Category Archives: TV

Jon Hamm Interview For Black Mirror Christmas Special

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Black Mirror : White Christmas is on C4 at 9pm on 16th December. 

For a generation of Mad Men fans, actor Jon Hamm will forever be known as Don Draper. But this Christmas, they will see him in a new role – starring in a feature-length special of Charlie Brooker’s gloriously dark comedy drama Black Mirror. Here, Jon reveals his love for both Black Mirror and cricket, and recalls a life when he had just $150 dollars to his name.

 

You’re in the feature-length Black Mirror Christmas special. You must get offered so many roles – what was it about this relatively modest British drama that made you want to do it?

Well, let me disabuse you of the notion that I get offered so many roles. The jobs that are out there are scarce, and as with almost every actor, it can be hard to get good stuff. I had been a fan of Black Mirror, and Charlie Brooker, because I have a strange predilection for offbeat British things, and this was no exception. It came about in this very odd way, with me asking my agent if I could meet Mr Brooker. I didn’t know he was even working on a third series or a Christmas special or anything, it was simply that I really liked his work and really wanted to meet the guy.

 

So how had you encountered Black Mirror before?

Oddly enough, here in the States there is a channel on Direct TV called The Audience Network. They have some original programming and some stuff that they purchase from other sources. And Black Mirror was one of those acquisitions. My friend Bill Hader, of Saturday Night Live fame, told me I had to watch this show. So I watched it, and I thought it was really, really good. And that’s how it all came together. So I got a meeting with Charlie, and about three days later I flew back to LA, and a couple of days after that I got an email from him, and he said he’d really enjoyed our meeting and he had this character who was meant to be English but didn’t necessarily have to be, and why didn’t we have a go at putting me in this thing? And I said “Why not indeed?” It was a totally serendipitous situation. He couldn’t be a nicer guy, for someone who writes such dark stuff, and it’s a project that I thought was so interesting and unlike anything else I’d come across. And I love working over in the UK. It’s something that I’ve done for the last four years in a row, whether it’s been Todd Margaret or Young Doctors’ Notebook. It’s been lovely. I consider myself very fortunate to have been given these opportunities to come over there.

 

What can you tell us about the story?

Very little. Charlie’s written a very specific story that unfolds at its own pace, and you don’t want to spoil anything for anybody. But I think what I can say, for those people that are fans of the show, is that it delivers on the central, dystopian, Twilight-zoney unsettling situation that Black Mirror has delivered in the past. There’s always a deeply unsettling aspect to Black Mirror, and we definitely deliver on that. It’s not a mistake that they were able to get actors like Rafe Spall and Oona Chaplin to be a part of this. They are quite wonderful in this. It’s an excellent way to waste an hour-and-a-half over Christmas and not talk to your family.

 

Did you enjoy the shoot, and working with Oona and Rafe?

I did, I loved it. I didn’t work a tremendous amount with Oona, as will be made clear when people see the show. But I did work with Rafe, and I hung out with Rafe and his wife and had dinner. It was great. I’d only seen him on stage in New York, in Betrayal, with Rachel Weisz and Daniel Craig. He was wonderful in it. I got a chance to meet him after the show and say as much, but that was the only time I’d met him. So it was great to get a chance to actually work with him and meet him and his lovely family.

 

Can you tell, when you’re shooting something, how good it’s going to be? If so, what are your expectations for Black Mirror?

You can only hope. There are so many steps between here and there, it’s a situation where you hope something will be good, and if it’s not, you start pointing fingers! You can believe in the material – no-one sets out to make a terrible TV show, and yet we have quite a few of them out there – so everyone sets off with the best of intentions. But sometimes things happen. There are a lot of moving parts to a television show, especially one that’s very ambitious. That’s why I was so blown away when I first watched Black Mirror. I found it so ambitious, it was trying to achieve so much, and it succeeds. When we shot the pilot of Mad Men, I thought “Well, this is a very good pilot. Let’s hope that everybody that gets their hands on it between here and it going on air doesn’t mess it up.” And thankfully they didn’t.

 

Speaking of Mad Men, what are the roles that have meant the most to you over the years? I assume Don Draper looms fairly large in that?

