The new Guardians antagonist who has the Midas touch…

What can you tell us about your villainous character Ayesha, High Priestess of the Sovereign people?

The thing about James [ Gunn, writer/director] and the way he sort of creates these characters on screen… they’re never black and white, which is something I loved. He loves characters in grey areas. I don’t think they’re all arch villains or arch heroes or arch love interests. Everything blends into something human.

What was the process like to turn you completely gold?

Look, it was… [ laughs] It was extensive, but I have to say, being on that set and seeing what Zoe [ Saldana] and Karen [ Gillan] go through every day... It’s that sort of thing where, “If you think you’ve got it bad, then you don’t. One must not complain.” But it’s great, and it changes [ throughout the film] as well. You don’t really recognise yourself at the other end of it, to be honest.

You worked with Tom Hiddleston on The Night Manager, and he’s been a big part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Did he give you any pointers going in?

Funnily enough, Tom and I spoke about making Marvel movies before I was in one, and I was always really interested in what the process is. I remember he said how difficult it is – almost like an acting challenge when you’re working on a greenscreen, or in a world where what you see is so far removed from what the audience end up seeing. He was one of the first people I told when I got the job, because I knew he would totally understand what it meant and what I was going through.

There’s a lot of talk about a second series of The Night Manager – are you hoping to come back for more?

I’m usually one for less is more. It’s really difficult. The first season was so good that there’s obviously pressure when you go back to making something. That said, if I was asked to do it, I wouldn’t think about it; I would just do it, because I’m so emotionally attached to it, and I love all the actors so much, and I love playing that character so much. I would be really, really interested to see what they would do with it. I think John le Carré is interested in writing something else [ and] we would really need his involvement. The material was all from his imagination in the first place. But I’m curious. It’s interesting; no one believes us, but [ actors] are the last people to really know.