Harry Lawtey has learned to bask in short bursts of stage-lit moments before they fade into an ephemeral haze. Lawtey’s first loves are football (soccer) and theatre- both venues for intense emotional expression and connection that surges through red curtains or green turf like a heady perfume before evaporating into the air. Lawtey is an actor who is used to fleeting moments as he left the crystal blue waters of Cyprus at the age of 13 to meet the red bolting streaks of London’s crowd. There he attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School which taught him how to act, but like he tells us, “Knowing how to act and knowing how to be an actor are very different things.” It’s in his career now that he’s learning how to be an actor in an industry that is like a football game with constantly shifting goal posts. In a similar way, his character, Robert Spearing in HBO’s Industry, is learning that knowing how to be an investment banker is very different from knowing how to invest. In Season 1, Lawtey plays a character who plays a character- one who possesses a faux confidence in order to act as a successful investment banker. In Season 2, with the first episode premiering weekly beginning on August 1st, we see Lawtey playing Robert who is unsure of himself and his place in the industry. While we see Robert struggle with learning how to be an investment banker, Lawtey seems to have the mindset of an actor- he knows how to enjoy moments even as their vanishing as he tells us, “I’m just happy to be here,” while he’s in between several projects. In our interview with him, he details the environment that he believes the acting industry breeds, talks about success, expectation, and satisfaction, and gives us an in-depth look into Robert Spearing’s mind. Read below for our full interview with Harry Lawtey!
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First, thanks so much for the interview! I know your origins are in theatre- I love to ask actors about theatre because most have such positive and unique associations with that environment. What memories or feelings come to your mind when you think about the theatre?
Yeah, I love the theatre because it’s the thing that brought me to all of this. My first passion before acting was actually football (soccer). I come from a real ‘football family,’ and I love the sense of a tribe that comes with it. At its core, football is about a team of people representing a community and when I was in my local amateur theatre’s pantomime as a kid, I realised that the same was true for theatre. That notion of ‘team’ in the theatre has kind of carried me through the rest of my life in acting and that’s what I think of when I think of the theatre. I think of my brilliant friends who I trained with at drama school, the productions we were in together and the community we felt while we were working towards the same goal – to make a good thing. And wanting so much for it to be good. Then there’s the exciting risk of whether it will be good, the immediacy of the joy in feeling that it was, before you then realise that because it was theatre – that moment is gone just as soon as it came. It can be a good thing that only exists in one moment for the people who were there to see it. I think that’s kind of great.
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I read that you do a 5–6-page backstory for your acting roles which caught my interest because when we interviewed Sydney Sweeney, she told us that she does the same thing. We asked her this question and would like to hear your answer as well; if you were to write a short backstory for your own life so far including a few moments that have defined you, what is one moment you would choose?
That’s a good question – I suppose it would have to be when I left home. I grew up in Cyprus from a very young age – my dad is an engineer in the British RAF – and we were stationed out there. It’s all I really remember, so I absolutely consider Cyprus to be my home. But when I was around 13, I got the opportunity to go to the Sylvia Young Theatre School in London. It was a massive step for me to leave my parents and move to London at that age but once we, as a family, had figured out how we could make it work, we knew it was too big an opportunity to turn away from – so I went for it. I would say that was the moment that has most defined me. For a start, if I didn’t make that leap, I genuinely don’t think I’d be an actor now. But more so as a young person; moving to an exciting and diverse city at that age completely alters your worldview. It made me who I am. It forced me to grow up fast and that was tough, but really good. It taught me how to work hard, how to be happy in who you are, how to take care of yourself and it completely shifted my path. I’m hugely grateful for it.
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Now I want to get into your role as Robert Spearing in HBO’s Industry, which centers around the lives of young graduates navigating the uniquely high pressure and competitive environment of finance. Because of the environment that the community of characters are in, we see a lot of emotional extremes in the series. To relate to your own profession, how would you describe the environment that acting breeds?