Yeah, that’s the career-defining role for me, as it stands. But I can look back at every part I’ve ever played and think it was meaningful in some way, shape or form. It sounds cheesy, but I think every part that an actor takes has the opportunity to make them a better actor. Don Draper was certainly that for me, because it was about showing up and being prepared and being aware and being good in a lot of aspects. It was a very challenging role. At times it was funny, at times it was heartbreaking, at times it was violent, at times it was pathetic. I got to show a lot of colours. But I can also look at something as silly and as seemingly throwaway as the character in Bridesmaids, whose name I believe was Ted, and it came with its own set of challenges. Working in comedy isn’t exactly in my comfort zone, especially when you work with somebody as ridiculously talented as Kristen Wiig and the director Paul Feig. You’re terrified you won’t be able to pull your own weight. There’s a movie that Jen [Westfeldt , Hamm’s longtime partner and actress and screenwriter] wrote and directed and starred in, Friends with Kids, where you’re playing with people that are outside their comfort zones. It’s all a challenge, and it’s all something that you can look at and ay “I hope I got better because of it.”

 

How has your life changed in the last seven years? [Since the advent of Mad Men].

Oddly, not that much. It’s a strange thing, celebrity and fame and all that nonsense, it can be a millstone around your neck, but only if you let it. It’s only as powerful and as meaningful as you make it in your life. I’ve never really assigned that much meaning to it, so therefore it’s never really affected me. I mean, it’s weird when you’re walking down the street and people stop and point, or try to take your picture surreptitiously in a restaurant, which is never as surreptitious as you think it is. Nobody checks their email with a phone pointed directly at someone else. I appreciate that people appreciate my work, and I hope that it’s because of the work and it’s not because of some other dumb thing that doesn’t mean anything.

 

Do you think the fact that you didn’t become this famous until you were in your mid-30s was in many ways, a good thing?

Yes, is the short answer. I don’t even understand how young people operate today in a world dominated by social media. How do people manage anything? It’s so overwhelming. People wake up in the morning, and the first thing they do is check their Instagram account, their Twitter account, their Facebook account, their Vine account, their Tinder account. You do that, and then I guess you make coffee. I have enough problems managing all of my Words with Friends games. I can’t imagine maintaining this online virtual existence. That’s one of the things Charlie is digging into in this world of Black Mirror – you see what happens when social media goes sideways.

 

Is it true that you moved to LA in 1995 with just $150? What was it like living hand-to-mouth?

Well, it didn’t kill me, so I suppose it made me stronger. It seems apocryphal at this point, but it is in fact true. That’s what I had. Fortunately, I was 25 years old, and your capacity to deal with difficulty is considerably higher. You have a higher tolerance. You don’t mind sleeping on a broken futon, or sharing a house with five other broke idiots. That’s just what you do when you move to a new city to make it as an actor. There’s no version of it where you just jump to the head of the class. It just doesn’t happen. So you pay your dues. And, that isn’t the worst thing in the world. You learn a lot about yourself, and about the business, from paying your dues. And where you go from there is often to do with luck. It’s a massive component of it. I’ve been lucky. And I’ve also put the work in that enabled me to be lucky at the right time.

 

Your first ever role was as Winnie the Pooh in first grade. Where does that rank on your list of performances?

Well, as I said, every role helps you be a better actor!

 

You were able to really ‘become the bear’?

Oh yeah. My mother sewed the costume, which was essentially a really comfortable pair of pyjamas. And I strapped a pillow around my stomach, with a belt, and that was my Winnie the Pooh. Oddly enough, there is some Super-8 recorded footage of this out there in the ether, but I don’t think anyone’s ever going to see it!

 

Is it also true that you are that great rarity, an American who likes cricket?

Yeah. I’m not sure I’m a fully-fledged fan, because I haven’t spent the time on it, but at one point, when I was over shooting A Young Doctor’s Notebook, it was during the Ashes. And this somehow became really exciting to me. We’d finish shooting pretty early, because Dan [Daniel Radcliffe] was doing The Cripple of Inishmaan on stage in the West End. So we’d wrap by 5:30pm, and I’d go home and watch the highlights, which is, I found, an excellent way to watch cricket. So I really got into it. And England were playing very well, I think they trounced Australia. And then I went off and did Million Dollar Arm, and was in India when the IPL was happening, and every night there was cricket on TV in primetime. It was very easily digestible, the two-hour version, and fast-paced and very exciting. Watching it in India, where people are mad for cricket, was great fun as well. You’d go to the bar, and people would just be losing their minds.

