Welsh actor Tom Cullen has revealed that a voice note from Luke Evans led to him starring in ITV's The Party, six years after the pair first met at an audition.
The Aberystwyth-born actor shared the anecdote on Instagram, where he also posted behind-the-scenes pictures from the drama, which aired on Sunday, October 1. The series follows Martin Glimour (Evans), a journalist whose lifelong connection with wealthy politician Ben Fitzmaurice (Cullen) dates back to their time at an elite boarding school. Three decades later, an invitation to Ben's party triggers a sequence of events that transforms everything.
Cullen's Instagram tribute
Due to work commitments, Cullen was unable to attend promotional events for The Party, so he took to social media to share his thoughts ahead of the programme's launch. He said on Instagram: "I’ve been away working so I’ve missed ALL the fun of introducing The Party to the world. So here is my contribution…some pics taken of a small handful of the brilliant people that made this all happen. We had an absolute giggle making it, I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do."
He thanked Luke Evans, Sarah Solemani, World Productions and author Elizabeth Day, who were all responsible for creating the series.
First meeting and voice note
Cullen also shared the story of how he met Evans and how he later asked him to star in The Party. He said: "When @thereallukeevans left me a voice note asking me to play opposite him as Ben, I immediately knew it was something I wanted to do."
He added: "In 2009, at one of my first ever auditions, I met Luke for the first time. We were sat at the bottom of some stairs at a casting. I was nervous as hell. He was cool as a cucumber. We talked about our love of Wales and where we might be headed next. He was kind, warm and tried his best to put me at ease, knowing how nervous I was. I’ve never forgotten it."
Filming in Wales
Cullen said: "Safe to say he got that job and I didn’t, but I’ve been the biggest fan of his ever since. It was a privilege and a joy bringing Martin and Ben to life together. And to do it while filming in Wales, made it extra special. So fun to work and play with. What a guy he is."
The Party is available to watch on ITV1 and ITVX.
