TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET, as the idealistic Willy Wonka
On Paul King…
TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET: “I guess the words that I would use to describe Paul King are ‘joyful, hilarious, collaborative, kind.’ He was very enthusiastic about the project in front of him and worked to do everything he could to realize his vision. He took on a character as iconic as Willy Wonka, one that’s revered in culture, and put him in original story outside the bounds of Roald Dahl’s original material. And all the while, he was helming these big dance numbers and checking in with the performances—not from a critical standpoint, but from the perspective of really trying to bring more joy into the world. That was a great guiding light.”
On Calah Lane…
TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET: “I’m really, really proud of Calah Lane, who plays Noodle. It’s a huge endeavor to be on a project when you’re this young. I was working as an actor at this age, but not on things this long—maybe a day or two here or there. She really has her head on her shoulders; she’s a fantastic actress. She didn’t drag her feet ever; she was happy to be there. A big shout out to her mother. You have to smile when you see a parent who’s really taking care of their kid working in show business. And I hope I got to be part of her feeling comfortable on set for the seven months we worked—and every day she always brought a great spirit. The days when we had a lot of kids around, it brought a sincerity, an earnestness and a joy to the set, especially when you’re wearing the burgundy coat and you see the way people are reacting… It was great.”
On singing and dancing…
TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET: “I had a lot of singing and vocal training with our head of the music department, the British James Taylor, not the other James Taylor. Also, there was a lot of dance training with Chris Gattelli, a fellow New Yorker and a fantastic choreographer. Then, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition. It was smart, because by the time the movie started, the physical stamina was there. And I have to say that this was the most physically challenging project I’ve ever been on. This was every scene. There’s the enthusiasm of the character coupled with the fact that there isn’t a scene that’s really static. That’s not only great for the story, but it was also a great lesson as an actor. I was grateful to have that run up because of the shape I was able to get into.”
On Wonka’s signature look…
TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET: “[Costume designer] Lindy Hemming designed ‘The Dark Knight,’ and that was the film at 12-years-old that made me want to act—’Man, I wanna be a part of that, whatever that is!’ And she was very collaborative. I was incredibly lucky to work with these masters of craft—like Lindy and production designer Nathan Crowley—who have been doing this for long enough, and their enthusiasm and hunger has stayed the same. As a young actor, to get to work with artists like that… that’s the sweet spot.”
On the message of “Wonka”:
TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET: “This is a joyous movie. This is about bringing a light into a world that is in desperate need of it, at least that’s how I read it. As a young actor, the things that were most attractive to me were things that were emotionally challenging. Either from some sense of vanity or perhaps from some sense of needing to express what I was feeling, those were the things I was most attracted to. When I read ‘Wonka,’ I did feel the classic thespian challenge—the singing, the dancing. But when I think about the main theme of this movie, when I think about its raison d’etre—it is to bring joy into the world. It’s to encourage dreaming; to encourage the dreamers to continue dreaming; to encourage declaring yourself as you are, who you are, without question. It’s to declare that to share in kindness and enthusiasm is to paint a way forward, not only for yourself, but for those around you. It’s about community, and it’s about community surviving in spaces of erosion. It’s about light and love. I’m so proud to have been a part of that.”
CALAH LANE, as Noodle
On her character, Noodle…
CALAH LANE: “Noodle, I’d say she’s like a tough character. She doesn’t wanna open up her heart to anybody, but when she meets Willy, she kinda cracks, and she’s like, ‘Oh, well, somebody likes me.’ So, she cracks and she’s like, ‘Maybe I can bring that out in other people, too.’”
On Timothée Chalamet…
CALAH LANE: “Working with Timmy’s definitely been great. He’s such a nice person. Just like Willy and Noodle, we laugh, we joke. He knows how to put a smile on my face. He knows how to put a smile on a lot of faces.”
On Paul King…
CALAH LANE: “Paul [King] definitely showed me what I can do, and I really appreciate that. I’ve never done anything like this before, but being able to work with Paul, he definitely showed me how to be me.”
