IN CONVERSATION WITH BEN RADCLIFFE
interview by JANA LETONJA
After his breakout performance in Apple TV+’s ‘Masters of the Air’, British actor Ben Radcliffe now takes centre stage as the charmingly roguish Eric Noone in Bleeker Street’s upcoming British period comedy ‘Fackham Hall’, releasing in the US on 5th December and in the UK on 12th December. He has recently returned in Season 4 of ‘The Witcher’ and will next lead the supernatural feature ‘The Face of Horror’, and is set to star in ‘The Witcher’ spin-off film ‘The Rats’.
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Fackham Hall looks like a hilarious yet heartfelt twist on the classic British period drama. What first drew you to the script?
The script itself is laugh out loud funny. I just loved it. I’ve never felt more compelled to be involved in a project. Acting can be a very vulnerable and intimidating thing to do at times, so given the opportunity to have loads of fun whilst working, sign me up. I love spoof movies like ‘Airplane’ and ‘Naked Gun’ so I was desperate to play this role and be in one myself. I knew it would be fun and I understand that style of humour a lot, so I thought I could do something good with it. Not to mention the people involved, like Jimmy Carr, who I’m a massive fan of, and the rest of the cast. I loved every minute of it.
You play Eric Noone, a loveable pickpocket who finds himself in the world of English aristocracy. How did you prepare to step into his shoes?
We had a week of rehearsals where the amazing and hilarious director Jim O’Hanlon guided us on the style and humour, and perhaps most importantly, focused heavily on playing it straight. Nothing in this world is abnormal to these characters. That’s what makes it funny.
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‘Fackham Hall’ has been described as “Downton Abbey meets Knives Out.” How would you describe its tone?
Yeah, it’s ‘Downton Abbey’ meets ‘Airplane’ with a murder mystery thrown in there. It’s ridiculous, absurd and very funny, with a heartfelt storyline that runs through the centre. Jimmy Carr described it nicely as “a classic British period drama; boy meets girl… boy then has sex with his cousin”.
The film balances satire, romance, and a murder mystery. How did you navigate those tonal shifts as an actor?
I just committed to whatever the script needed from me in each moment. The film hilariously switches tones quite a bit, but if you stay honest to what the scene is asking for, it kind of guides you. Some moments needed to be played straight, some needed a lighter romantic touch, and some were totally heightened.
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You’ve moved seamlessly between genres, from war drama to fantasy to comedy. What do you look for when choosing a project?
There’s been a lot of variety in my career so far and I feel really lucky to have played such different roles. What usually draws me to a project is whether I feel I can do something I’m genuinely proud of with the material.
I grew up doing musical theatre, so I’ve always loved performing, and I get excited by scripts that give you big moments, scenes where you can really go for it and lean into that performative side. I also love characters who are emotionally complex and a bit contradictory. The role I’m playing at the moment in ‘The Age of Innocence’ is definitely the most complicated challenge I’ve had yet.
For me, it’s also about the experience I’m going to have on set, the people, the collaboration, the environment. That matters more to me than anything. But I will say, I’m very excited to see how people respond to ‘Fackham Hall’.
In ‘Masters of the Air’, you worked alongside some incredible talent. What was that experience like, especially given its emotional scale?
There were some incredible actors on ‘Masters of the Air’ and being around them taught me a lot. One of the biggest things I learned on that job was being brave enough to stay completely natural on camera. As actors, you sometimes feel this pressure to give your “best” or most polished version of yourself, but real life isn’t polished.
Watching the guys work, I realised how much truth there is in the small, throwaway behaviours. I remember seeing guys doing stuff like picking their nose or itching, and it’s funny, but that’s real life. The little human things you don’t plan. Leaning into that made the performance feel more honest, especially with material that emotional. It was a huge learning curve and I had a great time doing it.
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One of your upcoming projects ‘The Face of Horror’ is a ghost story set in 14th-century England inspired by Japanese folklore. What intrigued you about that world?
Well, it was mainly the character and the director that drew me to the project. Anna Biller’s a real artist and I had a feeling her next film was going to be something pretty unique. The character I play, Roger, is super flamboyant with this darker edge to him which gave me the chance to do a big, fun performance and work with some great people. I honestly really enjoyed playing him. It was bold, a bit wild and very theatrical.
You can currently be seen starring in ‘The Witcher’ spin-off ‘The Rats’. What can you share about stepping back into that universe?
Again, I had fun. It has the same gritty, magical feel people love in ‘The Witcher’, but our show has its own energy. It’s a bit younger and a bit more chaotic. My character gets thrown into this world of misfits who are all very chaotic, and being part of that dynamic was great. The scale of the world is massive, so getting to jump back into that level of production with all the stunt work and world-building was something I really enjoyed.
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Fantasy often demands physicality and imagination — how do you prepare for that kind of world-building performance?
Being in a fantasy world definitely feels a bit more dramatic. The stakes are higher and everything’s heightened, so the challenge is finding that balance between staying natural and not slipping into melodrama. But that’s what makes it fun. It pushes you to use your imagination while still keeping the performance grounded.
You’ve worked with some of the biggest names in film, from John Travolta to Damian Lewis. Who has left the biggest impression on you personally or professionally?
Working with John Travolta was honestly surreal. He’s such an icon and I learned a lot from just watching him work. We’ve actually been talking about potentially doing another film together, so that’s been really exciting.
Thomasin McKenzie was amazing on ‘Fackham Hall’. She’s so present and connected. You feel like she’s truly listening to every word, which is such a gift as a scene partner. I also loved working with Tom Felton and I’m really proud and excited to see everything he’s doing on Broadway at the moment.
And then I really admire guys like Callum Turner and Austin Butler, and the kinds of projects they have worked on. I’ve taken little pieces from everyone I’ve worked with.
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When you are not busy on set, how do you like to unwind and recharge?
When I’m not working, I like to stay busy. My friends are all very creative in different fields, so we love getting together and making our own projects. There’s something I’ve been writing and working on for a little while that I hope to one day bring to life and develop with a network.
I love theatre and learning new skills, like piano and guitar. I’ve been working a lot on my singing. It’s slow progress though. And exercise. I love going boxing. There’s a great place called JAB Boxing Club I go to every week when I’m in London. And then golf, I’m a big fan of golf.
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TEAM CREDITS:
talent BEN RADCLIFFE
photography DAVID REISS
styling HOLLY MACNAGHTEN at A-Frame Agency
grooming BJORN KRISCHKER at The Wall Group using Mario Badescu and Hair by Sam McKnight
skin prep DEBBIE THOMAS CLINIC
photography assistant STEFANIA CARLI
editor TIMOTEJ LETONJA
editorial director and interview JANA LETONJA
