Interview with Clare Calbraith
Interview with Claire Calbraith, who plays PC Graves in Requiem.
Published: 22 January 2018
Mahalia has a terrific eye. I’m always thrilled when new female directors come to the fore - It’s still a very male-heavy industry
What attracted you to Requiem?
The script was just so different from anything I’d seen. As actors, we read a lot of similar scripts. This one stood out because it was gripping from start to finish. It’s totally absorbing. Also, it’s the sort of part I’ve never played before. I thought the casting was amazing as well. So saying yes to Requiem was a complete no-brainer!
Tell us about Mahalia’s qualities as a director.
I’d heard great things about her, and as it turned out, she is something special. She has a terrific eye. I’m always thrilled when new female directors come to the fore. It’s still a very male-heavy industry, but people like Mahalia are breaking through, and that’s got to be good news.
What I love about Mahalia is that she has no fear. Some directors will hold back with actors - but even though she is a new director, Mahalia is not afraid to tell very experienced performers the truth. She has no qualms because all she wants is to make the drama better. Because of that, everyone is happy to take direction from her - we know she won’t let us be rubbish!
And you know she's got your back. She's as concerned with the performances as she is with the pictures. That's important for actors. We often feel out on a limb and like a small cog in a big machine. But Mahalia makes every contribution feel valued.
What particularly caught your eye about this part?
I love the fact that my character only has a surname. She's not written as a woman, but as a person. For me, that's vital. Kris does that brilliantly, he just writes people, he doesn't go in for gender stereotyping. That's great - I'm so tired of playing the wife of someone.
How would you characterise Graves?
She's straightforward. She's dragged into this case very unwillingly, but she cares about her local village and wants to solve the mystery for that reason. I also like the fact that she's not tortured or ambitious. There is no angst about her. She's not a secret alcoholic.
What was the most challenging scene for you to film?
Richard Harrington and I have a fight at one point. I was offered a stunt woman, but I very foolishly turned it down. I said, yeah, I can do that, and six hours later I was nearly throwing up and passing out with exhaustion. Stunt people are there for a reason! By the end, I was absolutely battered, a mess. My driver had to help me up the path to the hotel that evening. All because I had an ego and thought I could do my own stunts. I'm sure that six-hour shoot will end up as three seconds on screen!
