Harry Lawtey Interview

“You’re that guy from that show,” said a drunk man, propositioning Harry Lawtey at a urinal just last week — a conversation which he claims probably could have waited until they were washing their hands. “I actually get that a lot,” the British actor affirms, not speaking of awkward bathroom encounters, of course. “The ‘that guy from that show’ line comes up quite often when I’m out.” Talking from his London flat sporting a striped crew neck t-shirt, Lawtey laughs off the interaction as “one of an awkward few” he has had over recent months. Though with season two of Industry under his belt and countless projects on the precipice, including his starring role in The Pale Blue Eye, taking the lead in You & Me and joining the cast of Joker: Folie à Deux, Lawtey could well be hanging up his “that guy” badge of honour sooner than expected. 

Rest assured, Lawtey remains humble. “According to Hannah who worked on You & Me, I’m actually ‘famously low maintenance’ because all I ever asked for on set was cereal.” Never growing out of his student lifestyle, I am soon to discover Lawtey is a man of simple pleasures: finding pinch-me moments while enjoying home-cooked pasta amongst friends, filming self-tape auditions with his dad and general day-to-day adulting. 

Actor, son, friend (and a self-confessed romantic), Lawtey’s story is one of kindness. It rests on a bed of resilience, hard work, love, loss, risk and reward. It covers hard-hitting realisations about life, heartbreak and mortality. So though Lawtey might enjoy the simple moments life has to offer, he embraces its enormity with the same candour as he demonstrates throughout our conversation: with humility, open arms and - as the urinal controversy well informs - a graceful sense of humour. 

ELLA WEST: Harry Lawtey! What are you most excited about in your life right now? 

HARRY LAWTEY: That is quite an interesting question, pretty intense to start on. [Laughs.] I’m actually about to go to Latvia for work and I’m really excited. It’s never been a place I thought I would go, and it’s one of the best things about the job, really. Having the privilege to be able to travel to new places is something I really relish and enjoy.

EW: Do you find it easy to make those connections? 

HL: I think on set yes for sure. With cast and crew, it's such a collaborative space, you’re genuinely one massive team. People go from production to production and make bonds very quickly and intensely. You almost feel like you’re on an adventure with them, and you write that chapter of your life and signpost these people as a huge part of it. For me, it’s genuinely my favourite part of being an actor. 

EW: And when did you first realise that you wanted to be an actor? Do you think an actor is born or are they made? 

HL: I was involved in a few school productions and really got a kick out of it. I had so many moments of just thinking, ‘yep, this is my thing’. It almost felt electric. I also loved the community element of it. Before I did acting I was really into sports, so that camaraderie transpired across both passions. I love feeling part of something greater than myself, you’re part of a group of people who are all working towards the same goal. And I think the latter half of your question is tough to answer, I think it can be both. I refute the idea that an actor is a one size fits all type of persona. I know such a wide variety of people who do this job, from people who are really colourful and charismatic and some who are really introverted and shy. I think to an extent all actors find something freeing in being someone else and stepping into someone else’s shoes. I think perhaps there is some show-off gene in there somewhere too, even with the shy ones. Otherwise, you would hate performing — which is all that the job is about. 

EW: You started performing at such a young age, is there anything you wish you had known when you started out that you know now? 

HL: That’s a good question. I’d say be patient and know yourself. 

EW: Is there anyone in particular that you look up to or who inspires you? 

HL: The first person that comes to my mind is my dad, to be honest. I just love him. He’s everything I want to be as a man and he inspires me both as a person and professionally. He’s an aircraft engineer and is so hard working and quietly leads by example. He speaks to everyone with so much kindness and I can see the way other people respect him. But professionally I am inspired by so many people, it changes all the time. Off the top of my head, I’d say, Christian Bale, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Fassbender, the list goes on. 

EW: What does your dad think of your work and your acting? 

HL: He loves it, he’s so enthusiastic. I should say my mum is the exact same by the way, I can’t forget her or I’ll get told off. I’m realising as I get older that you’re doing it all for them. I just want them to see me achieve things. To be able to share with them everything that has happened over the past few years has meant the world.

EW: Do you ever google yourself? 

HL: God no. [Laughs.] I think that’s where despair lives. I’m learning more and more that in order to do the job that I do effectively - and more importantly to enjoy it - you have to have the strength to stay away from all of that and focus on what counts in the real world. 

