This talented British actor is landing roles opposite the industries finest. The edgiest directors all want him. Even Angelina Jolie had to have him in her new WWII epic. Hollywood is rolling out the red carpet for Ross Anderson and we’re not surprised.
It’s exciting times for you as you’re in the cast of three big films that will be released over the next few months. How did you decide that acting was for you and what were you inspirations?
I feel incredibly lucky, for sure. These were three amazing projects to have been a part of. Brilliant casts, brilliant crews- it’s been a great learning curve and a lot of fun. I was born in Paisley but grew up mainly in Bo’ness, Scotland. I knew I wanted to act from a pretty young age. I was obsessed with films; my parents took my five younger brothers and I to the cinema all the time and we loved creating characters and our own little plays and shows. It was great for the imagination and keeping ourselves entertained. The first film I remember seeing was Jurassic Park in 1993. I was 5 years old and my dad took me. I truly believed dinosaurs were real. I think that’s where my love of film began. We also watched American Werewolf In London – I insisted. It was a terrible idea as I slept with the light on for a while after that one.
On Boxing Day we get to see you in the highly anticipated WWII film Unbroken directed by Angelina Jolie. What surprised you the most about Angelina as a director?
Unbroken is the life story of Louis Zamperini (played by Jack O’Connell). He was the Olympic runner who survived on a raft in the Pacific Ocean for 47 days during WWII and a further two years in Japanese POW camps, enduring brutal treatment from his captors. It’s a very human story in which one man fights against, and beats incredible odds to show us all how far the spirit will go, how anything is possible through hope. I play a Scots POW called Blackie. There was a black market on the camps where soldiers were able to steal various items, tools and food, often using quite intricate methods to transfer a bag of rice through their trouser legs for example. They’d then distribute amongst the sickest prisoners to try to bring their weight up. They also engaged in other trades using rice as currency. In Laura Hillenbrand’s book, Louis describes the Scots as being the best at this and my character runs the whole operation. Having Angie as a director was a privilege. I think being an actress herself is a great asset, as she knows that mindset and the importance of great character – making them as human as possible. From the start she really wanted to collaborate on all aspects, physical and mental, and most importantly on the relationships. She wanted to be as truthful to these characters and their circumstances as possible. Everyone brought something to the table. Within that she allowed the freedom to play, to affect and be affected and even to improvise. I love that way of working.
How did you prepare for this role, it sounds extremely physical? To play a POW there must have been a lot of weight loss to portray your character?
What we did to prepare for the film and what those men actually went through cannot be compared. That being said, yes there was the weight loss issue that was just part and parcel to portraying these guys as faithfully as possible. We had a great nutritionist who I saw every week and he got me down gradually, depleting the diet accordingly. On top of that I just ran and ran. I had no idea how resilient the body could be. It fought against me for a while. Then you reach a point where it has no choice but to adapt. The reality of the war was of course worlds apart from what we went through physically, but it certainly helped tap into that mindset. The feeling of having to use every bit of energy to perform the simplest tasks.
Where did you shoot the film, and what was the camaraderie like between the cast and crew on what seems like a difficult story to portray?
We shot out in Australia. There are two POW camps in the film- the first was a complete re-creation built at Fort Lytton National Park in Brisbane. For the second, we got a boat out every morning to Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour. Both locations were visually incredible, massive. It made you feel pretty small. Angie put together an amazing team also. The crew were all top of their game. There was a great focus and you really felt a collective urge to get it right, to do these people justice. The other guys in the cast were a really good bunch. There was a lot of solid support within the group. I had a great time with them, despite the seriousness of the work at hand.
We hear you went to the same drama school as Michael Fassbender who plays Macbeth, in which you star as Rosse. What is it like to work with someone like Michael?
It was an honour to work with Michael. He’s such a huge star and was an inspiration when I was training at drama school- Drama Centre London. Hunger had come out around that time and I was blown away by his performance and level of commitment. So to be working with him so early on in my career was a big privilege. It definitely kept me on my toes.
Macbeth is directed by Justin Kurzel who is also behind the film Snowtown – Is this going to be an even grittier, tougher version of the play?
Justin Kurzel was incredible. I’ve always thought Macbeth should be darker, grittier and scarier even than how it’s been tackled in the past. After I saw Snowtown it was pretty clear that if someone were to achieve that level of raw intensity with it, it would be Justin. There’s an edge to this Macbeththat has definitely never been seen before.
Tell us about The Silent Storm produced by Eon, the team behind the Bond franchise, with another female director, Corinna Villari-McFarlane, at the helm.
The Silent Storm is essentially a love story. It’s set on a remote Scottish island where Damian Lewis and Andrea Riseborough play a God-fearing minister and his mysterious young (not so religious) wife. Their marriage is already on the rocks when my character, a young ‘criminal’ from Glasgow given one last chance at rehabilitation, is sent to live with them. It’s a simple story about love, faith and desire but it plays out like a old-fashioned Western against a very epic backdrop. Corinna is a force. She’s a fighter. It’s unbelievably hard to achieve what she has, as a female director in this industry. But she never gives up, and has nurtured this film unflinchingly. There aren’t enough female directors around and we’re all missing out because of it. We’re very much lacking that feminine touch.
You seem to be going from strength to strength – what are your ambitions for the next few years?
It’s always been my ambition to act, to create (hopefully interesting) characters and tell compelling stories. If I can continue to do that then I’ll be a happy man. I’ve also met and had the opportunity to learn from some amazing people and for that I’m very grateful.
Photography and interview by Andrea Vecchiato
Styling by Lorna Tucker
Grooming by Gloria Penaranda
Photographer assistants: Tyrone Logue, Alexander McBride.
Trousers by Ben Sherman, shoes by Clarks, watch by Rolex, Polo Shirt by Palmland – Jeans by Levis, shirt by Roundtree & Yorke – shirt by Portland.
Shot on location at the Star of Kings Pub, King’s Cross