VIEWTIES SUMMER 22: FLORENCE KEITH-ROACH COVER

Viewties

AUG 22

e c n e r o l F . h c a o R h t i e K

Info.

THE TEAM Publisher | Editor-in-chief | Producer | Designer | Writer

Vanesa Miraglia

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Flora Maclean SPECIAL THANKS

Sacha @ epilogue Agency

CONNECT Website viewties.co.uk Email van@viewties.co.uk advertising@viewties.co.uk @viewtiesmag

x.

YOU CAN READ VIEWTIES PAST ISSUES NOW

to le b a il a v a e r a s e u s is ll A b e w e th on e e fr d a lo n ow d

CELEBRATE THE ART AND THE ARTISTS. VIEWTIES.CO.UK

WEBSITE POWERED BY NEURONA DIGITAL ©2022 NEURONADIGITAL.CL

CONTENTS NO. 127 - AUGUST 2022

FEATURES

ON THE COVER FLORENCE KEITH-ROACH

BY FLORA MACLEAN FOR VIEWTIES

Florence . h c a o R h t i Ke

Editor's letter Welcome to VIEWTIES, a digital magazine written for the fans, the talent, and the art lovers who loyally read every issue. Each month, we select and organize features that will resonate with you and will inspire your self-welling journey. We hope to facilitate the connection between you and your favourite artists, find the beauty behind the lens and hope that you will enjoy the experience as you read the pages of our magazine.

Remember this is a fast-read digital publication to celebrate art and value the talent, to know the other side of the story, one artist at a time.

Don't miss any of our issues, as Viewties goes on bringing you the latest on film and television, introducing artists whose passion is to make you feel something with their work and dedication that brings a project / character to life requires. As I always say, If I can take something from my job, I believe you will take something from it too. Enjoy the ride and prepare your heart for being touched by our content.

Happy month!

Founding editor-in-chief @vanmiraglia

Florence

Keith-Roach.

The two-time SAG Award-nominated actress, Florence Keith-Roach, sits down with VIEWTIES to discuss her returning as the scheming Tatyana on Hulu’s racy royal drama The Great, currently airing on Channel 4.

As someone who's really into appreciating the actors' individualities, I found a sense of smartness in Florence, the way she plays her roles feels so unique. She and I conversate in-depth about the process of playing Tatyana and the enjoyable experience of shooting a particular scene. The talented actress also remembers one of her earlyish roles in a tiny play at school and describes the feelings that the performance evoked in her at only 9.

As well to acting, Florence is an award-winning writer and director working across film, TV and theatre. She explains how acting helped her to write and direct, and the stories she’s keen to tell.

Photography. Flora Maclean Styling: Steph Wilson Hair and Make Up: Lou Box Words. Vanesa Miraglia

V: Before we dig into your performance in The Great, I would like you to take us back in time and tell us about the moment you performed for the first time. What do you remember feeling the first time you acted?

<<< edit, and it reminded me not to be too precious about my performance and to always try different things and give the director options. I find this really freeing as an actor.

FLORENCE: Wow I have quite a bad long-term memory, so I can’t remember the first time I acted, but rather various earlyish moments. I feel like I was acting all the time as a kid, dressing up in my grandma’s clothes and performing weird little one woman shows to anyone in my family unlucky enough to be nearby. But I do remember really working hard at a part in a tiny school play. I was only about 9, and the character was an American radio journalist. I remember it being hard to get her rhythm and intonation but when I did and performed it, I remember feeling this rush of adrenaline and joy at being able to channel this person’s energy and hear the audience respond to that.

V: What inspires you as a writer and director, and which are the stories you are keen to tell and explore in your writing, on-screen and as a performer?

V: As well as acting, you are an award-winning writer and director working across film, TV and theatre. Which are the elements you think you add to the screen that comes from your discipline in these practices?

FLORENCE: Acting helped me write, no doubt about it. As I began just by writing dialogue that I wanted to say, relishing it. Writing words that I then acted out with friends, seeking the authenticity of the characters’ voices in the same way I do as an actor when I rehearse. Acting also helped me direct, as I could talk to actors in a way that I felt would be helpful and clear. Directing a short film really helped me act, as when you sit in an edit you realise how much flexibility you need to cut together the story. So much changes in the >>>

FLORENCE: I think narrative fiction, particularly tv, is a unique space in which people can zone into a story and potentially see a point of view they weren’t aware of, have their minds changed, or opinions challenged, their empathy piqued or feel seen by another character’s shared experience. In a world with a lot of click bait reactivity, nuanced narrative feels very important right now, and it is why I love working in this medium.

