Harry Richardson is Drake Carne

"I was terrified for my audition, as I had never even met someone from Cornwall! When they told me I would be playing a Cornish miner I thought it was unexpected but kind of brilliant. I did one audition and when it looked like I may get a second one I watched the show profusely and focused on the brilliant accents that people like Eleanor Tomlinson (who plays Demelza Poldark) have and I studied that very closely. I was completely stunned when I found out I had got the role.

"I had never seen Cornwall before; it was breath taking. The sets were these incredible cliffs that haven’t been touched for 400 years and huge open spaces that stretch as far as you can see which would have been the same landscapes our characters would have been on. With surroundings so incredible there is nothing you can do but be in the moment. It felt like time travel. The drama and the passion of those landscapes is amazing. I’ll be going back forever."

Harry tells us a little about his character, Drake Carne, and what drew him to the role.

"Drake is Demelza’s younger brother and when our father is sick Drake is sent to visit her to see if she might come to bid him farewell and the story starts from there... Drake has so much energy and exuberance and this incredible passion for life, which is exciting to play. He goes on this incredible journey from boy to man as he starts to realise what is important to him, what his beliefs are, where he stands on love and religion and life and where he is going to sit in society. It is an incredible opportunity as an actor to go on a full, well-rounded journey."

Harry tells us about the relationship Drake shares with his sister, Demelza and her husband, Ross Poldark (Aidan Turner).

"Drake and Demelza are very similar characters in their passion for life. They share this young and energetic spirit. Even when Demelza is going through rough times she remains passionate about this town, it’s people and about nature. Drake is very similar in his outwardly focused outlook. They share a bond because they were quite close when they were growing up and they now share commonalities in their headstrong attitudes and persistence in love.

"Drake also learns a lot from Ross and starts to see what sort of man Ross is and what qualities he finds admirable. Ross is quite a hard master to win over or impress but they have an interesting bond nonetheless. Drake learns through his experience with Ross what to do with matters of work and with Demelza what to do in matters of the heart."

Describing Drake as a "driven romantic", it is no wonder matters of the heart are so important to him. Harry reveals a little about the turbulent romance that unfolds this series for Drake and another new character, Morwenna Chynoweth (Ellise Chappell).

"Drake and Morwenna instantly have a timeless connection and a very relatable love where two people fall for each other that are in completely different worlds and social classes. Everything is pulling them apart but the one thing they know to be true is their instant passion for each other. They are also quite beautifully youthful in their affection in a way that is innocent and is all give, which is lovely. Drake is a huge romantic but I guess we all are when we find someone who we fall head over heels for."

Harry has really enjoyed working alongside his fellow new cast members as well as the established core cast.

"Working with Ellise was fantastic; she is so giving and brilliant at what she does and working alongside Tom York who plays my brother, Sam Carne, was amazing because we got along like a house on fire from the first day.

"Having a brother to go through this wild experience with, to both be completely new to it and to be helping each other was great. It was fantastic to be able to bounce ideas and feel like we had each other’s back.

"The people who have been on the show for the past two years were so knowledgeable and welcoming and still working so hard. They were all acting as if we were filming season one, they are so fresh to it whilst also having so much experience to share."

Harry has loved filming his first series on Poldark and he tells us about one of his most vivid and favoured memories during filming.

"The scenes set in France were incredible. We were filming night shoots all week in a giant castle with incredible fire lit halls and made-up soldiers dying all around us. We were all given muskets and were running around the grounds at 11pm at night blowing up doors and shooting at soldiers which was so much fun.

"It was almost torrential rain, it was freezing and no one could feel their fingertips. In between scenes you’re all huddling around complaining about it but once you’re rolling and you’re in it, you couldn’t imagine anything better… doing these fantastic scenes with these brilliant actors. It was epic."

Character descriptions

Ross Poldark (Aidan Turner)
Ross attempts to deny his nature and isolate himself from the affairs of others but, with the stakes now higher than ever, he must find a compromise between what he wants and the needs of those who depend on him.

Demelza Poldark (Eleanor Tomlinson)
Demelza decides she will no longer be passive in her own life but, in learning to be her own master, she must determine what she truly wants for herself and how far she’s prepared to go for it…

George Warleggan (Jack Farthing)
No longer content to lord over Truro through finance alone, George finds new worlds and opportunities opening to him, but the obstacles he faces turn his journey of ambition into one of discovery on several fronts.

