Chris Connor chats with Slow Horses star James Callis…
Claude Whelan has been one of the most intriguing new additions to the Slow Horses ensemble. He at times seems completely out of his depth, especially when up against Kristin Scott Thomas’ Diana Taverner. We sat down with Whelan himself, actor James Callis, to discuss how he found acting opposite Scott Thomas and what Claude brings to the show.
How do you think Claude differs from Ingrid, who was the previous first desk?
Well, there’s night and there’s day. There’s cold and there’s hot. My idea about Claude is, it’s not what you know, evidently, but maybe who you know. I think he’s quite urbane, Claude, and there’s this idea that he’s going to be a safe pair of hands after after Ingrid. We’re not going to have somebody going absolutely rogue, and this is in the interest of the service. It does differ from the books what we’re doing on the show; he’s not quite the man for the gig, like, you know, some people are born to it, and some people aren’t. I don’t think that this is something that you can really learn on the job. You can obviously learn. You’ll learn all the time, but there are certain things that you’ve got to come to the party with and without them it’s pretty obvious. I think we’ve all been around at some point thinking okay well, it’s, 10 o’clock on Monday. Let’s see where we are on 10 o’clock on Wednesday. Let’s take a view.
You share a lot of your scenes with Kristin Scott Thomas; how was she to go up against?
Wonderful, absolutely, just wonderful. The scenes we did, I loved doing them so much. I sometimes, actually a lot of times, wanted it to be a play that we would do again and again, and find different inflexions and different points. I think some part of the mischief as well in me, I would have loved to have seen her crack up, but that’s a very hard thing to do on camera when she’s in character. We certainly have a lot of laughs, you know, in between the takes. But yes, formidable, brilliant and like an acting master class. I didn’t totally realise, but watching it now, I love that Claude enjoys being in a double act with Diana. He does that’s part of the thing. She’s second desk, operational running. He’s long-range strategy, But Diana doesn’t want to be in a double act with anybody, let alone Claude. So, there’s this push and pull. If somebody got you to sign paperwork that you didn’t know what it was, how are you going to view your professional relationship with that person going forward?
Claude grows more self-assured as the show goes on, becoming more assertive as it progresses. How have you found his arc?
Fans of the books will know stuff that people who are just watching the show don’t know, but there’s a real dialectic that Claude Whelan is on, and I found that really fascinating. I just really enjoyed how the character changes. He’s getting more assured, not entirely, but he changes and you know, he’s slightly different from one book to the next because he’s, I suppose you know learning and learning painfully.
You mentioned the books. Did you talk to Mick Herron about how to approach the character?
I haven’t spoken to Mick, only to Will Smith and Adam Randall, the director. It comes as written on the page. Claude feels as well that he knows what he’s come into. He knows he’s replaced Ingrid, but he also wants to be deferential, in some fashion, to Diana and doesn’t want to do the kind of like, no, listen here. He’s just not that kind of a person. What’s interesting is that it’s not a great way to be in charge, let’s put it that way,
The show has taken off recently. Is there anything for you that makes it such a hit?
The writing is just wonderful. It’s very grounded and obviously, the performances by Kristin, Gary, Jack, Jonathan Pryce, is just riveting. There’s nothing really like it. It takes a very serious situation, national security, and kind of shows you that, you know, the whole, the whole thing is a bit MacGyvered. It’s all like, you know, throw this stuff together at the last minute, and it’snot quite the polish that you would think with MI5. I’m a fan of the show and a fan of the people in it. The thing I would say is that you know you’re a fan of the show, but when you’re making the show, when you lucky enough to have the opportunity to be involved in this thing, you’re kind of making it for each other. You’re there on the day. Me for Kristin. Kristin for me, and for the crew who are filming it, but also watching it. There’s a real joy in it.
Is there anything you particularly want to touch on when it comes to Claude?
There’s more tClaude to come. It’s been a lot of fun to play somebody who is slightly out of place. I think that has its own energy in the show. It’s been a wonderful opportunity.
In terms of what’s next for you, are you back for the next Bridget Jones?
Yes, I am. That’s also been awesome. Unexpected just in the sense of doing a job 20 years ago and then doing the same job 20 years later with the same people is exceptional, and also exceptional how you know, so many people, they have taken the fountain of youth. They haven’t changed in 20 years. Renée is quite wonderful. This next one is going to be something else. If you like Bridget Jones, then I think you are going to love this next movie. It is pretty special. It really is.
Many thanks to James Callis for taking the time for this interview. You can read our reviews of Slow Horses here.
SEE ALSO: Exclusive Interview – Joanna Scanlan on Slow Horses Season 4
Chris Connor
