IN CONVERSATION WITH IMMY WATERHOUSE

Immy Waterhouse is starring in hit AppleTV+ show ‘The Buccaneers’, which returns for its second season on 18th June. Outside of acting, Immy is also a fashion darling and creative at heart, with a particular passion for directing. 

Season two of ‘The Buccaneers’ is just around the corner. What can fans expect from Jinny’s journey this time around?

I’m curious to see how audiences respond to Jinny this season. When we meet her again, she’s in Italy, having left her whole support system and way of life behind to get away from Seadown. She’s completely uprooted, trying to adapt to a foreign place and she’s doing it as a new mother. This season explores Jinny trying to find her footing and figure out who she is despite everything that’s happened to her. Her journey this season is deeply tied to motherhood, she’s learning how to be a parent but also still be an individual and even as everything around her is falling apart, she’s discovering a new kind of agency. She’s trying to reclaim her narrative, but it’s not easy. She really is put through it again this season and pushed to extremes. It was a gift to be able to tap into the nuances of Jinny.

Jinny’s arc as a mother and survivor is deeply emotional. How did you prepare for such a complex evolution of her character?

Informing myself about the reality of domestic abuse was important to me to bring truth to my portrayal. Statistically, it takes an average of seven attempts for a woman to leave an abusive partner and trying to do that in the 1800s, it adds a layer of weight to Jinny’s experience given the historical context. I’ve always approached Jinny without judgement. She is a whole person, flawed and complicated. I looked for the parts of her I could relate to and used that as my way of understanding her to honour that. I find writing diary entries as the character is a good tool for me to be able to get into her mindset. It’s easy to watch and be like “What is she doing?” But there’s so much going on under the surface that attributes to her decision making, so having empathy for her journey was necessary. 

What was the most challenging moment on set this season, emotionally or creatively?

Jinny does have a lot of quite heavy scenes and it does get a bit draining being on the edge of emotion all the time. You kind of get to a point where you don’t know if you can muster another tear. That said, I was lucky enough to shoot in Croatia for part of the season, so our surroundings kept morale high. If we get another season, I’m going to try to convince the writers to have us, all the girls, spontaneously move to Barbados or something. But in all seriousness, it was such a supportive set that even the tougher days never felt too heavy. And if you’re having an emotional day, sometimes the best thing is to bring it to set and use it. It’s probably the only workplace where you can be like “Quick! Roll camera while I’m spiraling!” 

You’ve stepped behind the camera for your sister Suki’s music videos and even some TV work. What draws you to directing?

I’m a bit obsessed with world-building, taking all these individual pieces and figuring out how they come together to create something that works emotionally and visually​​. Directing taps into the part of me that likes problem solving and the satisfaction of everything coming together. With acting, you’re stepping into someone else’s vision and although it’s sometimes nice to have the guidance of another person figuring out the scene for you, with directing, I get to steer the ship. They, acting and directing, really use two completely different parts of me, and I love the creative balance of both. 

Directing a family member like Suki must be both fun and intense. What was the creative dynamic like between you two?

Working with my sister feels natural, it’s instinctive and filterless. I think we’ve always been sounding boards for each other in life, so this doesn’t feel any different. We’ll throw ideas at each other and because we share blood, there’s this real trust there where we can be brutally honest without either of us taking it personally, and that makes for such a creatively open space. 

Do you approach acting differently now that you’ve experienced storytelling from the director’s chair?

Not really, maybe a bit more sympathy for the director. But when I’m acting, I fully respect the director’s vision. I’m there to serve the story, not to overstep or start directing from within the scene. That separation is really important to me.

I know how important it is to stay open on both sides of the camera. If a scene isn’t landing the way you imagined it, you have to be willing to pivot, let go of your original plan and figure out how to make it work. It’s taught me not to hold too tightly to any one idea because the best stuff often comes from that flexibility.

You’ve been described as a fashion darling. How do you define your personal style today?

Honestly, I don’t think my style has changed all that much ever. I’ve always been a floppy girl, a bit allergic to anything too structured or tight, but I do try and elevate the flop sometimes. I seem to bounce between “retired 80s male gymnastics coach” and “90s singer-songwriter doing an acoustic set in a bookstore.” There’s really no in-between.

If I have an effortless vibe, I think that’s mostly down to a genuine lack of effort, but when I’m comfortable, I feel confident, and with confidence, I kind of think anything can pass as style. 

What role does fashion play in your creative self-expression, both on and off set?

Fashion plays a huge role in how I express myself. On set, especially in something like ‘The Buccaneers’, I’m often stuffed into these wild Victorian corsets and gowns that are both beautiful and a bit torturous. By the end of the day, you really feel what it must’ve been like physically for women back then. Like damn, you couldn’t even have a gentle frolic without nearly breaking a rib. It can be scary to sneeze. But the discomfort can help, it totally transforms your posture, your movement, your whole mindset.

Off set, fashion is more intuitive for me. It’s an honest form of self-expression. If I feel great, I’ll usually dress like it. If I feel rough, I’ll probably be dressed in some version of a sack.

Where do you draw inspiration from, whether for a role, a fashion look, or a visual project?

I actually just deleted TikTok off my phone because I got scared I was losing the ability to have an original thought, and it also freaked me out that I kept falling for AI edits. So, I’ve been going back to basics, like watching great films and TV. Listening to music is an especially big one for me. I’ll hear a song and suddenly I’ve imagined an entire scene or I can picture scenarios that aren’t real but have me on the verge of tears. It’s like a fast track to emotion. Other than that, I really try and make the most of living in London and going to visit exhibitions and watch shows. I recently saw this Marseille-based dance company called La Horde, and I left the show feeling like my molecules were rearranged, it was phenomenal. I also draw inspiration from my friends and the people around me, the stories I hear from them. I’ve got so many random notes on my phone of the best bits. 

What does success feel like to you at this stage in your career?

I think as a society we have a really high bar for what it means to be successful and it’s hard to not let success be about external validation. But for me right now, it’s just getting to do work I care about and being able to live off it. The creative industry can be brutal, so honestly just being employed feels like a win right now.

What kind of stories do you hope to tell in the future, either in front of or behind the camera?

I’ve always been drawn to character-driven stories. From directors like Andrea Arnold, her film ‘Fish Tank’, or Lynne Ramsay’s ‘Morvern Callar’, they both have this incredible ability to capture the rawness of everyday life. I’d love to be a part of that kind of storytelling whether I’m in front of the camera or behind it. Basically, anything that makes you forget you’re watching a film because it just feels like real life. Beyond that, there’s so much amazing stuff being created by new voices. It's exciting to think of all the possibilities. It would be cool to do some comedy too.

CREDITS:

photography MADDI JEAN WATERHOUSE