 

The Black Mirror Christmas special, ‘White Christmas’, starring Jon Hamm, Rafe Spall and Oona Chaplin airs on Channel 4 on 16th December at 9pm. 

If you are an actor then check out my book How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an Actorpreneur. It is available in print and in all eBook formats on both Smashwords and Amazon.

 

 

Hit TV Shows Spark Baby Name Boom

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There’s no doubt that TV has a massive impact on our culture. It affects the music we listen to, it can change our ideas of what we may perceive as what is right or wrong, it influences how we dress and can even change our attitudes towards certain issues.  There is no greater testament to the power of TV however, than its ability to dictate how parents’ name their children.

Of course, TV isn’t unique in this sense but the prevalence of blockbuster TV shows such as Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad and True Blood mean that TV is now right up there with movies and celebrity culture when it comes to influencing parents’ naming choices..

With is in mind, below are some of the biggest shows that have influenced baby names over the last few years.

game-of-thrones

Game of Thrones 

The hugely popular HBO series has captured the public’s imagination like nothing else that’s currently on television. Its mix of fantasy, drama and violence which makes it a unique offering and given its popularity, it’s no surprise that there have been a growing number of babies named after its main characters.

Tyrion and Theon both made it onto the 2013 list of baby names. Apparently the names were given to 3 or more boys, with 6 Tyrions and 11 Theons making the list. Whilst relatively speaking these are quite small numbers, given how obscure these names are, it’s very difficult to deny the influence due to the popularity of Game of Thrones.

It’s not just boys’ names that the show has affected though. In 2011, Arya was 711th in the top 1000 baby names in the US. The following year however, it jumped all the way up to 413th, representing a huge leap in popularity.  The name is similarly popular in the UK, with 187 girls named Arya in 2013. There were also 50 baby girls named Khaleesi last year, the same number of babies named Peggy. The popularity of the name is doubtless inspired by the character of Daenerys Targaryen.

The fantasy epic wrapped up its fourth season this year and with the fifth soon to follow, there’s no doubt that it will continue to have an impact on how parents name their babies over the coming years.

breaking bad

Breaking Bad 

Coming to a close last year, Breaking Bad enjoyed both great critical acclaim and immense popularity with audiences around the world. Whilst it had a cult following for its first few seasons, the more intense the show became, the more people loved it and by the time it reached its fifth and final season it had become a phenomenon.

As you would expect, the names Walter and Skyler have both seen surges in popularity thanks to the  show. Last year there were 58 boys named Walter and 72 girls named Skyler. The fact that Walter would previously have been considered to be a fairly old-fashioned name shows how much a TV show can change peoples’ perceptions in regards to names.

How much influence does TV have? 

Whilst TV shows certainly have an impact on how parents name their children, it’s important not to overstate the influence it has. If you look at the most popular names for both boys and girls it’s clear that in general, parents stick with safe and traditionally popular names, regardless of how trendy a certain name might be at any one time.

It’s no surprise when you think about it – Just because a particular name might be in vogue at the moment, doesn’t mean that will always be the case. Names that are particularly obscure often put parents off. Of course there are also some parents who take the opposite approach however and feel that giving their child a unique name will help them to stand out. These parents are usually the ones who are most likely to give their children offbeat names that are inspired by popular TV shows such as Game of Thrones.

It’s also worth mentioning that it’s sometimes hard to quantify how much of an influence TV shows have, especially when it comes to common names that are generally popular anyway. However as can be seen by the evidence here there really are clear cases where the surge in popularity of a name is down to the influence of a TV show.

 

 

 

Only 2% of Britons Know How Rich They Really Are

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moneyWe are not sure if you saw Channel 4’s How Rich Are You Show last night but it was interesting. Take the quiz and find out how rich or poor you are below. The poll is also an eye-opener.

