f you are a Harry Potter fan, you probably know him as Dean Thomas. And if you have watched Sherlock multiple times while waiting for a new season to premiere, you will recognise him as the Guardsman from The Sign of Three . But Alfred Enoch insists there’s more to him than the roles he has played, not least of all being that of Wes Gibbins in How to Get Away with Murder (HTGAWM). In a telephonic interview from the United Kingdom, he talks about how he stays in character, working with Viola Davis and his future plans.
How did you become part of HTGAWM ?
The script came through and it was very gripping, exciting and fast-paced; I thought this looks like a fun job. I was part of a play; I think I had a matinee and an evening show, so I didn’t have any time to prepare; I just read it between the shows.
I went in the next day and they liked the tape. Which I thought was bizarre! There’s no way they’re going to cast an English actor who has never worked in America, or with an American accent, to play this huge part in an American TV show. It seemed very implausible to me. But happily, it all sort of fell together. The stars aligned, and obviously they saw something.
What do you think you bring to the character of Wes Gibbins?
I don’t know, really. I start with the script and the text and work from there. I develop a sort of idea of what the character is like and what makes him tick and what makes things work.
Does the accent ever slip?
I do it the whole time, so it becomes sort of natural to me. Whenever I’m out in the US for shooting, I do the accent from when I leave London to when I come back, or till we shoot the last scene.
What’s it like to work with your co-actors and what have you learned from them?
It’s always good working with people who are at the top of their game and profession, and have done so much, experienced so much. It’s nice to work with all sorts of different people. So that’s something I’m very keen on, and I’m very fortunate to work with them. It has been fantastic. It brings a lot on a personal level, but also to the scenes.
Would you say that being part of HTGAWM has given you your own identity, and helped break away from the image of being part of the Harry Potter universe?
No, I don’t think that came just with this show. Like anyone else, you are formed by your experiences and your friends; you do it not by a job. I wasn’t floating around in a vacuum till HTGAWM happened. Obviously, in terms of being out there and people knowing me, some projects have good publicity, some don’t. The value of a job isn’t solely in how widely seen it is. Not for me at least.
What can we expect in the show this season?
There’s a lot more excitement; it’s all very fast-paced, twisty and turn-y. That’s the nice thing; that it goes into the back stories of the characters, and some of the flashbacks are quite enjoyable.
Finding out about Frank and Bonnie, how they came to be part of Annalise’s team; hopefully, there will be a few answers, and some questions raised as well.
What are the projects you’re working on right now? Where can we see you next?
Well, you’d have to come to Manchester or Birmingham. I’m part of King Lear at the Royal Exchange Theatre right now.
Do you think that by the end of the show, we will learn, quite literally, how to get away with murder?
( Laughs ) Certainly not, that might be quite dangerous!
Star World, Star World HD air the second season of the popular show , weekdays, 9 pm
I thought there was no way they would cast an English actor who has never worked in America to play this huge part in an American TV show
