The star of the international banking drama reveals five secrets from the set

1 After all those years of playing Dr Derek Shepherd on Grey’s Anatomy, I was really happy to play a role in which the character is a bit of a devil. Dominic [pictured] is a bank CEO who preys upon people. The show’s author Guido Maria Brera took us to where he used to work, JP Morgan in London, so we’d understand banks and their operations. It was brilliant to see it first-hand, to feel the energy on the floor.

2 Everything from the hair to the clothes was so important to get into the character. A lot of the suits were handmade in Italy. That was a really fun process because I think a lot of these financial men working at this level have very well-tailored suits custom-made for them. It becomes less about the money and being flashy and more about the power.

3 We would shoot one day in Rome and then be on a plane that afternoon and shooting the following day in London. The hours were a lot better in Europe than they are in America – much more civilised. We worked a tenhour day, not 15 or 16 hours and we got a lot more done in a shorter period of time. I liked that way of working.

4 It was an intense environment on set because of the multiple languages spoken by the cast. We had lots of big group dinners and there was a great atmosphere – it felt like we became very close as we were on ‘vacation’ together in Rome.

5 My daughter [Talula, 19] came over to join me in Rome and on my days off we were able to explore the city and the museums together. The energy of the city is so exciting.