Congratulations on Butterfly! How has the process been so far?
Thank you! It’s been fantastic. Getting to work in Korea for six months with such wonderful people has been an incredible experience.
What drew you to your character, Oliver Barnes?
It’s always more fun playing characters that are deeply conflicted or morally ambiguous as an actor. Thankfully, Oliver is very much both of those, so there was a lot to sink my teeth into.
How did you approach developing Oliver as a character?
I spent a lot of time on my own, listening to depressing music and generally feeling very sorry for myself—haha. Otherwise, Piper (who plays my mum) and I went over our scenes until we were blue in the face.
Did you take inspiration from the graphic novel the show was based on? How did you integrate that element into your work?
When I first landed the role, I tried desperately to find a copy of the graphic novel—but annoyingly it’s out of print in the UK. It wasn’t until last week that I found out my character’s not even in it! To be honest, the series takes such liberties with the source material that I don’t think it would have been too helpful to model myself on a comic version of Oliver, even if he had been there.
You filmed Butterfly in Seoul and Busan. What stood out to you most about working in South Korea—culturally, creatively, or socially?
Oh, it’s amazing there. Us Brits are used to punching above our weight culturally, but our colonial history has a large part to play in that. For a country the size of South Korea, that less than a lifetime ago was embroiled in a bloody civil war, to have the influence and impact it has around the world is extraordinary.
How would you describe Oliver as a character? How do we see him evolve over the course of this season?
I’d describe him as a rather tragic figure—like one of the losers at the end of a Shakespeare play. His life’s mission is to impress his mother, and ultimately that leads to his downfall. Bless him.
How did you develop a rapport with Piper Perabo? How do you see Oliver’s relationship with his mother shaping his development this season?
The nature of our industry means you meet many wonderful people in very brief, intense environments, and then never see them again. But within a minute of meeting Piper, I knew I’d found a buddy for life. As I said earlier, Oliver is defined by how he relates to his mother, Juno—so that easiness around each other outside of shooting definitely helped when it came to the more emotional scenes later in the series.
You’ve worked with notable co-stars like Daniel Dae Kim, Piper Perabo, and David Tennant. What lessons have they imparted upon you?
I could bore you with all sorts of pretentious acting mumbo jumbo, but to be honest the best thing I’ve learned is this: don’t be a dick. To make a film or a TV series is a labor of love, and everyone is pulling in the same direction to produce the best thing they can. But for purely financial reasons, actors get pampered on set, and that can get to some people’s heads and make them become complete arses. Don’t be that guy. Get to know everyone you work with, and remember—you are just one small part of the process.
Early in your career, you co-founded Splint Theatre Company and did workshops in Syrian refugee camps. How have those experiences influenced you both personally and professionally?
Growing up in Bristol, devising theatre in some leaky basement is par for the course. There is a real sense there that if you can get a group of fun people together, you can make something interesting—regardless of training, education, or background. It’s a refreshing atmosphere to come back to whenever you get a bit down at how “boxed in” the industry in London can make you feel.
What should audiences expect from this season of Butterfly?
Slick action sequences, traumatic family dynamics, and Korean actors that are twice the age you think they are.
Photography
Creative Director
Interview
Stylist
Yasmine Sabri
Grooming
Set Designer
Photo Assistant
Patrick Dempsey
Thank you