Tim Plester is an British actor, playwright and director, best known to audiences for his roles in «Game of Thrones», «Shadow and Bone», «Andor» and Ricky Gervais' series «After Life». His documentary «Way of the Morris» received wide acclaim, and his new film «The Archivist» is set to be released in 2026.
Tim, so glad we finally got to do this interview. Welcome! What’s on your horizon this year?
— Horizons are hard to predict for someone who lives, and has lived, unpredictably, from one freelance contract to the next for the past 25 years or so. In many ways, it's far easier to tell you what is (or isn't) currently on the tip of my nose... That said, one thing I can tell you about this year with some certainty, is that 2026 will finally see the release of my latest feature-length documentary film. Five years in the making, and co-directed with my long-time collaborator Rob Curry, it's called «The Archivist». It's a film about the wyrd-and-wonderful folk customs of mainland Britain, and the one man who's devoted his life to filming and documenting them using an ever-evolving array of recording devices. We're just finishing up the post-production on that as we speak. Link to our crowdfunding page here: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/docrowe
I have a traditional question: when and why did you decide to connect your life with the film industry? At what moment in your life did you make that decision?
— I knew from a fairly early age that I wanted to be a performer of some kind, and over time that evolved into a need to create, tell stories, and forensically explore themes and topics that interested me. Nobody in my family had any experience of the film industry, so it took a lot of hard work and persistence to crowbar a foot into the doorway.
Your filmography includes over 100 projects. Wow — that’s truly impressive! Among them are «The Thing with Feathers», «Wolf Hall», «Game of Thrones», «Shadow and Bone», «Andor», «Bohemian Rhapsody» and many others. Which of these projects stand out most in your memory and why? Is there one role that became especially important to you?
— I've been incredibly fortunate to inhabit a number of roles that have left a lasting impression on me. The one I probably get asked about the most, is my role as Julian Kane, the homeless heroin addict in Series 1 of Ricky Gervais' hit Netflix series «After Life». It was something of a dream role for me, rich in pathos. I recently saw an article, criticising Ricky Gervais for only being capable of writing nasty, cruel characters, but I think that Julian Kane is proof positive that that particular opinion is somewhat wide of mark.
You work not only as an actor, but also as a director, screenwriter and director. What’s it like to be both in front of the camera and behind it?
— I think probably the main difference is that, when working in front of the camera (as an actor), you are ultimately required to give your work away. You operate, warts and all, in a fully 3-dimensional world and deliver what is asked and expected of you, on the day, in the moment, as many times as is necessary, but it’s then completely out of your hands; your work is done, and it’s up to those behind-the-camera, who are working within the 2-dimensions of the «frame», to try and make sense of it all in the edit.
What do you enjoy more — acting in movies or directing them?
— I genuinely enjoy them both equally. One really does help to inform the other.
You’ve worked with so many different people across the industry over the years. Is there anyone who really left a mark on you?
— One person I’ve worked with more than anyone else in the industry is Justin Hardy. Justin is a multi-award-winning filmmaker in his own right, but he’s arguably perhaps also better known as the son of Robin Hardy, the man who directed the cult 1973 British folk-horror movie «The Wicker Man». At the last count, I think myself and Justin had worked on 8 or 9 different projects together, including 1 documentary («Children of The Wicker Man»). I’ve played a motley collection of medieval bank-robbers, Anglo-Saxon huscarls, Tory MP’s and Home County business managers for him over the many years that we’ve known each other and I’ve watched his 4 children grow up in the process. A natural-born maverick, Justin studied history at Oxford and enjoys swinging fast and loose and ever-so-slightly beyond budgetary reaches with his projects. Spending time on a Hardy set is always a memorable, if occasionally irascible, experience.
If you could play any existing character, who would it be and why?
— How’s about Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect who ordered Christ's crucifixion in The New Testament? The challenge there would be in trying to find and tease out the nuance and humanity hiding behind the baggage of one of the most hated figures in history. Villains; they’re always more fun.
I’m a huge fan of «Game of Thrones» and «Shadow and Bone»! I loved watching you in such different roles. Do you have a particular way of preparing for a character?
— Not really, no. I mean, I don’t have a «method», as such. For me, it’s always about finding an honest reflection of your own self in the character somewhere and then allowing that to percolate through. Costume can help a lot. I clearly remember my initial costume fittings for both «Game of Thrones» and «Shadow and Bone» and on both occasions, what I was given to wear by the wardrobe department really helped to inform the kind of character I wanted to try and inhabit.
You played Black Walder Rivers in Game of Thrones — the one who had a hand in one of the most shocking scenes in television history, the Red Wedding. Do you remember what you felt during the filming of that episode?
— We shot the Red Wedding over the course of a whole week, on a huge sound-stage in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The final thing we shot was the very last moment of that now infamous episode, when my character (Black Walder) approaches Cat Stark (played by Michelle Fairley) from behind and callously slits her throat. I was definitely very nervous in the run up to that moment. It was quite a technical bit of filming, because of the prosthetics and the practical effects being used to make it all look as realistic as possible and it was also Michelle’s swansong and her farewell moment to the series, so there was a lot of emotion baked into too. I just remember thinking; please don’t be the one to mess this up Tim! Just walk forward, hit your mark, place the fake dagger where it needs to sit on Michelle’s fake neck, draw it quickly across at just the right angle so that the camera can see it, and then get the heck out of there as quickly as possible whilst trying not to trip over your cloak. Oh, and make sure you look sufficiently evil and twisted and menacing whilst doing it all. You can be the judge, but hopefully I pulled it off?
