Laura Marcus is no stranger to the demands of diverse roles, seamlessly transitioning from the zany Jinx in *Bad Education* to her delicate portrayal of Caitlin in the upcoming The Jetty. As she prepares to dive into this new role opposite Jenna Coleman, Laura reveals her approach to crafting such varied characters. “For me, it’s all about finding their tempo and physicality,” she explains. Whether embodying the lively Jinx or the introspective Caitlin, Marcus employs classic techniques to deeply understand and inhabit her characters’ worlds. With The Jetty marking yet another intriguing chapter in her career, Marcus’s insights into character development and her experiences on set offer a captivating glimpse into her dynamic range as an actress. Our features editor, Sofia Deus, had the pleasure of chatting with Laura about this exciting new role.
Photographer: Lewis Vorn
1. Laura, you have an impressive range of roles, from Jinx in Bad Education to your upcoming part in The Jetty opposite Jenna Coleman. How do you approach developing such diverse characters, and what excites you most about your role in The Jetty?
For me, be it a comedic character like Jinx or a dramatic character like Caitlin, my first call is to try and find their tempo and physicality. I love classic practices, like Laban, that give you a vocabulary for a how a person exists within the world. Jinx is a springy little pixie toad so she thinks and moves a lot quicker. She’s a flicker. Having played her for two years, I was drawn to Caitlin for being the complete opposite. When we meet Caitlin in The Jetty, she is extremely fragile and unsure of her identity. Her tempo is much slower as she tentative, curious, and afraid to take up space – which is essentially everything I’m not. I’m like a whippet so Jinx wasn’t a stretch.
2. Your performance in Bad Education has been widely praised. Can you share any particularly memorable or funny moments from the set, and how do you think the show has impacted your career?
My gosh there are so many – all of us were actual nightmares on that set. Whenever the cameras were down we’d create New York Mafia boss personas that we would adopt for hours on end. There were fatalities, shoot outs, romances, and terrible Italian-American accents. I played Tony, the Grand Madonna’s (Asha Hassan) bodyguard.
The show had a huge impact on my career as it was my first series regular role and it taught me everything I needed to know about making TV. Also filming during Bad Ed is like bootcamp. You shoot seven episodes in seven weeks, in a heatwave, on about 3 hours sleep, surrounded by drag queens. All whilst trying to learn a fully choreographed Christmas special. It’s wild.
3. Starring alongside legends like Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson in The Great Escaper must have been an incredible experience. What were some key takeaways or lessons from working with such iconic actors?
Glenda and Micheal are obviously some of the most legendary actors of all time and to have my name next to theirs was something I will always be grateful for. After I got cast it took me a while to stop thinking I may be a hologram. Both of their performances in this film were so touching and it’s truly a masterclass from start to finish. My main takeaway from their performances was that there is no age limit to talent and professionalism. Stories deserve to be told from a variety of perspectives – it’s how we grow to understand one another and nobody should be underestimated for their ability to do so.
4. You’ve been involved in various genres, including drama in Tom Jones and Miss Scarlet and the Duke, and comedy in Bad Education. Which genre do you find most challenging, and why?
Honestly, I have always had such a love for both comedy and drama. I think both genres have their challenges because they require you to be vulnerable in different ways. In comedy, there’s something really exposing about allowing yourself to be a complete and utter tit. You can’t be off the cuff or spontaneous with your cast if you’re too bogged down in being a perfectionist. It’s weirdly therapeutic. Drama on the other hand is exposing in an entirely different way. You’re letting the world see the darker parts of you which can be a daunting prospect and the process to do that is also sometimes emotionally taxing. It’s headphones on, Hans Zimmer, non-verbal mode and being comfortable with feeling a fair bit of discomfort – but actors love all that sadistic shit – or at least I do.
5. Your award-winning short film, The Massive F*cking Bender, showcases your talents as a writer, editor, director, and actor. What inspired this project, and how did the experience of creating it influence your perspective on filmmaking?
The Massive F*cking Bender started as a Covid lovechild after my now creative partner / producer Daniel asked me to make the film for a lockdown film festival called The Indoors Project. My main goal was always to make something silly that would make my Nan or my mates smile during such uncertain times so when it hit the BFI I was truly gobsmacked. I made the short from my bedroom with a couple of desk lamps for lighting, edited in iMovie and had a budget of £8.99. To see it up there with some serious talent was unreal. It taught me that you don’t need all the bells and whistles to make magic. It also was the thing that got me my agent (who is epic). So, to any budding actors or filmmakers, I hope this is reassuring to know that sometimes dressing up as a monobrowed, Marlboro Red-smoking, checkout lady is enough to get your foot in the door.
Photographer: Lewis Vorn
6. With your role in the second season of The Devil’s Hour on Amazon, what can fans expect from your character’s development, and how does it feel to join such a compelling series alongside Peter Capaldi?
Amazing! I was a huge fan of series one (and of course a Malcom Tucker stan) so it was truly a joy to be a part of. My character has a really rough time I won’t lie but it’s a brilliant and intelligent show that I think everyone is going to be gripped by.
7. As a young actress with a rapidly growing career, what advice would you give to aspiring actors looking to break into the industry, and how do you balance your acting projects with your passion for writing and directing?
Make taking care of yourself part of your job. It’s so easy when you start out to want to jump through hurdles made of literal fire in order to make a dent in this industry but doing more doesn’t always mean doing better. Staying up until 4AM to finish a draft or learn your lines will, more often than not, do you a disservice. Work hard in your working hours but also go to the pub, watch the Kardashians, take that break, GO TO BED, and please please say no to things that you don’t have enough hours in the day for. Your work will be much better for it I promise.
8. Finally, can you tell us more about your current projects and any future plans or considerations you have? Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
LOTS! I am currently shooting something really exciting for Netflix which will be out next year. It is called Death By Lightning and I am playing Mollie Garfield – the daughter of the 20th POTUS, President Garfield, who is played by Michael Shannon. It retells the story of his presidency and subsequent assassination. Otherwise, I am developing a pilot based on The Massive F*cking Bender with a broadcaster at the moment and have a really exciting short coming out created by Mr Mr films that is a full Buffy The Vampire Slayer fantasy (+ it has a stonking cast). So, to all you 90’s / 00’s babies, prepare yourself for a fluffy, bloody nightmare.
All episodes of The Jetty are available to watch on BBC Iplayer
Credits:
Photographer: Lewis Vorn
Styling: Tilly Wheating
Stylist Assistant: Alice Dench
Hair: Sophie Sugarman
Make-up: Justine Jenkins