On the world created…
CALAH LANE: “I loved the sets. The sets are absolutely beautiful. Every set is just its own character. And my favorite set, I’d say, is the Wonka Chocolate Shop. I love it. It’s like when you walk in, and you see everything, it’s just like a big bright sun. It’s crazy. When you see it and you see all the flowers and the river, it’s just really cool to me.”
KEEGAN-MICHAEL KEY, as the arm of the law, the Chief of Police
On Paul King’s vision…
KEEGAN-MICHAEL KEY: “So much of what Paul’s created, it’s not from the source material, it’s from his imagination. Or him saying, ‘Well, I know there’s this name of this character who happened to be in the Gene Wilder film, like Slugworth, or Prodnose and Fickelgruber, who are in the books…’ But for him to blow up those characters and make them more… Then my character, as far as I know, is a completely brand-new creation, and so is Noodle, and all of the people that work at Scrubitt and Bleacher, along with Scrubitt and Bleacher—I just admire his imagination and I like his writing style. It’s been wonderfully collaborative to work with him.”
On his character, the Chief of Police…
KEEGAN-MICHAEL KEY: “My character, the chief of police, is I guess, for lack of a better word, a lacky, and he knows he’s a lacky but he tries to assert his power, which is nonexistent (LAUGHS) and so he ends up being the muscle. But it’s a new turn for him, because he’s never been the muscle before. He’s always been able to find an administrative way to move people along so that they don’t threaten the Cartel’s business, and now there’s been this turn where he’s in a position now where they’re asking him to actually use muscle to get rid of Wonka. They’re so afraid of Wonka. They’re like, ‘Now, we need you to really, really get rid of him.”
On working with Timothée Chalamet…
KEEGAN-MICHAEL KEY: “I mean, that’s another reason I did the movie—this kid never ceases to amaze, just amazes me all the time, and his work is so varied. When I watch him in previous projects that he’s done, he’s such a young man and has such a deep soul—he really does for someone as young as he is. And he is very handsome and beautiful, and I get all that, but I think that there’s something way deeper than—I think this young man’s going to work for a very, very long time. He’s more than a pretty face, and he brings something interesting. He brings substance to his roles.”
On the transformative costume…
KEEGAN-MICHAEL KEY: “[Costume designer] Lindy Hemming’s wardrobe is unbelievable—that she found a way to incorporate all these different periods, but make them very cohesive. That’s a real talent, that’s a gift to do that, and she’s done it in spades. And I love the fact that I get to wear this costume. This is the kind of thing I wanted to do when I was young and wanted to be an actor, ‘cause to me, this was acting… when you get to play dress-up, like you did when you were a kid. You put the blanket around your neck and you were Superman. You look in the mirror and the exquisite work that the hair and makeup team have done—part of my excitement for people to see this movie is just that, that they can see the makeup and the wigs and it’s extraordinary. It just harkens back to when you were a kid, and that part of me has been activated while making this movie.”
On what’s in store for audiences…
KEEGAN-MICHAEL KEY: “I think everyone including kids are going to like the scope. I mean, it’s like as soon as you figure out the caper element of the story, then all of a sudden there’s an Oompa Loompa. And then once you figure out the Oompa Loompa—because Willy’s always solving problems, he’s, ‘Okay, I’ve got this thing and I’m going to solve it this way, oh, but the Oompa Loompa stole my chocolate. Okay, so I’ve got to get him and I’ve got to get a contraption to capture him so I can make a deal with him. Okay, then I’ve got to figure out if the Cartel won’t let me stay here…’ I think everyone’s going to enjoy that. There are great characters in this piece, but it’s so cleverly plot-driven that adults will be activated and they’ll be enamored by Willy. You really root for him.”
