GWILYM LEE
about his role in
Hulu series
THE GREAT
Fashion Editor Deborah Ferguson
Gwilym Lee, is a British actor well-loved for portraying Brian May, Queen’s legendary guitarist, in Bohemian Rhapsody (2018). He now swaps his Brian May-esque curly puffed wig and silk button downs for minorly disheveled powder wigs and the occasional baby pink waistcoat “adorned with little bunny rabbits” as Lee puts it, in Hulu’s drama-comedy series, The Great. The series, following a very successful season one, released its second season on November 19, 2021. The series is billed an *occasionally true story* of Peter and Catherine The Great’s hilariously anarchist court as the viewer is made privy of alliances, sex lives and debauchery, and the occasional murder- some accidental, many intentional. As the season progresses and becomes increasingly wild and riddled with dark humor, it is ruled “an almost entirely untrue story” by the end of season two, after many a glass has been shattered with each ceremonial Huzzah! Lee plays Grigor Dymov, Peter’s right-hand man who struggles with public humiliation in season one as Peter consistently has sex with Grigor’s wife, Georgina. In season two, Grigor becomes much more of a three-dimensional character in both spheres of friendship and romance. Lee tells us his favorite part of the gorgeous set that he may be stealing in the near future, funny behind the scenes details, and why we should all want to see Brian May in Peter and Catherine’s court.
Jacket, pants: Kenzo Paris, Converse high tops: Actor’s own
You’ve acted across several different segments of the entertainment industry from theater and television to movies and video games. Do you have a preference for any segment or one that you feel particularly comfortable in?
There are elements of each aspect of the industry that I love. Making a film is a truly collaborative process that feels like embarking on a great adventure. Everyone involved is committed to telling a story in its entirety and you’re in it together through all the highs and lows. Television is a brilliant long form narrative that can tell a detailed story over a long period, expanding on different relationships and character arcs over time. Making video games is a fascinating process and is opening-up new ways of telling stories in both a narrative and technical sense. I think audio drama has been a slightly marginalized means of storytelling for a while, but is finding its place again, quite rightly, through various streaming services. But I started my career in the theatre, and as cliche as it sounds, I probably find it to be the purest, most direct mode of storytelling, happening in real time in front of a live audience. Maybe this is a huge simplification, but I’d say, loosely speaking, film seems to be the realm of the director, TV belongs to the writers, and video games to the developers – but theatre feels most like the actor’s medium. It’s probably the most agency you can have as a performer. I’m very lucky, though – I feel like the industry is such now, particularly in the UK, that you’re no longer pigeon-holed as either a theatre actor, a TV actor or a film actor, as seemed to be the case in the past. Now you can do it all. And I’m greedy, so that suits me down to the ground!
Something I find so interesting about a lot of TV now is the ability for viewers to binge-watch shows with many releases. The Great, for example, just recently dropped all 10 episodes of its second season on Hulu. Do you notice a difference in reception to the project when it’s introduced in this format?
It’s interesting, isn’t it? You almost have to consider the launch of a show which is dropped like that to be like a film premiere, with the assumption that the audience will devour it (hopefully!) in a few sittings. You certainly get more immediate feedback from audiences, and you can gauge the reaction almost instantly. In terms of the narratives as well, I think there is less of a focus on a ‘hook’ each week. You can let a story play out more subtly and slowly over a period of time in the knowledge or hope that an audience will stick with the show. I must admit though, I like the social, communal nature of watching a show that is released slowly – it becomes part of the conversation “have you seen such and such this week?” I hope we don’t lose that idea of TV as an event and a regular talking point. But I think the ability to binge watch results in a more dedicated following. We are spoiled for brilliant content on TV so we don’t really waste our time beyond a couple of episodes if something doesn’t chime with us, which means when someone does binge watch, they’re truly committed. As consumers in a crowded market, they have given your show their time and approval which means a lot. And I think audiences feel a sense of pride and identity in saying they are a viewer of a particular show and aligning themselves with that community online and on social media, for instance. It’s a form of creating cult TV shows, I suppose.
