Hazel Doupe On Disney’s New Irish Drama, Say Nothing

Streaming now on Disney+, Say Nothing delves into The Troubles, centring on sister Dolours (Lola Petticrew) and Marian Price (Hazel Doupe) as they come of age in this turbulent era in Belfast. We sat down with Hazel to hear all about it.

Photographer: Klara Waldberg
Styling: Maria Patriarca
Hair and Make-Up: Terri Capon

Interview: Hazel Doupe

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

Life is good. I’m working and playing and birthdaying this week. A very happy combination.

You can currently be seen in Say Nothing on Disney – can you give us an elevator pitch for the show?

The show is a nine-part investigation into the operations of the Irish Republican Army in the 1970s during the 30 year war in the North of Ireland. In particular, it follows the stories of Dolours and Marian Price and the disappearance of Jean McConville. It’s a compelling, microscopic view into the cost of war and the code of silence in the North.

You play Marian – how would you describe her?

Marian in the show is a very complex character. She is a teenager when we meet her, a pacifist. She is unsure of how involved she wants to be in the war that has landed on her doorstep. Our Marian is young, but she is also wise and witty, discerning and calculated; and over time she becomes an unflinching instrument in the missions of the IRA.

What was it like playing her?

It was fascinating to dive into the mind of this character. I play her from her early teens into her mid-twenties but from the moment we meet her to the moment we leave her in the show we move through about 40 years. Playing her was so educational. I mean, your task is an actor is always to understand the motives of your character regardless of whether or not you agree with them, and with Marian there was so much to unpack. Her arc is so subtle yet so huge. It was a welcome challenge.

How did you get into character?

For the early years of our Marian’s life, to get into character, I would often look at photographs of the real sisters and remind myself of how they moved and stood together. Their bond is so essential to the story, and it was so easy to slip into that movement with Lola [Petticrew] who plays Dolours. We had a sibling bond from the moment we met.

I drew on my own love my country and desire for a United Ireland to a large degree, of course. And then the Brixton Prison episode was its own beast. But even in the later years, in their 20s, the sister bond was my constant meditation. Every impulse I had felt like it was tied in some way to Dolours; she was the other half.

Any standout moments from rehearsals or filming?

I remember the first time we landed on the set of those flaming riots on the Falls Road from episode 1 – I’ll never forget it. We were completely immersed. Josh Finan on a loud haler, standing on top of a car. A double decker bus on fire. Police barracks barricaded and petrol bombs being thrown over it. It felt like being transported back in time. The unease and the excitement of it all was there, you could feel the romance of the revolution. It was visceral.

You can also be seen in Kathleen is Here. Can you tell us a bit about that?

The film is this darkly electric story told from the point of view of Kathleen, a girl who is aging out of care. It becomes somewhat of a psychological thriller as tensions heighten and although the subject matter was incredibly tough, the cast and crew and our incredible director Eva Birthistle made it such a memorable and beautiful shooting experience.

You play Kathleen – what was it like to lead the project?

It was a joy to lead as Kathleen. Eva works in this very freeing way where she adapts herself very specifically to each actor depending on what they need. It was a very intuitive way to work. It felt as though with every beat the two of us were on the same, present, wavelength. We had both lived with the story for so long – six years for me. In the end, I felt like Kathleen was in my bones and I was acting mostly on instinct.

How did your preparation for Kathleen differ from playing Marian in Say Nothing?

It was very similar in a lot of ways. As an actor, when you’re trying to portray an experience that you haven’t lived, you must do everything you can to do justice to the community who have lived it. That was a massive priority for me. In prep for Kathleen, I was able to speak face to face with Martin Heany and Des Boyle who run HEAL, a holistic educational programme in Derry. They work specifically with a lot of young people who have experienced the Irish foster care system.

I was able to do a lot of online research and find documentaries and YouTube diary entries from young adults who were aging out of care. All of these very real stories embedded themselves in my mind and were really important in the development of Kathleen.

