And that's all for today …
helizsct asks:
Do you find parallels between the characters you play – ie Stella and Hedda? Both are destructive in their own way. Do you ever draw on your experiences playing other characters with whom you can see similarities?
Guardian contributor Sometimes there are similarities, but I've never put those two together. I've seen moments of Alice in Hedda, and moments of Alison in Hedda - in their self loathing. Alice is a psychopath, and is slightly different, she enjoys it and doesn't have a conscience; Alison and Hedda have a deep sense of self-loathing, with Hedda it's quite far down and she doesn't recognise it. I start from scratch with characters though, and I find them all very different in their own way, and sometimes the revelations of them being similar will come out in the playing of them, rather than the construction of them. I'll find something down the line that I find similar.
georges1 asks:
What was it like doing a Miss Marple directed by Nicolas Winding Refn? A terrific director but an unlikely choice for Agatha Christie.
Guardian contributor Completely bizarre. It was before he did Bronson, and he wanted to make Miss Marple into Hammer Horror, which I loved, but I think ITV were a little wary having a grandmother smothered in blood. It was good fun, and a great mix of actors from all different parts of the industry. Dan Stevens, Richard E Grant, Ann Reid, Amanda Burton... a completely odd mix of people!
Guardian contributor Updated
Dominic West and I had to get pretty familiar, pretty quickly
mattyjj asks:
Did you know Dominic West before you started working on The Affair? And given the remarkable amount of sex the two of you have on screen, how did you go about establishing a rapport and an ease that made these scenes possible?
Guardian contributor I did not know Dominic before I started _ i'd seen him in The Wire and The Hour and loved his work. And yes, we had to get pretty familiar, pretty quickly. As an actor, that's something you have to be good at. We mainly laugh and giggle through our sex scenes, and try to come up with the most ridiculous positions possible. He usually has to go on top, and hates me for it, because he has to reveal his bum. We all have our insecurities, including Dominic West. It doesn't stop him though, he gets it out every week. It's a ridiculous job.
Ephram asks:
What is it like working with Ivo van Hove on Hedda?
Guardian contributor Amazing. He's one of my favourite director that I've worked with. We had three weeks to rehearse, off book from the beginning, in costume from day one. And we had no choice to throw ourselves in at the deep end. He doesn;t like to psycholgise characters, or sit and talk about them. He's very specific about where he wanted you to be at what moment, and this gave indications of emotional intensity - for example, "you're now going to smash up all the flowers on stage and staple them to the walls". I found that immensely liberating because he was asking me to physicalise my emotions rather than think about them - the performance is much more in my body, and more spontaneous, than it might have been otherwise with a different director. And he's like a little sprite - he's got a naughty side.
What comedians would you most like to work with?
Guardian contributor I love Ricky Gervais, and would love to work with him. Steve Coogan, Louis CK - I would love to work with him though I don't know if he'd love to work with me - Alec Baldwin, Kristin Wiig, there's lots.
The things I'm most drawn to with comedy is something where characters aren't comedic, but eccentric. Ralph Fiennes in A Bigger Splash... but that said, I would love to do an all-out Melissa McCarthy or Rose Byrne number, something hammy and fun. I think Alice Morgan is quite funny, but then again that's my sense of humour!
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ArtieFufk1n asks:
With the likes of Breaking Bad, House of Cards, Fargo, etc, do you think American TV drama is currently superior to what we are producing in the UK?
Guardian contributor No, I don't it's necessarily superior - I think there's more risks taken in the US. They have more money to do so. And as a result the conceits are often quite interesting and unique. THe conceit of The Affair is very unique and never been done before; the conceit of House of Cards where the Kevin Spacey character talks directly to camera. They're quite theatrical conceits, and because of being long form, they can test out these ideas.
SirDogsy asks:
It’s a great testament to your acting skills that when watching Alison on The Affair we don’t connect her with Alice, and vice versa. Some actors don’t have the talent to pull that off. How hard was it to perfect your American accent, and do you keep it up between takes?
Guardian contributor Very hard - I feel like it's taken three seasons to get it right! I think Matthew Rhys said 50% of acting is thinking about your accent all the time. It makes it easier if you keep it up between takes, even if you feel foolish doing so. After three seasons, I can speak in a British accent in between. It's different for everyone - some like to hear and repeat, but I have to work on it a bit, and find the rules of that particular accent. For example, I've just done a Yorkshire accent, and a lot of it is at the front of the mouth, up against the teeth, but it's flat, the mouth doesn't open much. There are certain letters that aren't audible. And it also helps to understand an environment, and why an accent is formed in the first place - city accents tend to be louder and quicker and faster than an accent that originates in the countryside. Though Yorkshire farmers are well loud! I often find my American accents seeps into other projects - the "R" comes back to haunt me all the time.
ainsisoisje asks:
If you couldn’t act, what would your alternative career be?
