I LET MYSELF GO DURING LOCKDOWN
Actor, writer, podcaster and now author Russell Tovey talks art, Priyanka ‘Chops’ Chopra and Drag Race with Boyd Hilton
What have Pierce Brosnan, Stephen Fry, Rose Mcgowan, Sir Ian Mckellen, Lena Dunham, Luke Evans and Sir Elton John all got in common, apart from the fact they’re all highly talented and famous? The answer is that they’ve all appeared as guests on Talk Art, the weekly podcast created and co-hosted by Russell Tovey and his friend Robert Diament, in which they demystify and discuss art in the most accessible, enjoyable way possible.
Russell, who turns 40 this November, is of course better known as one of the best British actors around, with acclaimed roles in the stage play and then 2006 film The History Boys (alongside a very youthful James Corden), and indelible TV series Being Human, Him & Her and the superb HBO comedy-drama Looking. And while he’s still a much in-demand actor, about to appear in two new films and a forthcoming West End production of the stage play Constellations, Tovey has pulled off a successful pivot to podcasting, and at the same time created the perfect outlet for his passion for modern art.
Russell’s interest in art dates back to his childhood, when his love of comic books and cartoons became an obsession after he met legendary animator Chuck Jones outside the Warner Brothers shop on London’s Regent’s Street when he was nine years old. Jones gave little Russ an original sketch of Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny, which he still has to this day, safely stored at his parents’ house in Essex.
Now, big Russ’ podcast gets millions of downloads and is such a phenomenon, a tie-in Talk Art book, subtitled “Everything You Wanted To Know About Contemporary Art But Were Afraid To Ask”, is about to arrive. We called Russell at the east London home he shares with his beloved dog Rocky, his boyfriend and his two dogs, for a lovely Zoom chat to not
only talk art, but also his friendship with Priyanka Chopra, his lockdown (un)fitness regime and his current TV obsessions…
How do you go about getting the incredible guests on your Talk Art podcast? We have people contacting us now, which is a brilliant feeling because this podcast started out as a passion project for us – two geeks geeking out about art – and we never thought it would end up with people like Pierce Brosnan asking to come on it. But we’ve found that so many people appreciate the chance to talk about art. It’s my passion outside of acting, and I’ve been able to channel it into this podcast and now this book. When it comes to guests, I also DM people on Instagram saying, “I’m a big fan – would you like to come on our podcast?” Did you DM Elton John? Well, I have Elton John’s email, and we’d been talking about him coming on, but he was busy with his world tour. Then lockdown happened, so I emailed and said, “Hey, on the off-chance you’re in lockdown, which I know you are, since we’re all in lockdown, do you fancy coming on the podcast now?” And he said, “OK, darling, let’s do it!” When everyone was in lockdown, they didn’t really have an excuse not to do it… And how did the Talk Art book come about? We always wanted to do a book, and the publishing house got in touch with us and asked if we’d be interested. We thought, “Great, they’ll get someone to transcribe the interviews we’ve done on the podcast and that would be a lovely book.” But they suggested we do more of a Talk Art manual – our guide to the art world and the artists we love. So, we ended up properly writing it ourselves. To begin with, it felt like the whole of art history was weighing on our shoulders, pushing us down, but then they encouraged us to forget all that and go straight into what we like now, which made it so much easier. And now, somehow, we have this amazing book. How was your lockdown in general? Busy! Talk Art has gone into overdrive, which has been amazing, and I’ve been writing more – I’ve got three TV shows in development, and I’m waiting to hear what’s happening with them. I was also able to do a film, Text For You, with Céline Dion and Priyanka Chopra, before Christmas, and another film after Christmas with Sian Clifford [Fleabag]. I’m also about to start rehearsals for a new production of the play Constellations in the West End. I’m doing it with Omari Douglas from It’s A Sin, and I can’t wait to work with him. It’s a play in which all these sliding doors moments are driven by love, and I’m driven by love, as you know. [Laughs.] With all these projects, I feel like I’m crossing the streams. Someone said I was “creatively fertile” the other day, and I’ll go with that… Did you get creatively fertile with Céline Dion? I may be talking out of turn, but I don’t actually get to act opposite Céline Dion, sorry. Her scenes were done separately in Las Vegas, I think. But the whole production was heavily COVIDSAFE. It was odd because it’s a comedy, and usually you look to see if the crew are stifling laughter, or at least smiling, but everyone was wearing a mask, so you can’t see their facial expressions. You start to think, “Oh my God, they hate me and don’t find me funny.” You get totally paranoid. How was it to be reunited with Priyanka Chopra after working with her in Quantico? It was heaven. I absolutely love Chops. She’s the best – generous, cool and fun. She’s everything you want her to be – the dream. And did her husband Nick Jonas hang out on set? Yeah, Nick was there. He was brilliant. He’s like a little tank – he’s so well built, he’s clearly been working out. He looks brilliant. I sort of let myself go during lockdown, whereas Nick was clearly doing it all. When I was sat in front of him, I was like, “I’ve got to get back to the gym.” At the start of lockdown, like everyone else, I just thought, “F**k it,” and had loads of wine and chocolate. And then you realise you’re getting out of breath walking from the sofa to the fridge and back.
