The actor and writer on prepping to play famous people, the thrill of seeing Tom Cruise every day on Mission: Impossible, and his love of Naked Attraction
You have taken on the roles of Bamber Gascoigne, Malcolm McLaren, Peter Mandelson and Larry Grayson. How do you deliver believable portrayals of such well-known figures? VerulamiumParkRanger
I’ll start with the voice. Some are easier than others. I’ve just finished at the National Theatre, playing Sir John Gielgud, who sits very well in my voice. Larry Grayson was quite difficult. He’s deeper and rustier than you’d expect. The key to Malcolm McLaren was realising that he sounds like Larry the Lamb, strange and croaky. Mandelson has this underbite, which changes the shape of your face. The way he speaks is deliberate and laborious. Bamber Gascoigne is all about the glasses. I try to get glasses into any part. They’re very useful props. I just did [the Netflix sci-fi series] 3 Body Problem with Reece Shearsmith. When I got there, he was wearing glasses. I said: “You bastard, you’ve got the glasses.”
You’re a noted Bond fan. Why haven’t you had a role yet? Even just as Smithers in the back of Q’s lab smashing a dummy’s head apart with a fake plastercast? Mikebhoy
