Alex Macqueen interview

We're really big fans of comedy actor Alex Macqueen - he's popped up in many of our favourite sitcoms over the last few years, and delivered scene stealing performances in the likes of Pulling, The Thick Of It and The Inbetweeners. So when we were offered a chance to interview Alex, we jumped at the opportunity!...

Hi Alex. Thanks so much for sparing some time to talk to us. Are we right in thinking that you almost became a barrister instead of an actor?

Well, I always wanted to do acting. I was part of the National Youth Theatre for a few years, but when I left that I found it quite difficult to get an agent, because I'd not been to drama school. So I thought, 'I'll go away and do something else for the time being', and thus trained as a lawyer, went to bar school and practiced as a barrister for about a year.

But I then thought to myself, 'I just can't do this, this isn't what I want to be doing', so I left that world. Very fortunately I bumped into a casting director called Lucy Bevan in a theatre foyer and she asked what I was up to, and I said I wanted to become an actor. She told me she was casting for a film the following week and suggested I read for one of the parts. I did and, luckily, got the part and, because of that, I got taken on by an agent. Once you've got an agent its much more plain sailing. Without an agent you won't get seen for anything, but doors start to open when you do. So, yeah, that's how I broke into acting.

A lot of your work is in the genre of comedy. Was the plan to always head towards the comic side of acting?

I suppose, if I'm honest, I thought 'oh, I'll just take whatever comes my way'. It turns out that comedy is what I've sort of done more of... but I do still enjoy doing 'normal acting', as it were, too. I did a film earlier this year called The Hide which was a micro-budget film which came out on Film 4 - that was much more 'normal acting' I suppose you could call it, and I did really enjoy doing that. However, the comedy just seems to have worked in a more permanent way, so that's what I'm doing. Most of the comedy I've been involved with is not really stand-up or slapstick or anything like that, its quite naturalistic acting in a way.

Do you think acting in a comedy is harder than acting in a straight drama?

That's what a lot of people say isn't it, 'comedy acting is much more difficult than classic acting'. However, it's difficult to really analyse why it would be more difficult. There is that perception that to make people laugh is more difficult than to make people cry. I'm not saying that myself necessarily though. I think a lot of comedy actually comes out of drama anyway. I know that sounds rather naff, but a lot of the time I think it is the conflict and confrontation that is actually what makes stuff very funny to watch.

You've got some really great shows on your CV... how do you go about picking your roles Alex?

I'm not sure if I pick them to be honest. It's very generous of you to suggest that I'm in a position to do so. Well firstly, work breeds work I suppose - if people see you in something, that may help you be considered for similar projects. But, also, I think I've just been fortunate to have been put up for various things. For example, I only got into the world of The Thick Of It, in fairness, because I did an advert for Utterly Butterly...

You're kidding us?!?

Well, it was the casting director on the Utterly Butterly advert that then put me into the sights of Armando Iannucci when he was auditioning for The Thick Of It. I actually auditioned for the show, but then didn't hear anything and the first series went ahead, so I thought I'd not got into the cast. But then, nine months afterwards I suddenly, out of the blue, got a call out saying 'oh Armando's got a part for you in the next series' so I was very much taken aback.

Of course, The Thick Of It is a popular show and some of the people who worked on that - particularly Jessie Armstrong - also do Peep Show... and so that put me into the world of Peep Show, and then that got me a part in The IT Crowd (pictured), etcetera etcetera. So, yeah, I think work breeds work.

I have to say, what comes my way I'll take! It's not as if I've sat back and been offered lots and lots of things and picked through them and thought 'ah that sounds good, I'll do that'. I'm just really grateful for the work I get and, yeah, just see where it goes.

So it's all thanks to Utterly Butterly!

Yeah, that advert was pretty much the first thing I did. I did do a film called The Emperor's Wife which never saw the light of day really, and that was my first proper role. But after that, yeah, I think it was Utterly Butterly... and from there on things began to gradually move me into the comedy world. So, yeah, I do have the world of Utterly Butterly to thank. Ha ha.

I did an advert for Specsavers about a year after that and people mention that when I'm walking around. It's more rare now, but last year I was on Oxford Street and heard someone murmur behind me 'Specsavers, Specsavers'. Bear in mind, it is now five or six years since I did that advert! I thought: 'I can't ignore it, I can't pretend this isn't happening', so I turned around and ended up getting into a nice conversation about how on earth they still remember that advert.

Do fans come up to you to talk about the comedies you've appeared in too?

It's a variety really. To be perfectly honest, the most high profile thing I do is Holby City (pictured), so it's mainly people who watch Holby or are partners of people who watch that show that come up to me. I was at Warwick Castle the other day and a woman came up and said 'my mum loves Holby City, could you give us an autograph'... so it's actually often not the people that actually watch the show themselves, but its partners or other family members... which is slightly peculiar.

