To say that they both play characters who are rather, well, intense is a bit of an understatement — given that one’s a drug (and power) addict and the other’s a serial killer who thrills in torturing women. But in person at Variety’s Actors on Actors studio, Michael Kelly (Netflix’s “House of Cards”) and Jamie Dornan (Netflix/BBC’s “The Fall”) were only too happy to shed those dark on-screen personas. Clearly fans of each other’s work, they shared their secrets of finding humanity in those indelible roles.
Michael Kelly: What do you look for in a part?
Jamie Dornan: I think in recent parts, it looks like I like to play really creepy psychopaths or sociopathic people, but I love the idea of just really exploring a side of myself I haven’t explored before. I feel like I’m a million miles away from (character Paul) Spector, but I’m pleased to say that I’m a milion miles away because he’s a psychopath. I think you discover so many things about yourself as an actor. It’s one of the cool things about what we get to do, by getting into the mind of characters that are so far from you, you discover things that maybe you don’t want to know about you that scare you about yourself, or you never realized that you possessed. I think that’s really interesting. But I don’t go looking for specific parts.
Kelly: Do you find it hard to leave that character? You go through a 12-, 14-hour day. Do you end up carrying it with you?
Dornan: My sole intention is to leave it on set, and I’m intrigued to know about your process with that. But I like to try to leave it behind and pick it up the next day. But someone like Spector, who is so all-encompassing and intense and it takes all of my energy to play him, he’s a hard one to shake at the end of the day.
Kelly: At least the core of it, right? Even between setups I can totally joke and whatnot, but part of it’s going to stay with you.
Dornan: With the second season of “The Fall,” I sort of scared myself by how easily I could slip back into him. I’m not saying it was less work or the challenge was less, but I did find it easier to inhabit him having done it for a season. But is that the same with you and Doug Stamper? Can you just slip back in?
“It’s one of the cool things about what we get to do, by getting into the mind of characters that are so far from you, you discover things that maybe you don’t want to know, that scare you about yourself, or you never realized that you possessed.”
Live Emmy Contender Chat: Jamie Dornan of 'The Fall'
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RT @latimesent: "He's deeply troubled by events that happened to him when he's young... There's aspects that are already ingrained" re: "The Fall" character
RT @latimesent: "I tried to totally separate it." On playing Paul Spector interacting with his children on screen
RT @latimesent: "You'd really have to question a person who says, 'He's a great guy.'" - Dornan on Paul Spector
RT @latimesent: Dornan: "We pinned a lot" on hopes for getting a second season (which they did)! #TheFall
RT @latimesent: "I'll probably put that on my CV." - Dornan on learning Madonna binge-watches the show
RT @latimesent: "He's someone who prides himself on being so clinical... That he leaves no stone unturned." - Dornan on Spector #TheFall
RT @latimesent: Do you think Spector wanted to be caught? "No." #TheFall
RT @latimesent: "The arrogance of these guys is unbelievable." - Dornan on serial killers #TheFall
RT @latimesent: "He'll let us do what we think is right." - Dornan on #TheFall's director trusting the actors
RT @latimesent: "I was trying to convey a lot of things... Like the look you give right before you kiss someone." - Dornan on shooting the finale scene
RT @latimesent: "I'm a huge fan of Gillian Anderson." - Jamie Dornan #TheFall
RT @latimesent: "It was my favorite day I've ever had." - Dornan on shooting the final scene
RT @latimesent: "I'm not a method actor, at all... I guess you can't be for this role." - Dornan #TheFall
RT @latimesent: "I followed a woman off the train one day, just to see what it was like... Then I was like, 'what am I doing?'" - Dornan #TheFall
RT @latimesent: "There is a blooper reel. You'll probably never see it." - Dornan on funny outtakes from #TheFall
RT @latimesent: "We're very comfortable with each other." - Dornan on working with the actress who plays Katie on #TheFall
RT @latimesent: "You find out a lot about yourself." - Dornan on shooting murder scenes on #TheFall
RT @latimesent: "You're eternally changed by having a baby." - Dornan on becoming a father between s1 and s2 #TheFall
RT @latimesent: "Don't even make me think of that!" - Dornan on thinking of his daughter while playing Spector #TheFall
RT @latimesent: "It takes its toll... I feel somewhat altered and maybe scarred a little, from playing Spector." -Dornan #TheFall
RT @latimesent: "I'm dying to do something like that." - Dornan on when we'll see him in something more light-hearted
RT @latimesent: "I definitely want to do something lighter. It's not hard to get lighter than 'The Fall!'" - Dornan
RT @latimesent: "I'm a feminist at heart, and I'm totally aware of why people have an issue with this show." - @JamieDornan
RT @latimesent: "Hopefully nothing... Beard?" - Dornan on what he has in common with Paul Spector #TheFall
RT @latimesent: "Having to treat women that way. Also the running." -Dornan on the hardest parts of doing the show #TheFall
RT @latimesent: Third season of #TheFall starts filming just before Christmas, says @JamieDornan
RT @latimesent: That's all for our @JamieDornan Emmy chat. Thanks for tuning in!