Kerr Logan – C.B. Strike

By starrymag | June 15, 2018

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

 

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?

 

A) I recently finished filming “Genius: Picasso” on National Geographic, which is airing right now! And currently filming around the north of England for Victoria on ITV.

 

Q) Please tell us the premise for the series “C.B. Strike” and about your Matthew Cunliffe.

 

A) So, the series “C.B. Strike” follows Comoran Strike (Tom Burke) and Robin (a slightly unlikely crime solving pairing) as they solve various murders in and around London. A classic murder mystery written by J.K. Rowling. I play Matthew Cunliffe, Robin’s (Holliday Granger) slightly pathetic controlling boyfriend. Her crash back to Earth from her new found amazing work life with Comoran Strike.

 

Q) What made you want to be a part of the show?

 

A) I, of course, wanted to be a part of the show because of the team behind it. I was a huge fan of the Harry Potter series and the team bringing her world to life. I knew it was going to be a very well-made drama and such a privilege to be a part of it.

 

Q) Was there anything you added to Matthew that wasn’t originally scripted for you?

 

A) I think Mathew is a very tough nut to crack. From the books you can’t visualize why a character acts the way he does. As a reader it’s hard to see the undercurrents of motive or reasons behind why he says the things he says or why you hate him you just do.

 

Q) What have you found challenging about this role?

 

A) So, the challenge was to find a way for this character to be hated, to stay true to the books but also to try and find the human behind a hated character. No bad person ever thinks they are a bad person. They are just doing and saying what they think is right.

It’s certainly a challenge to have empathy with a character whose actions are so clearly driven by ego and control.  I based my characterization on so many young men I know who’s macho, egotistical slightly misogynistic attitudes are hiding a deep insecurity. They are just not aware of it.

 

Q) Did you have to do anything to physically prepare for the show?

 

A) I sadly didn’t have time to prepare physically for the role. I had just stepped off the plane from Canada where I was shooting a period piece and gyms hadn’t been invented yet. If I had more time I certainly would have made him a gym buff, just to add to the self-obsessed image and wind people up a bit more.

 

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

 

A) J.K. Rowling has a worldwide fan base because she fills incredibly rich worlds with wonderful characters and this is no exception. Hopefully, fans will get on board with Robin and Strike as quickly as we did, and it will be a great success.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Are you looking forward to the instant fan feedback you’ll receive to episodes?

 

A) Yes, I was enjoying social media up until “C.B Strike” came out in the U.K then I got such a torrent of abuse. [laughs] Not really. It’s actually brilliant to be getting under people’s skins so much, hopefully it means I’m doing my job properly. I try and retweet all the horrendous abuse Mathew gets. I think he would be proud of me.

 

Q) You often take on dramatic roles. Is there something about this genre that really draws you to it?

 

A) I have been so, so lucky in my acting career so far getting to play so many varied characters from different places in totally different time periods. I make it a mission to make my next job as different to the last, if possible, to keep myself challenged as an actor. Although as I’m getting older, I’m slipping more into playing “bad guys.” My mum is devastated as she still thinks I’m a comedian not an actor.

 

Q) What advice would you give to up and coming actors and actresses?

 

A) For any young actor, I would say you can’t fail if you don’t give up.