Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Bertie Carvel interview on the 2nd edition of Italian Global Series: Playing villains with humanity, directing Dalgliesh, TV vs film snobbery
Bertie Carvel discusses his career in television, film and theatre in this interview for the second edition of Italy’s Global Series festival. He considers the unique value of celebrating television as an art form in its own right, reflecting on the refreshing absence of snobbery towards the medium that he observes in Italy compared with Britain. He explains his approach to playing morally complex characters, describing his belief that “character is behaviour” and his commitment to portraying every role with humanity, regardless of an audience’s judgement.
Carvel discusses his return to Doctor Foster a decade later, exploring themes of time, change and whether healing is truly possible. He also reflects on the striking contrast between working on the series and filming Harry Potter at the same time, and considers how ageing alongside an audience lends drama a profound emotional resonance.
Carvel explains why variety remains essential to his creative life and how performance allows him to access different facets of himself. Finally, he discusses directing episodes of Dalgliesh, offering insights into the leadership and trust required of a director, and expresses his hope to direct again despite the challenge of balancing it with acting.
Interviewer: Sarah Bradbury
Editing: Olivia Barker
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Bertie Carvel interview on the 2nd edition of Italian Global Series: Playing villains with humanity, directing Dalgliesh, TV vs film snobbery
Bertie Carvel discusses his career in television, film and theatre in this interview for the second edition of Italy’s Global Series festival. He considers the unique value of celebrating television as an art form in its own right, reflecting on the refreshing absence of snobbery towards the medium that he observes in Italy compared with Britain. He explains his approach to playing morally complex characters, describing his belief that “character is behaviour” and his commitment to portraying every role with humanity, regardless of an audience’s judgement.
Carvel discusses his return to Doctor Foster a decade later, exploring themes of time, change and whether healing is truly possible. He also reflects on the striking contrast between working on the series and filming Harry Potter at the same time, and considers how ageing alongside an audience lends drama a profound emotional resonance.
Carvel explains why variety remains essential to his creative life and how performance allows him to access different facets of himself. Finally, he discusses directing episodes of Dalgliesh, offering insights into the leadership and trust required of a director, and expresses his hope to direct again despite the challenge of balancing it with acting.
Interviewer: Sarah Bradbury
Editing: Olivia Barker
►► Haven't subscribed yet? Do it now! theupcoming.co.uk/YouTube ◄◄
Connect with The Upcoming:
- Our Website ►► theupcoming.co.uk
- Instagram ►► instagram.com/TheUpcoming
- TikTok ►► tiktok.com/@theupcomingmagazine
- Twitter / X ►► twitter.com/The_Upcoming
- Facebook ►► facebook.com/TheUpcomingMagazine
📩 For syndication enquiries: syndication@theupcoming.co.uk
