"Doctor Who" was a cult for me "

David Bradley from Harry Potter and Game of Thrones - about the role of the legendary first doctor

In the old New Year, the Sony Sci-Fi channel will show the television movie “Twice in Time” in Russia-a special Christmas release of the British series “Doctor Who”, the last episode with the twelfth doctor. The role of the legendary first doctor was played in it by actor David Bradley, also known as the Lord of Crossing Walder Frey from the Game of Thrones, a vampire hunter Abraham Setrakians from the “strain” and a caretaker Argus Filch from Harry Potter. On the eve of showing the special issue in Russia, Medusa spoke with David Bradley, working in films and on television for 50 years.

-You somehow joked that when [the scriptwriter of “ Doctor Who ” and “ Sherlock ” ] Mark Gattis asked if you wanted to play the first doctor, you almost bit his hand. Why did you so light up with this idea - you are a longtime fan of the series?

- Oh, because this show was part of my cultural baggage from the very beginning - from the very first series. I watched “Doctors Who” even before I decided that I want to become an actor. So this series was the most important part of my youth. He was a cult for me! And I did not dream that they would ask me to become part of this. And here I am fulfilling my dream.

- Your acting career began a couple of years before the death of William Hartnell, an actor who played the first doctor. Did you know him personally?

- No, I never met him. I can’t recall the year when he died [1975], but it seems that then I really just came to the profession. Imagine, I became a professional actor fifty years ago ... Yes, this year there will be exactly fifty. I think that when I started, he already stopped playing. What do you add here - it was an icon.

- For William Hartnell, the role in the Doctor Who was, perhaps, the main in his career. There is an episode “ Three Doctors ” -he returned to the show after a long pause and looked truly happy in it. What would make you happier - several famous roles that would take away all your time, or as many different heroes as your soul wants?

- Of course, I am very proud that I played in “Doctor Who”, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, “Murder on the Beach” (Boadchurch) and much more, but I think that the greatest pleasure for the actor - when he is offered different roles, those that cause fear or excitement. Such that you think: "Oh, I'm not sure that I can handle it, but I will try." I like the feeling that they challenge me - and it scares me a little.

- You not only play in the special issue of “ Doctor Who ” , but also voiced the audiobooks “ The Adventures of the First Doctor ” from the Big Finish Production Publishing House. What do you like more - play the doctor on the set or in your own imagination?

- For me, these are two completely different sensations, two different ways of expressing myself and my character - through someone else's scenario and through my imagination, be it audio or cinema. If I had to choose, I would prefer to stay on the big screen. But the process of audio recordings carries certain challenges, because there you cannot rely on your corporal and gestures to show the character of the hero. No, you have to do everything in a voice, but you still do not need to dress! I love any costumes.

- You have an incredible hero in the series “ Murder on the Beach ” : a quiet man who was accused of a crime that he did not commit, and brought to suicide. Playing such characters, do you feel devastated?

- If you are an actor, then ideally you join the work as a whole - both with your heart and your head. The heart helps you play a role, but your head helps to move away a little from it. I do not want to come home every evening after filming and crying in a pillow because my character is going to commit suicide. I need to look at him outside in the same way as from the inside. I know that there are some actors - but this is not me - who can get used to the role and live it 24 hours a day - to think, sleep and breathe like a character. But I need to disconnect and maintain a sense of perspective in order to play the role - this is my method.

-You are the president of Second Thoughs Drama Group-an acting troupe, which is located in Stratford-on-Evon, the city where Shakespeare himself was born.

- Yes, I saw their performance a couple of days ago, but they do not play Shakespeare so often. But when I played significant roles in large performances in Shakespeare in the Royal Shakespearean Theater, I sometimes looked towards his grave. This is very close, up the road to the church. And I quietly asked Shakespeare whether I did well. (C to. )

- For half a century you have played many different roles. Which was the most difficult?

- The most difficult ... Each new film for me is an unknown land. But in general, the most difficult moment is when I was an understudy in the theater for the role of King Lear, and the main actor fell ill, and I had to play with the main composition, although we had almost no time to prepare. It happened about 25 years ago. And it was scary - when they say that in a couple of hours you need to play King Lyr in front of the full hall. Fortunately, it was akin to a car accident - I don’t remember anything, I just had a good time ( laughs ).

- The new episode of “ Doctor Who ” is a Christmas story. At the same time, you have the first world war there, death, trenches. How can a “ doctor who ” manage to combine such things in the same story?

- So, we are now in the dangerous zone: I was told not to discuss these scenes. For some reason, the authors want them to remain a surprise ( laughs ). So I can’t say anything about them, but I’m sure that the audience will be really surprised and touched, even though this is a war.

- You played not only in the British television show, but also in the international project “ Game of Thrones ” and in the American “ strain ” . From the point of view of the actor - what is the difference between television production in Britain and the USA?

- The author of the “strain” was Guillermo Del Toro, a Mexican director who delighted me in the “Favna Labyrinth”, so it was a pleasure to work with him. The Americans, of course, had a completely different level of production: I had the feeling that we made a full -fledged movie every week. They always have more money and more time for shooting, and they do not stop until they divert the scene. So sometimes we worked 18-20 hours a day.

In Britain, the usual shooting day lasts 12 hours - for example, from seven in the morning to seven in the evening. And if time has passed, then everything, all finished. And the Americans work until they remove it as it should. Of course, I prefer a shorter working day, but I’m a perfectionist and will not calm down until we do perfectly. So I do not mind working overtime, if in the end we get the best scene.

- In Russia, it is customary for decades to review the same films every New Year, every Christmas. Do you have the same? What do you look at Christmas usually?

- I do not watch many films on holidays, but we have very popular “This wonderful life” with James Stuart. At Christmas itself, I like to see a good musical-something like "singing in the rain." Musicals are what you need!

- In the series “ Doctor Who ” the sound [Time Machine] “ Tardis ” several times describes a charming phrase: “ This is the sound that brings hope . ” What do you hope for these troubled times?

- Most of all - to the fact that the young generation will ask itself and we have a lot of questions, to check for the strength of the formed order of things and demand a more fair world for everyone.

- Your last role today is a time traveler. Share on these holidays some secret that you learned about the nature of time?

- Found a specialist ( laughs )! The best advice on time will give you Henry van Dike. “Time flows too slow for those who are waiting; too fast for those who are afraid of; It lasts for a long time for those who are sad; It seems instantly for those who have fun. And for loving hearts, time is eternity. ”

Egor Moskvitin