For Say Nothing, I had this incredible gift to be able to ask for clarity from my cast mates who are from West Belfast and the author of Say Nothing, Patrick Radden Keefe, when I needed to. What made it challenging was that there was very, very limited video footage or interview material of Marian and Dolours, and I thought this would make my prep a lot harder. But we had such strong, authentic scripts and so it actually meant that I could work very specifically within the confines of the script and the Marian that had been very deeply developed in them. That was extremely liberating.

What has been your favourite project to date?

This is so tough to say, each has its own unique atmosphere, challenges, highs and lows. Both Kathleen Is Here and Say Nothing were shot at a shifting time for me. They changed me in a lot of ways. They were shot one after another and made up a year of my life. The time I spent on both projects is so precious to me. The experiences we shared and the people I met on those will stay with me for my whole career. I feel so proud of the work we did and I think I’ll always be deeply nostalgic for the home we made as cast and crew on both of those sets.

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

I am back filming for season 2 of AMC’s Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale as we speak! Bringing Harper Fenn back to screen.

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

I loved working with Kathy Bates. I remember struggling to find motivation in a scene on The Miracle Club and she gave me a very simple two words of advice: ‘What if?’.

She stared at me and said it again. I don’t know how to explain how profound that felt but, in that moment, I got it. Whatever way she said it, it landed and has stuck since.

Which co-star did you learn the most from?

Lola Petticrew. I sent Lola a voice note recently about this so they know it all. But I have just recently found myself putting into practice so many of the things that I’d seen them do or discuss while we worked together. Passion, playfulness, boundaries, everything. I think it all went in by osmosis. They say the company you keep is the company you become and I’m lucky if that’s true.

I also learned what taxes are from Stanley Tucci at age 13. That’s been pretty handy to know about. Thanks Stanley.

What’s your dream role?

The Pirate Queen, Granuaile. I have many loves outside of acting like sports and music so I’ve always wanted to play a character requiring a specific skill, or lots of physical endurance. Perhaps a musician or an athlete…

What’s a genre you’ve never tried that you’d love to give a go?

Romance and comedy. Independent of each other, I think. Thinking of films like Before Sunset and I Don’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore.

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

Director: Reuben Ostlund. Actor: Harris Dickinson.

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

I would tell her: you do not know everything, but good job so far, girlie.

How can we all live a little bit better?

Consume consciously. Know who you are giving your money to. And tell your friends and family when they cross your mind.

Anything fun in the pipeline – professionally or personally?

I’m really excited to spend the next while exploring the world again and just coming back to the pulse of what inspires me to make art. I do hope to do more film and theatre next year but in the meantime, I’m going to be taking trips to the Irish countryside, making lots of music and lots and lots of pottery.

Photographer: Klara Waldberg
Styling: Maria Patriarca
Hair and Make-Up: Terri Capon

Hazel Doupe Recommends…

I’m currently watching… Lost

What I’m reading… The Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

The last thing I watched (and loved) was… Bottoms

What I’m most looking forward to seeing… The Outrun

Favourite film of all time… For nostalgia: Lord of The Rings. For life affirmation: The Straight Story

Favourite song of all time… I simply cannot choose one. But over the years I have collected, in no particular order: ‘The Young People’ by Lankum, ‘New Grass’ by Talk Talk, ‘Halcyon and On and On’ by Orbital, ‘Mariella’ by Khruangbin (thanks to my brother) and ‘Always Forever’ by Donna Lewis (thanks to my sister).

Band/singer I always have on repeat… Sorry (previously called Fish) and Ben Howard

My ultimate cultural recommendation… A solitary pint, zero percent or not, in any old Irish traditional pub with a book. Extra cosy if you can find one with traditional music (like The Cobblestone in Dublin!)

Cultural guilty pleasure… Walking into an Irish household, being asked if I want a cuppa and saying yes. Even if I don’t particularly want one, just to accept the offering of love. Also @reelingintheweird – an Instagram account filled with absolute most absurd old Irish TV clips down through the years.

WATCH

Hazel Doupe stars in Say Nothing: all episodes are available on Disney+ now.

Kathleen Is Here is coming soon on video on demand.