Man In An Orange Shirt - Interview with Julian Morris

What attracted you to Man In An Orange Shirt?
It was a breathtaking love story that I felt was transgressive in its honesty. That, and the excellent company of the people making it.

Describe Adam to us. Where do we meet him at the start of his story?
Adam is a complex character. He was raised by his grandmother Flora (Vanessa Redgrave) and he suffers from the shame she makes him feel as a gay man. That shame causes him to repel any intimacy other than a quick fix. He seeks to punish himself through the sex that he has - it is anonymous, hungry and often violent.

In banishing what is most beautiful about him - his need to love and be loved - he becomes his own oppressor. The sort of oppression that is characterised by rejecting oneself and one’s own identity must necessarily be one of its most damaging forms. I think this is true of many gay men and women today and indeed of minorities across our society. Society has undoubtedly progressed with respect to issues of civil rights, however the residue of past prejudice continues to infect. Man In An Orange Shirt is an important reminder of that while also offering the hope that it can be overcome.

How conscious were you of the first film, set 60 years prior to Adam’s story? Did it inform your performance?
I was very conscious of it, given how much I’d enjoyed reading it - however since Adam was unaware of that past until the end of the second film it didn’t seem warranted to allow it to inform my performance in too great a way. Where it did influence though was thematically - it was important for me to make choices that showed that Adam’s oppression came from within. This is in stark contrast to the first film, where the main oppressor was outside of oneself.

What was it like working with Vanessa Redgrave? Were there any highlights or especially memorable moments?
I loved every second of working with Vanessa and I’m happy to now call her my friend. She is fiercely intelligent and she thinks deeply and thoroughly about the choices she makes for the character. I found this challenging and stimulating, and my own performance is better for it. Outside of that she is wonderful, funny and silly.

Who do you think should watch Man In An Orange Shirt?
I think anyone who enjoys a provocative and beautiful love story will enjoy the show.

Complete the sentence: Man in an Orange Shirt is…
… vital, moving and beautiful.

July 20, 2017 7:38am ET by BBC One   Comments (0)

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