Sir Gary Oldman has admitted that a stage role he played 45 years ago was 'terrible' and that he was 'miscast', as he reflected on his career while receiving the global icon award at the Edinburgh TV Festival.
The 68-year-old actor, known for films including Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Sid and Nancy, Darkest Hour and Léon: The Professional, appeared on stage at the festival on Wednesday during its 50th anniversary. In an interview with presenter Edith Bowman, he spoke about his long-running role as spy boss Jackson Lamb in Slow Horses and acknowledged that one earlier role was not his finest hour.
Reflecting on a 'terrible' Citizens Theatre role
Sir Gary told the audience about performing with Glasgow's Citizens Theatre between 1980 and 1981, in productions including Desperado Corner, Massacre at Paris and Chinchilla. He said: 'I was at the festival with the Glasgow Citz, and I was terrible. I was miscast, not my finest hour on the stage. I learnt not to… I won't be doing that again.'
While he looks back on that role with regret, he is enthusiastic about Jackson Lamb. Before Slow Horses came along, he set conditions for the part: he wanted to play a spy, he did not want to wear a wig, he wanted to wear modern clothes and keep his own accent.
On Jackson Lamb and anxiety
Sir Gary believes the character may have been written for his peer Timothy Spall, who is referenced in the book. He joked: 'The description of Lamb in the first book, he says he looks a bit like Tim Spall with bad teeth at that side, and I've been trying to look like Tim Spall.'
He added: 'But I got cast, and it was like it fell from the sky at this time in my life. I was ready [for] the challenge of trying something else.'
Despite winning an Oscar for playing Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour, Sir Gary admitted he still gets anxious about new roles, questioning whether he'll 'be any good'. He said: 'There's an anxiety that you have going into a project because you're working with a new director, you're working with new people. You're working with new actors. There's always that feeling of: Will I be any good? Will I pull it off? Can I play the role?'
Reflecting on his career
He added: 'You have this sort of low frequency going on of anxiety when you start a new job. With Slow Horses. I haven't had that feeling for six years, which has been really nice. For the last six years, I haven't had that fear. I mean, fear is good. You can't let it cripple you. Someone said that you get butterflies in your belly, and with experience you get them to fly in formation.'
Receiving the award from festival chair Fatima Salaria, Sir Gary looked back on his upbringing, having pursued acting after leaving school at 16. He said: 'I've been reflecting on how a young boy from southeast London has made his way to this stage. Hard work and commitment to the craft has played its part, yes, and more than my fair share of luck.'
He added: 'I have been exceedingly fortunate to work with some of the best people in the rooms. Countless directors and producers who took chances on me, agents and executives who believed in me, and fellow actors who influenced me. They taught me and challenged me to be better at the job. And the thousands of crew members whose names audiences may never know, but whose fingerprints are on every frame that I've appeared in.'