EW: Well… when I googled you I didn’t see anything bad, I promise! When your name comes up, a lot of your work - whether that's the sequel of Joker, The Pale Blue Eye, You & Me - none of it out yet! So to an outsider, it feels like you have an exponential rise coming. I wondered what is your personal take on that? 

HL: All of the above I think. It’s exciting and overwhelming and surreal all at the same time. My goal when I left drama school was just to be a working actor. And regardless of this industry, if you are paid to do what you love then you’re winning and very lucky. To be an actor who, for this moment at least, has a series of different projects happening just makes me very happy. They’re all very different projects too with different traits and emotions so it feels like a real privilege.

EW: How do you manage so many projects with different character types? 

HL: You just have to compartmentalise each body of work and focus on what is in front of you in the moment. If I’m being asked to be there, I need to give it my all — that’s the way I’ve been brought up, every take counts. I just keep my head down and work hard, lead with generosity and try to be the best I can be.

EW: Speaking of intense working environments, I wanted to touch on Industry. What was your experience filming the series thus far? 

HL: Yeah, that is the MOST intense for sure. It’s been amazing filming this series. It’s been a rollercoaster for sure — sorry, bit of a pun there. It was my first big thing, and it was for all of the cast really. There’s an amazing group of people on there and we have all become such close friends in the real world and that makes all the difference. I remember when we were filming the first season someone pulled me aside and said, “It’s not usually this good, you know. Things don’t usually work like this.” I suppose it’s been the catalyst for me in terms of anything that has come out after that show. It’s been a lovely ride and I’m glad that other people enjoyed it too. 

EW: What similarities or differences do you think you bear with your character, Robert? 

HL: I’m probably a bit more similar to him in the second season than I am in the first. I got a load of people coming up to me after the first season thinking I was a massive sesh head. And don’t get me wrong, I like a drink as much as the next guy, but there’s no way I could keep up with Robert. The similarities are definitely how sensitive we both are as people. I want to be accepted and to fit in, I want to be valued for what I do — which sounds a bit vague, because I think they are all very communal human qualities. I think Robert's sense of humour and thirst for life is definitely the same as mine. The gift of long-form television is you get to develop and cultivate a specific version of your character, which inevitably makes them merge more with yourself — because you’re giving more of yourself to the character. The writers also begin to generate your dialogue with you in mind, there’s a more specific mould — kind of like those cut-out caricatures you get at the seaside when you stick your head in, it’s a bit like that. 

EW: What were the main differences between filming season one and season two? 

HL: There was a really clear difference. I would say filming season two was less exciting but more fun. When we made the first season, we were so green. In a way, it mirrored the show because we were all graduates starting our first job. Every day was a pinch-me moment, we genuinely couldn’t believe we were there. So when we came back for the second one, we were still happy to be there, but we knew the ropes. A lot of the excitement and fear was taken away and it was more of a space where we could just knuckle down and enjoy it. We all care so much for this show, so we wanted to give as much as we could to it. 

EW: Echoing what your character is asked in the series… Do you have a relationship you are most proud of? 

HL: I genuinely think I’ve got the best friends in the world. They mean so much to me. It’s a bit of a sad thought but I think the older you get the more you become aware of mortality, and the idea that the friends I have are the ones who will grow up and grow old with me is so heartening. I’m very proud of my friends, they are all brilliant. 

EW: Moving on, you’ve just wrapped filming of The Pale Blue Eye, what can we expect from it? 

HL: The Pale Blue Eye is full of suspense, mystery and intrigue. It’s tonally very immersive and bold and it’s shot in such a beautiful way with an absolutely incredible cast. I couldn’t believe they let me in, really. I think it will hopefully thrill audiences. 

EW: What was it like working with Christian Bale? 

HL: I think he’s pretty much as good as it gets when it comes to actors. When you look at his catalogue of work, that's pretty much inarguable. He’s such a versatile, committed and impressive actor. You try not to have that thing with him when you’re in a scene and your inner monologue is going, ‘Holy shit that’s Christian Bale’. You have to try and knock that out of your head to do your job. But it was amazing to work alongside him and learn from him. He was so respectful and polite and warm, not at all what people fear these ginormous game-changing stars might be like.

EW: Do you have a particular favourite moment from set? 

