Versatile Tom Riley ‘natural fit’ for ‘The Nevers’ ensemble cast
Robert Pattinson — that A-list international heartthrob — may owe a little thanks to rising star Tom Riley.
It was Riley who replaced Pattinson at the last minute in a 2005 stage production of “The Woman Before” at London’s Royal Court Theatre. The change was made so late that programs and announcements to the press had been made before the switch.
“By the time the reviews came out, they were saying lovely things about newcomer Robert Pattinson,” says the British actor. “But it was me.”
Pattinson used the positive reviews to help fuel his rise to “Twilight” fame. But Riley, who went on to star on Broadway, TV and films, has no hard feelings.
His career is humming along nicely, and Riley recently took another step into the spotlight in “The Nevers,” a gender-bending sci-fi fantasy series on HBO.
Set in England in the 1890s, the show centers on a group of people who have mysteriously been imbued with distinct superpowers. Some can see the future, some grow 10-foot-tall, and others can harness electricity.
These people — the
Victorians refer to them as “touched” — are a threat to the status quo. There is much fighting, cool special effects and social commentary — a sort of Victorian X-Men.
HBO
“It does defy definition and description in so many ways,” says Riley. “It just felt like something fresh and new. It made me realize just how long I’ve been without something like that.”
In the series, Riley plays Augie, a rather stiff member of the aristocracy who also happens to have been “touched.” His superpower is the ability to channel birds, a useful skill for reconnaissance.
“I think I could probably say this here in a way that makes more sense if I said it at home: He’s incredibly British — in that everything is repressed, and everything is tricky and difficult for him,” he says.
Co-executive producer Daniel Kaminsky says Riley brings sincerity and warmth to the role that elevates Augie’s occasional antics and makes him a very real and interesting character.
“A few of us had seen Tom’s earlier work and had only thought of him as a leading man, but when he auditioned for the more eccentric Augie, it blew us all away — he was able to bring more to the character than what was on the page,” says Kaminsky. “He was a natural fit to our fantastic ensemble.”
The first six episodes of “The Nevers” are complete and airing now. The cast is due to return to the set in June to finish the first season.
Riley studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and his first taste of professional acting came onstage, replacing Pattinson. He has done plays both in London and Broadway, including a 2011 revival of Tom Stoppard’s “Arcadia.”
On the small screen, he played Leonardo Da Vinci in the Starz drama “Da Vinci’s Demons” and also had roles in BBC 2’s “Ill Behaviour,” ITV’s “Dark Heart” and Amazon’s “The Collection.” His film credits include “Starfish” and “Pushing Dead.”
He hopes “The Nevers” is a hit, but he says he’s given up trying to predict what project will stick and become a career-changer.
“I’m trying to enjoy the experience more than projecting on the result more than perhaps I did in the past, which was always like, ‘Is this good? Maybe if I hold the steering wheel tighter then I’ll be better at this,’ ” he says. “But now I’m just happy to be in the passenger seat.”