Cobra : Cyberwar Series Two | Interview with Richard Pepple (Joseph Obasi)

Were you familiar with COBRA before you came on board?

I watched series one when I knew I was doing the part and it really gripped me, it felt real and dramatic.

What was the appeal of getting involved?

Script and character. I was familiar with the concept of COBRA, so the idea of being a Home Secretary with stakes that high was very appealing. And playing the Home Secretary as a black actor? That’s a high-profile job.

What is special about Ben Richards’ scripts?

They were eerily accurate, they felt up to date, visceral and real. His writing gives you such an insight into that world – it opened up new layers into how politics operates for me.

Joseph Obasi is the newest addition to the show and to the COBRA room. Can you tell us a bit about him?

The interesting thing about Joseph is that he doesn’t come from the political class, especially for the Conservative Party. He’s south London born and bred and the product of second-generation Nigerian parents. His mum was a nurse and his dad was a postman, so he’s from a humble background. He’s also happily married and from a Christian background, which has informed his moral and career choices without him being sanctimonious about it. He was a very successful barrister who then turned his hand to politics with the idea of changing how the Conservatives are seen and how the country is run. He’s not naïve, he’s ambitious and hungry to make changes.

What’s his take on the current cabinet and his predecessor at the Home Office?

He has a lot of respect for Archie (played by David Haig) even though he’s a bit of a dinosaur to Joseph. Even Robert Sutherland (Robert Carlyle) represents a different way of doing politics to what Joseph wants to introduce. He’s not trying to step on anyone’s toes, he’s very clever in how he puts his ideas over and how he wants to steer the party. The government has been in disarray because of the solar storm, but Joseph is popular in the party and represents something different, so he’s seen as a breath of fresh air.

Is he a smooth media operator?

Absolutely, he’s very savvy. Being a barrister, he’s very intelligent, a good communicator and has the ability to be diplomatic but firm as well. He uses the media to his advantage and knows how to handle them.

Does he have his eye on the top job?

No doubt about it! But that ambition isn’t overt. When the PM starts to unravel and the indecision at the top becomes more evident, he starts to think he could be the captain to steer the ship. But even though he’s very ambitious, it’s all for the greater good.

What are the big themes of Series two?

Trust, both between the characters and the trust of the public for politicians. Also, the burden of responsibility, what that does to people, how that plays out collectively and individually.

How have you enjoyed working with the COBRA cast and crew?

It’s been one of the best experiences I’ve had. The most important thing on any job is the people you‘re working with, and coming into a series as a new actor can be hard, but the cast and crew were so generous and welcoming. It all made my job so much easier, there was a collaboration and generosity of spirit. It was the opposite of what Joseph has to face in the show!

What has it been like working on such a large production during the pandemic?

It was strange. I was grateful to be working, and it worked brilliantly for me in that the restrictions we had in place made for a lot more calmness on set. It felt weirdly tranquil, and as an actor, you sometimes need that if you’re working on intense, intricate scenes. We couldn’t really socialise off-set, so those moments where you could sit down and talk on set were invaluable. But the spirit was good because everyone was happy to be working and no one wanted to get shut down. There was a collective effort to keep everyone safe, which was lovely.

What were the other challenges about the job?

I was playing a character 100 times more intelligent and better read than me, so living and breathing that was a challenge! He’s a very different character to me – we might both be Nigerian and from south London, but I don’t think I’ll be going into politics.