Faye Marsay On Andor & Adolescence

We sit down with Faye Marsay to talk all things Andor and Adolescence.

Interview: Faye Marsay

Hi Faye, how’s life going at the moment?

Hello! Life is a beautiful madness right now… I’m feeling both lucky and full of imposter syndrome.

You’re about to return for Andor season 2 – can you give us an elevator pitch for the show?

Andor is about courage, the courage inside yourself and the courage of the collective to fight with everything you have got, to overthrow appalling evil.

What can viewers expect from this series?

This season is exceptionally heartbreaking, intense and empowering.

You play Vel – how would you describe her?

A privileged woman, who, from that position of privilege and comfort was able to see the injustices all around her. She rejects that privilege to join the rebellion because she feels she has to fight against the dark. She’s vulnerable, messy but tenacious.

Do you do anything special to get into character or prepare for the role?

With this role, it really is all there in the writing. Tony Gilroy is incredible at giving you exactly what you need. Its rich and deep and all there. I trust that.

What was it like to return to her, and did you learn anything new about her this season?

Coming back to Andor for the final season was like going to a family reunion, but everyone gets on with each other and wants to be there. It felt great to be back in the safe arms of all those talented people. Hair and make up, costume, all of our crew all were as passionate about it. The atmosphere was one of ‘this is the last time we will do this, so let’s make it incredible’. I learnt that for Vel, the rebellion really is everything.

Any standout moments you’re excited for fans to see?

I’m excited about them seeing everything. We’ve held on to it for so long and now we get to give it back to people who it means so much too. I don’t think the fans are going to be disappointed. I really hope they won’t be.

(L to R) Ashley Walters as Detective Inspector Bascombe, Faye Marsay as Detective Sergeant Frank, in Adolescence. (Courtesy of Ben Blackall/Netflix © 2024)

You recently starred in Adolescence, which was a huge hit. What is that like to look back on?

Much like Andor, I was aware that I was in something that is extremely special and very rare. The experience is one that I will never forget. Theatre and filming all in one. That is an extremely interesting place to be for an actor. It’s scary but incredible when you get to the end of the take and everyone has done this dance together.

The conversations it has started… That’s the point of good art and good work.

Did you expect it to blow up like it did?

I knew it was special. I had no idea it would do what it has done. That’s testament to the writing from Jack and Stephen, to Phil’s direction and to Jo Johnson our producer and Hannah Walters. They put this magical thing together.

What did you hope people would take from it?

That we have got to have conversations around the use of social media and technology amongst young people. That the government, tech companies and parents all need to take responsibility for how young people use their devices and what they are consuming. Ultimately, it is about getting people to connect, eye ball to eye ball, and connect as human beings. And to find that connection in human interaction that doesn’t include a screen.

Social media and technology is not going anywhere. We have to have a conversation about how we manage it.

How did you find the one shot element?

Loved every second of it. Loved the freedom and loved the pressure of it. It’s a dance that everyone learnt together. Every person there was crucial to it succeeding. It didn’t matter if you had a main part or wiped past camera once. Everyone had to be so focused to make it work.

What was filming like generally?

One of the best sets I have ever had the good fortune to be on in my career. Despite the content and the themes of the show, I laughed my head off everyday and loved going into work. It was magic.

You’ve starred in so many amazing productions, but what has been your favourite project to date?

That’s impossible to answer. It’s not lost on me how incredibly lucky I have been to experience all of the different roles I have done. I’ve met incredibly people in all of those places so I couldn’t possibly pick one.

Any roles in the pipeline that you’re excited about? (If you’re allowed to tell us!)

Watch this space!

(Photographer, David Reiss; Styling, Anna Hughes Chamberlain; Hair, Stefan Bertin; Makeup, Caroline Barnes)

Who has been your favourite actor to work with in the past?

Again, this is another impossible one! I’ve been star struck many times! I’ve had some amazing advice from actors like Imelda Staunton and Bill Nighy… Sitting across from Stephen Graham is quite the experience too. But honestly, I couldn’t say a favourite as I like to watch and learn from everyone.

Which co-star did you learn the most from?

Too many to mention!

What’s your dream role?

I would love to take on something similar to what Charlize Theron did in Monster. The transformation… The amount of work to convince the audience of this woman’s humanity even though she committed terrible crimes was astonishing.

What’s a genre you’d like to do more of?

I think I’d love to be in a piece that focused on female gangsters. Goodfellas but from the female point of view. It’s more the characters than the genre that I look at. I’m open to anything if I’m good enough and right for the part.

Who is an actor, writer or director you’d love to work with?

I’d love to work with Maxine Peake. The writer would be Michaela Cole or Daisy May Cooper and director would be Scorsese (or Phil again!).

Do you get to spend much time at home?

Yes! When I’m not working I love faffing around the house.

What’s your interior design style?

I love colours and textures. Our furniture is quite minimal but I like it to feel calm and organised.

How do you find balance in your personal and work lives?

I used to be awful at this but I’m having to learn that I need to recharge in quiet. Its cliche, but being outside in the quiet of the woods or in the countryside helps me. I’ve got a dog, so walking her has helped with all of that. I love fishing too.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A footballer.

If you could give advice to your 15-year-old self, what would it be? 

I would tell her that I love her tenacity and I would tell her not to shrink herself or make herself small because she feels intimidated.

How can we all live a little bit better?

Be a little bit kinder each day. To others in particular. Also to yourself. Just a little bit… Go on… I dare ya.

Anything fun in the pipeline – professionally or personally?

A holiday in which I shall remain horizontal for at least a week on a sun bed with a book.

(Photographer, David Reiss; Styling, Anna Hughes Chamberlain; Hair, Stefan Bertin; Makeup, Caroline Barnes)

Faye Marsay Recommends…

I’m currently watching… Severance. It’s genius.

What I’m reading… The Science of Story Telling by Will Storr

The last thing I watched (and loved) was… Hacks. Brilliant.

What I’m most looking forward to seeing… The play offs for the football. I love watching teams go up and the joy sport brings to people.

Favourite film of all time… Impossible question

Favourite song of all time… Again, impossible. My taste goes all over the place when it comes to music.

Band/singer I always have on repeat… It changes a lot but at the moment Wolf Alice has been on.

My ultimate cultural recommendation… In the UK, it would be either a walk through and then dinner in Soho, then to the theatre. Or a good ramble over the North Yorkshire moors – I’m talking at least seven or eight miles. At the end of the walk, into a proper Yorkshire pub for the best roast dinner and gravy in the world, a roaring fire and a good conversation with mates.

Cultural guilty pleasure… Married at First Sight… don’t feel guilty though.

WATCH

Faye Marsay stars in Andor, streaming now on Disney+.