In a new poll commissioned by Channel 4, people in the UK were asked to guess how their income compared with the rest of the country’s, and then answer a series of questions to calculate the true result. Only 2% of the people surveyed guessed correctly.

The poll was commissioned to accompany How Rich Are You (1 x60) which airs at 8pm on the 10th November. Presented by Richard Bacon, this one-off special will show each of us where we stand in the great money map of Britain – and what that position means. With the help of leading experts, a studio audience and individual case studies, the show builds up a shocking and surprising portrait of the country that is now – officially – the most unequal in Europe.

Alongside the programme, the channel has launched a website app which will enable every viewer to take the ‘How Rich Are You’ test at home. Visitors to channel4.com/howrichareyou can answer a set of simple questions to determine if they are as rich or as poor as they think they are. The data for the app has been provided by the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

As many as 67% of the people surveyed underestimated their income compared by more than 10%, indicating a serious lack of understanding as to the economic state of the nation. Only 7% of people overestimated their income compared to the UK – but nobody overestimated by more than 10%. Just 2% correctly estimated their level of income vs the UK population.

The survey reveals that despite the struggles of the current economic climate, 75% of adults say that they manage financially, with 16% stating they struggle to get by.

Despite this there is still a bleak picture of life in 2014, as 61% feel that life in Britain has worsened over the last 20 years. Just 13% feel that life has improved.

The survey shed light on our embarrassment at talking about money. It revealed that 31% of adults surveyed would not be happy to discuss how much money they earn with family and friends, while 19% are not sure how they feel about it.

Interestingly, it is younger people who are more willing to discuss finances, with 60% of those aged 16-24 happy to talk about how much money they make.

When asked about inequality across the UK, the majority of adults (84%) think that the wealthy should pay higher taxes.

Those that feel they have enough money in their household (rating themselves as ‘well off’) feel less strongly on this matter, but still display strong agreement at 73%.

The survey also asked people about average salaries of other professions including a nurse, MP, care worker and average CEO. The results were fascinating with 70% of people overestimating the salaries of a CEO and more than half overestimating the salaries of an MP.

  • An average Nurse in the UK earns just over £26,000. Half of the adults that we spoke to correctly chose this amount, a quarter over estimated how much they earn, while a further quarter under-estimated their wage. Interestingly, those who were struggling in their household underestimated a nurse’s wage the most, while those that were well off overestimated their wage the most.
  • Just 27% of adults correctly knew an MPs current wage of £66,400, while a further 31% thought that MPs were on their soon to be higher wage of £72,000. A further 26% thought that they were paid nearly £20,000 more than their current wage.
  • An average care worker in the UK earns just under £13,000, 42% of adults correctly chose their wage. 50% thought that their earnings were at least 30% higher.
  • An average CEO in the UK earns an annual income of just under £118,000. Just 13% of the adults we spoke to correctly picked this amount, the majority (70%) thought their wage was significantly higher.

Dr Fazia Shaheen, Economist and expert on How Rich Are You? commented: “These numbers serve as a reminder of how little we understand about each other’s lives. We are failing to see the bigger picture – too busy trying to get by on our own wages to notice the growing gap between the very rich and the rest of us.”

John Hay, Commissioning Editor for Channel 4 commented: ““I’m convinced that years from now we will look back on the growing gap between rich and poor as the most significant issue of our age, and I think there’s a real hunger to understand it better (as well as to find out how much our neighbours earn). Richard and the team at Electric Ray have a gift for making important television that doesn’t feel like homework, so I hope this will be both revelatory and addictive viewing.”

Take the quiz here.

 

What’s Next for Britain’s Got Talent?

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britainsgottalentSince launching in 2007, Britain’s Got Talent has gone through some ups and downs that, truthfully, are to be expected. When a TV program achieves what feels like flash-in-the-pan success, it can be difficult to continue on at that same level. That’s particularly the case with talent shows like BGT, whose livelihoods hinge on the whether or not a contestant wins over the audience (both during and after their appearance on the program).

For BGT, they’re obviously hoping to recapture the magic of previous series by looking forward to 2015. They recently put out a call for applications and auditions through ITV. Would-be superstars have the chance to try out for a spot on the show through the middle of December. Given that this year’s series began in April, it’s likely that the next one will launch at a similar time in 2015.