Coat: Kenzo Paris, T-Shirt: Willy Chavarría, Pants: Paul Smith, Converse high-tops: Actor’s own
Season one of The Great was met with high praise and a huge amount of critical acclaim. Does this tend to put a bit of pressure on you when you are going into the second season or does it boost your confidence to know that people are really enjoying the project you’re a part of?
The show has such a specific tone – constantly treading the tightrope between comedy and drama, between the absurd, wild, anachronistic world of the court and the more profound moments of reflection and depth within the show. It’s completely unique, I think, and it’s what really drew me to the project in the first place. But shooting the first season, we definitely felt –“Are people going to get this?” So, when you see the show striking a chord as it did the first time around, there’s a feeling of relief and excitement that audiences saw what we saw when we were making it. And that does give you a sense of confidence. But yes, with that also comes a weight of expectation and a sense of responsibility to ensure it doesn’t become stale, stagnant or irrelevant or that we don’t get too cocky. Fortunately, though, we are in the hands of an incredible writer and show-runner Tony McNamara who has a truly unique voice and vision and ensures the show remains on point.
Something that I love about social media is when actors post behind the scenes shots of projects or when it’s clear on social media that a cast gets along really well because it often makes a project more fun to watch. On your social media, you seem really close with your fellow castmates in Bohemian Rhapsody, in particular, and also the cast of The Great. How much do you feel that camaraderie translates to the screen?
Yeah – it’s fun to let people into our world on set. It works particularly well with The Great because the court of Peter and Catherine is such an anarchic and wild world (I always equate living in that court to living in student halls – everyone’s in each other’s pockets, living a life of debauchery and excess). So, it works that we all have a playful attitude as actors and friends behind the scenes that reflects this. A lot of credit has to go to our casting director, Dixie, and to our producers Tony and Marian for bringing together a cast of very like-minded actors to create this feeling of ensemble. And credit also to Elle and Nick for their complete lack of ego which trickles down through the cast and crew to create a fun, safe space where we all feel free to take risks, challenge each other and have a good time. We take the work seriously, of course, but no one takes themselves too seriously, which is as it should be. Hopefully that comes across in the show. And as for Bohemian Rhapsody, those guys will always be like family to me. That film was a trip – we had so much fun making it and we’re still the best of friends.
Coat: Kenzo Paris, T-Shirt: Willy Chavarría, Pants: Paul Smith, Converse high-tops: Actor’s own
I imagine with a comedy like The Great, the set environment would be a lot of fun! From season 2, is there a scene that you thought was the funniest to film? Is it more fun to film the group scenes or the more intimate scenes?
Honestly, the material is so rich and so funny that every day felt like a highlight. It’s incredibly difficult keeping a straight face with some of the crass, absurd, crazy things you have to say or respond to. We’re very often filming in our character’s little niches – Catherine’s crew or Peter’s crew, for instance. So, on the occasions that we get together as a whole company for the big group scenes, there’s always a giddy atmosphere on set. Tony always makes sure to make the group scenes suitably off-kilter and bizarre as well. There’ll never be a generic party – he’ll always have couples cross-dressing, or people having sex in the background, animals fighting, a young child getting drunk on their own, or someone getting unexpectedly shot. And often you don’t know about these things until you’re halfway through a take and a scantily clad snake charmer walks past you, for example. All the little details that paint the picture of this hedonistic, anarchic, unpredictable and, at times, dangerous world.
Did you or other castmates do any improv?
It might seem like it, because there’s a very natural cadence to a lot of the dialogue and some really off-the-cuff moments, but there’s actually very little. Tony’s writing is so specific and rhythmical that he and the other writers create that tone themselves and we have a very strict (and very lovely!) script supervisor on-set that keeps us on track – pointing us in the right direction if we veer even slightly away from the text.
