Mark Strong and Lennie James attended a Television Critics Association panel for AMC’s new series “Low Winter Sun.” It’s actually a remake of a British drama series in which Strong also starred as the lead character. When the panel ended I had to make a choice of with whom to follow up, so I hope I made the right one. James is awesome too, but I thought I had more questions for Strong about playing the same character twice. In AMC’s version, he plays Frank, a Detroit cop who is assigned to investigate the murder of a fellow officer which he himself committed.
CraveOnline: Is the American version of “Low Winter Sun” a lot more physical than the original?
Mark Strong: It kind of is because it’s longer. It’s 10 hours in it rather than three. The original premise is really centering around the death of one individual and there’s more drama to be had over 10 hours than just three. So yeah, it is kind of physical. It’s gritty, it’s kind of dangerous, it’s dark, I think what people like from their TV these days.
Did the impression you got of Detroit inform you once you got your bearing in that city?
Not really, because it’s such a wonderful backdrop. It already has that kind of gritty feel about the city, that it was very easy to slip into believing that you were from there and that you lived there because its suited the writing.
Was part of the appeal of this to topline an American series?
Not really, because there had been other offers of various things over the years and I’d always kind of resisted because of the location thing. But it’s my part. I created Frank and it’s so hard as an actor to turn down the opportunity to revisit him. I can’t imagine what it must’ve been like if I’d been sitting at home watching this show on the TV thinking, “Hold on a second.”
Has that never happened to you before, where a role you played has gone on to be played by someone else?
No, never. I mean, roles I’ve turned down have gone on to be played by someone else but that’s okay because you make the decision at the time you make it and decide that it’s not for you, so I have no problem with that. But the idea that you have the opportunity to play something that you pass on is, personally, I can’t speak for all actors, but personally I really wanted to have another crack at him and move him somewhere else.
What were the sides of Frank you got excited about exploring, that you didn’t have time to dig into the first time around?
Well, the emotional depth for example because in the original, he commits a murder for the sake of the love of a woman whom he believes is his saving grace, the thing that’s going to give him a second chance at life. In the U.S. series it goes further. I don’t want to make any spoilers or anything, but that idea and that thought is taken much further. For example, you get to meet his ex-wife. In the original, I didn’t even know I had an ex-wife.
Is the sense of finality greater at the end of 10 hours than it was at the end of three?
It’s very similar actually because the end of the original, there was a very dark final note that was struck. This is kind of less brutal, but it does make you suddenly realize that the whole journey that you’ve been on is a crazy one.
Is your film schedule still pretty packed?
I’m going to squeeze a couple in before Christmas and there’s already one lurking after January, so if we come back for a second season, I’d like to keep that world ticking over too.
When you did the Edinburgh version, were you playing him Scottish?
Yeah, absolutely.
So you still haven’t played him with your real voice.
No, no, I never have. Frank has always been from somewhere other than where I’m from.
Does that inform him for you?
Yes, because the thing I like about acting, because I come from the theater, is the disconnect from me. Whether it’s costume, accents, character, whatever it is, the disconnect means that it feels like acting. To be honest with you, I don’t know how I’d play myself.