PATERSON JOSEPH, as nefarious Chocolate Cartel head Slugworth
On working with Paul King…
PATERSON JOSEPH: “The thing about Paul King is he’s very astute, a visionary, strong, knows his mind, will not be swayed, knows how a scene should be. But he comes across like a cuddly bear, and you just go, ‘Paul King, he’s so nice!’ So, everything he asks you to do, you just go ‘Yes, Paul.’ Everybody loves him, everybody loves him, and it’s just his manner.”
On his character, Arthur Slugworth…
PATERSON JOSEPH: “Arthur Slugworth. He thinks he’s very worthy; he is worth a lot of money, but he does behave like a slug. He has a very clever mind, but it’s used for evil. He’ll sell you anything, and what he hates are people who are excellent.”
On the detail of the sets…
PATERSON JOSEPH: “I’d never seen how vast this cavern was, and that was amazing in itself. Then we’d gone onto the set of the town square, which was the next scene we shot, and it was snowing. I mean, you just melted, because it was perfect. It’s a sort of 1940s fairytale European setting. It’s beautifully designed—the detail in the shop windows, the cafes, the details on the costumes… every single one is perfect.”
On what’s in store for audiences…
PATERSON JOSEPH: “I think what people will love about this movie, it’s a celebration of our childhood fantasy of chocolate, and how magical we thought chocolate was. We were always seeking it, we always loved it, and I think it will just be satisfying for all adults. And children will just love it just because, ‘Oh my goodness, chocolate!’ Imagine being not only satisfied with the taste, but there’s also magic in it!”
MATT LUCAS as less-than-sharp Chocolate Cartel member Prodnose
On Paul King…
MATT LUCAS: “Paul King is a brilliantly skilled director. He makes things look amazing, but because he came through television comedy, he allows actors to work really freely, to improvise, to be playful, to try things out. And so, it’s rare I think that you get to work on a movie of this scale with such freedom. There’s a child inside Paul, I think, and he’s not afraid at all to embrace that. He doesn’t worry about being cool. There’s a real joy in his work, and a sense of color and fun and… mischief I think as well.”
On the music of Neil Hannon…
MATT LUCAS: “What’s brilliant is the music is by Neil Hannon, who I’ve long been a massive fan of. I was really thrilled when I heard he was doing the songs, which are really catchy. They’re witty, they’re warm, the lyrics are smart, and that just makes it easier for you as an actor to interpret.”
On the Chocolate Cartel…
MATT LUCAS: “Paul and Simon have really fleshed-out Fickelgruber, Slugworth and Prodnose. They’ve set up this cartel of chocolatiers who are rivals, but who will work together to ward off any threat, and the threat right now is this magnificent new chocolatier on the block by the name of Wonka.”
MATHEW BAYNTON as persnickety Chocolate Cartel member Fickelgruber
On joining “Wonka”…
MATHEW BAYNTON: “I can’t think of a single reason why I wouldn’t want to be part of ‘Wonka.’ I think like many people on Earth (LAUGHS) I grew up with Roald Dahl’s books, and Willy Wonka as a character has a very special place in all our hearts, and certainly in mine, in my childhood. And I’m a huge fan of Paul’s and Simon’s, who wrote the script, and he’s a friend, and their ‘Paddington’ films were so beautiful. So, the idea of a Willy Wonka movie that they had written, that Paul was directing, I would’ve said ‘Yes’ without knowing what the role was.”
On the trio of Cartel…
MATHEW BAYNTON: “We’ve got three chocolatiers: Slugworth, who is a ruthless businessman and clearly the brains of the operation; Prodnose, who doesn’t seem to even know why he’s there, but (LAUGHS) is just happy to be; and then Fickelgruber, who’s not necessarily interested in the business or the money itself, but the trappings of it. He’s interested in the clothes, the tailoring that it affords him, and how it looks to be wealthy. So, everything with him is about appearances, everything is superficial. Even in the midst of high drama, we decided he would be thinking about how he looks at all times. And I have this sort of idea in my head that maybe he didn’t have money, and that’s why he’s so obsessed with it, with all of this stuff now. Maybe that’s why he cares so much about how it looks, ‘cause he doesn’t want anyone to find out his secret. But that’s just my fantasy.”
