You’ve got some serious dance moves in Tin Star! Are you a natural or did you have to take classes for the role?
I was dreading the dance scenes, I had a few lessons with a choreographer called Paul Zivkovich and we came up with some weird moves but like everything in this job it always changes on the day. I had to chuck in a few moves of my own! You might be able to spot them, they’re the really bad ones!
The screen writers are weaving a very interesting pattern to keep your character away from Tim Roth’s for so many episodes. What can the audience expect when you two finally cross paths?
It’s such an interesting dynamic between Whitey and Jim. Whitey clearly has another agenda and Jim has no idea who he is or what he’s done! It brings an unspoken tension to those scenes they have together. And then of course when Tim is playing Jack, it gets even more charged because he’s such a dangerous character. When they have a stand off it should feel really tense, or at least I hope it will!
How was it to act opposite such an icon?
Incredible. I remember at the read through I was sat next to Christina Hendricks and opposite Tim Roth. I thought to myself “they must have got the wrong guy, I’m gonna be told to leave any minute” Doing the scenes with Tim was a massive eye opener. I learned so much from him often just from watching. You realise the level of commitment and work you have to put in to lead a show like Tin Star. He’s a brilliant man.
What was the most challenging scene in the series?
There’s a scene in episode 5 I was really worried about. It was written very emotional and they are always the hardest scenes to do. The director of that episode, Alice Troughton, was amazing. She kept me away from the set which involved a burning car and then she gave me her iPod and played a song which she used in the final cut. When the song had finished she let me out, took my headphones off and filmed me seeing the wreckage for the first time. I just crumbled. It was a horrible thing to see! I’ve never worked like that before but it came out really well. So thank you Alice!
Your character is so dangerous, and American productions sure love their British baddies. Are you afraid of the industry typecasting you from now on?
If the characters I get to play are as complex and interesting as Whitey then I will never complain!
What comes after Tin Star?
I consider myself very lucky to be doing this job and Tin Star was such a one off it’ll be hard to beat. Whatever happens I’m happy if I can just keep working.
Tin Star continues on Thursday 14th September at 9pm on Sky Atlantic, with new episodes also available on streaming service Now TV.
Interview by Margo Stilley
Photography by Andrea Vecchiato
Grooming by Shadiya @ The Canary Salon
Wardrobe by Antony Morato, courtesy of Chase PR