V: Was it hard to trust the process at the beginning of your career? Did you ever experience self-expectations or other people's expectations of you? How do you look after yourself when it comes to these negative aspects of the job?

FLORENCE: At the beginning there were many times that I have thought, God I am going to have to do something else, this is too hard and I definitely felt the pressures of external ideas of what success looks like and when it should come etc. But I have lots of inspiring friends around me doing amazing things on their own terms, in their own timelines, and that helps. I think it’s really important to surround yourself with people who nourish that mindset. I have to always remind myself that good things take time and to be patient and enjoy where you are at.

V: In terms of acting style, I was thinking about the actors to admire and the influences that can be taken from them. How did you shape your identity to stay as authentic as possible? Do you step aside your colleagues’ methods or unify them with your style?

FLORENCE: I feel like my acting style has developed from so many influences. I’m always learning from everyone I work with. My first ever professional film role was a tiny part opposite Judi Dench. A casting director saw a play I was in and cast me. I was so excited I practiced my three lines over and over. And it was really amazing to watch her work up close, and see how contained her performance was, how perfectly pitched it was for the camera. I think an actor is always learning and developing and I hope to be lucky enough to keep learning and acting my whole life.

V: Let’s talk about The Great now. What was it like to get back on set and reconnect with your character, Tatyana?

FLORENCE: Tatyana is a mean girl of 18th century Russia. She is bitchy, vain and flirtatious and it is a total delight to play her. It was amazing to be able to come back to a character and go deeper with her. To get to settle more into the unique tone of this show, relish the brilliant dialogue and act with such an amazing cast again.

V: What did you find fascinating to explore about her journey going on this season?

FLORENCE: Tatyana presents as a bit bitchy, vacuous and vain. >>>

<<< But in this season, you see glimpses of how this is a role she plays to survive in the mad and dangerous world they live. in. This is so interesting to play, as women have been dumbing themselves down and playing roles to survive in the patriarchy forever. Tatyana sides with terrible men in a desperate attempt to save herself and her family, which could not be more relevant to politics today, when you look at the voting stats of elections.

V: You have already created this character, but I was thinking, did you need to do more research and study to get back into her head?

FLORENCE: Tony Mcnamara’s writing is incredibly specific and clear and the best thing I can do is commit to what is written on the page and play that wholeheartedly. I am always adding to Tatyana’s backstory, as I learn new information from the scripts, which are written while we are filming. So, the process is more about being flexible, playful and inventive.

V: Can you tell us about a scene you found hard to tackle or that you needed to pay more attention to do right?

FLORENCE: Lots of scenes spring to mind. We do a lot of “mad” things in this show, but obviously this is the normal, “mad” world in which our characters exist so it has to be played straight. I have to kill someone with a saw in this season, so you know, making sure I really understood how Tatyana feels about this and how she would approach doing something like this, was a very enjoyable process.

V: In what ways would you say The Great has helped you as an artist?

FLORENCE: In many many ways. The cast on this show are incredible. I was a fan of their work long before working with them. So, getting to act opposite them and play off their inventiveness is such a joy and teaches me so much.

The scripts are brilliant, and that just elevates everything and everyone and teaches me what great dialogue can do and how to best serve that.

The Great is also a huge and fast paced show and it has taught me how to bring your best work to this kind of environment. As an artist it’s a very invigorating way to work, you have to be nimble, playful and focussed.

V: Before we wrap this interview, I want to ask you something that’s been in my mind lately that I feel some actors struggle with; I’m talking about respect. In your opinion, what is to be respected as an actor?

FLORENCE: I think respect as an actor for me is being made to feel like your opinion on your character, their journey, matters. Actors have so many great insights about the parts they play and though ultimately it is the writer/ director/ show runner’s vision, feeling like your voice is being heard is a wonderful thing.

Respect as an actor for me is being made to feel like your opinion on your character, their journey, matters.

V: This last question is a little bit personal to me, as my nationality is Argentinian; I like to ask the people I interview what they know about the country, you know, its art and culture. So, I was wondering, have you ever seen or experienced any type of art/ culture from Argentina?

FLORENCE: I really loved Wild Tales by Damián Szifron.

Watch The Great Wednesdays at 10pm on Channel 4.

Viewties WWW.VIEWTIES.CO.UK