Hes not a well-known actor, he says, and perhaps not one with a particularly heroic face!
he laughs when we talk about the moral complexity of his roles.
And yet, Kinnear has more right to brag than most.
He won an Olivier award for the role of Iago at The National, where he appears regularly.
Hes a playwright and, recently, theatre director.
And hes also an unusually talented actor.
Kinnear is able to evoke empathy for characters in the most alien situations.
Not that hed cop to it.
Gosh, I dont really know.
I guess its always a question of how much freedom it also affords you to do other things.
As it is, all the series Ive been in have been fairly gentle handcuffs.
Even withinPenny Dreadful, counting demonic possession you played something like four different roles.
You even managed to avoid being pigeon-holed within a single show!
Ive seen the first episode ofGuerrilla.
Thats all Ive seen as well.
Is Pence based on a real-life police officer?
No, its sort of a composite.
By and large, it chose to resist peacefully throughout that time.
And there Pence is, orchestrating it all.
How do you want the audience to feel about your character at a point like that?
When I first read it, I think he sort of embodies that sense of institutionalised ignorance.
What kind of access did you have to John Ridley during filming?
What sort of conversations did you have?
He directed the first two episodes and the last one so he was around all the time.
He was there throughout rehearsals and throughout the making of it.
You mention it covers an aspect of British history thats not especially well-known.
1971 was obviously before you were born…
Yeah, certainly the Black Desk.
I didnt know about the Black Desk and I didnt know about the Mangrove restaurant.
It feels quite rare to have an overt political drama on TV in the UK at the moment.
Certainly in terms of the political environment that it depicts.
And as you say, its also a prism for looking at current political race-relations in America and here.
You dont play straightforward good guys very often, correct me if Im wrong!
I cant think of any out-and-out good guys.
Maybe I just havent got a particularly heroic face!
That was the nice thing about The Creature inPenny Dreadful.
Thats quite often, not to be too sympathetic about it, the way when people do bad things.
Were you surprised when John Logan decided to bringPenny Dreadfulto an end after series three?
A lot of fans were and thought it could have continued.
Ive told the story I wanted to tell.
Talking about Johns writing, you had some terrific speeches as Caliban and John Clare.
Are there any that stick with you and you look fondly back on?
That was my own joy, burrowing into him a bit more.
I also really loved the final scenes of that episode with me and Eva as well.
A Blade Of Grass?
The padded room episode?
That was an extraordinary hour of work.
They should have thrown awards at you both for that.
What are your memories of making it?
It wassonice that Id trot up to work at seven thirty and wed work eight til six.
It was the most imprisoned episode in some ways, but it was entirely liberating for me!
Bond requires from me certain… skills.
Obviously, quite often its just remembering jargon!
The most fun thing about it is seeing the sheer scale of operations.
You do realise youre a very, very small little cherry on the top.
Equally, you have to keep your nerve and treat it as crucially as any other part.
No, they havent.
From one big entertainment machine to another.
I gather there wasnt any such subterfuge when you were the hot favourite?
No, and its someone elses turn to have to deal with that this time!
It just seemed to take off from somewhere.
Who knows how these things happen?
Do you have any idea where that rumour started?
And Ladbrokes rake in the cash, I suppose.
9, another one of our favourite shows.
Yes, that was great.
We filmed that a couple of weeks ago.
What can you tell us about that?
Not much, I presume.
Thats as much as Ill give you.
How did you come to be involved in that?
I know a lot of actors pursue parts in it rather than being approached.
Which way around was it for you?
[Laughs] They asked me to do it.
I think they had asked earlier for another one but I hadnt been available.
Wed just finished this opera that Id directed,TheWinters Taleand it just came through and was perfect timing.
Youre a real comedy fan, arent you?
I love it and sort of love everything that Vic and Bob have done.
They were my heroes.
They sort of continue to be so really.
Was the part specifically written for you?
There was a pilot episode flying around I think.
Yes, the big reference going forward wasCheers.
Weve made it, so its over to them.
Im not sure whats going on with it.
And hopefully itll be in a primetime slot this time because series two went out so late.
I think thats what they do the first time around, in terms of new comedy in BBC One.
They put it later to see how it lands I guess.
But I hope this one is earlier because it is very much a family show.
To finish then, I have a really stupid question if youll indulge me.
Looking forward to it.
And theres Ben Whishaw too.
Of course, I forgot a Hamlet.
And Albert Finney, he also played it at The National and was inSkyfall.
We could do a version where the five of us took an act each?
That would be much easier actually, far less tiring!
Rory Kinnear, thank you very much!
All episodes of Guerrilla are available from 13 April exclusively on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV.