HL: I always struggle with these questions because it’s all good. Especially with this one because I went to Pittsburgh for two months and it was minus eight degrees, on the other side of the world. Wait, actually, talking of the cold has reminded me of one of my favourite moments. We did this one scene that's in this beautiful cemetery out in the woods. It was such a spectacle but it was absolutely freezing, there was snow everywhere. The entire cast shot a scene in the cemetery and it was one of the few scenes where we all got to shoot together. And the costumes looked quite thick, we all got these bespoke 1930s military uniforms, but when we got in them and knee-deep in snow, it was not so ideal. There were these moments where we would all waddle off to the corner of the set that had a heater, and I remember one time in between takes I was huddled around it and on one side there was Timothy Spall and on the other side was Toby Jones, and both of those men are heroes of mine. I was just in the middle like, ‘this is so cool’. It was a moment where I had to step outside of myself and soak in the moment and realise how lucky I was. 

EW: You’ve also got You & Me coming out in 2023. It’s been described widely as a tragic love story, but I wondered what’s your perception of the series? 

HL: I suppose that’s not far off in a way. I suppose more than a love story, it’s about what it really means to love. It explores all of the different loves: romantic love, parental love, love between siblings and friends. I think it's about the idea that loving anyone is a risk, it has stakes. And even if there are two people who are intent on doing right by one another there is still a chance you could get hurt. I think the older we get the more we recognise that love really is a leap of faith. The show is about the question of whether you should protect your heart or should take that leap. I’m probably making it sound so bleak. 

EW: Not at all, I was just thinking I wish I had heard this jargon about love when I was 17 or 18. It would have got me out of a lot of crap. 

HL: [Laughs] In a way the crap is kind of the point. You can’t know any of that without also going through the crap. In an unfortunate way, I think heartbreak is essential to being a functioning normal person. 

EW: What do you think drew you to the series in the first place? 

HL: Mostly the team, to be honest. It was my first opportunity to be the lead in something, but that's not to say this shouldn’t be considered an ensemble show because it definitely is, I far from carry it. But I knew the creative team from the producers down that would be working on it and knew they create TV that actually makes a difference. Take Russell T Davies, I remember this time last year I was having a conversation with my parents about the AIDS crisis after It’s a Sin first came out. He was responsible for that societal impact, bringing these topics into people’s homes. I think this entire industry is at its best when it is able to do that. 

EW: And would you class yourself as a romantic person? 

HL: Yeah. Absolutely. For better or for worse, I definitely am. It’s hardly a shock, I’m an actor, it comes with the territory. We are all passing the time here, so romance is what makes it all worthwhile. In my eyes, why would you not be a romantic? I think believing in romance is just believing in making people happy. 

EW: So what would your advice be to someone who is going through heartbreak? 

HL: I actually had this conversation yesterday. I went for lunch with my friend who’s going through a bit of a spot at the moment. I just think you’ve got to make your front foot one of kindness. If you lead with that, you can’t go wrong. 

EW: It’s recently been announced that you will be joining the cast of Joker: Folie à Deux. I know the details are very hushed, but what can you tell us about the project so far? 

HL: Listen, I can’t really speak for a film that hasn’t been made yet. But from what I’ve seen, the creative forces that are behind that project are incredible. And they are all icons in my eyes, so the opportunity for any actor to work alongside them would be an absolute dream come true. 

EW: Speaking of dreams, where do you see yourself in five years’ time? Do you have any particular goals? 

HL: You know what, I don’t. I decided quite early on in this game that to set tangible goals is to shoot yourself in the foot. It’s such a beautifully random yet painfully random job, so to set your heart on anything that is tangible is just setting yourself up to be let down. The magical part of it is you just have to jump into it and follow your heart and ride the tide. That’s all I’m looking to do right now.

EW: What is your biggest pinch-me moment to date? 

HL: They happen all the time, it’s hard to pin down a specific moment. It speaks to the amount of good fortune I’ve had over the past few years. It’s a friendly reminder that you’re making steps and moving towards the place you want to be. On Friday night I went round my best friend's house for dinner and we had a homemade meal. We just put the pasta down on the table and had this mutual epiphany that we are all now adults, living in London, all doing the things we wanted to do — like a scene out of Notting Hill. It’s so hard to describe, but it was a moment that you never thought you’d see for yourself, and then you realise you are there. But on my way there I went past this flat that I used to live in when I was in drama school, and it doesn’t seem that long ago since I was there, but a lot really has happened. I couldn’t be more grateful.