Do you ever go back and watch projects you’ve been in?
— I absolutely do, yes. A lot of actors like to boast about how they never watch things back, but personally, I think most of them are lying.
«Shadow and Bone». Per Haskell. What were your impressions of that role? Which of the Crows stayed with you the most?
— I hadn't read the books, or indeed seen the Netflix adaptation, so I came to the role fresh and judged it completely by what was there on the page. We filmed my scenes in Budapest (Hungary) and I enjoyed hanging out with some of the other actors during the evenings. On one of my days off, I visited one of the city’s famous thermal baths and spotted Dean Lennox Kelly (Pekka Rollins) reclining in one of the other rooms there. We’d never met and as I didn’t have any scenes with him in the show, I decided in the moment that it was neither the time nor the place to go over and just casually introduce myself. The two scenes I did have in the show were both with Freddy Carter (Kaz), and he and I have stayed in touch via Social Media. Fun fact; due to a gap in filming, I’m sporting a real beard in one of my two scenes and a fake beard in the other. Can you spot which one is which?
Fans are still heartbroken that the show got cancelled. How do you personally process something like that? Did you talk about it with anyone from the cast or crew?
— I don’t really have any insight into this I’m afraid. My time on the show was all too brief. I have absolutely no idea if my character would have come back if there had been further seasons.
You were recently in «The Thing with Feathers» — a horror drama. What was that experience like, and is there a genre you feel most at home in as an actor?
— Although I started off primarily in comedy, for some reason, I've found myself doing a few horror projects recently. It's not a genre I personally enjoy watching, but it's a genre which is definitely fun to act in. I'm a big fan of the writer Max Porter, who wrote the original novel which «The Thing with Feathers» is adapted from, so I was particularly thrilled to be involved in that project and to get the chance to meet Max when he visited the set during filming. It turns out that he’s a fan of my documentary film «The Ballad of Shirley Collins».
You also appeared in «Andor», which is such a beloved series for so many. What was it like stepping into that world, and how did it feel to be part of something that so many «Star Wars» fans hold close to their hearts?
— Well - what can I say about that experience? Safe to say, it was more than a little bit special. I'm old enough and ugly enough to have seen the original «Star Wars» upon its release in cinemas back in 1977/1978, and seeing the metallic underbelly of that impossibly large Imperial Star Destroyer fly over my head for 11 seconds was a truly life-changing experience. So to be asked to set foot, canonically upon Yavin 4, the location of the Rebel Base and help fix a droid, was the most ridiculous of ridiculous childhood dreams come most ridiculously true.
Of all the things you’ve made as an actor, director, writer: what are you most proud of?
— Probably my first documentary film «Way of the Morris». It’s a very personal film about the village I grew up in (Adderbury), it’s proud dancing traditions and the unforgivable horrors of The Great War.
Do you have any hobbies outside of all your creative work? What do you love to do in your spare time?
— I read a lot of comic books. Always have done. Always will do. For a long time, as both a child and teenager, I wanted to be a comic-book artist more than I wanted to be an actor.
What upcoming projects can we look forward to seeing you in?
— There’s an independent low-budget British horror-drama called «How to Survive the Wild» which should be surfacing at some point this year. I had an intensely fantastic time working on that down in rural Wales with some wonderful people, including the director Adam Park, who’s become a treasured friend. Me and Adam are hoping to collaborate again in the future.
Favorite movie?
— «The Wizard Of Oz».
Favorite TV series?
— «The Sopranos».
Favorite game?
— «Galaga» (a Namco fixed-shooter from 1981).
Favorite book?
— Richard Brautigan (1935-1984) is my favourite writer, so probably something by him.
Favorite quote?
— «Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that». – Bill Shankly.
Favorite color?
— Scouse red.
Favorite singer/band/composer?
— Sufjan Stevens.
Your favorite song?
— «Happy Man’ by The Adderbury Village Morris Men.
Three recent songs you've added to your playlist?
— «A Sailor’s Life» by Fairport Convention, «Kan Me» by Gwenno and «Change» by Big Thief.
What's your house from Game of Thrones? Yeah, we know your character’s house, but what about yours?
— Stark (ironically).
What's your Hogwarts House?
— Full disclosure; I’ve never actually seen or read any of the Harry Potter books. I have helped my daughter construct some of the Lego builds however.
Marvel or DC?
— Make Mine Marvel! With the very notable exceptions of Frank Miller’s «The Dark Knight Returns» and «Watchmen».
Describe yourself in 3 words.
— Tall and web-footed.
Do you have an idol and if you do, who is it and why?
— The German filmmaker Werner Herzog - for his obsessive vision, his bone dry sense of humour, and (of course) that unique and unmistakable accent/voice.
