As anticipation builds for the BBC’s gripping thriller Nightsleeper, star Gabriel Howell is poised to capture audiences with his compelling performance. Known for his acclaimed role as Elias in Bodies, Howell is ready to take on the intense and immersive world of Nightsleeper, set aboard a suspense-filled sleeper train. In our exclusive interview, he reflects on what drew him to this nail-biting real-time drama and the unique challenges of stepping into such a confined setting. As Howell transitions from gritty dramas to leading roles in high-profile projects like Universal Pictures’ live-action How To Train Your Dragon, he shares insights on his evolution as an actor and what lies ahead in his promising career. Join us as we delve into the mind of this rising star and explore the artistry behind his diverse roles.
Photographer: By Pip
1. Gabriel, you’re about to star in BBC’s highly anticipated thriller, Nightsleeper. Can you tell us what drew you to this nail-biting real-time drama set on a sleeper train, and how it felt to work alongside actors like Alex Roach?
It was the pace of it. Nick [Leather]’s scripts were just so brilliantly stressful. He shoves you right in the middle of it all and doesn’t give you a moment to breathe. It’s great. You want to look away from the car crash of it all but you can’t. I wanted to keep reading as whenever I got to the end of an episode, I had no idea where it was going to go and I think that’s going to translate for you guys on screen. I loved the size of the problem these characters had too – cyber-attacks are mind boggling. It’s solving a puzzle that continues to change and evolve in front of your eyes. Like a Rubik’s cube that’s solving you.
Alex is wicked. She has the ability to make you want to follow her character to the ends of the earth. You just want to be right by her side as she faces everything that’s stacked up against her. It’s beautiful to watch her sculpt a performance day to day. We actually trained at the same drama school so it was cool to have that shared language with an actor I respect so much and to see her cogs whirring in the same way I hope mine do. She is laser focused, wonderfully generous and has a ridiculous stamina. Yep. 10/10. Big fan. Would defo work with her again. Is she asking?
2. In Bodies, your portrayal of Elias received widespread acclaim, and the show was a massive success globally. How did playing such a pivotal character in a complex series help shape you as an actor, and how do you feel about the impact it’s had on your career?
I’d be guessing if I tried to tell you what impact it had on my career. Who knows? Let’s say a good one! Saying that, I do feel like a very different actor post-Bodies and post-Elias. I was completely terrified after I got the part – it’s all fun and games until you have to actually do the thing. It was my first time on a set of that size, my first time in a series and my first time working with people like Stephen who I’d idolised for years, and it all happened all at once. I learnt so much… Most importantly that it’s probably best not to say “yes” to a coffee every time someone asks because you’ll be shaking by lunchtime.
I just had to hold on tight to the feeling of really wanting was to fight Elia’s corner, to back him and look after him. He came to me at a time in my life when I was really trying to connect to and look after my ‘child-self’. The idea that there’s a little kid version of ourselves needing the compassion we rarely afford ourselves as adults. Elias just was that. The child-self, the wolf cub…who then turns into a big old scary wolf. We were side by side the whole time and he was the perfect character to get thrown into the deep end with. He taught me the importance of loving your character even when the story doesn’t and to take up the space you need as an actor on set to do the work you want to do.
3. Stepping into the world of fantasy with Universal Pictures’ live-action How To Train Your Dragon is a huge shift from your previous roles. How are you preparing for the challenges of being part of such an iconic franchise, and what excites you most about playing this character?
Ha! Yeah. Those are some big fluffy boots to fill. But we had Dean [DeBlois]! Any fear we had was assuaged by his belief in us, his love for the story and his excitement at getting to make it. There are no safer hands to hold the franchise. None. And if he trusts you then, what’s there to stress about?
I was just over the moon to be invited into the world! Cressida [Cowell]’s books were such a huge part of my childhood. I think it’s vital that good children’s books exist and this is really up there with the best of them. We would listen to David Tennant reading the audiobooks on our long summer holiday drives to the Isle of Skye, which if you’ve never been, is essentially Berk and my imagination would run wild. Those are real core memories for me. And then there’s Dean’s perfect animated movies, John’s stupidly beautiful soundtrack… I was just more excited to be a part of it all than anything else.
4. You’ve taken on roles in both intense dramas and now, an epic fantasy. What would you say are the biggest differences in your approach when preparing for a grounded role in a real-world setting like Nightsleeper versus something as imaginative as How To Train Your Dragon?
I think with HTTYD the goal was actually to not see it as hugely different. It’s a big world with big characters – and, well… dragons but what makes it such a great story is that we see ourselves in these Vikings and in Toothless too. Just look at those eyes! Hearts are hearts and Snotlout has one just the same as Tobi and Elias. It’s important for me to find a strong foundation for all these guys, something I know, believe and feel in my chest so I still have that when I’m riding a Monstrous Nightmare… which was as cool as it sounds.
Photographer: By Pip
5. As an actor, how do you balance staying grounded in the moment while navigating between projects that vary so much in scale and tone, from gritty dramas to blockbuster fantasy films?
Lots of dog walks.
Also, just watching great work. Watching brilliant actors be brilliant is the best medicine to bring you back to the drawing board of ‘how the fuck do I do that?!’ I watched a show at the Old Vic recently called Machinal and the lead in that, Rosie Sheehy, made me want to quit – which I mean as the highest compliment. She was breathtaking. It’s very grounding to be completely astonished by someone else’s work.
6. With Nightsleeper being set in real-time, the stakes for the characters feel heightened, especially in such a confined setting. How did this unique storytelling style influence your performance, and how did you prepare mentally for the tension that the story demands?
It just felt important to hold it all in my head, turn up the heat gradually and not jump to boiling point too quickly. To know which hour of the night it was, how many coffees deep Tobi was, how many hours of staring at a screen it had been and what information he did and didn’t have at any given time. I wanted to keep the ball in the air, keep the heart rate high and stakes of the ever-expanding threat as real as possible… The coffee was most important, I really like coffee.
7. You’ve worked with some incredible talent early in your career. What have been some of the key lessons or advice you’ve received from your co-stars and directors that have shaped your approach to acting?
I have! It’s tricky, the great ones tend to not give advice and you just have to pick up any crumbs they drop like a weird actor Hansel and Gretel type situation. That being said, I’m yet to be shoved into an oven by one of my heroes… there’s time. I just love getting to observe these actors I’ve looked up to for years do their thing – sculpting a character and making mistakes. That’s the most invaluable bit. The bit I feel most grateful to get to see.
I tried to steal all that I could from Nick Frost as he’s a proper hero of mine. He doesn’t really leave set and just sits and watches whenever he’s not on camera. He keeps amongst the rhythm of the day, stays focused and present until wrap. That’s special.
8. 2025 is set to be a standout year for you. As you look ahead, watt kind of roles and stories are you most excited to explore, and how do you envision your career evolving over the next few years?
Oh man, I just want to keep on doing it. Keep on keeping on… Working and learning and getting to do it. That’s what’s exciting for me. There’s a DVD shelf of my career in my mind and I want to be surprised by what’s on there in the years to come.
Photographer: By Pip
Photographer: By Pip
Styling: Keeley Dawson
Grooming: Charlie Cullen
Clothing credits:
Knitwear and trousers – Olive
Belt – GH Bass
