Slow Horses star Freddie Fox on the 'joy' of playing 'nasty' people
As he makes his musical theatre debut in High Society, the Slow Horses star talks about being part of an acting dynasty, how his co-stars are helping him
He has landed huge parts in TV and film and has taken on several classic stage roles, but Freddie Fox is never content to rest on his laurels. “I think if you’re an actor that works, you are one of the luckiest people on earth," says Freddie, 37, who has starred in the likes of Slow Horses, White House Farm and House of The Dragon. "I am so happy going to work and I think the secret ingredient of that is variety.
"I'd be the first to admit I’m a bit of a jack of all trades and definitely not a master of anything, but the way I think I'm going to have the best time in this game is to do new things." To that end, he will be making his musical theatre debut at the Barbican Theatre this week, starring alongside Felicity Kendal and Helen George in a new production of the Cole Porter classic High Society.
Freddie Fox attends the photocall for "High Society: The Musical" in London
The actor is soaking up the experience, saying: "I made it very clear at the beginning that I was a newbie to the world of musical theatre and the company has all embraced me and been so reassuring."
It was inevitable that Freddie would choose this career. He is part of a famous acting dynasty, which includes his father Edward Fox, who starred in The Day of the Jackal, and his mother Joanna David, who appeared in hits like Sense and Sensibility. His sister, Emilia Fox, leads the cast of Silent Witness.
Stage debut
Raised between London and Dorset, he made his stage debut at the age of seven in a television adaptation of Rebecca and later attended the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. His career has flourished ever since, spanning TV, film and regular returns to the stage in productions including Romeo and Juliet.
Here, he talks about the moment he fell in love with musical theatre and what he thinks of his famous family.
Freddie, have you always been a fan of High Society?
“I’d never seen it, so I was going in quite new, but when I started singing the songs I thought: ‘Oh my God, it’s such a wonderful, joyful piece.’ I just couldn’t resist it. I fell in love with it as I was auditioning for it.”
Have you always wanted to do something like this?
“This is a realisation of a boyhood dream. I saw Guys and Dolls at the National Theatre when I was probably four or five and I fell in love with that style of music. And when I saw the first night of The Producers when I was 15, I thought: ‘If I don’t do this in my life, a piece of me will be missing.’ It means that much to me.”
How have your High Society co-stars been helping you?
“Today we were singing a number and I said: ‘I’m sort of struggling with the diminuendo on this particular note.’ Helen said: ‘Think about doing it that way.’ And that changed everything. I’m very aware that I’m playing with the Premier League, which is lovely.”
Do you think having your surname helped or hindered you?
“I definitely think it probably helped more than it hindered for many reasons, with the people you meet and also the normalisation of things that, for a lot of families, would be completely abnormal. A lot of parents would say: ‘You’ve got to do a degree or get a normal job first.’ My family obviously didn’t really have much of a leg to stand on in that respect. But just because it’s of interest because you’re so and so’s son, after that, if you don’t make it work, they remember your mistakes more easily.”
Do you think the Fox family has acting in its genes?
“The facts are that acting has been in the family for 150 years. I do think it is in the family, I can’t deny it, but I don’t know if it was just a lack of imagination to do anything else. I’m very unashamedly proud of my sister and the same with my mum. I’m shamelessly proud of my dad as well.”
What’s the best piece of advice they have given to you?
“When I would worry about stuff, my dad would always just say: ‘Have a cup of tea and go to bed, don’t worry too much, none of it’s that important.’ The older I get, the better that advice seems to become.”
What’s next for you?
“I’ve just wrapped on Sharon Horgan’s new show Youth. After High Society is over, I hope to do some more theatre and then do the final season of House of the Dragon. I have also just finished the edit on a documentary feature about British theatre in the 20th century.”
Which of your recent roles have you enjoyed the most?
“I loved acting in Slow Horses and Gary Oldman is one of my all-time acting heroes, so to work with him, to become friends and to play that part [Spider], who was such a b******. It’s always a joy playing somebody that nasty, because you can really go to town.”
High Society is at the Barbican Theatre, London, from 19 May to 11 July. The UK tour runs from 16 July to 14 November. highsocietymusical.com
High Society is at the Barbican Theatre, London, from 19 May to 11 July. The UK tour runs from 16 July to 14 November. highsocietymusical.com
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