Keira Knightley has described her hit Netflix spy thriller Black Doves, which has just returned for a second series, as “utterly ridiculous”. The show, praised by critics and fans alike, blends espionage with action and humour.
Speaking about the series, Knightley said: “It's utterly ridiculous and yet it has a depth to it, a lot of humour and a lot of fun, but also a seriousness. You know, you got blown out of the window twice in the first season. It’s meant to be a romp.”
Helen Webb's Double Life
In the show, Knightley plays Helen Webb, who on the surface leads an ordinary, if privileged, life. Married to a British politician, she has two children, lives in a beautiful London home and moves in the best political and social circles. Soon after series 2 starts, her husband becomes Prime Minister and they move into Downing Street.
In truth, she leads a secret double life as an agent for a shadowy spies-for-hire organisation – the Black Doves of the title – which retrieves industrial, political or diplomatic secrets for the highest bidder. Ostensibly an assassin, Helen’s carefully constructed existence began to unravel in the first season when her secret lover was murdered.
Higher Stakes and New Twists
The new series, all six episodes of which are available to watch now, sees even greater twists and turns, with the stakes higher than ever as her husband runs the country. The show also stars Sarah Lancashire as the inscrutable Reed, Helen’s long-term handler.
At the heart of the thriller is the friendship between Helen and her old hitman pal Sam Young, played with mournful menace by Ben Whishaw. Critics say the on-screen chemistry between the two is both “vibrant and believable”, bringing a mix of poignancy and fun to the characters.
Knightley on Stunts and Bond
Knightley, 41, who has also appeared in the new Waitrose Christmas ad alongside comedian Joe Wilkinson, has previously said the role of Helen is “one of the most fun jobs” she has ever had. Speaking on the BBC World Service, she revealed she particularly enjoys doing stunts on set, including kicking in doors.
She explained: “I didn't realise how much the ability to kick in a door was missing in my life until I did it and I was like, 'Oh!' By the end of the day I did actually get it off its hinges for real. But there was an explosive bit of balsa wood they put on it which just gave it a really satisfying like, pshh! as it opened. I was just so gleeful - just the best day at work ever. I like my character a lot.”
Knightley, who is married to James Righton from the indie rock band Klaxons and has two daughters, also offered a suggestion for the next James Bond. She proposed bringing back the tiny velour swimsuit worn by Sean Connery in Goldfinger, suggesting a baby blue velour zip-up number with short shorts.
Whishaw's Spy Connections
Ben Whishaw, who previously played Q in three James Bond movies, has a personal link to espionage. His grandfather, Jean Stellmacher, who spoke seven languages and had a photographic memory, risked his life acting as a mole in the German Army during WW2. The story emerged when his wife, Olga, told the family 50 years later as Stellmacher was on his deathbed.
Whishaw said: “We don't know very much. He kept it a secret, as you have to, but when he died we found out that he had been a spy working for the British, but in Germany.” He has previously said the Bond franchise needs to be “reinvented”, adding that he “doesn’t know” where any new storyline should go, saying: “I’m like, surprise me.”
Of his Black Doves character, Whishaw said he “really likes” Sam, describing him as someone who wants to do good, love and connect despite being “a bit of a mess - but then aren’t we all?” He added: “It's not strictly realistic. It's a little absurd, but in a fun way. You kind of care about the characters somehow.”