So, were you back in the gym on the day they reopened? Not really. I make sure I do my steps every day, but I need to have an incentive to get back to the gym, and this play will probably give me that. Instead, my routine has been more like, do a bit of writing, hug the dogs, have some lunch, maybe a nap, have a shower, record a podcast. It’s been leisurely! I’ve been thankful I can do all that, and I know lockdown has affected people’s mental health so much. How have Rocky and his dog mates been in lockdown? Heaven. For the dogs, this has been the best thing that’s ever happened. They’ve had dads on tap 24/7. I’m really upset for when we do go back to work properly because the dogs are just going be like, “Sorry, what the f**k? I thought you were here all day long now?” They’re all just lying around in the sun at the moment – they’re loving it! If you could revive one of Being Human , Looking or Him & Her, which would you pick? Oh God, there are so many reasons for doing all of them. Looking was incredibly special and didn’t really fulfil its potential. I feel like if that show came out now, it would get a completely different response. It was so ahead of its time, and people are discovering it now, saying, “Why are there only two seasons and a film? Where’s the rest of it?” So, just to honour how special it was, I’d want to do that again. With Him & Her, we won a Bafta for the wedding series, and then there weren’t any more. That was down to the creator Stefan Golaszewski wanting to move on and write Mum, which is fair enough. But I’d love to go back and see how Steve and Becky are doing as parents with the baby. And Being Human? I don’t know if we could get Aidan Turner again, as he’s going to be James Bond or something, but I’d be intrigued to see how they’d bring the show back. I’m spoilt, because they’re all shows that are so special to a lot of people, so it’s hard to pick one. But if I had to, it would be Looking, just because it felt like its potential was cut short.
Do you ever go back to watch any of your old stuff? Well, I did watch The History Boys at the start of lockdown because [Russell’s boyfriend] Steve had never seen it, and I hadn’t seen the movie since the premiere. We’d just got back from
Broadway, and Charles and Camilla were there. Camilla was sitting two seats away from me, and I remember being so overwhelmed with everything that I didn’t watch it properly. What was it like watching your young self? I was crying my f**king eyes out. I was sobbing, because there were moments where I suddenly realised, “I get that now. I understand that feeling he’s describing there.” When we filmed it, I was in my early twenties, and I didn’t understand what the characters were talking about, but now I get it because I have been through that pain, I know what that experience is like, and I understand the references. It’s so multi-layered and beautiful. Steve was looking at me having this reaction, and he was like, “Are you alright?” But that play was such a huge moment and a huge part of my life for two years – it just all came flooding back. It’s a f**king good film, and watching it years later was really brilliant. What else have you enjoyed watching in lockdown? Well, It’s A Sin is one of the cultural highlights of this time in history – it was massive and
I loved it. Then there’s Call My Agent , which is an absolute masterpiece, and I felt bereft when it ended. I loved Industry on BBC2. And all the Drag Races, especially the UK one, which changes my life every time I watch an episode! ■
Talk Art: Everything You Wanted To Know About Contemporary Art But Were Afraid To Ask by Russell Tovey and Robert Diament is published by Ilex Press on 13 May