What’s been frustrating for fans of the show and the team behind it is the following: Both the popularity of the program and its winners have been on the decline over the past few years. In 2012, for example, the planned live, touring version of BGT was axed because of lower-than-expected ticket sales, as reported by The Sun.

Additionally, the winners have had a difficult time pushing their debut albums to listeners. No one has had quite the success of Susan Boyle (a runner-up in Series 3) and Paul Potts (the Series 1 winner), though that’s not to say the others have done terribly. Considering the fact that album sales are not quite what they used to be, it’s commendable that some finalists and contestants have moved at least 100,000 copies of their first albums.

Those same stronger years—the Potts-to-Boyle era, if you will—also led to increased revenue for BGT in other outlets. Namely, they branched out to and found success in merchandising. Among the products released, there were a few that are especially enjoyable as they double-down as games and not just, say, a buzzer from the judge’s panel (yes, that’s a real piece of merch). As you can see on Betfair, the online gaming platform teamed up with BGT to create a gaming experience that utilises music, sound effects, and images from the show to create a unique experience for players. It’s worth noting that similar talent shows (The X Factor) and generic game shows (Deal or No Deal) have also found a new life on this platform.

Similarly, the BGT empire was expanded to board games back in 2009 with an electronic board game. The only downside in that case, though, is that the reviews don’t seem too hot for the game. According to Amazon, players either love or hate it—perhaps an update or new version is in order, then, to coincide with the upcoming series.

All this being said, could the next series of BGT be what the show needs to regain the attention of its once huge audience? We’ll have to wait and see if those taking on the call of the show’s producers have what it takes to be the next Susan Boyle, though no one’s holding his or her breath.

 

 

Dead Parrot Voted Top Monty Python Sketch

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 DeadParrot Monty Python sketch best

  • Famous pet shop sketch revealed as the nation’s favourite
  • Survey results revealed as legendary comedy troupe take to the stage for the last run of their hugely popular stage shows
  • The Lumberjack Song, The Ministry of Silly Walks and The Spanish Inquisition also feature in top ten

 

The dead parrot sketch, which first aired on 7 December 1969 (45 years ago) and featured John Cleese and Michael Palin, has been voted the nation’s favourite Monty Python sketch of all time.

 

The survey of 2,000 British adults was commissioned to mark the screening of the very last Monty Python live show on TV channel Gold on Sunday 20th July, and asked respondents to select their top sketch from a long list of over 35 iconic scenes.

 

The pet shop scene, which features Cleese as an exasperated customer trying to get his money back from Palin, who is a stubborn pet salesman, has been voted the most popular Python moment by 45% of respondents.  In second place is The Lumberjack Song, which was released as a single in 1975 (28%).  The top three is completed by The Ministry of Silly Walks (23%).

 

The nation’s favourite top ten Monty Python sketches

  1. Dead Parrot – 45%
  2. The Lumberjack Song – 28%
  3. The Ministry of Silly Walks – 23%
  4. The Spanish Inquisition – 16%
  5. Spam – 15%
  6. Four Yorkshiremen – 12%
  7. Nudge Nudge – 11%
  8. Fish slapping dance – 8%
  9. The Restaurant sketch (dirty fork) – 7%
  10. The killer joke – 6%

 

Just missing out on the top ten were the Silly Olympics, Hell’s Grannies and Gay Policemen (all with 6%).

 

The findings also reveal some interesting regional differences with Londoners the most likely to find Monty Python funny (81%), compared with those in the North East (69%). There was a surge of popularity for the Dead Parrot sketch in the East Midlands with over half (55%) voting it their top Python moment, compared to the national average of 45%.  The Lumberjack Song was particularly popular in Northern Ireland (33%) and Scotland (34%), compared with a national average of 28%.  While those living in East Anglia (28%) and Wales (27%) were particularly tickled by The Ministry for Silly Walks (compared with the national average of 23%).

 

Steve North, General Manager of Gold says, “It’s clear from our research that Monty Python has crossed the generations, 45 years on from the very first series.  We’re honoured to be broadcasting the final Monty Python Live (mostly): stage show on our channel so that fans at home can be part of the last ever performance from the most iconic group of comedians in the world.”

