Q&A with Maisie Smith

What hooked you in about the play?

The story is timeless. It’s been told a few times but our adaptation is very different and very new, so it was just irresistible to me. Plus, this is the first time that it’s been done on stage.

How would you describe Marge as a character?

She’s so much fun to play because she’s very smart, intelligent and intuitive. And she’s an asset to the story since she’s one of the only characters in the show that doesn’t completely fall for Tom’s facade. She’s different to any character I’ve played before and she’s a very progressive woman for the 1950s period in which the story is set. She’s a writer and a photographer, and she has her own house in Italy. She’s definitely not the stereotype of a 50s housewife.

Can you relate to her in any way?

No, and that’s what I find so exciting about playing her, because she’s nothing like me. She’s very smart and very good with her words. I think maybe the one similarity is the creativity of her character, because I like to write and take photographs, but she’s very upper class, posh, wealthy and smart. She’s everything that I’m not!

You’re an Essex girl, so how has it been nailing the American accent?

I’ve never done American before, but actually I’m not bad at accents. I’m fascinated by them and I’ve always loved understanding why accents are the way they are and where they come from. I love learning different accents and Marge’s is very different to mine, which is always fun.

Is it scary following in the footsteps of Gwyneth Paltrow and Dakota Fanning, who have both played Marge on screen?

Do you know what? It isn’t, but that’s because I haven’t been focusing on other adaptations of the story. It’s been told many times in different ways and no portrayal of these characters has ever been the same. That’s why I try not to think about other people’s performances too much and just do it my own way.

Do you think you’d have enjoyed being around in the 50s?

Well, if we’re talking about the show then Marge seems to have a pretty nice life. She spends most of the first act sunbathing, which sounds quite nice. It’s very different to my own lifestyle. And the 50s style is stunning. That’s what I loved about the film as well. It’s just such a beautiful film to watch in terms of where it’s set and what everyone wears. There’s something really nostalgic about it and there is a certain beauty to the era for sure.

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

What’s quite good about Marge is that she’s not glamorous per se. She wears what’s comfortable but she still has this air of elegance. She’s got shorts and a button-up shirt but she doesn’t care too much about that stuff because she’s young and living life on the beach. My own style is pretty baggy – baggy top, baggy trousers, whatever keeps me comfy and warm, especially at this time of year.

You mentioned being an aspiring writer and painter, like Marge. How’s that coming along?

Oh gosh, I don’t think I’ve ever finished anything yet, but when I’ve got a little bit of free time I always try and do something creative. My brain doesn’t ever quite shut off, so I can’t relax. I don’t know why that is, but the good thing is that I’ve got many outlets to not relax. I do a little bit of writing or a little bit of drawing or designing or something, even if it’s not going anywhere or if it’s for no purpose. I just like to keep my brain busy. I’ve tried doing absolutely nothing but I feel guilty. I just have it in me that there’s always something I should be doing, so instead of doing something practical or productive I’ll just do something creative because that’s actually my way of relaxing.

You act, dance, sing, write, paint… What are you rubbish at?

Sports. What’s annoying is that I’m really competitive but I’m also bad at sports, so it’s really an awful way to be because I want to win, but I never do. When I do bowling, darts or anything physical I’ve got no coordination, especially if there’s a ball involved. I want to be good at it and it’s frustrating that I’m not.

When you first landed the role of Tiffany on EastEnders your mum said the character was a little madam, just like the young you… Is that how you saw yourself?

That sounds about right. I think I may have got the part of Tiffany based off of me, because apparently I walked into the room and just chucked the script to the side and said, ‘I don’t need it.’ That’s when they were like, ‘OK, I think we’ve found Tiff!’

What are your memories of your time on the show?

“I had such a fun time there. It was hard work and I always say that we did, like, ten scenes a day most days, whereas in most other jobs you wouldn’t ever do that many. I didn’t go to drama school so it was challenging, but I felt like I learned so much from being around such talented people.”

What was your takeaway from doing Strictly Come Dancing in 2020?

I can’t believe I even got paid for it! I got to stretch myself more than I even knew I could, and that lead to me being in the Strictly Ballroom musical – which Craig Revel Horwood directed.

Have you kept up the dancing since Strictly Come Dancing and Strictly Ballroom?

I try to. I’ve been on tour for a while, so I haven’t been able to, but I’m always dancing. That’s why I go out a lot when I can. because I just love dancing. I need music all the time. I haven’t necessarily kept up my professional dancing, but I always try and find a bit of time for it. What would get me on the dance floor? Anything. Even elevator music. I can find a dance that will match it.

What about going to gigs?

Luckily, I went to watch my boyfriend [Max George from The Wanted] in his band. They were doing a tour of America and I had a bit of time off, so I flew out to New York and got to watch him perform on stage. That was a pretty fun gig and, yes, I spent the whole time dancing.

Can you pick a few career highlights?

That’s hard because I’ve been so lucky, so fortunate. Strictly Come Dancing was a big highlight for me because it was my first time being Maisie Smith on anything. I’d only ever done acting before, so that was really fun. And with Strictly it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience learning so many different styles of dance from world champions. So that was definitely a career highlight, as was doing my first musical with Strictly Ballroom and now doing The Talented Mr.Ripley, which is my first play. Every job I’ve done so far I feel really good about and proud of.

What lessons have you learned from 20 years in the business?

With every job you do you learn something different. What’s exciting is that no two jobs have ever been remotely similar. Every medium of acting I do is a completely different style, so I’d say that the biggest thing I’ve learned is how to adapt to different things in a short space of time. I’ve learned what I am capable of and I’ve learned how much pressure to put on myself. The last few years have made me realise that I used to put way too much pressure on myself, but I’m now learning to find the joy in everything rather than focusing on the things I got wrong or the things I wasn’t happy about.

When you’re on tour, what can’t you be on the road without?

An extension lead. I’ve got so many devices, like my laptop and my iPad. Otherwise I try to pack light because I don’t want to be lugging things about. I try and keep it as minimal as possible.

Have you had any memorable stage door interactions?

It’s funny when people give me a photo of someone else to sign, like when someone handed me a picture of my sister on EastEnders (Shona McGarty). I signed it anyway! Afterwards I was thinking to myself, ‘So I basically just committed fraud.’

:: Tickets on sale now at https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/event/the-talented-mr-ripley/ and on 01202 280000.

Photo: Maisie Smith as Marge Sherwood & Bruce Herbelin-Earle as Dickie Greenleaf, credit Mark Senior