IN CONVERSATION WITH PHOEBE FOX
interview by JANA LETONJA
Phoebe Fox is back on our screens this autumn in WAR, the major new legal drama from Hijack, Lupin and Killing Eve creator George Kay. Set among London’s legal elite, the series begins with a scandalous divorce that quickly becomes the “divorce case of the century”, pitting two rival firms against one another as loyalties, careers and reputations come under pressure. Ahead of WAR’s October premiere, we caught up with Phoebe to talk about stepping into Serena’s world, the appeal of a great legal battle, working with the show’s formidable ensemble, and a career that has taken her from The Great to Task.
What was it about WAR that immediately made you want to be part of it?
I was drawn to the sharpness, of the writing. George Kay is able to hook you off the page.
Serena is an owner of Taylor & Byrne and operates in an incredibly competitive, high-pressure environment. What interested you about playing a woman with that level of power and authority?
I was attracted to the speed of her mind, but I have to say I was unprepared for just how enjoyable it is to play someone with power. Serena walks into the office and people scatter. I can see how that becomes addictive.
How much research did you do into elite London law firms and the world of high-stakes divorce before filming? Was there anything that surprised you?
I talked to a woman who works as a divorce lawyer, as I wanted to gauge the temperature around being pregnant in a professional environment, how accepted is it? Would Serena mask her early pregnancy or celebrate it? Would she still totter around on high heels when she’s in her third trimester?
The series revolves around the so-called “divorce case of the century”. Without giving too much away, what makes this particular case so explosive for Serena and the people around her?
The amount of money at stake is astronomical. But Taylor and Byrne is in its infancy and they are betting everything financially on winning. Losing is not an option for them.
WAR is as much about loyalties, relationships and reputation as it is about the law. What do you think the series reveals about what happens to people when winning becomes everything?
You understand how easily it can become about winning over everything else. To the detriment of your relationships. How it can drive people to make terrible decisions.
George Kay has created some brilliantly tense television with Hijack, Lupin and Killing Eve. What did you enjoy about the way he writes tension and shifting allegiances in WAR?
He has a knack for weaving multiple characters into a tight web. Whilst keeping the tone light, funny even.
Last year audiences also saw you in Task, which is a very different world from WAR. What did playing Sara give you that you hadn’t had the opportunity to explore before?
I loved doing Task. Finding the human behind quite a tough exterior was a good challenge. And working with Mark Ruffalo was wonderful.
Has there been a role in your career that changed the way people in the industry saw you, or changed the way you saw yorself as an actor?
I think playing Marial in The Great may have revealed to many people that I can be funny.
Outside of acting, what keeps you fulfilled?
I love to have a project. I am currently renovating our house which is both overwhelming and immensely satisfying.
TEAM CREDITS:
photography PIP
styling FARRAH O’CONNOR
hair and makeup SAM BASHAM
interview JANA LETONJA
