Utopia
Nathan Stewart-Jarrett seems to have a knack of getting in Channel 4’s best drama as he takes the lead in Utopia, which hits DVD and Blu Ray next week after wrapping millions of viewers around its fingers earlier this year with its brilliantly twisting plots.
We spoke to the star about the show, how long he’d last on the run and the incredible success of Misfits.
Utopia’s a wonderfully complex show, but can you just tell us about Ian.
Ian’s a frustrated, 28 year old IT consultant that lives at home with his mother. I suppose in a sense he represents what happens to someone after they leave an institution, be that school or university, they get a job and they’re a little bit at sea because they don’t know what’s next and they perhaps they haven’t done what they think they should have done.
I think that’s quite common in people between the ages of 24 and 30. So, he hasn’t made any decisions yet and he’s so inactive, which I have to tell you is really hard to play, but it’s very interesting and honest.
Ian’s really different to other role’s you’ve played, was that what attracted you to the script?
Yeah, I always look for differences if we can, so you explore different parts of yourself rather than just do the same thing. He is quite different from anything else I’ve played. He’s more contained and more in his head and I think that’s always exciting to see if you can do that and achieve that. I was quite excited to play someone this different.
The show’s got some shocking violence in it, what was it like reading those scenes in the scripts?
I read all the scripts in one night because they were so amazing and it didn’t really stand out to me to be honest. I think it’s there because it needs to be there. It’s shocking because violence is shocking but actually the level of violence needs to match the level of fear we have.
If that doesn’t happen, you don’t believe or understand why the characters are so fearful and why they’re always running. You need that threat of very real violence. It didn’t seem so shocking on the page, despite the fact that violence is shocking, and for me it’s not unnecessary or over the top.
Utopia’s got a wonderfully black sense of humour. Do you think that’s needed to stop the tension getting too much?
I think it’s also a factor of honesty. I think Dennis Kelly’s humour is showing up there, but I think that here are moments when something awful has happened or a disaster’s occurred and someone makes a joke to almost get them through that moment and I think those things do actually happen. I’m sure the producers had that in mind as well; they didn’t want to depress everyone on a Tuesday.
So, how long do you think you would last if you were being hunted down by a shady organisation?
I’d probably last a long time. Weirdly, most people think I might be the first on to go, but I’d be so panicked that I’d just run really, really fast and wouldn’t even entertain the idea of staying in one place. I’m not very resourceful though, so I’d last if I had to be in the cities but if I was out in the country it’d only be a few nights. There was an Australian guy who lasted for almost three months in the Outback. That wouldn’t be me.
So, how hard was it to keep your face straight during the stripping scene in the first episode?
‘Stripping scene’? I’ve never heard it called that before! (laughs) No, we weren’t able to keep straight faces and I think it was good we weren’t. It was really early on in the shoot and it was in the morning and we had to prtend to be drunk and it was quite hilarious and I think that comes across in the scene. You can’t that that sort of thing too seriously. It was awkward sex; everyone’s been there so that’s why it’s so funny.
Most people will know from your time on Misfits, what was it like being in the middle of that incredible success story?
It was one of those amazing moments! I must have said this a million times, but I just didn’t expect it. That just happened, it was an amazing thing to be part of that appreciated. That hardly ever happens and you just have to embrace it when you can. That was a great moment in time, I really loved it.
So, just closing off, after being in Misfits and Utopia, what’s it like being Channel 4’s go-to guy for exciting new drama?
I don’t have that mantle at all! It’s so great being involved in these great shows, I’m so happy to be involved in projects like this I’m proud of, but I’m nowhere near there go-to guy. I’d like to be though! Channel 4 commissions amazing work.
Utopia’s out Monday March 11th on DVD and Blu Ray.
Tagged in Misfits