I do get quite a few people recognising me from The Inbetweeners though. That's got quite a young fan base, and it's often young people who are interested in autographs and things like that, so that's definitely one of the sources the attention comes from at the moment. It's actually only a small role I have in The Inbetweeners, but people still recognise me.

This is probably a tough question - but do you have a favourite role Alex?

Well, to be honest, it's that film role. Apologies, because it's completely unknown, but as a role goes, it was such a substantial role and such an interesting role.

In terms of what people have seen though, I think playing Julius Nicholson in The Thick Of It is a very enjoyable. Not just because of the part, but also because of the way Armando works. He allows you a lot of leeway and flexibility. You don't have to worry about meeting your marks, or saying the line exactly as it is in the script... so it takes a lot of pressure off, which means you provide a much more relaxed performance.

Adam Tandy who produces The Thick Of It I think recently said in the papers that 'the actors aren't really acting, they're thinking because they genuinely don't know what could be around the corner next'. For example, in the most recent shoot we did for Series 3, Armando would tell one of the actors: 'I want you to say this line at any point in the script of your choosing, and we'll see what happens'. The other actors aren't told about this line in advance, so you're suddenly thrown in a completely different direction. It does make it very spontaneous, and I suppose the skill is not to be put off by it. If you come from a more traditional way of working you might actually think 'oh, well the scene has gone wrong because a line has come out that shouldn't have, we should all stop then'... and it'd judder to a complete stop. But Armando's style, as we know, is different... so the scene can continue 10 minutes without a 'cut'. It's a fascinating way of working, so that's why it's one of my favourite parts.

You starred with Matt Lucas in Krod Mandoon earlier in the year. We think it fair to sat that the reaction to the show was a bit mixed, but it looked like you had a lot of fun making it?

Yeah, it was terrific fun to do! As an experience, it was absolutely brilliant but obviously, as you say, the reception the show got was, as one might say, 'mixed'. It was interesting to me that it didn't quite meet the viewers' expectations, despite being really good fun to make. Certainly working with Matt was a real, real pleasure. We got on very well and he's a friend now really.

There is some talk of a second series of Krod Mandoon. Would you be interesting in returning to the show if that does come about?

Oh, for sure, yeah. I've seen the murmurings in Broadcast [the trade newspaper] and it would be fantastic if another series was to happen. But we'll have to wait and see what the BBC think and whether they can maybe get another broadcaster involved, or whatever they need, but certainly with Matt Lucas attached to the project it might find itself with another series, and I've love to return to it if that is the case.

Personally, we didn't care much for the freedom fighters but much preferred the scenes between yourself, as Barnabus, and Matt Lucas as Chancellor Dongalor. Perhaps there could be a Dongalor and Barnabus spin-off?!?

Matt came to the project very late in the day I think. I was auditioning for it a number of months prior to him being attached. I think if he had been involved earlier on in the project the show may have been more calibrated around his character. So now they've got him involved, they might be able to focus more on his character... which would obviously be great for me too as I appear alongside him!

Sounds like a good plan to us! We here at British Comedy Guide are big fans of radio comedy and so it's great to hear you recently return for another series of Radio 4's Hut 33 and, previously, star in Radio 2's Buy Me Up TV. Do you plans to do any more radio?

Funny you should say that, I just did something the other week actually. It was with Jack Dee and Peter Capaldi. They're doing something called The News At Bedtime, written by Ian Hislop, which I think will be broadcast at Christmas. So that's something you can hear me in.

Plus, I've also just done a radio panel show thing with Matt Lucas called And The Winner Is, which I think will be broadcast in January or February. So that's on the horizon. The idea behind that show is that Matt is hosting an awards ceremony and various guests come on and nominate things, and he then decides who gets the various awards he has to hand out.

That sounds like a bit of a departure from acting?

Yeah, that's me being myself as a panellist, rather than as a character. It's the first thing I've done as 'myself', so I was quite nervous about doing it to be honest. It'll be interesting to hear the final cut of that, because I think we recorded for at least two hours, maybe two and half hours, but it'll go out as just 28 minutes of radio.

Excellent, we will definitely look forward to those then Alex! Something else we're looking forward to is the Comedy Showcase pilot you're starring in - The Amazing Dermot. Could you tell us a bit more about that?

Yeah, happy to. It stars Rhys Darby as a failed magician. He causes a kerfuffle at a performance which includes making two brothers French kiss whilst under hypnosis... and so he gets into trouble for that, and decides the best thing to do is sit it out by coming to stay at the welfare centre my character runs. The character of Dermot, played by Rhys, is a terrific character. He's chaotic and eccentric and it's a really great vehicle for Rhys certainly.

I auditioned for Ash Atalla, the producer, a few months back for this role and we did a table read. The commissioning editors from Channel 4 comedy came down and listened to it. I've been at table reads before where there's been a very quiet response, but they really enjoyed this and so we got the pilot. I presume they'll wait and see how the pilot goes down and then make a decision as to whether they want it in a full series.

Cool. We'll keep our fingers crossed. Thanks for taking the time to talk to us Alex, it's really appreciated.