Q&A with Ed McVey

What hooked you in about the play?

I was a big fan of the other iterations and I wanted to make my own go of it. And it’s worked out really well. The audiences have been really enjoying it and I’ve been enjoying it too. It’s all I’ve wanted it to be so far.

How would you describe Tom as he’s portrayed in the stage version?

I think he’s lost. He wants a better life for himself, he’s a chancer and a chameleon. He’s anxious, but he’s also a go-getter.

Is there any of you in the character?

I also want a good life for myself. I’m aspirational and I know what I want. But I probably wouldn’t murder anyone and I’m definitely less manipulative.

You’re a Devonshire boy, so how has it been nailing the American accent?

American is in my wheelhouse for the most part and we had a dialect coach. The accent really helps with developing a character, but I’m not one of those people who uses it in everyday life. I might slip into American if I’m joking around, but usually the accent starts when I get on stage.

Is it scary following in the footsteps of Matt Damon, John Malkovich and Andrew Scott, who have all played Tom on screen?

No, it’s incredibly exciting. I think to follow in those footsteps is an absolute privilege. I’m really excited and glad that I get to do my own interpretation of it. I’ve avoided rewatching them, though.

Well, I’ve actually never seen the John Malkovich version, but I have watched the other two and I’m a big fan of them. I’m looking forward to finishing this job so I can go back and watch them again, especially the Matt Damon film, which I haven’t seen since I was a young teenager and I can hardly remember it.

You pretend to be other people for a living, but have you ever posed as someone else in real life – for a prank maybe? And can you do any celeb impersonations?

Not particularly, no. I’m actually a terrible liar, so I don’t think I’d be very good at it. And celebrity impersonations? Not that I can think of, off the top of my head, but it’s like accents. If someone suddenly asks me to do an accent I get in my head and overthink it, but if I’ve had a few drinks then maybe it’ll come out.

Do you think you’d have enjoyed being around in the 50s, which is when the story is set?

I think it came with its own troubles and I prefer to be in today’s world. That said, there’s lots of cool things about the era, like the car design and the aesthetic.

How are the costumes? And how would you describe your own style?

The costumes are brilliant. We don’t have any sets, we only have costume and props, so they’re incredibly useful for the audience and for us to feel like we’re in a particular time zone. They are the anchors in the show. With my own style, comfortability is key – that and co-ordinated colours, which is something I’ve found very recently. Over the years my dress sense has been quite eclectic and a bit silly. It’s only in the last couple of years that I’ve started to understand what my own style is and what it means for me.

How do you spend your downtime when you’re not working?

I like to go out and walk, I like to exercise, to spend time with friends and loved ones, and I like to watch TV. I’m big on The Traitors at the moment and it’s actually good for me as an actor because you are just watching people existing and none of it is scripted. It’s good to see how people react under pressure and how mischievous and cunning they can be. Would I go on the celebrity version? Oh, I don’t think so! I don’t think I’d be very good at it because like I say I’m a terrible liar, so I think I’d be a terrible Faithful and a terrible Traitor.

Is there anything you wish you were good at that you aren’t?

I wish I was good at playing the piano. I can play a bit of guitar and I wish I was better at it, to be honest, but I haven’t tried the piano yet. Maybe one day, because it would be a really cool thing to be able to do. Oh and I’d like to write scripts.

Is that something you’ve tried yet?

I have, yes. A lot of actors have lots and lots of ideas, but we’re quite flighty people. We take the words for granted because we’re given them so often or we sometimes see stuff that isn’t very good. So when you’re given something that’s really special, you’re in awe of how talented these people are. Having done a little bit of scriptwriting myself, I know that it’s really tough. But I hope to get better at it over time. I’d love to be in something that I’ve written one day.

The Talented Mr. Ripley is only your second professional play. Do you get nervous before you go out on stage?

I do get nervous, but it was worse in the earlier days. As you get more and more comfortable and things go on, the nerves sort of go away and it becomes more about excitement. There are some days where you walk on stage and it feels like you’re just going out to the shops to get milk. Sometimes it feels really run-of-the-mill, which is kind of amazing but also kind of strange. Then at other times the nerves can hit you at really random times.

You came to fame as Prince William on The Crown. How was that experience?

It was quite overwhelming but it was such a well-oiled machine and they were very welcoming of new people coming in. It was a crazy experience but I loved it, and working with actors of that calibre every day meant I got to sort of cherry-pick from what they were doing.

Did you get starstruck?

Very early on in the audition process I was brought in to do a table read, even though I wasn’t cast yet. There I was in a room with all these amazing people, so I think I got that out of my system quite quickly, but I was definitely like, ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe this is happening’.

You’re still only 26 years old. Have your feet touched the ground yet?

I’m so grateful for the trajectory I’m having with the work I’m doing, and getting back to theatre was really important for me. It’s something that I was quite apprehensive about, so I’m glad that I’ve been able to break down that barrier and get back to it because this is very much what I love and how I fell in love with acting in the first place.

When you’re touring in a play, what can’t you be on the road without?

Pants, I suppose, and a toothbrush. Those are helpful. But I haven’t figured out yet what I need, I’m just sort of making it up as I go along. I don’t have anything that’s ritualistic, like something that I need to have with me for luck or anything like that.

What do you most miss about being at home?

My family, friends and loved ones, of course. And my bed is something I really miss, because on tour the beds can be questionable and you don’t always get the best night’s sleep.

Any memorable stage door encounters or comments?

No, it’s mostly a lot of love – where either people have loved what I’ve done before or they love this show, which is amazing. People really connect with The Talented Mr. Ripley on stage and they love seeing the story in this new iteration. It’s mostly just love and appreciation, as well as requests for autographs here and there.

Do they also shower you with gifts?

Not normally, no. Flowers sometimes maybe. What would I like to receive? Well, I’m not a collector of anything, so I guess a box of chocolates would be nice. The problem I have when people give you flowers is that yes, it’s a lovely thing but then it’s like, ‘What do I do with these?’ especially if you’re on tour. You can’t really take them with you, but obviously you can eat a box of chocolates. I’d like a box of Lindor chocolates, please! You can’t really go wrong with those.