|
| |
| Andrew-Lee
Potts talks about his role in major new ITV scifi series Primeval.
ANDREW-
LEE PLAYS CONNOR TEMPLE
“My
mission in life is to out-pout James Murray”
There’s no getting around it. Andrew-Lee Potts is VERY excited about
his new role as super geek Connor Temple, who the young actor feels a
great affinity for:
“Connor can’t quite believe what’s happening to him, he’s like a
little spaniel. He’s just happy to see everyone all the time and is
happy to be in any situation. He just feels so lucky. He’s followed
conspiracy theories all his life and now, suddenly, he’s involved in
one himself and is part of this team of people working for the
government.
And, in a way, I feel like him too. I’m so excited by this show and my
place in it. Initially, I just couldn’t believe that they cast Connor
Temple, the little genius of the group, as some Northern boy from a
council estate. I couldn’t believe that ITV had gone “yeah, we’ll
have Andrew-Lee Potts in this”. It made me feel really nice.
|
|
It was a brilliant moment for me because the show is not traditionally the type of project I get cast in. I’m honoured that the production trusted me with this part, because it’s something special.”
When Andrew was first sent the scripts, he instantly new that Primeval was the show for him as they were unlike anything the actor had read before:
“I didn’t know anything about the storylines when I received the scripts and therefore had no preconceived notions about it all. The minute I started reading them, I couldn’t put them down. The story just grabs your attention instantly with Helen being chased by the Gorgonopsid through a supermarket car park.
I got through episode one thinking ‘this is just great’ and by the time I got through the second episode, I was practically on my feet shouting “Oh.My.God!” That’s what I love about the show; every single episode is so, so different. It’s brilliant. Super-original!”
Initially, it was the larger than life storylines which grabbed the young actor, but very quickly just one name was leaping out at him:
“Connor Temple; one of the coolest names ever I think! He jumped off the page to me. I loved him; his humour, his outlook on life, everything was just so appealing to me.”
How would Andrew describe the character?
“I like to call him a unique geek. He’s obsessed with anything prehistoric and he’s been building a website since he was 14. Although he doesn’t sound it, he’s actually really cool, but totally in his own little world. For instance, he thinks he has a shot with every girl in the room; he doesn’t think for a second that he’ll be rejected. But it’s not because of any arrogance; I’d like to think of him as one of the last innocents. There aren’t many people left who just speak straight from the heart and Connor wears his on his sleeve for all to see. There’s nothing duplicitous about him at all. What you see is absolutely what you get, and he thinks that everyone else is just like him.”
Despite his obvious love for his character, Connor is unlike any other role Andrew has tackled before and it’s clear the young actor had a few initial concerns over how to approach it:
“I wasn’t quite sure how to play him in the beginning as, traditionally, I’ve played much darker roles. I’ve played some really dark, sadistic characters (I was Nero in Boudica for starters!) so for me to be playing Connor Temple is completely new.
He provides much of the comedy in Primeval. He’s a genuinely funny guy, and is super-intellectual which is a pretty fierce combination. Initially I had no idea how to play him, so I thought that I could use my own naivety to help me. The thing about Connor is he’s always putting his foot in it. You can absolutely guarantee that if there is a wrong thing to say, at the wrong time, to the wrong person then Connor is there shouting his mouth off. I thought ‘how can he get away with that? How can he get away with being such a jackass and not be pissing people off, or worse still, annoying the audience!’ So I just knew I had to play every scene innocently as there is no edge to Connor at all. He’s not being mouthy in a smart ass way, he’s just saying what everyone else is thinking. Rather like children who don’t the rules of social etiquette and when to keep your mouth shut. He has no idea. Not a clue. And that’s what makes him so endearing.”
As he talks, the conversation moves on to the CGI aspect and Andrew explains how keen the producers were for the actors, who would see most of the creature action, to understand the process behind bringing the monsters life. A trip to the special effects house Framestore CFC was duly organised:
“Right at the very beginning, before we filmed anything, Dougie, James, Lucy, Hannah and I were taken to Framestore CFC so we could see how it would all work down on set, and were shown what they are capable of. I tell you, we were all totally blown away; it was such an eye-opener! I remember Lucy and I were so hungover from the night before. But we walked in, sat in this little office and the guys said “let us show you what we can do.” We were played this demo video and any thoughts of a bad head just went away. All five us just sat there with our mouths open. We got so excited. I tell you it’s the best hangover cure I’ve ever experienced!”
He goes on to talk about the reality of essentially acting to thin air:
“I’ve got to be honest, the first week was pretty hard because we were acting to nothing. Actually I say nothing, it was balls on the end of sticks. Actually the balls came second, the first week we had a traffic cone!
Trying to look like you’re terrified of a traffic cone on a stick is a bit trickier than you might think! Especially when Hannah Spearritt’s on the other side of the camera making you laugh. The other thing which is a little more difficult than it might at first appear to be is getting a ‘group reaction’ right. At the start there are all these shots of the five of us together and we didn’t really know each other at the point. So there we were, in the middle of the forest all trying to be equally as scared of a traffic cone, all feeling quite awkward and not knowing how to approach it.
You don’t know how big your reaction is supposed to be in relation to everyone else’s and it was all about trying to find that group momentum which I think we all found quite difficult at the very beginning. That didn’t last long though; I look at my first week and then compare it with my last week filming and someone would say ‘this huge beast is flying down towards you and almost eats you’, and suddenly that’s normal and not odd sounding at all.”
Andrew’s character spends most of his time on screen with Abby Maitland, played by Hannah Spearritt. Connor has quite a crush on the feisty zoologist, who in turn fancies the square jawed hero, Stephen Hart. How did Andrew enjoy filming the love story with Hannah?
“It was a lot of fun to play, who wouldn’t want to flirt with Hannah Spearritt? I love the way she looks in the show, she’s a beautiful little person and I’ve really enjoyed working with her. As for Abby fancying Stephen, well maybe Connor will win the day eventually! It’ll be interesting to see what happens there. Perhaps if I got to run around and shoot guns that might impress her a bit more!! That said, I can’t shoot a gun as well as James Murray and it seems only the chiselled ones get guns.”
Deep in thought, Andrew concludes:
“Perhaps if I pout more that might swing it. My mission in life is to out pout James Murray!”
|
| |
|
