explosive opening sequence, and whether David Budd wouldve been any good at protecting the doomed Stark family members.
So that was a very good sign.
So you hadnt read it all when you started shooting?
Everett Collection
I was like, Dont tell me!
It was quite good to follow the trail.
But did you worry at times that David was going to be the bad guy?
[Laughs] No, I was enjoying playing both elements of it.
Theres obviously a political thread that runs through the narrative too.
We have to talk about that first 20 minute-scene on the train.
Did you shoot that in sequence?
It was actually set in the London underground originally, in a station in central London.
So sometimes these things work in our favor.
Thats just one of many scenes where it gets very intense and dark for David very quickly.
How do you get out of that mindset after a shoot like that?It does stay with you.
Its not a comedy, you know what I mean?
Luckily, Keeley and I would just act like a couple of kids and be silly together.
I was glad to have her with me.
Shes so great on the show, as are all the strong female characters.
I really loved Sophie Rundles performance as your wife, Vicky.
Shes kind of quietly determined and ends up being so integral in the last episode.
How were those scenes?I loved those scenes.
With very little screen time, we had to establish a very long history between these two.
She had to be very on the ball and on point to achieve that.
and then we can make that decision together.
It was just physically exhausting.
It was just those little details that wed try and copy to make it honest.
Did your neck get tired looking back and forth so many times in every scene?
[Laughs] Yeah, lots of eye acting.
Does that carry over into real life afterward?
I think I did so much of it, it was just quite nice to be a passenger again.
I dont need to be that paranoid.
You also got to keep your own accent.
Was that your choice?That was a decision I made.
Why not use it?
Its one less thing to think about.
The response in the U.K. has been huge.
Every text group Im in with British family and friends would just blow up every Sunday night.
Its funny, usually withGame Of Thronespeople say Tell me whats going to happen next!
and withBodyguardpeople say Dont tell me!
and get excited to wait a week and find out the next bit of the story.
Would you want there to be a second season?
Part of me wants poor David Budd just to be left alone now.Could we put him through more?
How would we put him through more?
Id have to have these chats with Jed.
[Davids] had a pretty tough couple of months.
Hes a fascinating character and you never know what Jeds going to write…
But how do we get Keeley back?
I love how bold a move that was to just kill her off three episodes in!For real!
I loved that, yeah lets just kill her.
We were like Whaaaat?
Theyre just like, shes not coming back, thats it.
That wouldve absolutely sucked!
I mean David does seem to be a bit of a st bodyguard, doesnt he?
The Home Secretary did die.
So, I dont know if he wouldve been any good for Robb Stark.
Its just very flattering.
Well if you do get to play Bond, I hope you keep your Scottish accent.
[Laughs] Thank you.
Bodyguardis available to stream now on Netflix.
