Christopher Chung – Slow Horses

By starrymag | April 8, 2022

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

 

Q) Please tell us the premise for the series “Slow Horses.”

A) “Slow Horses” is set in a defunct unit of MI-5, Slough House, where spies that have done something to ruin their careers are put out to pasture. Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), head of Slough House, is tasked with making the Slow Horses lives a misery, until they leave the service of their own accord.

Q) What drew you to wanting to be a part of the show?

A) So many things drew me to want to be part of the show. First and foremost, would have to have been the script. It’s only every so often that a script comes through that when you read it initially, you completely understand it and it jumps off the page for you. Will Smith (writer) does such a brilliant job of blending suspense, drama and comedy. It’s a real joy to play.

Q) How was your character Roddy Ho originally described to you?

A) Roddy was described to me as the obnoxious, matter of fact I.T. whiz kid that nobody in the office can stand, nor wants to tolerate.

Q) Was there anything you added to him that wasn’t in his initial breakdown?

A) It was really important to me that Roddy felt like a completely 3D person, which the writing does a brilliant job of. For me it was really finding the moments between the abrasive, surly side of Roddy that gave him a more likeable quality. I wanted it to be a “love to hate him” kind of relationship with the audience.

Q) What can you tease about Roddy’s mistake that led him to working with Jackson Lamb?

A) Roddy is always the smartest guy in the room, but the answer to why he is placed into Slough House eludes him. He doesn’t make mistakes, only mortals make mistakes…

Q) What did you find challenging the most about your portrayal of Roddy? Possibly his computer skills?

A) Surprisingly the “computer skills” came relatively naturally, as I spent a lot of time in prep for the roll playing online simulator hacking games, which was incredibly enlightening to understand how quickly hackers can read, decipher and construct code.

I would say the most challenging part about playing Roddy is finding the moments where he drops his abrasiveness and becomes, if only for a fleeting moment, more human and part of the gang.

Q) Talk about working with iconic actors and costars Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas.

A) It was phenomenal to be on set with such legends. I actually only crossed paths with Kristin once on set, but her presence did not disappoint. It was such a pleasure to watch her work and see the way she breaks down the words on the page.

Gary is an absolute delight and ridiculously good fun to have on set. His laugh is infectious and his want of play within the scene leads to such brilliant results. You’ll see on screen the amount of detail he puts into Jackson Lamb, but to watch him create moments in front of you is something truly magical.

Q) What were some of your favorite episodes to film or memorable moments from working on “Slow Horses?”

A) My favorite scenes to film were most definitely the ones where all the Slow Horses assemble together. Having everyone on set, more often than not in Ho’s tiny office, is the most raucous fun. I also particularly enjoyed filming scenes at Blake’s Grave with Gary, Saskia [Reeves], Ros [Eleazar] and Dustin [Demri-Burns]. Singing acapella with Gary in between takes was an absolute joy.

Q) You are a part of social media. Are you looking forward to the immediate fan feedback you’ll be receiving to the show?

A) It’s always nice to hear good things about the work you are involved in, but I try not to be too invested in that side of things. I think it can be a bit detrimental to one’s state of mind,

Q) What do you think it is about the series that will make it a fast fan favorite thriller?

A) It’s a completely new take on the espionage thriller which moves at great pace and does not stagnate. The comic timing that it is woven so seamlessly with the moments of drama and tension will absolutely have the fans wanting more

Q) What are the other projects you have been busy working on?

A) I just finished filming on my friend Jessica Henwick’s short film Sandwich Man, which she wrote and directed. Currently, I’ve been workshopping a few pieces of theatre in London which should go into production later on in the year.

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

A) Thanks for all of your support. There is a lot of exciting stuff ahead, so stay tuned.