Guardian contributor An archaeologist. I've always loved Indiana Jones, and I have slight fantasies of scrabbling around in the dirt, looking for past treasures. With Indiana Jones.
The difference between British and American TV: the US does things more on the hoof
denzel185 asks:
Do you think there is a conscious effort to cast British actors in US roles on television? And what is the difference in dynamic between UK and US TV production, if any?
Guardian contributor I think we're probably cheaper, but we are also very disciplined, and we're pretty good, as actors go. Growing up with American films, we've learned to adopt American accents.
I find that UK productions spend a lot of time in development - they work to get the script almost perfect before it's sent to you. US TV, they take bigger risks, but it always is for that reason a little bit more on the hoof.
MillenniumSteph asks:
You are so brilliant and bright. Do you have limits as an actress? What do you do to cry when acting? Is it easy or painful?
Guardian contributor Limits? You tell me! Probably, though I like to think I don't. I've never sung in anything yet, and would love to give it a go, but I'm not sure I've got quite a good enough singing voice.
With crying I use music to help me. But sometimes a bright light in your eyes or a bit of menthol does the trick!
Do you think Alison Bailey [on The Affair] is essentially a good person?
Guardian contributor Yes. She like all of us is flawed and continues to make the same mistakes, but essentially I think she is growing and learning to treat herself and others better, but also through the suffering of her lost child - I think when you've lost a child, you're never quite the same ever again.
If you could crossbreed two animals, what would they be?
Guardian contributor
GeorgeGr11 asks:
In my opinion you are one of the best active British actresses. I have read your statement that season one of The Affair left you ”destroyed as an individual”. What (mildly) traumatised you when playing this role?
Guardian contributor The first season of The Affair was incredibly difficult. Just in terms of quantity of material and last minute scripts, that was exhausting enough. But also the nature of the part was very demanding emotionally - the character was dealing with the fallout of the death of her child. And I felt it important to serve this properly. And as she kept going into a darker hole, it was harder to get respite from that. It's hard - you need your friends around you, you need to go out and enjoy yourself, have a few drinks. It felt very relentless in a way - I hadn't ever done a role that demanding for that amount of time before.
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Islam Khaled asks:
I think you gave one of the greatest TV performances as Alice Morgan in Luther. What influenced you to play this part so perfectly?
Guardian contributor She is obviously based on a lot of psychopaths, so I went to a DVD store and bought every psychopath movie I could find, including Henry, and Silence of the Lambs. There is a delicious nature about Alice Morgan and the writing of her character seemed reminiscent of Hannibal Lecter, so he was a big influence. I also read a book by John Gray called Straw Dogs, a philosophy book, which helped me unlock her psychology - she believes all feelings are just forms of energy. The names, or labels that humans put on that energy, are constructed, and there's no real reason to feel guilt or pain or anger because they're just forms of energy. Once I understood this, I knew how Alice would enjoy manipulating other people's emotions.
amylouise1910 asks:
What were you planning to pursue following your degree? Also, it seems to be the decade of the remake – is there a character from your childhood that you have always admired?
Guardian contributor I was always going to pursue acting. I decided in my third year at university studying history that I would audition for drama schools. University of Nottingham had a theatre on campus, performed in many plays, and worked with Carrie Cracknell - we did a silent comedy on stage, and went to Edinburgh and off-off-Broadway, and it was a huge success. I thought: I can make this a career. I'm not sure my parents agreed, they needed persuasion.
amylouise1910 asks:
How important do you believe NT Live and the ultimate exposure to theatre will be? I know many people, including myself, admire the intimate and raw experience of watching a play or musical, but it is a privilege that many do not [get to experience]. With the deserved hype surrounding Hamilton and National Theatre productions, when ticket prices soar and seats are sold in seconds. How would you feel about live-streaming theatre productions, or the inevitable integration to TV theatre channels?
Guardian contributor I think it's a great thing - it's still in its early stages, really, it feels like a new medium that's being created, a hybrid of cinema and theatre, and so it's quite exciting to be part of and also slightly daunting. But ultimately it's a great thing to get theatre out across the nation and the globe to people who can't afford or be bothered to travel that far. And it's keeping the cinemas in those regions thriving.
