Thandie Newton gets in Line
TOP COP: FROM WESTWORLD TO BRITISH POLICE DRAMA
Get to know DCI Roz Huntley.
ine of Duty, the acclaimed police corruption drama, returned to ITV Choice (DStv 123) for a fourth series last night. It runs for the next five weeks.
In the critically acclaimed new season, Thandie Newton (Westworld) stars as DCI Roz Huntley, AC-12’s most devious opponent yet. 1.
What can you tell us about DCI Roz Huntley and this series of
I was really thrilled and in awe of how Jed [Mercurio, series writer] has managed to create another situation which is tremendously captivating. Line Of Duty reminds you that life is stranger than fiction. Jed manages to bring that level of diabolical truth to his writing with his characters. Jed manages to push it to a place where it remains accessible and it doesn’t seem at all exaggerated. But he finds the truth in everything. It really isn’t easy as a writer as it can quickly become absurd, particularly as you only have an hour for each episode. 2. I didn’t know anything about the role but I said I wanted to do it. The first thing I saw was series three. I don’t watch a lot
What a racted you to the role and how did you come to be involved?
of television- because I have kids. The only things I watch are SpongeBob or Paw Patrol! My agent said an offer had come in and if I ever wanted to work in British television, this was it. I’ve been with my agent since I was 17 so when she said something like that, I sat up. So I watched it and was knocked out by it and Daniel Mays. I’m such a fan, as with Keeley Hawes and Lennie James, I’ve admired them for years. They had clearly been attracted to the material and after meeting Jed, I was in. He’s been a pilot, a doctor; he’s the most efficient human being I think I’ve ever met. He’s used all his skills and gone to the absolute pinnacle of each and I wanted to try and match that with my acting. I don’t have the opportunity to work in Britain very much because there are a lot of period dramas and they often don’t have calls for women of colour, so I went to Hollywood. 3. I’m not going to pretend it wasn’t terrifying. The positives are that you have this momentum through the scene. It’s like theatre, once you know it, you can let the mood and the words just carry you away. It’s extremely powerful. I’ve seen some of those scenes already and I completely see why they want to do it that
Jed is known for his meticulous dialogue, how did you find that?
way. There’s a lot of pressure on the actors to learn their lines, for sure, but it is stunning. Personally, I love a challenge and it did feel like we were doing things differently. 4.
We learn in episode one that Roz is under pressure to prove herself a er taking some time out to be a mother. Do you think that’s something that will resonate with viewers?
It makes me really proud that the show gives women the opportunity to feel represented in that respect. Underpinning everything, there’s a need to be recognised as the multitasking ninja that she is and that every woman has to be. There’s this patriarchal notion that what men do is worthy of respect and what women do isn’t. We see that in equality of pay and what women have to tolerate in the workplace when it comes to unfair treatment. With a series like this, which is so respected and loved, there’s no better place than in Line of Duty to put these issues. 5. I was a bit star struck. Vicky (McClure) is a darling; she’s an incredible team player, kind and light-hearted and we laughed a lot. We laughed to the point of peeing. I was just thrilled to have the opportunity to work with her. Martin has such a broad Glaswegian accent that when he’s speaking with his natural accent it’s like he’s putting it on. And Adrian (Dunbar) is a national
treasure!
What was it like joining the cast?