Actor Robert Carlyle, best known for his iconic roles such as Trainspotting’s psychotic Begbie, has revealed that he never thought he would play a Conservative prime minister on screen. However, the actor is currently playing the character of Prime Minister Robert Sutherland in the third season of the political drama series, COBRA, created for Sky TV. Robert Carlyle initially agreed to just six episodes of the show but has returned for more, having enjoyed the experience.
The actor had to work hard to get into the mind of a Conservative prime minister, especially as he is known for playing working-class characters. Carlyle had to look to the late Labour politician John Smith to find the right tone. He also took inspiration from Scottish rugby players who seemed vaguely Scottish despite being Oxbridge educated. With his Glasgow accent, Carlyle felt it was necessary to pull back in order to play Sutherland effectively.
In the new season of COBRA, titled COBRA: Rebellion, Sutherland’s character faces all sorts of rebellions, from shady arms deals to a climate change protest group and even a rebellion from inside his cabinet. Jane Horrocks is one of the actors against whom he fights. The show’s writers’ storylines eerily end up close to reality, something that Carlyle says he hopes will not happen in the current political climate.
In addition to COBRA, Carlyle is also set to reprise his role as Begbie in a TV series based on Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh’s 2016 book The Blade Artist. Carlyle revealed that one episode has been written and that it will be the third part of a trilogy. According to Carlyle, Trainspotting was the younger man, T2 was his middle age, and The Blade Artist features an older Begbie. The series is set to shoot within the next two years.
Despite working in the US and Canada, Carlyle views Glasgow as his true home, saying he will never leave it. The actor is currently working on Toxic Town, a Netflix series about the real-life Corby poisonings
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