David Tennant Talks To The Independent About Broadchurch




David Tennant has been interviewed by The Independent about his latest project, the eight part crime drama series Broadchurch which begins on ITV in March. David was interviewed on location in West Bay, Bridport back in September of last year where the coastal scenes were shot against the backdrop of the magnificent cliffs and beautiful seascapes. The drama follows the impact on a small seaside community of the suspicious death of a child and the aftermath as neighbours come under suspicion and the town falls under the scrutiniy of the police and media.

David explains:
"Clearly it is a murder mystery… a whodunit… but that is a key into a much more complex, richer story. It's also a story about the family that it's happened to, and the community that's reeling from the death of this child.
"I know the Chris is a big fan of The Killing," he adds, of writer Chris Chibnall, though the latter cites Murder One  and Twin Peaks as major influences.

His character, DI Alec Hardy, is not the easiest person to get along with and his arrival and methods upsets his local colleage DS Ellie Miller, played by Olivia Colman. However, Hardy has his own secrets and has come to the small town of Broadchurch under something of a professional cloud
 "I'm shoved out in the sticks to be forgotten about," says David. "And then what should happen but there's a high-profile murder case on my patch."

Chris Chibnall speaks very highly of David, with whom he has previously worked on United and before that Doctor Who. "David's a great leader of an ensemble cast," he says, "He's very, very versatile and he's fearless as well… he's not afraid to try stuff out. When you see the rushes every day you think, 'How has he done that?' Also, on a commercial level, people love him, and that's rare. There are actors you admire and there are actors you love and it's a big difference."

David however, is more modest, “You don't think particularly tactically as an actor," he says, "you just sort of bumble along. You'll be very lucky if there are two things you get to choose between – mostly as actor you're just going, 'What's my next job? Do I get to eat next month? I still feel I'm about to be found out." He believes that it is the quality of writing that is the makings of a successful performance, “So when a great script comes along you sort of bite the hand off really. It always starts with a script – you can spoil a good script but you can't make a bad script good. That initial reaction is very important because once you start investing in it you can't see it objectively again until it's finished."

Read the full interview here - David Tennant: From time traveller to crime unraveller


Broadchurch begins on ITV on Monday 4th March at 9pm



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