Sara Elisabeth asks:
Your characters are all very different. How do you achieve such a level of emotional intensity with all of them? Your face is very expressive and you’re amazing at conveying emotion. Do you look at it from a superficial perspective as in body language and movements, or do you work on empathising with the character?
Guardian contributor It's a combination of both, really. I start from the character and motivation, and the inner workings and thoughts of a character, and this usually draws you close to a voice and a mannerism or a physicality. For example with Alison in THE Affair, I get to play both sides of that character - my version from her point of view, she was someone suffocated by grief and self-loathing, so she appeared more shy, shoulders hunched, eyes averted, quiet. In Noah's point of view, she came across as predatory vixen, so my body language was entirely different. She came across as much more confident, and in charge of her own choices.
DWFan1 asks:
What’s your favourite Pixar film?
Guardian contributor Inside Out. Because it's truly what a girl goes through growing up - challenges of being a girl are depicted honestly and truthfully. And it teaches you to love who you are despite all your different emotions.
wobblybike asks:
You possess a huge screen presence, and I can imagine you would have been a naturally charismatic actor in silent films in its golden age. Do you think you would have pursued a film career in acting in those days?
Guardian contributor I hope I would have done. I hope I would have had the opportunity to do so. I often think I was born slightly in the wrong era, and perhaps the silent movies are more my milieu. Maybe my tastes in films is of ones in the past rather than now - I grew up watching silent movies, Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn movies, and part of me wishes I was acting then. The female roles are really interesting and fun, and the dialogue is witty and challenging. Aaron Sorkin is the only one who really keeps language firing on all cylinders - it's exhilarating to watch and challenges audiences to keep up. Films were perhaps more theatrical back then, in the writing; they demanded more from their actors.
Christopher Darlington asks:
I would have loved to have seen the series of Eugene O’Neill plays you did. Do you have any plans of restaging them in the future?
Guardian contributor Unfortunately not at this moment. It was an amazing experience, my directorial debut, and although I might not stage these again, I would like to direct in the future. As a director I got to see everything develop from its inception to final staging, and got to collaborate with Neil Austin and Alex Baranovsky, and I loved being part of that process. We built a bar on the side which had pre-Prohibition cocktails, with a jazz band - it was great fun.
Quenton Steele asks:
Do you think that your somewhat striking looks, allied to some intense roles (particularly in Luther), have narrowed possibilities for you?
Guardian contributor No, I think it's opened doors for me. I've been offered challenging and complex roles as a result, but it is time for me to do some comedy. My mum and dad are desperate for it.
Liam Quane asks:
What is the best thing a director can do for you on set?
Guardian contributor Encourage me to play. So once we've got it one way, to encourage me to do it lots of others, and have fun.
Splashdown1995 asks:
Do you think you’ll ever want to return to Constellations (beautiful play), or work with Nick Payne again? Because I would be buying my tickets as soon as they hit the web. Break a leg for Hedda!
Guardian contributor Constellations is a beautiful play, and I loved performing in it. Maybe - I'm working with Rafe Spall now who did the West End version, perhaps we should do a one-night wonder!
montyburns56 asks:
Are you going to apologise for The Prisoner?
Guardian contributor Ha! No. I got to swim with sharks and go on safari twice, and work with Ian McKellen, driving sand buggies on the dunes with him.
Alison, my aim is true. What was she doing with those awful chaps in The Affair? They were so up themselves.
Guardian contributor Oh I know, I agree entirely! I have no influence over what Alison does unfortunately, I just have to act it out.
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newpassword asks:
Would you prefer to be attached by 100 duck-sized horses or one horse-sized duck?
Guardian contributor One horse-sized duck. You could run under its legs. It would be cumbersome.
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I hope to work with Idris Elba again – some people you have great chemistry with
chrisdix15 asks:
Any chance of working with Idris Elba again?
Guardian contributor I'm sure. I hope so. There's people you had chemistry with, and you don't know why it exists, but when me and Idris worked together I could throw something at him and he could throw something back, so there was an easy dynamic that was fun and playful. It's hard to describe and explain it.
caledonian23 asks:
Once you have taken on a role, what are the initial steps of your working process?