Elizabeth Warleggan (Heida Reed)
Contrary to her expectations, Elizabeth finds herself once again navigating a world of uncertainties and guarding a grave secret. She comes to learn, however, that she wields far more power than she’d previously realised…

Dwight Enys (Luke Norris)
A man of integrity and compassion, Dwight finds himself pushed to his limits by the war with France, battling not only the French but his own demons and the doubts they rouse; both abroad and at home.

Caroline Penvenen (Gabriella Wilde)
Rich, beautiful and clever, Caroline navigates society’s tiers masterfully but finds the complexities of married life, and love, can be altogether more challenging.

Tholly Tregirls (Sean Gilder)
Tholly was a friend of Ross father’s before he fled Cornwall and the law many years ago. His womanising and recklessness haven’t been forgotten, and his ability to stir the adventurer in Ross could spell trouble for all…

Morwenna Chynoweth (Ellise Chappell)
Morwenna is Elizabeth’s cousin, and finds herself in George’s employment to support her sisters and widowed mother. Morwenna soon discovers, however, that there are things more important in life than one’s sense of duty or place…

Sam Carne (Tom York)
Sam arrives in his sister Demelza’s world determined to follow in his father’s footsteps, spreading the Methodist word. But how can Sam profess to save strangers when his own brother courts temptation?

Drake Carne (Harry Richardson)
A good natured free-spirit, Drake has many of the qualities of his sister Demelza. He seeks his own place in the world and finds himself unwilling to settle for the limits life seeks to impose; especially concerning his romantic destiny…

Hugh Armitage (Josh Whitehouse)
As the nephew of Lord Falmouth, Hugh has grown up in the shadow of expectation – a fact he is keenly aware of. But Hugh is also a romantic and wilful. He would do as he chooses with his future, and being true to one’s heart rarely comes without a cost…

Osborne Whitworth (Christian Brassington)
Osborne is from an esteemed family and a reverend. Driven by lustful desires, the widower seeks a new wife and George sees there is a social advantage in helping him…

Emma Tregirls (Ciara Charteris)
Lusty and headstrong, Emma isn’t a follower of anyone. When the Carne brothers arrive with God in tow, Emma is therefore the first to poke fun at Sam’s piousness - but people have a strange way of getting under your skin and, as they say, opposites often attract…

Lord Falmouth (James Wilby)
A man of ancestral power, his will has dictated the people and politics of Truro for generations but Falmouth finds a revolution in thought occurring, one that threatens to upend the status quo…

Sir Francis Basset (John Hopkins)
Sir Francis is one of the wealthiest men in the county but where Basset chooses to ally himself will have significant consequences for the people of Truro…

Tom Harry (Turlough Convey)
Tom Harry is George’s right hand man and delights in carrying out his master’s dirty work. With George’s rising power, Tom Harry finds his own increased – and he’s only too happy to wield it.

Aunt Agatha (Caroline Blakiston)
Resilient and wily as ever, Agatha resists the Warleggan occupation of Trenwith with all the fervour she can muster, sparing what energy she has left to look out for the Poldarks both at home and at Nampara.

Prudie Paynter (Beatie Edney)
Prudie is Nampara’s loyal servant and an increasingly central part of the Poldark unit. For all her bluster, Prudie is as loyal as they come and not averse to voicing her opinion - whether it’s asked for or not!

Ray Penvenen (John Nettles)
Caroline's kindly, sweet-toothed Uncle Ray has raised her since she was orphaned. Ray is one of the county's wealthiest and most powerful gentlemen.

Cary Warleggan (Pip Torrens)
George’s uncle, Cary is shrewd and determined to win the respect of the ruling classes. However, his uncouth manner and lack of humanity works against him.

Captain Henshawe (John Hollingworth)
An old friend of Ross, Henshawe was Mine Captain of Wheal Leisure when Ross’ father was alive. He is well-respected in his field.

Harris Pascoe (Richard Hope)
Ross’ banker and long standing friend, Pascoe is a shrewd businessman. He frequently counsels Ross to be more cautious in his business dealings, and frequently fails.

Reverend Dr Halse (Robin Ellis)
Halse is a powerful Magistrate who has little sympathy for the poor. However, whereas he once held Ross in contempt, he begins to see the value in Ross, and we sense Halse is not as blinkered as we’d reason to believe.

Zacky Martin (Tristan Sturrock)
One of Ross’ oldest and loyalist friends, Zacky has worked in his mines for years and is well respected by both commoners and local gentry alike.

Related Media Centre Links

• Filming started for Poldark Series Three

Related Web Links

• Mammoth Screen