'It Just Worked Straight Away': Mark Gatiss Shares What It Was Like To Work With Helena Bonham Carter In Nolly

Mark Gatiss, known for Sherlock and Doctor Who, praises Helena Bonham Carter's performance in Nolly, highlighting their seamless chemistry and joyful collaboration.

Published on Apr 01, 2024  |  10:30 AM IST |  54.4K
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Mark Gatiss and Helena Bonham Carter (IMDb)

Mark Gatiss, known for his roles in Sherlock and Doctor Who, offers insights into his experience working with Helena Bonham Carter in the spirited miniseries Nolly. Portraying the real-life figure Larry Grayson, Gatiss describes a campy and delightful dynamic opposite Bonham Carter's Nolly Gordon. Their on-screen chemistry captures the enduring friendship between Grayson and Gordon, with Gatiss expressing admiration for her performance and the joy of collaborating with her on set.


Mark Gatiss shares what it was like to work with Helena Bonham Carter

During an interview with Masterpiece, Mark Gatiss shared what was it like working with Helena Bonham Carter in Nolly. He said, “I’m actually afraid to say that [Larry and Nolly’s dynamic] was exactly what Helena and I were like! It really was. It just worked straight away. Literally, the very first day of filming, we were filming This Is Your Life, and I said, ‘Oh, Nolly, I do love you.’ And I said to Helena between takes, ‘This is very strange for me’­­­­­­­­—because we are almost exactly the same age—'But I had a poster for A Room with a View on my wall when I was a student.’”

He continued, “I’d met her a couple of times, but we’d never worked together before. And then we did, and it was just like we’d always done it. We had such a scream, we screamed with laughter. It was just delightful, so lovely. It completely mirrored Larry and Nolly, really.”

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Mark Gatiss opens up about his character in Nolly

In the interview, Mark Gatiss also shared some insights into Larry Grayson, portrayed by himself and Noele Gordon, played by Helena Bonham Carter’s relationship. He said, “Well, you know this is a very familiar story of a close relationship between a gay man and a devoted female admirer. But people genuinely thought they were engaged to be married. They used to joke about it constantly, but people thought they were, and as Larry says in the drama, ‘How can they not see it?’ Incredibly, people didn’t.”

He expressed, “But I just love that he was a big fan of her. I think for him, the idea of suddenly being friends with this woman he actually worshipped from the telly, was just impossible. But they got on immediately, and they were completely inseparable.”

Gatiss further added, “In one of my absolute favorite clips from one of his shows, she comes on, they do a song together—they do ‘Anything You Can Do’ or something like that—and he just goes, ‘Go on. Off you go now. Off you go.’ And she goes off into the wings, and he just looks to the audience and says, ‘She drinks.’ It’s delightful. But clearly, they had this sparring relationship. It was just wonderful, really.”


What is Nolly all about?

Nolly is a captivating miniseries unveiling the tumultuous life of Noele “Nolly” Gordon, a British TV sensation of the 1960s and 70s whose abrupt dismissal from her successful show made headlines. Delving into themes of gender inequality and societal pressures, the series offers a bold exploration of how women who defy norms are often treated by the establishment. Led by Academy Award®-nominated Helena Bonham Carter, the stellar cast, including Mark Gatiss, Con O'Neil, and Augustus Prew, delivers an outrageously fun and emotionally poignant narrative. Through its sharp wit and affectionate portrayal, Nolly paints a vivid and heart-rending portrait of an overlooked icon, making it a must-watch for audiences seeking both entertainment and insight into the complexities of fame and adversity.

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