Bally Gill – Allelujah

By starrymag | March 30, 2023

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

 

Q) Please tell us the premise for the film Allelujah.

 

A) The film is set in a geriatric ward in a Yorkshire hospital in the UK and, unfortunately due to cuts made by the government, it is under threat of closure. In a last-ditch effort to save the hospital, they invite a local documentary crew to interview the staff and the patients to highlight the good work that is done on the ward and its continued relevance to the community. However, something more sinister gets unearthed that shakes the foundations of the hospital. Allelujah is a charming, gripping, dark comedy about how we care for the elderly in the UK.

 

Q) How was your character Dr. Valentine originally described to you?

 

A) When Richard [Eyre] first described this character to me, he said, “Dr. Valentine is the perfect doctor. If you had a parent or a grandparent that was going through the system, you’d want them to be treated by him.” I think this really does sum his character up; Valentine deeply cares about his patients. He may appear a little naive or slightly idealistic in his approach to the care of the elderly, believing that a person’s life is worth more than money. Ultimately, he feels that we can learn from the elderly; that we should listen to them, and that they still have something to offer to the world, rather than them being left to die in the corner of some ward. 

 

Q) Was there something about the premise, Dr. Valentine or your co-stars that made you want to be a part of the movie?

 

A) All of it! This is my first feature film and to have this incredible creative team attached was honestly such a dream. It really did feel like a masterclass every day I was on set. I think it’s important to tell stories about our National Health Service, the good parts and the bad parts. In the UK, it’s such a political issue and everyone has their opinion on it! But I think we can all agree that it’s a service, which is on its knees at the moment, and especially for the people working within the NHS, they feel undervalued, underpaid and overworked. They are the real heroes, and getting an opportunity to represent them in this film was an honor! Also, working with and falling in love with Dame Judi Dench might have added to the decision, too.

 

Q) There is some mighty impressive cast to this film. Were you looking forward to sharing a scene with someone in particular?

 

A) To be honest, all of them! But I was really excited to work with Russell Tovey. I’ve been a massive fan of his work since he featured in “History Boys,” shout out another Alan Bennett masterpiece. Then, getting to actually work with him was just a dream! Obviously super talented as a performer, but so down to earth and really giving as a human being which is even more important in my opinion. In all honesty, I felt like that with most of the cast on this project. I think you can get overwhelmed by the magnitude of the opportunity, but everyone on the film was just delightful! Made me feel right at home. As most of the creatives started in theatre, it had a real ensemble feel to the whole process.

 

Q) What advice did director Richard Eyre offer that you really took to heart while working on the movie?

 

A) What I really appreciated about Richard was his belief and trust in me as someone who is a newcomer to the acting on screen. It’s something I’ll always remember and treasure. He’s such a brilliant director too, so genuinely personable. I think our approach to making art is very similar too which made it so easy to work with each other. The prep for the film is very much important as it was such an ensemble piece and having us collectively together really helped. It was such a joyous atmosphere on set! 

 

Q) Which scene(s) from the movie did you find the most challenging as an actor?

 

A) There’s a scene towards the end which was extremely important. Without giving too much away, it’s a speech Dr. Valentine delivers directly to the audience. It’s so beautifully written by Alan [Bennett] Heidi Thomas and I was so worried that I wouldn’t be able to do it justice. I think especially for this film, I was very conscious that I have a responsibility to those real-life professionals who have given everything to us, especially over the last few COVID years, and wanted to really show the sacrifices people have made. It’s also an amazing call to action and I really wanted to convey the urgency with which we need to be addressing the crisis our health service is currently in, in order for those in power to wake up and do something about it.

 

Q) What are some of your most memorable moments you had from filming Allelujah?

 

A) The final day of shooting was probably the most memorable for me – in the scene, it was supposed to be the middle of summer, but we ended up shooting it towards the end of November. Jen and I were filming on a park bench in the freezing cold in London, and production had taken over this lovely little park cafe for the team, and I just remember sitting in this cafe with Jen [Saunders] and the crew with this lovely food and tea just really getting to know each other, despite it being the last scene we had to shoot. It also allowed me and Jen to really bond, as there’s no way you can’t be close if you’re cuddling up to someone on a freezing cold night on a park bench. 

 

Q) What is it you hope lingers with the audience after watching Allelujah?

 

A) Just call your loved ones; your parents, your grandparents and tell them that you love them because time is never promised. I also hope people feel the urgency with which the NHS situation needs addressing – it’s such an incredible thing that we have in this country and if we don’t do something about it then it’ll be lost and that would be a huge tragedy. I really hope this film connects with the people in power and those in a position to save our NHS; there’s only so much that we as regular people can do if those who are making the decisions to cut the services don’t stop and help.

 

Q) Are there any recent projects that you have been busy working on lately?

 

A) Well, Judi has put in a few calls to the James Bond team for me, so watch this space…. [laughs] No, seriously, I’ve been working on a series out in Canada recently which I can’t say much about apart from its for Hulu/Disney, and I will be working in the US again later this year! All very hush hush right now, but no doubt will be out in the open soon enough.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who are fans and supporters of the work you do? 

 

A) Thank you to all of you! Just genuinely, it’s always nice when your work reaches people and speaks to them and if I can inspire anyone to follow their dream and know that anyone can make it, then that makes everything worthwhile. If anyone wants to join me on the journey, then you can find me at @ballysgill on Instagram and @BallyGill_ on Twitter.

 

 

 

Watch The Trailer for Allelujah