On the empty store in the Galeries Gourmet…
MATHEW BAYNTON: “The Cartel have managed to monopolize chocolate-making by creating this appearance of competition between them, where actually, underneath it, they’re working together and making sure that they share… which sounds nicer than it is, I suppose, even using the word ‘share.’ But the idea is there’s this fourth shop that they’ve made sure no one can occupy, and Willy comes along and starts selling better chocolate than they make, along with these crazy, fun, new flavors. And not just that, but they’re magic, they’re literally magic, so they have to get rid of him. And the Chief of Police has sort of been in their pocket, but they’re asking him to do a bit more now than he’s done for them before, which is why they have to step it up.”
SALLY HAWKINS as Willy Wonka’s Mamma
On collaborating with Paul King…
SALLY HAWKINS: “I love working with Paul—he is endlessly creative. He makes you feel that anything is possible. I trust him as he does me and this allows you to be free and play—which is everything. He gives you confidence and he makes one feel able to take a leap into the unknown. And it is because of his unwavering passion, heart and spirit—everyone follows with absolute abandon, taking his lead.
“Paul is engaged fully to the tiniest detail. He inspires in every single department. He seems fearless when he is filming… yet to carry the enormity of a shoot, of the whole world one has created upon your shoulders must be one of the most terrifying things. He fights every single day and will never compromise his vision; he is always at the same time looking to make it sing even brighter. Every single beat means everything to him to get it right. He is so exceptionally finely tuned. There is nothing he does not see.
“I have known Paul for almost 20 years. I met him in Edinburgh when he was directing a theatre show, but he doesn’t remember this! I first worked with him on a workshop a few years later, along with some of his wonderfully talented friends. I loved every moment of that time and knew he was rather exceptional and brilliant in how he created with others, bringing the story out through detailed rich character work.
“The greatest part is he is one of my dearest friends and the greatest joy is working with friends who you love dearly and who you understand and they understand you, too. It is a shared language, a trust and a knowing. I would follow Paul to the moon and back, and want to work with him for the rest of time—if he would have me. Paul makes everything better!”
On what Mamma instills in Willy…
SALLY HAWKINS: “Love is all you need. Belief and truth. Holding onto your own truth. Trusting that, trusting oneself. Faith in one’s ability and vision. Led by love, follow the heart. Magic exists in the everyday. She instils a strength in him that is underpinned by such a deep and fierce love. To never let go of one’s dream. To never forget oneself. To listen to the pull of the heart, for it will never steer you wrong.”
On growing up with books by Dahl…
SALLY HAWKINS: “Dahl books were everything—they still are and always will be. His work, his writing is ever inspiring and ever thrilling. I found such a connection to his writing, probably more than any other writer as a child. I found him on my own—that is to say he was not on a school syllabus. And I would return many times and seek him out, because I could get lost in his words, the worlds. He wrote like a poet. Reading his work out loud, it is lyrical. His work speaks to children’s rebellious nature and yet, the morality is also so very strong in all. I remember loving this about his stories. A favorite and most adored teacher/creator. Every single one of his books was special to me. I loved James and the Giant Peach, The Twits and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, too. But I cannot have a favorite. All are so beautifully written and constructed works of art, and every single one reaches deep into the imaginations of children and adults alike.
He was a true and pure genius. I loved him as a child and I still do. And I will read him forever more and be ever inspired to do better!”
JIM CARTER, as by-the-books accountant / washerman Abacus Crunch
On the character of Wonka…
JIM CARTER: “Wonka just sees, well, endless possibilities, and nothing is impossible for him. So, with his joie de vivre and his innocence, he liberates himself and then liberates us.”
On the denizens of Scrubitt and Bleacher…
JIM CARTER: “So, we’ve got the silent one, we got the somewhat aggressive plumber, we got the annoying comedian and the rather tetchy, sad chartered accountant… It’s a good mixture, with Rakhee Thakrar, Rich Fulcher, Natasha Rothwell and me. So, it’s a great contrast there.”
