Jamaica Inn: interview with Matthew McNulty

What attracted you to Jamaica Inn and the role of Jem?

It’s a literary classic that has stood the test of time and aside from the Hitchcock adaptation it hasn't really been realised on screen yet. The role of Jem looked to be a great part in Emma's script, a man full of mystery and danger but with a cheeky side, plus I got to learn to ride a horse.

Were you familiar with Daphne du Maurier’s novel before you got the part?

I'd heard of it because it seems everyone but me studied it at school at some point, but I hadn't read it.

Which themes from the novel does Emma Frost particularly bring out in this adaptation?

Everyone's complex and nothing is as it would seem on the surface. This is a story of individuals all with different ideals and this is certainly prevalent in Emma’s adaptation, but what rises to the fore more than most is love. Mary and Jem, Joss and Patience, Davey and Hannah, Beth and Will, it’s romantic but haunting at the same time.

What was it like working with director Philippa Lowthorpe?

She's a real joy to work with. She has an intricate understanding of the work, literarily and practically, directors like Philippa make actors work easier.

During the rehearsal period did your idea of Jem’s character change at all?

Not really, he might've softened a bit because I suppose he brings a bit of light to a very dark place and as the work developed I realised it would get very dark.

Tell us a bit about your character Jem.

A horse thief. He's an outsider and answers to no one but himself. Again, very complex but cocksure on the surface. He's not one to let his emotions get the better of him but this is tested in every way in his relationship with Mary.

How would you describe Jem’s relationship with his brother Joss?

Volatile but loyal. They barely have a civil word to say to each other but they also need each other - I suppose because they don't really belong in the civilised world they find a sense of belonging in each other, maybe more so for Jem. Joss needs Jem because he's the only man he can trust.

What are Jem’s first impressions of Mary?

There's an instant spark but initially he thinks she's a pretty little girl in the wrong place.

Jem stands for everything that Mary despises. Why do you think Mary is so drawn to him?

They are very similar, he's a free spirit like her and they're both strong-willed but ultimately there's an animalistic attraction between them. They don't understand each other but are intrigued by the unknown.

What was it like working with Jessica?

She's a raw talent, I can only see her stock rising. She put in a lot of hard work in this production and it shows in her performance. Working with Jess was a real pleasure.

You shot in Cornwall, Yorkshire and Cumbria. What was it like filming on location?

It was amazing - we got England in all its beautiful, varied and dramatic glory on this shoot. The setting is so important for this book, almost as important as the characters, and the locations on this show do not disappoint. We shot amongst towering waves, powerful tors, foggy, boggy, moors, all in true English weather, cold, wet, windy and dark. It was brilliant.

Where there any scenes that particularly stood when filming?

The shoot-out. We were high up on Bodmin moors on one of the tors and the look and feel of the scenes just surpassed my expectations and the stuff Shirley Henderson was doing really took me by surprise. She's a lovely woman in real life but she can be a right vicious little animal when it’s called for in the script.

What do you think audiences will enjoy most about this adaptation?

It’s another world and it’s different, very different to anything that’s out there at the moment so I think people will escape with it and enjoy it for its uniqueness. Also there's some very interesting performances in this that audiences will find captivating.

Did you have lessons for your accent?

I had the accent from the start, it was just places and names that needed clarification for me.

Did you find it a difficult accent to master?

No, just needed to make sure I didn't go stock Cornish so it just had to be toned down now and then.