A Fast Track To Time Travel.
Thursday 10th May 2012.

Actor Rupert Graves is still busy, juggling his hectic work life along with the duties of husband, and father to five children. After acting now for some 34 years, you’d be forgiven for thinking he may have lost the drive and enthusiasm of youth in his chosen career. None of that – it’s all still here, and it shows as he takes time to sit down and have an exclusive chat with RGO.

PB – Hello again, how are you today, all good I hope?
RG – Yeah, I’m good, you?
PB – Good thanks man, good, though I’m still not sure about being cheated at in darts!

(Copious amounts of laugher as a night out was remembered, where the two men drank beer, ate food, drank more beer, played darts, drank some more beer, then became tired).

RG – No, no – I never cheated, it was just one of those things …. It was magic.
PB – (Laughing) Hmmm, strangely enough “magic” is not the word I would use – at all!
RG – (Laughing) Yes, it was magic, it just was, it was magic for me (more laughter).

PB – Rupert, I know we had quite a chat a couple of weeks ago, but since then, you have started work on some new projects, can we do a re-cap?
RG - Yeah, yeah, sure.

PB – Alright then, let’s start with “Fast Girls”.
RG – Yeah, not seen it yet ….
PB – It’s scheduled for release 15th June I think.
RG – It is yes, there are quite a few showings in London at the moment, and I’m supposed to be helping to promote it.
PB – I’ve only managed to see the trailer at the moment, it looks like a fun film, a “feel good” one?
RG – Yeah, I think it’s kind of like an urban fairy tale, which sounds a bit pretentious, but that’s what it is, it’s Cinderella basically.
PB – Right, and your role, can you describe it for me please?
RG – I play the girl’s, the main girl’s – whose name I’ve forgotten, her arch rival, whose name I’ve forgotten, I play her father, whose name I’ve also forgotten! (Laughter).
PB – What sort of character is he, looking at the trailer and some of the still shots here, he looks like a bit of a twat?
RG – Yeah, he is!

PB – Did you have to “pad out” for that role?
RG – No….
PB – I ask you that because you seem a lot “larger” for want of a better word, in the film than you did when we met last?
RG – I dunno … you know film “puts on a lot” ….
PB – I realise that, but does it put that much on?
RG – Maybe.
PB – Maybe it’s the bike thing? (Rupert cycles a fair bit when he has the time).
RG – Maybe, it could be, it could be.

PB – Speaking of modes of travel, you are of course appearing as a guest star in the new “Doctor Who” ?
RG – Yes, I am.
PB – Your character “Riddell”….
RG – Yeah, he’s umm… he’s a, he’s a big game hunter … he’s in Africa, and there’s umm, some kind of history behind him and the doctor, although it’s never fully explained what … he’s there to help the doctor.
PB – He’s there to help the doctor, or is it a bit of both, you helping the doctor, and him helping you?
RG – I’m going to help the doctor.
PB – Right.. so, is there a possibility you may be returning?
RG – I’ve no idea, no I don’t think there is actually.
PB – Would you like to?
RG – Umm, I dunno … I’d have to see what they would be thinking of doing with the character.
PB – Would you like to be Doctor Who?
RG – No … no.
PB – Really?
RG – No, I wouldn’t like to be Doctor Who.
PB – Never crossed your mind?
RG – No, I really wouldn’t like to be in that kind of character at all.
PB – It is a bit full on?
RG – It is, but as we were talking about this sort of thing up in Newcastle, once you get attached to one character in such a way, you never get any bloody peace then.
PB – Got you, got it, though it would be a bit of a coup if you did do it.

