IN CONVERSATION WITH KARLA CROME
interview by JANA LETONJA
Karla Crome is an acclaimed British actress, writer, and producer whose career spans award-winning television, film, theatre, and screenwriting. Recognized by Screen International as a “Star of Tomorrow,” she has built a reputation for emotionally rich performances in series such as Misfits, Murder, Carnival Row, Under the Dome, Am I Being Unreasonable?, and recent hits including Toxic Town and Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen. Beyond acting, she’s an accomplished writer and creator, with her upcoming Sky Original thriller Possession marking a major milestone as creator, writer, and executive producer. Whether in front of the camera or behind the scenes, Karla continues to tell compelling stories that explore complex characters and timely social themes.
You’ve built an impressive career across acting, writing, and producing. Which role feels most creatively fulfilling today?
I’m easily bored so the most fulfilling career for me is also the most varied. I like switching things up and being both in front of and behind the camera.
Possession is your own creation. What first inspired the story, and why was it important for you to tell it now?
Possession was inspired by an idea from Jefferson Bannis, about an eyewitness to slavery living to the present day and launching a legal case for his own reparations. I was really taken by this fantastic, magical idea and the story grew from there. I think there is a lot of weighty, political discourse around reparations, but I wanted to make a personal story that lead from the heart.
The series explores colonialism, inheritance, and historical injustice. How did you balance these weighty themes with the demands of a gripping thriller?
Our show isn’t really interested in intellectual discourse, it’s about our characters and their survival. Our protagonist Claudia is a detective pulling at string that leads her to terrifying discoveries, about real colonial history and her own identity. In our show, the ghosts of the past are literal. The past comes back to haunt us. While we don’t shy away from these weighty themes, the journey we are on with Claudia is always pacy and entertaining.
What was the biggest challenge of wearing three hats—creator, writer, and executive producer—on Possession?
I think it’s marrying the practical and creative elements of film making. Our show is a supernatural thriller, with high energy set pieces, stunts and visual and special effects. You want to create an exciting high quality piece of work, but you also need to adhere to a budget and be adaptive. I changed scenes last minute to account for torrential Jamaican rainfall, or because a piece of filming equipment broke and we couldn’t source another on the island. You have to think on your feet and you can’t be precious.
You’re appearing in Sharon Horgan’s Youth. What drew you to that project, and what can audiences expect?
I love comedy and I was really excited to work with Sharon. I think she’s so smart. The show is an often painfully relatable study of aging, relationships and parenting. It’s very much a supporting role, but without giving too much away, I knew from the moment I read the script I’d have a lot of fun playing this part.
You’re also currently filming the final season of Am I Being Unreasonable? How has Lucy evolved since audiences first met her?
I think initially, Lucy served to counter Nic’s relationship with Jen. Nic and Jen have this kind of wild, all or nothing friendship. Jen is a much more intriguing prospect to Nic than her neighbour Lucy. Lucy is a goodie two shoes, nosy, irritating. She’s also, ostensibly, the perfect wife and mother. But in reality, she’s in an unhappy marriage and desperate to form meaningful friendships. By series 3, Lucy’s definitely broken free and found her wild side. I’ve loved playing her.
Comedy and psychological thrillers require very different instincts. Do you consciously shift your approach depending on the genre?
Not really. I just try to be truthful in the moment. Obviously you dial up the volume sometimes, but I’m always aiming to talk and move like a real person. I think I’m funnier when I play it for ‘real’. If the writing is strong, the intention will come through whether it’s tension or light relief. My job as an actor is not to play a ‘state’, only to believe what I’m saying at the moment I say it.
Theatre has always been an important part of your career. What does performing live give you that film and television can’t?
I think it makes you a better actor, just by virtue of the fact you get to start a characters journey and finish it in real time. You build momentum. Filming jumps back and forth in time and I’ve never filmed scenes in order they are written, so unless you stay on top of it, you can definitely pitch it wrong.
You won a IdeasTap Award and Holden Street Theatres award for Mush and Meand have written for several successful television series. Has writing changed the way you approach acting?
It was so nice to be acknowledged and have that platform as a young writer in my 20s. It undoubtedly opened doors for me. I don’t think it’s changed my approach to acting. I’ve always been very respectful of writers. I guess now I’m even more aware how gruelling it is to make it to a shooting script. You have to assume many eyes have been on the script before it landed on your desk, so I do my best to deliver the words as the writer intended.
With such a busy schedule, how do you decide which acting roles to accept and which writing projects to pursue?
It depends. Sometimes there are practical, economic reasons for taking a job, and sometimes creative ones. I have to consider if I’ll be away from my family, for how long and whether it will move my career in the right direction. No two jobs are the same.
Looking ahead, is there a dream role, genre, or story you haven’t tackled yet that you’d love the opportunity to explore?
I’d love to write comedy and I’d love to write a part I could play.
TEAM CREDITS:
talent KARLA CROME
photography PIP BOURDILLON
styling FARRAH O'CONNOR
hair STEFAN BERTIN
makeup KENNETH SOH
styling assistant AKOS GECZI BANDI
interview JANA LETONJA