 

 

Adeel Akhtar Interview For Utopia

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Adeel Akhtar interview for UtopiaAdeel Akhtar plays Wilson Wilson in Channel 4’s acclaimed drama Utopia, which returns for a new series this July. Here, he discusses THAT torture scene and what’s in store for season two.

Utopia is back for a second series. Can it possibly be as good as the last series?

Yes is the short answer. The things which you liked about it in the first series are all there again. All the themes it was exploring are back again. The characters are taken further along their overall arc. It’s really interesting to see where each of the characters goes in this series. It really is pretty unexpected. It stays a few steps ahead of the audience in that sense.

Wilson Wilson is a fantastic character. How do you see him?

I seem him as a person who is quite idealistic in how he perceives the world, and I think in pursuit of that idealism he ends up struggling a lot. He definitely takes the path that’s more difficult to go down, because of his idealism. It’s a massive struggle for him. He has a very strong moral direction, and because of that, he finds himself in situations he wouldn’t ordinarily end up in. But he can’t be any other way.

Utopia was received with massive acclaim. Did you know when you were making it that it was something very special? Can you tell?

No, I don’t think so. I think you do something to the best of your ability, and the value of it is in the actual doing of it. When someone says “Action” you just get on with it, and hope that that is translated on to the screen for other people to see. All you can ever do is work as hard as you can on it and make sure you’re doing your job.

The eye torture scene was one of the iconic moments of series one. What was it like to film?

It was rewarding, to have done it. In the moment of actually doing it we were going to go to emotional places that were surprising us. There’s another level of satisfaction, which was that people then talked about it. That’s a good feeling, to know that it’s been seen, and it made an impression on people. You always hope an audience will respond to something you’ve done, but there’s no way of knowing whether or not they will.

What was it like coming back to film the second series? Is it easier, because you know your character and other cast members, and you’re familiar with the style of the show?

It didn’t feel easy, because the journey that Wilson has to go on in the second series is a real challenge. There was a familiarity to it, but just because there’s a familiarity doesn’t make something easier. From an acting viewpoint, this series was a real challenge. But yeah, it was nice to be back with other cast members, and to be back with Marc [Munden, the director].

Is it true that you trained as a lawyer before getting into acting?

I studied law, I got an alright degree, and then I was going to go and do something called an LPC, which is a Legal Practice Course, which qualifies you as a lawyer. But I didn’t end up doing it, because I went to drama school instead. I went to drama school, came out the other end, was out of work for a bit, then found some work, and now I’m playing Wilson.

How did your family feel about you giving up a stable and secure career in law for the notoriously precarious one in acting?

On some level, as much as they look at stuff that I’ve done and appreciate it, there’s always a hope that I’m just going to end up doing something sensible. Maybe not be a lawyer, but at least have a recurring role as a QC or something on TV. Just so they could see me in a suit, looking a little more well-presented, maybe addressing a courtroom. They’ve got their heads round it, but like you said, I think they’d like me to have a stable career. It’s the hope every parent has for their kid, that they are happy and stable.

What do you think you would have been like as a lawyer?

I would have probably been alright. I think I would have done a lot of pro bono work. I wouldn’t have gone in for it for the money. I’ll tell you who I really like – the lawyer Imran Khan. I did my dissertation on stop-and-search powers, and I put in loads of quotes from him. Years later, when I was selling insurance over in Harley Street, he rang up and asked for insurance. He told me his name and I asked him if he was the lawyer, and he said yes. We had a good chat about all the stuff that he did. He’s excellent. He didn’t buy any insurance, though. I’m terrible at selling.

What have been the roles that have meant the most to you over the years?

Wilson Wilson would be right up there. I’m still in the middle of it, so it’s all still a bit of a mystery to me, who he is and what he’s about. Unlike all the other stuff on TV, you can’t put a parameter around this and say “Oh, I understand it,” you’re always going to be trying to figure it out. So Wilson is a character I’m still trying to get to grips with. I’m not even sure he’s got to grips with himself.