I mean, for sure there are a lot of emotional extremes in acting and it can be tough but I’m always very keen to stress that we’re not coal miners or doctors. If you are paid to do a thing that you’d do for free then you’re enormously privileged. End of. But it is a bit of a rollercoaster and it’s an oversubscribed profession where there’s a high risk/high reward culture. People have to give a lot of themselves to their career and said career very rarely gives it back. I’ve seen gifted, deserving, kind people beaten down by this job, but they refuse to tap out because it’s the thing that they love. I’d like to think that, because everyone has some understanding of that, there is a genuine empathy and camaraderie in the industry – more than one might imagine at least. And that also means there can be a real shared triumph and appreciation when a nice opportunity does fall your way. That’s not to say that when people find some success everything will automatically become easy. The challenges are still there – they just change. But knowing how to act and knowing how to be an actor are very different things. It’s a learning curve so I find it best to just focus on supporting your friends – and enjoying the joy.
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On that same note, when talking about Season 1, you describe Robert as confident and charismatic which are qualities he perceives as the most important for a young man in finance. In Season 2, do you think this perception changes? What qualities have you thought are the most important for acting, and have you been proven wrong as you have had more time in the industry?
I think in season one Robert definitely relied on a kind of faux confidence as a way of overcompensating. But he works in the very forward-facing side of the finance world, so it’s to be expected. I do think the perception of him will hopefully change a little in season two. Now he’s coming closer to settling into his own skin and accepting who he is – and perhaps how ill-suited he might be to what he does. He’s shredded a lot of the brashness and machismo of the first season, partly by choice but partly through being a victim of circumstance. I think the pandemic will have been harder for him than most of the characters in the show, because he truly is a people person. It’s his USP as a professional and now he’s been left with the bare bones of his personality. That may be great for his humanity but not so much for his self-esteem. Although perhaps he can look in the mirror now and recognise himself rather than a character he is playing – the characters we perform to people are what help us get ahead in life. And this new, moralistic Robert isn’t the one that Pierpoint hired so, to be someone he likes, and do his job becomes the challenge. It’s going to test his ethics and pressure his choices because the bank is a cutthroat ecosystem, and we have to find out whether Robert is a killer.
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Going more in-depth with season two, one conversation that I really enjoyed was one in which Robert and Nicole are discussing the difference between being a success versus being a success story. How do you conceptualize this as either Robert or yourself?
I think the concept of success is a really fragile one for Robert. From a socioeconomic perspective he clearly represents a ‘success story,’ he’s overcome a lot of hurdles to reach the place he’s at but narrative counts for very little in the world of the show, and nobody is going to congratulate you for simply existing in a different environment. You have to create, you have to thrive, you have to be a predator. At Pierpoint you’re judged in a very binary way – how much money you make, and your relationships to those who can make money. That’s how true success is measured there, you can forget your ‘story.’ Nicole has learnt that the hard way, and she’s trying to impart that wisdom on Robert. There’s also another question that I think Robert is wrestling with privately and that’s whether objective, material success can be seen as real-life, subjective success – if you are not happy? Can you be successful in the wrong thing? If it’s not something that fulfills you, if you’re not better now than when you started – does your ‘success story’ count for anything? I think Robert is still figuring that one out.
For me, I don’t particularly consider myself to be either of those things – a success or a success story. I’m so grateful for any success I’ve had, and I know I’ve come a long way but I also know that it’s very transitory, particularly in this profession and there’s no guarantee it’ll stick around. The goal posts are constantly shifting and I’m always hungry to do more, to try to learn and be better. Sometimes there can be a pressure to keep up with your own aspirations and there is always something ahead of you to chase – which can be both a good and a bad thing. It keeps you moving forward but also means you might never quite get there. Finding the line between expectation and satisfaction is really important and it’s something I’m trying to get better at. Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Everybody’s Free To Wear Sunscreen’ helps out when I’m in need or ‘Gets You Wondering’ by L.A. Salami. You’re never going to look back on your life and wish you worried more.