Guardian contributor Read the script many times. I create a workbook by which I go through and write down everything every other character says about my character, what I say about myself and others; I stick in pictures and references, historical images or places it's set; if a character is really hard to understand I sometimes write out their thoughts in the silent moments of my characters so I know exactly what she's thinking moment to moment. Obviously I need a lot of time to do this and that's not always the case. Surprisingly for Hedda, I've done the least amount of prep, and I've felt very liberated as a result.
Kathryn Geertsema asks:
The first role I saw you in was a Jane Eyreminiseries – by far my favourite adaptation. What was it like having to carry a production like that, and at a relatively young age? What have been your most thrilling roles?
Guardian contributor I didn't think about it much in the first part of filming, I was just doing my job, and then we had a press junket halfway through shooting, and I suddenly realised it was quite a bit deal and was quite scared. My brother when the reviews came out was worried that AA Gill would give me a bad review, and luckily he didn't.
I've had many thrilling roles luckily - Hedda, obviously, Alice in Luther, Stella in Streetcar. I've been very lucky.
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Dinenuto asks:
Do you have a favourite in terms of stage acting or acting on films or TV? I assume it is quite different, but do you find one type of acting more challenging than the other?
Guardian contributor I prefer stage generally, because it's with a live audience and so it's exhilarating every night, and I never get bored of that feeling. TV and film is much more intense and insular, and I find sometimes a bit more lonely for that reason. Both are challenging in their own ways, for the reasons just stated.
southboroughelaine asks:
Can I ask about playing Jane Eyre? My favourite scene is just before the proposal. You put such passion into your speech about being small but all to be reckoned with. Where did that energy come from? Amazing.
Guardian contributor I remember reading this scene in the script and being incredibly moved by it, the writing by Sandy Welch was wonderful. I knew it was the pinnacle of the story, and I also knew I would probably have to cry in it. At drama school I'd never been able to get to tears, so I trained myself to cry to a song, and so on the day we filmed the scene, I played the song, got myself into a state, and did the scene. It was a Bon Iver song.
cantthinkofagoodname asks:
Did you watch the most recent series of Time Commanders? Would you consider going on it again? Perhaps against a team led by Idris Elba?
Guardian contributor No, i haven't watched the recent series of Time Commanders. I can't face to watch it again after my horrific performance 15 years ago or whenever it was. I killed thousands of people and feel very bad about it. Maybe I would do it again, and maybe with Idris Elba.
I would love to be Luke Skywalker's wife!
lordbelgrade asks:
I love your accent. Is it a Scouse accent? Would you want to be part of any Star Wars films in the future, maybe playing Luke Skywalker’s wife?
Guardian contributor Erm, no, it's not Scouse. It's true, pure-bred estuary.
Yes, I would love to be Luke Skywalker's wife! I love it, part of it is so nostalgic to me, and the female characters are great, and everyone's running around a desert with aliens - it's brilliant, and bizarre. Ok, you don't get many lines to say and you look pretty, but that's ok.
Liam Quane asks:
What was it like working with Susanna White?
Guardian contributor Brilliant! She's a brilliant director - I hope to work with her again.
geneer asks:
Will we see you on Luther again?
Guardian contributor I would love to revisit Alice at some point, she's a great character, but there are no plans at the moment.
The night she'll never forget
BoldOmi asks:
I saw Hedda a few weeks back and was deeply impressed by your performance. Sadly, someone in the second row fainted five minutes before the end and the performance was suspended, with you dripping in tomato juice. How on earth do you deal with that as an actor and maintain your focus?
Guardian contributor With much difficulty. I was on all fours in the most dramatic moment of the play, covered in tomato juice, when someone screamed "Is there a doctor in the house?" The house lights went up, the music stopped, and I was still on all fours trying to hold the magic. No luck - we had to get up, move off stage. When the poor woman had recovered, we came back on and finished the performance. It's never happened to me before, and was very strange, but the audience were incredibly generous. I think it'll be a night that no-one will forget.
Lloyd Augustus Mike asks:
The first time I saw you on television was when you acted alongside Rufus May in The Doctor Who Hears Voices. Your on-screen presence was amazing, the film really touched me and you helped my understanding of various mental health issues. What has been your most difficult role, and was it also your most rewarding experience, or one you would choose not to repeat?
Guardian contributor This was actually one of the most rewarding experiences I've done, because it opened my eyes to a world I didn't know much about, and I worked with incredible people who suffer from hearing voices. It gave me insight and understanding. It was one of the most difficult, because it was documentary style, so it had to be incredibly real - I had to understand it more than other jobs. The director was incredibly demanding of that style, and we had to improvise scenes with a non-actor, Rufus May, a psychologist. Very few people have seen it, so I'm glad you've brought it up!
