Stephen Graham and Jodie Comer

There are few actors I am more excited about at the moment than Stephen Graham and Jodie Comer.  Every role Stephen touches turns to gold.  He mostly plays serious roles, and the intensity and emotions he brings to the parts he plays, hit straight home.  The question with Stephen is; is it him that makes the roles he plays great? - or is he just great at sniffing out the great parts and can take them on with excellence?  Either one is a great talent, and either way still makes Stephen a great actor.  

And then Jodie - mostly known for playing Oksana Astankova in Killing Eve.  She’s still very young so there is no doubt that next time I photograph her, (and I do hope there will be a next time,) I will be able to reel off iconic films and series that she has played in like I am able to do with Stephen if I’m put on the spot.  One thing is for sure already, and that is that Jodi has a great ability to bring herself and character to her roles. 

They are now playing together in the Channel 4 drama ‘Help’, a series that deals with some of the issues that arose due to Covid.  Some may think that it’s too early to watch serious dramas about the social impact of Covid, but this is a gripping and touching drama that will appeal to many.  

At the end of this shoot I also managed to get a frame of 10X8 analogue portrait taken of Stephen and Jodie.  Unfortunately, (being the first time I have tried to do a shot of 10X8 with the time pressures that comes with editorial shoots, and only having two sheets ready to use,) the shot with Jodie had two misfires of the flash and didn’t come out.  However, the shot of Stephen was everything I had hoped for.  

Shot for Observer New Review

Rafe Spall

A while back I did a shoot with the brilliant actor Timothy Spall on the roof of a car park.  A very different setting from this shoot with his son, Rafe Spall, in the slightly more slick Big Sky studios.  The rumour was that Rafe didn’t like having his photograph taken much, something I am used to, and is often the case amongst actors.  I had prepared for someone who wasn’t too keen on being there, posing in front of the camera.  I prepared by relying on colours to brighten up the shoot and creating settings that didn’t demand the talent to be hugely active.  However, who I met was a jovial, fun and relaxed Rafe -  Jokey and stylish.  Fun guy with the most perfect South East London accent.  (The kind of accent, that as a foreigner, I find cool and quintessential London.  The kind of accent you only have if you’ve got a pearly king suit to match.)

Rafe is acting in the series ‘Trying” - a light, fun series dealing with the difficult subject of trying for a child, but not succeeding.  In fact - it looks like the filming of a third series is in the pipeline, which is always a sign of a good series with great appeal.

Shot for Observer Magazine

Daniel Radcliffe

I have never seen the Harry Potter series. In fact, it is one of the pleasures I look forward to experiencing together with my sons. However, Daniel Radcliffe is still someone whom I distinctively associate with as being Harry Potter. It must be a very difficult image to shake off when pursuing other work, especially due to it’s popularity all over the world. A double edged sword of sorts. However, I do feel that Daniel has managed to shake the boyhood image and become a respected actor in himself. Maybe it was necessary for him to grow a beard and shake the glasses in order to be considered for more adult and versatile rolls but the look suits him and gives him that handsome, mature look.

Being a child celebrity also tends to do something to a person. They often grow up with a different perspective of life and it becomes evident in their behaviour as adults. However Daniel is as grounded as they come. He is polite, modest and fun to be with. He likes a good laugh and does not want a lot of fuss made around him. Just as well as the location I had recommended for the shoot, (selected from images online provided by a location house company,) suffered from serious neglect and bad odour. The fridge door was opened at one point and a carpet of vintage dairy products laid over the house. I feel the consequences may have scarred the team for life, yet not a word of complaint from Daniel.

Daniel is now on screen as Igor in Victor Frankenstein, playing along side James McAvoy.