On what’s in store for audiences…
JIM CARTER: “It’s just magic. If you say it’s old-fashioned entertainment—it’s really not, because it’s from an imagination that right bang up-to-the-minute, using all of the skills and technology that cinema can offer, will take people into a world of magic.”
OLIVIA COLMAN, as the scheming and entrepreneurial Mrs Scrubitt
The experience of “Wonka”…
OLIVIA COLMAN: “I think ‘Wonka’ really goes back to an era of grand filmmaking. The tricks, the flying and things are all in-camera. They’re not post. Scenes with big musical numbers and tunes that I’m still hearing in my head. I can imagine kids around the country singing these songs at school. Paul’s done such a beautiful job and he’s made a masterpiece, I think. And he is so sweet and so patient. As a director, he’s clearly a perfectionist, because his work is exquisite. And on set every day, he is happy to see everyone. He is joyful, funny and cracking jokes, and he keeps the atmosphere high and buoyant. He has a fantastic eye and a fantastic eye for comedy. His notes are perfect every time. I couldn’t wait to get to work every day.”
On the relationship with Bleacher…
OLIVIA COLMAN: “Mrs Scrubitt thinks she’s above Bleacher. She calls him a horrible peasant. Then one day she finds out, well, that he might be related to Bavarian aristocracy. Then suddenly she goes, ‘Oh,’ and thinks he’s rather nice, and they have a little love affair. They really don’t like each other, but they might end up together… but they’re still not very nice people.”
On the look of Mrs Scrubitt…
OLIVIA COLMAN: “It was so much fun going for my first fitting with Lindy Hemming. The beautiful drawings of all the characters around the room, the fabrics and swatches—it was like going into an incredible haberdashery. Because of the height difference between Tom [Davis as Bleacher] and me—we’re this pair of very Dahl-esque classic baddies, like the nasty aunts in James and the Giant Peach—I just wanted Mrs Scrubitt to be a bigger person than me. And considering she got these poor indentured servants in the laundry downstairs and they’re eating gruel, and she’s living well upstairs… it became that sort of duo of a great big man and a rounder woman. I can’t remember if it was Lindy or me, but probably Lindy, having the idea of shaping her a little bit more. Mrs Scrubitt was sort of gorgeous—well, not that gorgeous. She had pretty nasty teeth and she wasn’t a very nice person… but she really enjoyed her body and that was quite fun to play.”
HUGH GRANT, as the Oompa Loompa
On how he was pitched the idea…
HUGH GRANT: “Paul and I were always in contact vaguely since ‘Paddington 2,’ and then I think he just emailed me one day and said he was doing ‘Wonka.’ He has been nuts about Roald Dahl since he was a kid, in exactly the same way that he was obsessed with Michael Bond and Paddington, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was one of his favorite books. And then he explained how much he loved the Oompa Loompas in those early films, particularly for being so unpleasant. And he said, ‘Whenever I think of someone really curmudgeonly and unpleasant, I immediately think of you.’ And so that was his pitch.”
On Paul King as the perfect fit for “Wonka”…
HUGH GRANT: “Well, I think first reason is because Paul loves it. And the older I get, the more I realize that the best films come from something that someone really genuinely loves. So, for instance, all those romantic comedies I made with Richard Curtis, I think they work—apart from the fact that he’s funny—because he’s mad about love; he’s passionate about the subject. So, they’re genuine. Paul King has always adored Paddington, and he’s always adored Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. So, there’s something genuine behind this. Paul’s also brilliant on visuals—he’s very, very visual, with a wonderful sense of production design and photography. And since we’re dealing with chocolate factories and sweeties and candy colors, it’s made for Paul King.”
On creating his version of the Oompa Loompa…
HUGH GRANT: “I ended up reading the book and watching the earlier films. And then I thought, ‘How do we make this different?’ But I definitely thought the key was to keep the sort of negativity and anger, the curmudgeonly old bastard element of the Oompa Loompa. This is my speciality. The Oompa Loompa in this film is propelled by those things, but also by a sort of sadness and a kind of loneliness. He’s been ostracized, chucked out of his homeland and his home tribe for letting them down. And he’s on a mission to try and win back their favors.”
