Tom Brittney, beloved for his role as Reverend Will Davenport in ITV's Grantchester, is virtually unrecognizable in his new series The Westies, a gritty historical crime drama set to premiere on MGM+ (via Amazon Prime Video) this weekend. The actor admits he may lose some fans due to the brutal nature of his character, Jimmy Roarke, but embraces the departure from his previous work.
Brittney on the Daunting Transition
Brittney laughed as he said: 'I think I might lose a few Grantchester fans just because it's so different! But hopefully, the transition will be smooth because I know how different they are, and as an actor that's exactly what you want.' He added: 'You want, really, to do a departure from something you've done before and I couldn't have asked for something better.'
The actor admitted feeling daunted, especially moving from one long-running show to another. 'It was daunting,' he said. 'Especially going from one long-running show to hopefully another one. But you know, you sign this contract and you'll hope for this to go on for a while.'
Comparing Grantchester to The Westies
Brittney noted the stark contrast between the two productions. 'You're spending eight hours developing a character, which I'd done with Grantchester. I was very daunted to step into this world that was so different from anything I'd done before, but then there was just something about where I felt it was something I could really play.' He added: 'And then the more we were on set, the more I just went, "Yeah, this is my new home now."'
Star-Studded Cast and Chemistry
The series features an impressive roster of talent, including Hollywood legend J.K. Simmons, Bosch star Titus Welliver, Ozark's Jessica Frances Dukes, and Downton Abbey's Allen Leech. Brittney admitted he felt daunted working alongside such heavyweights but quickly built a solid rapport with Simmons and the rest of the ensemble.
Discussing their on-screen chemistry, Simmons observed: 'I feel like that kind of chemistry is just actors working together who respect each other and who are generous actors. You will occasionally find less generous actors who, when the camera is on you and not on them, are not as interested in doing their work. And fortunately that was not the case on this job. So, just a level of mutual respect and consideration is a big part of it, and good writing!'
Simmons Praises British Talent
Simmons also heaped praise on the British acting talent featured in the show, including Brittney and co-star Stanley Morgan, who portrays Mickey Flanagan. 'I am always so impressed - almost always - by the British actors and their facility with the language and specifically with dialects.' He added: 'When the cameras were rolling, it was like talking to two guys from Hell's Kitchen and there was never a sense... It was jarring at times to hear Mr proper Englishman start speaking off-camera!'
Plot Synopsis and Premiere Date
The official synopsis from MGM+ reads: 'The Westies is a gritty and kinetic crime drama centering on New York City's infamously violent Irish gang of the same name. The series is set in the early 1980s when the construction of the Jacob Javits Convention Center on the Westies' home turf in Hell's Kitchen promises a financial windfall. Despite being outnumbered fifty-to-one by the Five Families of the Italian Mafia, the Westies' legendary brutality and cunning have given them the leverage necessary to share the spoils through a fragile détente. But internal conflict between the brash younger generation and the old-school leadership threatens to set a match to this powder keg, which will sweep the Westies into the FBI's ever-deepening investigation into the Italian mafia.'
The Westies premieres on 12th July 2026 exclusively on MGM+ in the UK.