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“Although perhaps he can look in the mirror now and recognise himself rather than a character he is playing – the characters we perform to people are what help us get ahead in life. And this new, moralistic Robert isn’t the one that Pierpoint hired so, to be someone he likes, and do his job becomes the challenge. It’s going to test his ethics and pressure his choices because the bank is a cut throat ecosystem and we have to find out whether Robert is a killer.”
Trench Coat, Trousers,& Boots : Alexander McQueen F22
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Speaking of Nicole played by Sarah Parish, the dynamic between Robert and Nicole in their inappropriate relationship and power imbalance is one that I feel like is rare to see on screen. How would you describe Robert’s inner monologue throughout this relationship?
I really loved playing out the relationship between Robert and Nicole. Mainly because Sarah is such a stellar actor, and such a fun person to be around and I think the show is so lucky to have her. She’s a class act and I learnt a lot because there’s no waste, she has impact with every single line. But the dynamic between them is fascinating – and one that is definitely rare on screen. Essentially, it’s an inappropriate personal relationship between a young man and a middle-aged woman, where the woman has complete professional authority over him. Obviously, there is some really basic and degrading connotations to that setup – but we were determined to steer clear of that, and only ever acknowledge it in a way that was self-aware and endearing. Because there is real texture to their connection, they draw one another out and have an emotional exchange. It’s vulnerable and they make each other laugh, and gift each other confidence at a time when it’s needed. In terms of Robert’s inner monologue, I truly don’t think he has any idea what’s going on! And his thoughts on their relationship evolve massively over the arc of the show – to a point where he is even questioning his own consent and complicity in her behaviour. It’s the kind ‘messy but true’ relationship that is quintessential to our show, so hats off to Mickey and Konrad for creating it.
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In the financial sector as portrayed in the show, there’s really no work life balance. I know you said you love football and music outside of acting, so how do you find a balance between work and life?
Like everything else, it’s a work in progress. There are other things in life that I love to do and carving out the mental space for that is important. But it can be a hard thing to do and I’d be lying if I said my career wasn’t my main focus. But that will change as my life does – you hopefully grow and your universe becomes a bit bigger than just the thing that you do. But spending time with the people that I love, my closest friends and my family – that’s the best distraction. I guess that’s where I find the balance.
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Trench Coat, Trousers, & Boots : Alexander McQueen F22
Shirt: HERMES F22
You filmed Season 2 in Cardiff, right? I know in Season 1 the whole cast lived together in an apartment complex. Is there a story you can share related to bonding with the cast during Season 2 filming?
Yeah, we filmed both seasons of the show in Cardiff and I absolutely love it there. I love Wales in general and I have a lot of Welsh friends. It’s become a real home away from home – a place where I’ve got really happy memories. But when we filmed the second season, we were still gently easing out of the pandemic so we couldn’t hang out away from set as much as we would have wanted. But our main priority was keeping everyone safe and keeping the production train running. What that did do though was put more emphasis on the time we spent together at work. There was a sense amongst the cast and crew that everyone was so happy to be there, making something together – because that was all the time we had. And, you know – after such a difficult couple of years, it was a real gift for us all to be around people again.
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You have a few upcoming projects like The Pale Blue Eye and You & Me. Is there anything you can tell us about what we should look forward to?
I’m not sure if I can say too much to be honest. The Pale Blue Eye is a 19th century American gothic thriller, and You & Me is a modern British comedy drama. So it’s a mixed bag! But I had such a fantastic time doing both of them, working alongside some really kind, brilliant and distinctive people. I’m also about to start on another film with some incredible actors which will hopefully be announced soon, so it’s been a big year. But it’s been positive, I’ve really learnt so much – and I’m just happy to be here.
