Russell Tovey began acting aged 11 and has worked continually ever since. His big break came as Rudge in The History Boys (on stage and screen) and roles in Doctor Who, Sherlock, Being Human and Him & Her followed. He talks to Honour Bayes about agents, drama school and going for the right roles…
You didn’t go to drama school. For young actors do you think training is important?
I feel like I’ve missed out on the fact that I haven’t got loads of mates from drama school in the business, but it was all kind of kicking off for me around that time. If I hadn’t been in work I would have absolutely done drama school. I feel like it’s the route to doing it properly and so I’m absolutely all for it.
The History Boys was huge for you. How did you use that hype to push forward your career?
My agent wasn’t about quick fame or quick bucks, it was about maintaining a good trajectory upwards and doing good work. I think quite a few agents are kind of “Go for the lead, go for the lead! And if you don’t get it we’re not really interested and we’re going to go quiet on you”. I’m 30 now, I’ve been with [my agent] since I was 19 and I couldn’t be happier. I have such great friendships/professional relationships with the whole team. I think it’s really important – you can’t do it without an agent.
You work regularly on TV. Does your process change for the small screen?
Doing plays, you’re rehearsing for three or four weeks; you’re messing around so you can try it a thousand different ways and really explore it. With TV you may have a tiny bit of rehearsal but your instinct is what has to go out there and then it’s the director’s job to kind of hone you down.
You also have to understand the technical side of what you’re doing. With TV it’s harder to lose yourself in the moment than it is on stage. On stage there’s a whole flowing story, so you’re going through the moments as your character does. Whereas TV is so broken up and bitty, technically keeping hold of that kind of thing is a lot tougher.
You are now in a position to be able to choose work, but initially, do you think performers should be so discerning?
I’ve been quite privileged, so it looked like I made decisions and chose the right things but a few of them were a fluke! I mean, I had every faith in them but I also just wanted to act and play good parts.
When I went up for Him & Her, I absolutely wanted it so much and there are a lot of people who just didn’t understand what it was. I heard that people didn’t want to go up for it because the girls didn’t want to be seen having a poo on camera! For me, that’s the most gratified I’ve ever felt with any show that I’ve done, because now people are really responding well to it. You’ve just got to trust yourself, keep working, being good and getting out there. You can never just rest on your laurels.
We’re running a £30k funding competition in partnership with Sky Arts. If you were an emerging artist, what would you spend £30k on?
I’d spend the money on the year post-grad at LAMDA because courses are expensive, so I would use it to further my education and knowledge. Or maybe just blow it all and go and find yourself on a massive tour of the world and come back skint but with more life experience! You’d want them to use the money to make themselves better artists in whatever way they can.
Russell is currently appearing in Sex with a Stranger at Trafalgar Studios 2, London, until 25 February. Book tickets.
Read our interview with Russell’s Him & Her co-star, Sarah Solemani.
Image by Noel McLaughlin.