NATASHA ROTHWELL as force-of-nature plumber / washerwoman Piper Benz
On her character, Piper Benz…
NATASHA ROTHWELL: “I think for me, it was important to play an empowered woman who’s not afraid of being strong and isn’t helpless, even though she’s in a helpless situation. I think there’s a bit of silliness with her as well. I love being able to tap into the playfulness. I think that that’s another thing that is really cool about this film, and that is to see adults be as playful as we remember the children in the original being.”
On Paul King…
NATHASHA ROTHWELL: “He’s an empathetic storyteller. He’s really wonderful at elevating the things that are simple: kindness, joy, helping each other. And I think that we are in short supply of some of those beatitudes. So, I love the way he reminds us of why those things are important.”
On Calah Lane as Noodle…
NATASHA ROTHWELL: “I’m obsessed with Calah. I actually spent a Thanksgiving with her and her family. She’s delightful and I think that it is something beautiful to see, when someone that young embraces the talent they have. The fearlessness with which she performs and the honesty that she approaches her scenes with, I think, too, is inspiring to see.”
On the finely-detailed sets…
NATASHA ROTHWELL: “All of the sets are impressive and when I say no detail is spared… I always joke that there are certain people, when they decorate a Christmas tree, there’s some people that just decorate the part that people see and the back is just super sad. And then, there are those that decorate the parts that no one sees, because it’s about the holistic sort of spirit of it, and this set is the latter. I mean, there are corners, nooks and crannies, where every single thing has a purpose and an intention, which just makes the set come alive for us as actors and I think it will do that for people in the theater as well.”
On what’s in store for audiences…
NATASHA ROTHWELL: “I think people are going to love this movie and I think they’ll love it for a myriad of reasons. I think they’ll love it because one, it’s fun. I think the songs are incredible. I think folks are going to be singing them. I do think people are going to tap into the thing that I was talking about that Paul brings to his work, which is this sort of through-line of kindness and elevating the ordinary to extraordinary.”
RICH FULCHER as vaudevillesque comedian / washerman Larry Chucklesworth
On joining “Wonka”…
RICH FULCHER: “Wonka to me was a big part of my life in terms of films. It was just up there. When I found out about the cast, oh my God. Timothée Chalamet, I just had to be a part of it.”
On his character, Larry Chucklesworth…
RICH FULCHER: “Chucklesworth is like an old-school comedian. We sort of liken him to (GROANS and CHUCKLES) a Rodney Dangerfield type. Henny Youngman. You know, this is like the 1940s. So, he’s an old-school boom-badda-boom, punchline. Rimshot. Mother-in-law (SCREAMS). That type of comic. So, he is old-school and Larry will not pass up an opportunity for a joke at any moment.”
On what’s in store for audiences…
RICH FULCHER: “I think this will be a movie that you’ll want to see over again, because there are so many things to it. There are so many characters in it. There are so many emotional moments in it that I know it’s like one of those things where you’ll be flicking at night and you’ll just want to see it over again, no matter what part of the movie you’re in.”
RAKHEE THAKRAR as quiet-but-mighty phone operator / washerwoman Lottie Bell
On working with Paul King…
RAKHEE THAKRAR: “Working with Paul [King] is like working with somebody who is going after perfection, and I don’t mean in that kind of stifled way. I mean in that he’s looking at what could be a timeless film—he’s done that with ‘Paddington’—and he creates this atmosphere of both spontaneity and creating a completely perfect piece of art, and that’s really hard to do. And also, he’s really silly and makes it so much fun.”