RG – (Laughing) I can’t believe you just said that!
PB – (Laughing) Sorry, it’s the only way I could think of to link in to your role in “Coup”, which is a political thriller?
RG – It is, it’s about politics, the “coup” it refers to is a political coup, and it’s loosely based on a book called “A Very British Coup” …
PB – Chris Mullins, yes?
RG – Yeah, Chris Mullins wrote it.
PB – Yeah, he was MP for Sunderland South until recently, think he retired, not sure…
RG – Oh right – he’s a nice bloke, he’s actually in this.
PB – Did you have a chat with him?
RG – Yeah, he’s a very interesting man.
PB – Is he still bald?
RG – (Laughing) No, he’s suddenly grown some tartan hair, which is weird, it's never happened before to anyone, but it has happened to Chris Mullin.
PB – (Laughing) That’s just ridiculous man! – He’s a “proper” socialist if you know what I mean, very left wing?
RG – Yeah, yeah.
PB – I’ve not actually read that book, sure I read the one about the Birmingham Six though…
RG – Well, this is actually nothing really like it, it’s kind of umm, very loosely based on that book, that book is about a very socialist prime minister, who is basically brought down by the right wing establishment, who just can’t tolerate the idea of a socialist prime minister.
PB – Right.
RG – Umm, this is more about a kind of “centre left” politician, and there’s a vacuum…
PB – A bit like Blair?
RG – Probably a bit more right wing then Blair, he was a bit right wing, but more overtly, yes, Blair really was quite right wing, and it’s not really the establishment that’s bringing him down, it’s more about a power struggle within his own party, the coup happens in his own party.
PB – Bit like Thatcher, she actually was never voted out if office, her own party did her?
RG – Yeah!
PB – And Blair for that matter, but not so much…
RG – Yeah, Blair was more complicated, because he’d already made a promise with Brown. (Laughing) The ups and down’s of politics.
PB – Not sure of the exact date Rupert, but I think it’s due to be screened in the summer, so the summer and autumn is going to be a very busy time for you – I think “Coup”, “Doctor Who”, and “Fast Girls” will all be out then, (laughing) people will be sick of the sight of you!
RG – Yeah (laughing) I am, I’m sure they will be!


PB – Anything else planned for the future?
RG – Yeah, we spoke it about it the other day, it’s called…. (In American accent) “Air Force One Is Down”. I’m filming in Luxembourg in about two weeks I think.
PB – Right, and you play?
RG – Dragutin, he’s a kind of Serbian quasi army leader, who is like, who is a top notch baddie.
PB – (Laughing) A bit like the guy from “Extreme Ops”?
RG – (Laughing very loudly) No, no, not as good as that!
PB – Sorry Rupert, I just thought I would get that in!
RG – He’s not even as good as “The Sheltering Desert”.
PB – Oops I really should have given you that the other night, I meant to, just totally forgot, I’ll send it off to you.
RG – I’ll really have to look at that one day!
PB - (Laughing) You really don’t want to.
RG - (Laughing) I bloody do!
PB – It’s funny you bringing that up, in the last few weeks I’ve had a few visitors from the site asking me for a copy, you remember I told you when we had a drink?
RG – (Laughing) I can’t remember!
PB – Hmmm, well you did have a few beers.
RG – Yeah, yeah I know.
PB - Can you remember how many?
RG – (Laughing) No idea.
PB – Well, you had five with your meal ….
RG – (Incredulous) Five with my meal!
PB – Yep.
RG – Christ!
PB – (Laughing) Well, you weren’t drunk or anything, just a little tiddly, merry or whatever the word is.
RG – (Laughing) Pissed?
PB – No, you were just “unwinding”….. you have anything else planned for the future, stage work, television?
RG – That’s all for the moment, but obviously there’s going to be some more “Sherlock”, but I’m not sure when.
PB - Right, because he didn’t “die” did he?
RG – Umm, well no, he didn’t did he?
PB - (Laughing) Good job really, otherwise there’d be no new series!
RG – (Laughing) No, unless they made a new series called “Watson”.

PB – That reminds me, the spin off from “Morse” you guest starred in, “Lewis”.
RG – Oh yeah!
PB – I was reading that both Colin Dexter, and Kevin Whately, the guy who plays Lewis, have both said the next one will be the last.
RG – Oh really, he’s been doing that for quite a while now.
PB – Yes, would you ever consider doing something like that, a big series?
RG – No, I don’t think so, but you never say never, I don’t know.
PB – What about Sherlock, that could go on for quite a bit?
RG – I’m not sure, I think they are conscious about not doing an umm, overkill, they just want to keep it special.

