1. You’ve built such a dynamic international career — how do you decide what roles to say yes to now? Do you feel drawn more to powerful authority figures, morally complex characters, or something completely different at this stage?

I think at this point, much of the work that comes my way tends to embody those characteristics. I’ve often played very strong women - leaders and authority figures. What I try to avoid, though, is the trope of the “strong woman” who doesn’t have an emotional life. So often, powerful female characters are portrayed without families, as though they couldn’t possibly balance a challenging career with being a mother.

I do believe that’s shifted significantly in recent years. Women on screen are far more fleshed out than they once were. With more women writing and directing, we’ve had greater opportunities to explore the interior lives of female characters in a deeper, more meaningful way.

2. As a British actor working across the US and UK industries, do you find the working styles differ?

I think one of the biggest differences is the way actors are treated in the US, where they are extremely well looked after - dare I say, spoilt? Sometimes that level of care can influence an actor or the overall atmosphere on set. Working in the UK feels a little more democratic, with perhaps less emphasis on where people sit on the call sheet. The UK hasn’t traditionally had the same level of resources, and it’s not something British actors are necessarily accustomed to. I find many British actors are simply so grateful to have the job that there’s very little in the way of demanding behaviour! To do this job, you have to love it for its own sake - everything else is a cherry on top.

I also love the optimism and enthusiasm of working in the US. There’s definitely an eagerness and sincerity that seems to permeate everything they do.

3. One of the strengths of Hijack is its intensity — how do you personally prepare for that sustained level of emotional pressure on set?

Hijack made me realise that certain jobs require very specific preparation. The setting and storyline this season were particularly challenging - very, very cold days in the middle of a forest, with nowhere really to keep warm because you’re filming so much of the landscape that heated tents simply can’t be in shot.

Practically speaking, I start with a big breakfast, which is something I rarely do at home, but on a big day with an early start I know I’ll be burning a ton of calories just to stay warm and keep my brain functioning properly. I make sure I have good-quality thermals - multiple layers if needed - and, crucially, a good night’s sleep beforehand.

On days like that, I tend to be very quiet on set to preserve my energy and keep whatever emotion is brewing just beneath the surface, gently simmering until I need to access it again.

4. The show thrives on tension and claustrophobia. What’s the atmosphere like on set during those high-stakes sequences?

It’s actually a great atmosphere. Our director, Jim Field Smith, and our DP, Ed Moore, love BANTER - they’re both incredibly funny - so they keep everyone laughing. Even our first AD has jokes! It’s definitely a battle of wits at times, and nobody takes themselves too seriously.

It doesn’t even have to be called, everyone just instinctively knows when it’s time to focus. This team has been working together for 4 years and there’s a huge amount of respect for the work and for one another, which allows us to switch from laughter to complete concentration in a matter of moments.

5. Thrillers often raise moral dilemmas under extreme circumstances. Did this season present any moments that made you personally question what you would do in that situation?

I think playing a bereaved mother is one of the hardest things an actor can do - especially when you have children yourself. It’s my least favourite thing to embody, because your mind has to go to a very dark place, and once you begin exploring those thoughts, they don’t just stay in your head, they move through your body.

As actors, we synthesise feelings - joy, sadness, excitement, fear, and the body begins to believe they’re real. It can be incredibly difficult to shake that once it settles inside you. I genuinely don’t know how to fake those emotions. It might be easier if I could.

6. Is there a particular scene this season that challenged you as an actor — emotionally or technically?

That cat-and-mouse sequence in the cabin was probably the most challenging for me this season - not so much emotionally, but technically.

It was a very precise game of ducking and weaving through the space, trying to evade the other characters before eventually making my escape. We had to construct it in sections before attempting the whole thing as one continuous piece, which demanded a huge amount of concentration and trust from everyone involved. There were incredibly specific beats that had to land at exactly the right moment for our Steadicam operator - every turn, every pause, every subtle shift in pace. I always feel slightly nervous about those larger set pieces because I’m acutely aware of how complicated it is to reset and begin again if something goes wrong. There’s a real pressure to get it right. But when it finally comes together, it’s immensely satisfying.