At the other end of the scale, I’m currently playing Smee in the new Peter Pan film, and that is so much fun. Every day going there is such a massive release. I can be a bit silly. And way back, when I was at school, and I was 16 or 17, I played Lenny in The Homecoming by Pinter. It was the first time I ever acted, and it was the first time people said “You can do this,” and I thought “Okay then, I will.”

Utopia willbroadcast from 14th July, 10pm, Channel 4.

 With thanks to Channel 4. 

 

 

Rose Leslie Interview For Utopia

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roseleslieAt 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.

 

Downton Abbey Stars Turn Out To Support Medical Detection Dogs

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I met up with some of the stars of the hit British series Downton Abbey who turned out in force to support the young UK charity, Medical Detection Dogs, in London last week. On a gorgeous evening the stars gathered on the bank of Westminster Bridge to board a glass-covered boat for a ‘Doggie Paddle’ dinner and charity auction cruise up the Thames.
The charity, which trains dogs to detect cancer and alert diabetics to dangerous falls in their sugar levels, has already won the patronage of HRH Duchess of Cornwall. The Duchess became a patron in February and together with the Prince of Wales, hosted the dogs and their trainers at St James’s Palace in March.
Cast members of Downton Abbey, including Jim Carter, who plays the stoical Mr Carson, Phyllis Logan, aka Mrs Hughes, and Rob James Collier, the errant under-butler Thomas Barrow joined members of the charity and the excited dogs who thoroughly enjoyed the attention they were receiving… this was their night in the spotlight and the ferocity of the wagging tails was a good indication!
The event attracted celebrity supporters Matthew Kelly, Vikki Michelle, Julie Peasgood, Carol Harrison, Sally Farmiloe-Neville, Joan Hooley, Robert and Babs Powell, Debbie Arnold, Ciara Janson, all of whom had a strong passion for the charity and were thrilled to attend.

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Lesley Nicol, best known as the redoubtable Mrs Patmore, has been a keen supporter of the charity since first hearing of its work. Nicol commented: “Medical Detection Dogs has become a passion for me. They are relatively young, and the work they do is absolutely awe-inspiring and I want everyone to know exactly who they are and what they do.  As far as I am aware there is something like a three year waiting list for assistance dogs – and that is before what they do has really become widely known! Can you imagine what will happen when it has?”

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“So obviously it’s vital to give them the means to expand their work as soon as possible. These dogs are literally transforming and saving lives, on a daily basis. And if you are poorly, and there is this opportunity out there, three years to wait, is a very long time! The bio detection work – the other part of what this charity does – continues to amaze and impress people when they see the dogs at work. The fact that they can train them to detect early signs of cancer, and in doing so, sometimes remove the need for invasive and unnecessary procedures, and of course save lives – is amazing and seriously deserves our support I think.”

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Jim Carter adopted the role of auctioneer for the charity auction and succeeded in raising £11,000 for a holiday on a luxury yacht and £4,000 for the chance to visit the Downton cast on location in the famous Ealing Studios, amongst other prizes. A silent auction was also held where Frank Lampard’s signed football boots, a holiday cottage for a week and three magnums of Italian Prosecco went to the highest bidders. One lucky guest won a £6,000 diamond at the bottom of their champagne glass, but chose to donate his winnings back to the charity.

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After dinner, the stars and guests watched a demonstration of the dogs’ work to detect the odour of cancerous cells in urine samples. The sight of the dogs’ swift and accurate detection of the malignant samples left the audience momentarily speechless, before breaking into rapturous applause.
All proceeds of the night will go towards the charity’s work in advancing the early detection of cancer and saving the lives of diabetes sufferers by providing them with a dog to alert them to dangerous rises and falls in their blood sugar levels.

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Being the fashionista that I am, I couldn’t leave the event without my glam radar kicking in, so I asked a couple of stars to tell me about their eveningwear. Sally Farmiloe-Neville wore a striking vintage-inspired silver-grey dress from the Gill Harvey Collection, and Vikki Michelle described her very flattering couture dress by Debra of Chigwell.
To find out more about Medical Detection Dogs’s work visit their website: http://medicaldetectiondogs.org.uk

Images: Shane Finn at Visual Devotion

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