PB – When we spoke last, you mentioned that you had another voice over in the pipeline?
RG – Yeah, I’m doing a series called “Inventions that shook the world”.
PB – That’s got to be for the “Discovery Channel”?
RG – How did you know that!
PB – (Laughing) Because I’m clever.
RG – Yeah, that’s exactly what it is … I think there are ten of them, so I’m doing them in a large lot.

PB – Finally Rupert, I know we touched upon this the other day, but do you have any plans in the future for any stage work?
RG – No, no stage work at the moment.
PB – The future?
RG – Yeah, if a really nice play comes along, I’d want to do it.
PB – Didn’t you have your heart set on playing “Caligula”?
RG – Yeah, I did!
PB – Do you still want to?
RG – No, too old!
PB – Right, how old was he, he was 29 when he died?
RG – Yes, and it’s a young man’s thing, it’s one of those things, he’s a kind of rash and impetuous man, and you can kind of get away with that when you’re young, but if you saw an older person doing it, you just think “you fucking knob, grow up!”
PB – (Laughing) As in, behave yourself?
RG – Yeah, come on!
PB – Tying up, how’s the family?
RG – Very well!
PB – How’s Arsenal?
RG – (Big sighs) The same as Newcastle.
PB – Well it all ends on Sunday.
RG – I know, exciting isn’t it?
PB – Yes, it’s either Arsenal, Spurs or Newcastle who can take third place, don’t fancy our chances too much, playing Everton way.
RG – Who are Spurs playing?
PB – Fulham at home I think.
RG – That’s right, they are.
PB – Well, I’m thinking that they will take the three points at home.
RG – Maybe, maybe – we are playing West Brom at West Brom.
PB – You should be thinking of three points there then ?
RG – I dunno, I really don’t, we’ve never won a game without “Arteta”.
PB – Hmm, we’ll see on Sunday.
RG – Yeah, can you remember at the beginning of the season people were saying that Arsenal would be luck to finish tenth?
PB – Silly, didn’t they just come back from that, you back Wenger yes?
RG – Yeah, I do! He’s done remarkably well…. Do you think you are going to lose Demba Ba and Cisse?
PB – I would think so, if the money is right, Ashley is a money man first, I don’t think he has any real passion for the club you know?
RG – I do, I do.
PB – Well, he’s from the south … speaking of which, after you left the other night a few people were remarking about your accent.
RG – Really?
PB – Yes, they could not place it, and a couple who didn’t know you were astounded when I told them you were from Weston-Super-Mare, and I did the (very badly) accent, like “Oooo Arrr”.
RG – (In the correct accent) “That’s Roight”.
PB – Yeah, I had to explain you were roughly from the same area as Justin…
RG – Collins, yeah, he’s from Bristol.
PB – Well everyone was impressed, very impressed, you were very good, apart from cheating at darts!
RG – (Laughing) That’s me, once a hustler, always a hustler.
PB – I should have known, when I think back, it was your idea!
RG – (Laughing) Whatever do you mean?
PB – You know fine well, we’d not even had a drink and you were like “Oh, let’s play darts”, and the crap about having to put stems and flights in them!
RG – (Laughing) I know, I know.
PB – Alright Rupert, I think we have everything pretty much covered, apart from one thing … your birthday is coming up soon, and I thought we could tie it in with another “fans ask the questions”?
RG – Yeah, yeah, we’ll do that, it’ll be fine. Brilliant.
PB – Alright then, nice one, and maybe you can pick out which ones you think are the best ones, and I’ll sort out some photographs or something?
RG – Yeah, sounds good!

PB - Alright man, nice to talk to you again.
RG - You too, lovely. And we’ll do the question and answer thing in June?
PB – Yes, we’ll get that sorted, no problems. Alright, get yourself off now, talk soon, and take care!
RG – Bye.
©2012 Rupert Graves Online.