On the magic of Lindy Hemming’s costumes…
RAKHEE THAKRAR: “The thing about [costumer designer] Lindy’s work that I absolutely love is that it’s so specific to not only the character, but to your body shape and type and the period. You could be talking to her and she would just be like, ‘Just that tiny bit needs to go like this.’ And she also is very much about the actor making it their own and making sure that it’s all about the character. She’s a master of her industry, isn’t she? She’s brilliant. The thing is when you go into fittings with her, it’s just so exciting, because she gets excited as well when we get excited. She’s like, ‘Turn around,’ and you turn around and you see your costume and it’s truly like movie magic, you know? It’s not an experience that you have every day and it’s been an utter privilege to work with her.”
On what’s in store for audiences…
RAKHEE THAKRAR: “I think we could do with a story about hope, for me, that’s what this is… It’s about people who’ve had loss, lots of loss. Willy and Noodle and have had lots of loss. The workers have had a lot of loss. And finding the light again, and I think everyone will be able to relate to that and maybe believe their situation can change as well.”
TOM DAVIS as besotted henchman Bleacher
On Timothée Chalamet as Wonka…
TOM DAVIS: “It’s a hell of a thing to take on, and Timothée is… wow. I was fortunate to be in rehearsals with him, and also to shoot some of the first stuff. And I was like, ‘Wow, you have to put your big boy pants on and man-up here, Tom, because this kid’s unreal. He’s another level.’ The genius of what Timothée is doing out there—in any sort of evolution piece—he’s taking it back to the beginning of how does Willy become Willy Wonka, the guy with this chocolate factory. Like, there’s a journey that you can see. And you see it through the film… From the moment he meets mine and Olivia’s characters, he’s just like this nervous, almost quite naïve kid and then he grows into the man that we all know.”
On Paul King…
TOM DAVIS: “Paul is a phenomenal visionary. When you see that Paul King is doing any film or show, there’s not a stone that goes unturned. Like Paul has a vision across every part of this movie. It’s nothing short of phenomenal. But when you’re an actor, he’s just the most giving man you could want to work with. He normally makes it sometimes feel like the smallest thing when it’s the biggest. Most of my scenes are with an Oscar nominee and an Oscar winner. And I was working on a building site seven years ago. That’s like, you’re terrified because you’re coming into this. But Timmy, Olivia and Paul make that just the easiest job to come into. The relaxation you feel. And that starts at the top and that starts with Paul King.”
On his character, Bleacher…
TOM DAVIS: “Bleacher would be a sort of rough, tough kind of man. But actually, he’s madly in love with Mrs Scrubitt. And it’s not subtle as well. And I was like a little schoolboy when I heard that it would be me and Olivia Colman, because she is incredible. Her character’s just vile, but she’s probably one of the nicest people I’ve ever been blessed enough to meet in my whole life. Olivia Colman plays nasty like no one else.”
KOBNA HOLDBROOK-SMITH as true-hearted Officer Affable
On his character, Officer Affable…
KOBNA HOLDBROOK-SMITH: “He’s just perfectly loveable. He’s like this truthful, earnest—I imagine he was quite passionate and believes in his job. Affable loves his job, that’s the key. That’s the core of my playing of him. He really enjoys being what he is, being a policeman and upholding the law, keeping people safe and keeping the town happy. And I think that working with the Chief of Police (LAUGHS)… He has to try and keep that steadiness alongside the Chief’s chaos.”
On Paul King…
KOBNA HOLDBROOK-SMITH: “Paul King is one of the loveliest humans out there, and he is very concerned with the details of the shape of things, as he should be—he’s the director. But I think he also takes the time it takes to get it right, and as an actor, I feel I’m able to trust. I can relax and trust that his eye is going to steer me right, you know?”
On Keegan-Michael Key as Chief of Police…
KOBNA HOLDBROOK-SMITH: “Keegan-Michael Key is hilarious. He’s so many people’s idol, and I can completely see why. The man is so inventive, endlessly inventive. Sometimes, people can just go improvise and it can get quite dry; it can become a bit tedious. It’s an exercise in just finding anything new. But what he finds, to me, it seems genuinely possible. Like, you could go down any of the roads he chooses and start another film.”