Would I like to play Doctor Who? I'd never say never
shan164 asks:
Would you have any interest in being Doctor Who? It certainly could work.
Guardian contributor It would be great to have a female Doctor - I think it's time. And I'd never say never.
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allworthy asks:
Congratulations on your Olivier nomination for best actress. I’ve been lucky to see you twice in productions. Is there a theatre role you would love to play?
Guardian contributor
I did see a bit of myself in Hedda Gabler – I see myself in all my roles
ToastofHastings asks:
I have seen Hedda Gabler three times and I’m looking to top that up with the NT Live. Never really got Ibsen before, but your interpretation of her was stunning – you have an amazing gift. Do you see a bit of Hedda in yourself, or is that a mean question? Congratulations on your nomination, thoroughly deserved.
Guardian contributor It's a bit of a mean question, because she's not a very nice person, but yes, I do see a bit of myself in Hedda. I see a bit of myself in all my roles. I think she's quite funny, but that's my weird brain. I understand the frustration of feeling deeply and people not understanding you, and i get deeply frustrated at times - but I would never make the choices she makes. I hope I wouldn't find myself in that situation - trapped in something I despised.
jakphan66 asks:
Congratulations on your Olivier nomination! I have read that you endeavour to play different characters with each new project. How do you feel about playing Alison Bailey [on The Affair] for what will be the fourth year? Has she changed in a way that still creates a challenge, or interest for you when you portray her?
Guardian contributor The interesting thing about these long form TV shows is the characters do get in depth investigation - we don't know what the writers have in store for us, but it's constantly surprising, and challenging. And the best part of the show is acting with all my wonderful co-stars. I like the way Alison has changed, from someone deep in grief to someone finding strength of character and learning to love herself more. The writers will constantly write things to create challenges, and that's the beauty of it - the challenge is that I get the script the day before!
ID5851048 asks:
Any good or bad memories of studying in Nottingham (my own town)? You guys are doing a fabulous job and on The Affair.
Guardian contributor Good and bad memories of the many bars in Nottingham - Market Bar, Oceana, and the badly named Isis.
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jakphan66 asks:
Have you done a NT Live before? Are you excited? What are your thoughts?
Guardian contributor
bethune22 asks:
Congratulations on your Olivier award nomination. I watched the play last night (06/03) and I’m so glad you have been nominated. I was interested in knowing a bit of the history/backstory you created for Hedda. I read the play myself in the days leading up to attending and had created my own, quite strong, feelings about her past. I just wanted to know yours
.
Guardian contributor I did think a lot about Hedda and her backstory a lot as there's not much in the play itself - it's suggested. I felt she'd lost both her parents, that she has no siblings, that she'd always been destructive and centre of attention, that she'd had a relationship that was her first meaningful relationship but it ended badly and she never quite recovered from it. And she's been unhappy and felt suffocated ever since. When he comes back, then, he represents a form of freedom for her, but the only way she can get that is through destroying everything else. Ivo had always felt it was a suicide play, and I felt they perhaps had a suicide pact from early on.
gwills24 asks:
What was your drama school audition like? Any tips on nailing the audition?
Guardian contributor Frightening. Find pieces that you can relate to, and connect with. Then you'll give the best version of yourself.
Ruth is with us now …
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Post your questions for Ruth Wilson
Since her Bafta-nominated breakthrough as Jane Eyre in 2006, Ruth Wilson has played a series of similarly passionate, nuanced and unpredictable women.
As Alice Morgan in Luther, she was a terrifyingly brilliant sociopath leading Idris Elba’s detective astray; as Alison in The Affair, she became caught up in infidelity, murder and maternal strife. Away from these big TV shows and the occasional call from Hollywood, there have been celebrated stage roles too: Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire, the lead opposite Jake Gyllenhaal in Constellations on Broadway, and, currently, the title role in Hedda Gabler at the National Theatre, described as “extraordinary” by the Guardian’s Michael Billington.
Ahead of an NT Live screening of Hedda Gabler in cinemas around the country on 9 March, Ruth is joining us to answer your questions in a live webchat, at 1pm GMT on Tuesday 7 March. Post them in the comments below, and she’ll answer as many as possible.
Thanks for reading! And watching. Great answering all your questions - au revoir!