From the interview archives.

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You know Edward Holcroft from Wolf Hall and the Kingsman films, the most recent of which being The Golden Circle. VULKAN caught up with Edward to talk about the sequel and his recent portrayal of Dr. Simon Jordan in Alias Grace. You can catch the whole season of Alias Grace on Netflix now.


How did it feel to be reunited with the Kingsman cast on the set of The Golden Circle?

The Kingsman cast is like an intimate family – returning to a very familiar and friendly ground felt great.

Was your experience on set any different this time from a technical perspective given that the sequel will be released in the UK in 3D or was that totally irrelevant from an actor’s perspective?

For me it wasn’t something that affected the filming process. Because I had a CGI robotic arm in this film, I constantly had to make sure I didn’t use my arm whilst acting. That was the only brush I had with the technical side of things.

How has Charlie grown since we last saw him?
Well he has physically grown in size, that’s for sure! In terms of psychologically growing, in the first film Charlie was all bark and not much bite, but in this film viewers get to see a lot more bite from him.

Julianne Moore and Halle Berry signed on for this one. How was it having them added to the cast and what relation do they have to Charlie?

Obviously it is fantastic for the film to have such great names to be attached to the title and I was lucky enough to share most of my scenes with Julianne. She plays ‘Poppy’ who is Charlie’s boss so that was a great new dynamic to have.

How psyched would you be to do a third film? It has been floating around as a possibility.
I would never say never to a comeback, if Colin Firth can rise from the dead then why not!

You’ll also be appearing in Alias Grace as Dr. Simon Jordan. Can you tell us a bit about who he is?
Dr Simon Jordan is an up and coming psychologist, at a time when the practice of psychology was quite new and not totally understood or trusted. He was invited over to Canada from America to study Grace Marks and make an assessment on her mental health. He acts as a facilitator for Grace to tell her side of the story. 

What might you say is the biggest personality difference between Charlie and Simon?
Definitely empathy! Simon has it in bucket loads, Charlie certainly does not.

What was your biggest challenge with Simon?
I guess trying to play a character that is starting to become emotionally involved with this woman, whilst having to remain professional as a doctor both professionally and emotionally. Striking the right balance between the two was the biggest challenge.

The miniseries was shot here in Ontario. What was your favourite part about filming here and what was the coolest place you visited while you were here?
I loved shooting here! My favourite part was being close China Town, having lots of Asian food. Though the coolest place I visited was Kingston Penitentiary, the prison were Grace Marks was actually held.

Were you familiar with the Grace Marks case prior to signing on for the series? Did anything shock you about it?
No I didn’t know anything about the case. I guess the thing I was most shocked by was the lack of knowledge that society in general has surrounding mental health issues, and how this has been a problem for decades.

Gunpowder is another mini series you’re taking part in which gives a look at British activist Guy Fawkes. Can you tell us a bit about who Thomas Wintour is?
Thomas is the cousin, best friend and right-hand man of Robert Catesby.  He’s a former soldier who has now become a lawyer. 

Do you think Guy Fawkes actions and those that aided him were warranted?
That’s very hard to answer. Unless you have lived during that time and experienced it for yourself, I don’t think it is right to judge either side or say what was right or wrong. 

I read that you initially wanted to become a musician before you were bit by the acting bug. Out of today’s hit artists, had you gone down that path, whose career would you most liked to have emulated?
Taylor Swift – she’s fantastic.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure song right now?
P!nk – So What I’m A Rockstar. An oldie but a goodie

What’s the weirdest thing you do or are interested in that your fans might be surprised to hear?

I couldn’t possibly say…