The world at her feet
Charlotte Riley opens up to TV Magazine about her superstar fiance Tom Hardy and her role in new period drama World Without End
On top of the World... Charlotte Riley and co-star Cynthia Nixon in World Without End
By OLIVER GRADY
Last Updated: 11th January 2013
SHE’S gorgeous, engaged to brooding Hollywood actor Tom Hardy and refreshingly down to earth.
And if Charlotte Riley didn’t have enough going for her already, she is also about to become one of the most talked-about actresses of the year.
While the star from Teeside has already graced our screens in everything from Holby City to ITV drama The Town, her starring role in medieval mini-series World Without End – C4’s biggest show of the new year – will really put her on the map.
“I play Caris, a strong-minded young woman who wants more from life than marriage,” reveals Charlotte as we meet over a cuppa in London’s Soho.
“The drama begins in 1327 in the English village of Kingsbridge and it’s a big ensemble piece about King, Queen and Country.”
While Caris isn’t interested in settling down, she does have an admirer in childhood friend Merthin (Tom Weston-Jones).
And there is one particular love scene they filmed which still makes Charlotte cringe.
“I wasn’t very well when we did it so I was like: ‘Get me out of here because I’m going to puke on poor, naked Tom,’” laughs Charlotte, 31, with her head in her hands. “Those scenes are never romantic anyway, but feeling sick isn’t ideal.”
US actress Cynthia Nixon, 46, plays Caris’ aunt Petranilla, and Sex And The City fan Charlotte says she found it difficult not to come over all geeky.
“I had to stop myself saying to Cynthia: ‘Oh my God, what was it like working with Sarah Jessica Parker?’” she admits. “You can’t be like that, so I didn’t ask her too many questions. She was lovely, though, and has the most dry sense of humour.”
Charlotte spent six months in Hungary, Austria and Slovakia filming the series, which is a sequel to 2010 TV series The Pillars Of The Earth, miles away from her actor fiance Tom.
Was that hard on their relationship?
“No, we just make it work,” she smiles. “It’s a mixture of Skype and emails.”
The couple got engaged in 2010 but Tom, 35, has joked that a date hasn’t been set as Charlotte is a “difficult woman to pin down”.
“That’s not true at all,” she laughs. “He’s a cheeky bugger. We are desperate to do it, but I’ll never have a celebrity wedding. It will be low-key with family and friends. I really want kids too, but that will happen when it happens.”
Cruise in control Charlotte and Tom met playing lovers Cathy and Heathcliff in ITV’s 2009 adaptation of Wuthering Heights and, later that year, also co-starred in Sky1’s The Take.
They almost shared the screen yet again in The Dark Knight Rises as Charlotte auditioned for the role of Catwoman, which went to Anne Hathaway.
“I wasn’t gutted – it’s part of acting to not get stuff,” Charlotte reasons. “If you are not right for the part, you’re not right.”
Not that she needs to worry about the roles that got away.
Next up, she’s starring in a big-budget action flick, All You Need Is Kill, with none other than Tom Cruise.
“Tom is the nicest guy,” she reveals.
“The enthusiasm he has on set is totally infectious. He motivated everyone, keeping us on time. I even met his daughter Suri. She came on set and brought everyone cupcakes so I let her pick which one I got. She’s a very gorgeous little girl.”
Now she’s making big movies with even bigger names, does that mean Charlotte has conquering Hollywood firmly in her sights?
“I can’t ever see myself moving to LA,” she admits, looking uncomfortable at the thought. “I don’t really have a big future plan, I just pick roles that I find interesting. It sounds naff but I just try to live in the moment.”
While the star from Teeside has already graced our screens in everything from Holby City to ITV drama The Town, her starring role in medieval mini-series World Without End – C4’s biggest show of the new year – will really put her on the map.
“I play Caris, a strong-minded young woman who wants more from life than marriage,” reveals Charlotte as we meet over a cuppa in London’s Soho.
“The drama begins in 1327 in the English village of Kingsbridge and it’s a big ensemble piece about King, Queen and Country.”
While Caris isn’t interested in settling down, she does have an admirer in childhood friend Merthin (Tom Weston-Jones).
Two hot... Charlotte with her fiance, Tom Hardy
And there is one particular love scene they filmed which still makes Charlotte cringe.
“I wasn’t very well when we did it so I was like: ‘Get me out of here because I’m going to puke on poor, naked Tom,’” laughs Charlotte, 31, with her head in her hands. “Those scenes are never romantic anyway, but feeling sick isn’t ideal.”
US actress Cynthia Nixon, 46, plays Caris’ aunt Petranilla, and Sex And The City fan Charlotte says she found it difficult not to come over all geeky.
“I had to stop myself saying to Cynthia: ‘Oh my God, what was it like working with Sarah Jessica Parker?’” she admits. “You can’t be like that, so I didn’t ask her too many questions. She was lovely, though, and has the most dry sense of humour.”
Charlotte spent six months in Hungary, Austria and Slovakia filming the series, which is a sequel to 2010 TV series The Pillars Of The Earth, miles away from her actor fiance Tom.
Was that hard on their relationship?
“No, we just make it work,” she smiles. “It’s a mixture of Skype and emails.”
The couple got engaged in 2010 but Tom, 35, has joked that a date hasn’t been set as Charlotte is a “difficult woman to pin down”.
“That’s not true at all,” she laughs. “He’s a cheeky bugger. We are desperate to do it, but I’ll never have a celebrity wedding. It will be low-key with family and friends. I really want kids too, but that will happen when it happens.”
Cruise in control Charlotte and Tom met playing lovers Cathy and Heathcliff in ITV’s 2009 adaptation of Wuthering Heights and, later that year, also co-starred in Sky1’s The Take.
The Heights of passion... Charlotte met Tom on the set of Wuthering Heights
ITV
They almost shared the screen yet again in The Dark Knight Rises as Charlotte auditioned for the role of Catwoman, which went to Anne Hathaway.
“I wasn’t gutted – it’s part of acting to not get stuff,” Charlotte reasons. “If you are not right for the part, you’re not right.”
Not that she needs to worry about the roles that got away.
Next up, she’s starring in a big-budget action flick, All You Need Is Kill, with none other than Tom Cruise.
“Tom is the nicest guy,” she reveals.
“The enthusiasm he has on set is totally infectious. He motivated everyone, keeping us on time. I even met his daughter Suri. She came on set and brought everyone cupcakes so I let her pick which one I got. She’s a very gorgeous little girl.”
Now she’s making big movies with even bigger names, does that mean Charlotte has conquering Hollywood firmly in her sights?
“I can’t ever see myself moving to LA,” she admits, looking uncomfortable at the thought. “I don’t really have a big future plan, I just pick roles that I find interesting. It sounds naff but I just try to live in the moment.”
I can really get used to all these interviews coming from Charlotte, I hope everyone who caught WWE this past saturday enjoyed it.