7. How do you balance strength and vulnerability in a character operating in such a high-pressure world?

So much of acting begins with a simple “what if?”, so I always start there. With the stakes in this show being so high all the time, it’s important to remember that Marsha is an emotional anchor - not just for Sam but for the audience as well. I have to keep her grounded in the truth of what’s happening and allow the stakes to push her to her limits.

8. If you were actually stuck in a real-life hijack scenario, are you the calm strategist, the quiet observer… or the one nervously over-sharing with strangers?

I’d like to believe I’d be the calm strategist. I think I’d have to enlist my acting skills to at least project an air of calm - even if I didn’t entirely feel it inside. Sometimes it’s a case of faking it until you make it.

9. What’s your go-to between takes when filming something so intense — music, jokes, total silence?

Mostly total silence. I don’t expect everyone else to be quiet while we’re working, so I’ll usually find the calmest corner of the set and retreat there. Sometimes I’ll put on some music or a playlist I’ve prepared in advance - just to shut out the noise and stay in the right headspace. Occasionally a particular track can really help me hold onto the emotional thread of a scene.

10. If season two had a theme song for your character, what would it be?

Protection - Massive Attack

11. Who is most likely to break the tension on set with a joke?

Our director, Jim field Smith, and our DP, Ed Moore.

12. After filming something as psychologically layered as Malice, do you need a comedy detox?

Malice actually had quite a dark comedic twist, which I really enjoyed, so there were plenty of moments that gave us the giggles. The dinner party scenes, in particular, were a hoot.

Raza Jaffrey, who played my husband, was hilarious - he’d riff on his lines all the time. David Duchovny is also incredibly funny and quick-witted, so there was always some light relief on set.

13. Psychological thrillers often rely on subtlety rather than spectacle. Did that require a different kind of performance discipline?

I think most television and film is small and restrained - certainly the kind of work I enjoy watching is. I’ve generally found that less is more. It really needs to be in your eyes. If you’re holding something internally, brewing it up inside, it will play across your face - and particularly through your eyes.

14. How much backstory do you build for a character in something as morally complex as Malice?

Backstory was important in helping to shape the relationship dynamics between the characters when we first meet them. The friendship between Nat and Jules is really important, and watching the way it gets gradually eroded by Jack Whitehall’s character is deliciously tense. There’s a great tension in thinking you know someone really well, and then discovering there were things they’ve kept hidden from you.

15. If you weren’t acting in a psychological thriller, would you rather be the detective, the criminal mastermind, or the unsuspecting bystander?

I think I would be a criminal mastermind - I do believe I have a bit of a talent for plotting and scheming! I’m a meticulous planner and very detail oriented. I don’t like leaving things up to chance.

16. Are you good at keeping secrets in real life — or do you accidentally spoil surprises?

I have definitely accidentally spoiled surprises before - usually because I get too excited! But I’m actually very good at keeping secrets… mostly because I tend to forget what the secret was in the first place. You can trust me to forget!

17. What excites you most about the types of stories being told for women on television right now?

I think stories have become much more female-centred over the past decade. What excites me is that we’re seeing many more women who aren’t necessarily likeable, and certainly not perfect. I also love the fact that we’ve moved away from the “looking for love” central thrust that so many scripts once relied on. In the past, female characters often had to be searching for love, finding love, or dreaming about it.

18. If you could manifest your next genre — what haven’t you done yet that you’d love to explore?

I would love to do more action roles, or play a Bond villain. Plotting and scheming while also getting to do a bit of ass-kicking seems like a great way to spend the day! I really enjoy the idea of exploring characters with that kind of physicality, combined with psychological complexity and wit. It feels like a great challenge, and I love pushing myself into roles that are very different from what I’ve done before.

19. What’s one thing about you that audiences might be surprised to learn?

I once played a total action girlie - a bit like a G.I. Jane character in a Steven Seagal movie… which I would not necessarily recommend watching!