Coat: Kenzo Paris, T-Shirt: Willy Chavarría, Pants: Paul Smith, Converse high-tops: Actor’s own
The set of The Great is so gorgeous! Do you have a favorite part or detail of the set?
It really is amazing, isn’t it? Our set designer, Francesca di Mottola and her team have the most incredible eye for detail. People don’t believe me when I tell them that the sets are built in a studio in East London, they look so rich and authentic. This year we see Peter and Catherine becoming parents and part of Peter’s attempt at being a good father involves him decorating a children’s nursery for his baby. But being Peter there are some suitably weird and slightly terrifying details – a teddy bear made from the hide of an actual bear crudely stitched together being a personal favourite. Another set I love is Elizabeth’s apartment. As a fairly sex obsessed character, some of the details in her apartment are very enlightening. It’s like walking into the Karma Sutra – everywhere you look, from the paintings on the walls to the tiniest little trinkets. It’s hilarious. And from a completely narcissistic point of view, one of my favourite details on set has to be the portrait of me as Grigor in 18th century garb and powdered wig. I’ve got my eye on that to make its way back to my house someday…
In season two, we see a lot more of Grigor and learn about some of the history of his relationship with Peter and others in the court. What were you most excited to develop about Grigor’s personality this season?
So much of season one from Grigor’s point of view revolved around the love triangle between his wife, his best friend and himself and the very public humiliation that resulted. Without wanting to give too much away about this season, it was fun for Grigor to find some fun of his own and to find his voice a bit more. He has been used to a life a privilege with his best mate as Emperor, but once this status quo is disrupted, his main focus is ensuring Peter finds his way back to power – leading a counter-coup essentially. It just turns out that political machinations aren’t necessarily his strong point.
Jacket, pants: Kenzo Paris, Converse high tops: Actor’s own
Coat: Kenzo Paris, T-Shirt: Willy Chavarría, Pants: Paul Smith, Converse high-tops: Actor’s own
The baby shower costumes this season were my favorite, did you have a favorite costume or piece of a costume?
Two more supremely talented women – our costume designer, Sharon Long and our hair and make-up designer Louise Coles. It’s another element through which the anarchic, wild world of the court can be expressed. The brilliant thing about their work is that we are rarely in a full state of formal dress. We’re always slightly disheveled and undone without our wigs, maybe not what we might expect from a period piece. But it gives the impression of these being our clothes rather than formal, ornate historic costumes. The baby shower was an absolute triumph. And it’s also an amazing example of how much work goes into this show. When we sit around for the read through, we just read the stage directions, “they are at a baby shower.” It’s only when you turn up to set do you see what this means, all of the attention to detail that goes to creating this very specific, mad world and all of the incredible commitment and craft that goes into making it. Some of the wigs were so big the actors and supporting artists had to walk sideways through doorways. But the frustrating thing is that no matter how outrageous and brilliant my costume would be (for the baby shower I wore a baby-pink waistcoat adorned with little bunny rabbits, a powdered blue wig, beauty spots of rabbits and hearts, etc etc etc.) Peter would always outdo us all!
T-Shirt: Willy Chavarría, Pants: Paul Smith, Converse high-tops: Actor’s own
Peter and Grigor are even more of a dynamic duo this season! If you could pick two characters you’ve played that you think would make a great dynamic duo, who would they be?
I’d love to see Brian May in this court, wouldn’t you? He’s got a suitably Rococo look, and I’m sure some of the parties he’s been to could compete with Peter’s!
What can we look forward to next from you?
I’m enjoying some time off at the moment after a full-on year of shooting season two through the pandemic. But I’m looking at possibly developing some projects of my own at some point down the line. And of course, we’re all hoping we might be back for some more of The Great in the not-too-distant future.
Coat: Kenzo Paris, T-Shirt: Willy Chavarría, Pants: Paul Smith, Converse high-tops: Actor’s own
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Fashion editor
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Interview
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