regardless of whether the SNP win or lose the referendum vote in September they will be in power for many years to come and that those people who have stood against them or worked against the central plank of their policy, independence, will be singled out and will be remembered.”

In response, the Scottish Government told Channel 4 Dispatches that Mr Hewitt’s claims about Mr Robertson are ‘utterly false’.

The programme interviews Professor Patrick Dunleavy, Public Policy Chair at the London School of Economics, who says the UK government’s statement that the Scottish taxpayer would have to fork out £2.7 billion in set up costs misused his figures.

“It’s very hard to describe it in polite terms actually, it’s very crude, it’s alarmist, it’s not been checked and it rests on a whole series of, you know, false steps…That makes this a very dubious document. A dodgy dossier you might call it…. When you take into account all the factors that I’ve been just considering, my actual set up costs, you know the costs that you lose irretrievably just from going independent would be I guess around £150 to £200 million, that compares with numbers given in the treasury document which range from £1.5 billion to £2.7 billion. Given this is quite a polarised debate you should be checking your facts and contributing unimpeachable information.”

In response, a government spokesperson told Channel 4 Dispatches that it had ‘cited several external sources’ to provide context in their calculations for the set up costs.’

The programme reveals new information about what happened following the decision by the CBI to publicly back a No vote. This led to many of its members pulling out, most of whom claimed they’d made the decision in order to remain politically neutral. Channel 4 Dispatches has obtained emails which reveal the role played in this pull-out by the SNP’s John Swinney.

The emails reveal how Mr Swinney seized on the decision by Scottish Enterprise to pull out of the CBI to push others to do the same, with his media advisor urging Visit Scotland to follow Scottish Enterprise’s lead and pull out of the CBI: ‘Mr Swinney has made said that other public bodies should follow suit, if they are CBI members,’ one email states.

Another senior official in the Finance Office emailed the CEO of Visit Scotland, asking him: ‘Can you please let me know … when a resignation letter can be issued.’

In response, a spokesperson for the Deputy First Minister told Channel 4 Dispatches: “A poll from the British Chambers of Commerce concluded that the referendum and the prospect of an independent Scotland “has left most [UK] businesses unfazed.” John Swinney’s comments “were in the context of the CBI” taking “a political stance” that raised “questions as to whether public bodies could remain members of the CBI and continue to meet their statutory obligation of impartiality.”

The programme also includes details of cables, released under the Freedom of Information Act, which the Foreign Office has sent to its embassies around the world. While the government has said that it is neutral on the referendum, one cable, sent out to embassies and consulates, suggests otherwise. It states that the British Government is: ‘Not neutral… and will be actively campaigning to secure a referendum result that will keep the United Kingdom together.’

In response, a government spokesperson told the programme: “The Prime Minister has always been clear that this is a decision for people in Scotland to make but it is no secret that he believes those living outside Scotland should make their views known.”

Lord Sutherland, Former Vice Chancellor of Edinburgh University claims that some of those running Scottish universities have also come under pressure to stay out of the debate despite concerns about the impact of independence.

Professor Chris Whatley from Dundee University tells Channel 4 Dispatches what happened when SNP Sports Minister Shona Robison caught wind of his appearance chairing a Better Together event in a personal capacity, and wrote an urgent email to the Principal of Dundee University.

“I think people did see this as, as an attempt to stifle, public debate, I mean there isn’t any threat or there hasn’t been any threat to public speech in Scotland as long as you’re saying yes. I guess I was seen as a threat,” he tells the programme.

Lord Sutherland adds:
“To be questioned by a Scottish Minister about the propriety of his expressing views in public is disgraceful. It sends the message that you’re being watched, if Big Brother’s looking down on you, then there’s an implicit threat. … The danger is that you have a regime that does things by stealth rather than argues things out in public.”

The spokesperson for the Deputy First Minister told Channel 4 Dispatches that: “Shona Robison’s questions related to the impartiality of the Five Million Questions project” and that “In terms of wider academic views, we welcome all contributions.”

10 Little Known Facts About Dickens

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Frostie

The Charles Dickens Museum has put some great Dickens facts together for us in conjunction with the release of The Invisible Woman which is out on DVD now. . Enjoy.

Dickens was extremely fond of his sister in law, Mary Hogarth, who was 15 at the time they first met. Mary died, aged 17, in his arms at his home at Doughty St (now the Charles Dickens Museum) and Dickens was struck low with grief. He wore a ring from her finger for the rest of his life and kept a lock of her hair. He was unable to work for months following her death – a situation previously unheard of. To a close friend he wrote of her death:

“Thank God she died in my arms and that they very last words she whispered were of me … I solemnly believe that so perfect a creature never breathed. I knew her inmost heart and her real worth and value. She had not a fault…”

· Dickens love and fondness for Mary coloured his life for years after and affected him profoundly. Years later Dickens spoke of his wish to be buried beside Mary to his friend John Forster:

“The desire to be buried next to her is as strong upon me now as it was three years ago; and I know (for I don’t think there ever was love like that I bear her) that it will never diminish…”.

· Dickens met his first love, Maria Beadnell, at age 17. He was not considered good enough for the attentions of a bankers daughter. He vowed to become an actor to impress her and even when he became a well earning parliamentary reporter in 1835, he was refused by Maria’s parents. Maria contacted Dickens again later in life in 1854 and he was once again infatuated and sent her effusive letters until he discovered she had become dull and matronly. After this he never spoke to Maria again and portrayed her cruelly as Flora in ‘Little Dorrit’

· Dickens met the young actress Ellen Ternan when she was 17 and he pursued her from 1857 and was connected to her until his death in 1870. Dickens went to great lengths to keep the affair a secret from his adoring public. Ellen was the same age when he met her as Mary Hogarth had been when she died.

· As the relationship with his wife Catherine soured, he arranged for a wall to be built in the middle of their shared bedroom making the separation complete.

· In 1858, Dickens officially separated from Catherine and to put an end to rumours in circulation about his affair with Ellen Ternan, he had a notice published in London Times and Household Words to explain the ‘amicably composed’ separation to his wider public.

· When Dickens separated from Catherine, he blamed her mental instability as the cause of their break-up rather than the affair with Ellen Ternan

· A serpent ring tells the story of strained relations between Catherine Dickens and her sister Georgina following the separation of the Dickens’s marriage in 1858; Georgina made the controversial decision to remain with Dickens as his housekeeper. Many years later, after Dickens’s death, Catherine made a gift of the serpent ring to the sister who had deserted her, the symbol of the snake implying her betrayal.

· The affair between Dickens and Ellen was covered up well into 1920’s. Subsequent generations denied that the affair ever happened. A discovery of Dickens’ stolen or lost diary of 1867, found in 1943, appears to confirm the affair through coded entries..