Sevendays 4 Sunday Mail, February 17, 2013 The big interview

JACK ON THE BOX… Iain in the new show, main pic. From far left, Downton Abbey, Prisoners’ Wives and Game of Thrones Actor Iain Glen’s done it all.. but the star of new crime

Y drama says he’s finally tracked down his dream role

ew people would died of alcoholism, so he knows what he is is currently working on William Boyd’s ROGUE… Iain’s argue TV needs talking about and he doesn’t sell you short. Longing – an adaptation of Anton Checkov new detective “He is pretty searing in his portrayal of short stories – alongside Tamsin Greig and another detective, that. As long as it is connected to the story I John Sessions. series offers but Iain Glen believes don’t mind going to those very dark places. Jack Taylor, which starts this week on plenty to get there is room for “It is not a cute and cuddly drama.” Channel 5, reunites him with director his teeth into private investigator The actor is no stranger to pushing the Stuart Orme. Former Aberdeen University Jack Taylor. envelope for his art, be it his intense student Glen worked with him in his first by STEVE HENDR performance as Barlinnie prisoner poet big breakthrough role – as a gangster in There is the character himself for a start Larry Winters in Silent Scream, for which 1988 drama The Fear – after leaving the F– a roguish alcoholic who seeks justice for he won the Silver Bear award for best actor Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in lost causes – then there are the acclaimed at the Berlin International Film Festival in London. It has given him cause to reflect. books by author Ken Bruen, which form 1990. He also appeared naked on stage with He said: “That was my first role out of the basis of the new series of five Nicole Kidman in The Blue Room. drama school and it is lovely to be feature-length films, not to mention the More recently, however, he’s become a reunited with him. When I left Rada Galway setting that provides a ruggedly fixture of prime-time TV entertainment, be and started work, I got into a good beautiful backdrop. it guesting in BBC1’s Ripper Street, as Sir position fairly quickly. All of the above helped make a case for Richard Carlyle in ITV smash Downton “I was very lucky and I do feel I the Edinburgh-born actor but the chance Abbey, as exiled knight Ser Jorah Mormont have enjoyed every second of it. I to doff his cap to 1970s film Chinatown was in fantasy drama Game of Thrones, or have had the mixture of doing also too good to miss. playing a married inmate in BBC1’s theatre, TV, and film work in He said: “I’ve always fancied playing a Prisoner’s Wives. the way that, when I started private eye, ever since I saw Jack Nicholson He said: “It’s a funny one. I don’t think I out, I thought I would love play Jake Gittes in Chinatown. had done a repeat TV in my life up until a to do. So I can reflect and I “It is familiar territory but I think there are various aspects that individualise it. “One is Ireland’s west coast, which has a stunning coastline, and the town of Galway ‘You have no idea if this is itself. We are using the locations Ken Bruen uses in his novel series as much as possible. going to be a disaster and “Jack Taylor is the rogue central character who sets up as a private eye when he is kicked out of the police force. He has a die after the first year’ burning sense of justice and wants to couple of years ago. I just happened to land am really happy. I don’t take investigate and pursue crime that others in in a couple of TV series that were popular, it for granted. I’ve been one positions of power are not willing to do. which was a treat. of the lucky ones.” “The big advantage of taking stuff from “It’s a curious thing. Some of the work I The same cannot be said for books as well written as Ken Bruen’s is that am most proud of is my film work, which the people Jack Taylor deals he offers you fantastic dialogue. It’s kind of invariably nobody sees because it is with. Philip Marlowe with American, quick, dry more arty. It is nice to be in stuff that is The opening episode, The Guards, one-liners all the way. It’s lovely to play.” being seen. finds him turfed out of the Irish Not that it is an easy ride. As befits a “When you accept something like Game police, being asked to find a missing maverick gumshoe, Jack Taylor has issues. of Thrones, you have no idea if this is going daughter and then uncovering Lots of them. He’s bloody minded and he’s a to be a disaster and die after the first year or Galway’s seedy underbelly when boozer. He has an attitude, which gets him if you are just going to do the pilot. four girls’ bodies turn up. beaten up, and a soft heart that compels “Downton was different because that He said: “We’ll see how it goes but him to defend the lost and the broken. had enjoyed a really successful first season. I love playing the role, I love getting Plenty, then, for the 51-year-old to get his I did a have a feel that Game of Thrones was the scripts through. teeth into. material that would fly but you can never “It’s familiar but I think it is familiar He said: “I think it probably portrays real second guess how things are going to go. with twists. life. Private eyes are probably quite isolated Life would be a lot easier if you could.” “There’s definitely the material to do people because it doesn’t help the job they He hasn’t done a bad job of guessing more and I certainly hope we do so.” do to live in a lovely warm environment. His right. His career is an enviable one that has ● Jack Taylor is on Thursday, main demon is alcohol. Ken Bruen’s brother included acclaimed stage productions. He ­Channel 5, 9pm. Taylor-made for me