Spoilers for Slow Horses Season 4, Episode 6!The Apple TV+ series, Slow Horsesis the television adaptation of the popular book series by award-winning author Mick Herron. It follows a team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping ground section of MI5, called Slough House, the purgatory for “slow horses” who have made career-ending missteps. Gary Oldman stars as Jackson Lamb, the brilliant but irritable leader of the spies. Slow Horses Season 4, which is now streaming in its entirety, is adapted from the fourth book in the series.
Aimee-Ffion Edwards joined the Slow Horses Cast as Shirley Dunder in season 2. Although she is no stranger to the screen, she is more widely known as a voice actor for animated series such as Thunderbirds are walking And 101 Dalmatian StreetAnd video games, included Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla And Alden ring.
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Screen Rant Interviewed Aimee-Ffion Edwards, discussing her devastating loss in the finale of Slow Horses Season 4. She details where she thinks Shirley goes from here, and what it was like to film such an intense moment. Edwards also talks about working with Gary Oldman and what she learned from him.
Aimee-Ffion Edwards was not looking forward to filming the season 4 finale
“I feel so privileged to have done this with Cadiff. Because there’s no Shirley without Marcus and there’s no Marcus without Cadiff.”
Screen Rant: What was filming the finale of Slow Horses Season 4?
Aimee-Ffion Edwards: Shirley started this journey with Marcus, so it was a day we knew was coming that we weren’t looking forward to. It was quite stressful. I think we are both really sad. We found the whole time really tense. But yeah, the last episode was so amazing. The stakes are so high for us as actors, but also for the characters. I feel so privileged to have been able to do this with Cadif. Because there is no Shirley without Markus and there is no Markus without Caddiff.
We developed this really unique, wonderful platonic relationship. A lot of the relationship is a lot of butterflies and laughs and fun and being mean to each other. But you know, I think there’s a lot of love there, deep in a lot of respect. And to finish this way is really difficult. It’s an amazing storyline, and it’s a great way to end the season.
Screen Rant: After Shirley loses Marcus, she doesn’t know how to deal with it.
Aimee-Ffion Edwards: When we film something at Slough House, there’s something about the building that’s incredible. The detail that the designers put into it, you can smell it, the oppression is there. It feels like a character in itself. And it can affect you on the set, the lighting and the sequence aspect of it, it helps a lot. You spend a long time shooting the scenes, and you embody the feelings. When you’ve done a show that long, it also feels a little personal. It can’t help but not. So you want to go with your gut really, and I was angry, very angry.
Screen Rant: Where do you think Shirley goes from here? How do you think she goes on from this?
Aimee-Ffion Edwards: I think she’s always a day away from chaos. But a good day off from getting back on track. I think that’s what I love about her, is that you never know if she’s having a good day or a bad day. And there is so much freedom in that. I think there is so much more of you to show. She, like everyone else, is affected by the events of season four. And what will come? Watch this site.
Aimee-Ffion Edwards loves the group scenes in the office
“I think that’s what really helps the audience relate to the characters, because they feel like a big, dysfunctional family.”
Screen Rant: Was there anything this season that you were looking forward to filming, given that it was a dreaded day?
Aimee-Fion Edwards: I’ve always said this, but I always love the big scenes when everyone’s in the office, and the bounce off each other and the digs. The dynamic is so brilliant. I think this show does that so amazingly. With the mundane, it’s so extraordinarily common and, I think, that’s what really helps the audience relate to the characters, because they feel like a big, dysfunctional family. They cannot escape each other.
It’s not just everyone’s lines, but the writing is so rich, and nuanced, and brilliant. We all get so much opportunity to be heroes, but to be absolute buffoons too. And I think it’s the bits between the comments. Sometimes, when the characters have no answer, there is an amazing moment when Tom Brook’s character just tells Shirley about herself, about how she just hates herself. He projects all that on the markers. It’s one of the first times she just doesn’t have a comeback, because she knows it’s true. It’s really a wonderful bit to get to play, because it just says so much about you.
Screen Rant: It seems that the audience for Slow Horses is growing with each season. How did that feel?
Aimee-Fion Edwards: It’s really exciting. And it is such a privilege. I think the shows that grow in popularity because of word of mouth, I think they’re the special ones. You get into it because you want to entertain, you want to tell stories, and so to be a part of something that such a wide demographic of people enjoy, it’s not lost on me how lucky I am to be a part of that. I’m really proud of it.
Reading the Slow House books was helpful for Aimee-Fion Edwards
“I think they did an amazing job of creating Mick Herron’s world, and the tone of it. It’s dark, it’s gritty.”
Screen Rant: Have you read the books?
Aimee-Fion Edwards: I did. I wasn’t that aware of them, actually, before I auditioned. But once I knew what the project was, I got to reading. It’s really helpful because it’s helpful to know the world you’re in. I think they did an amazing job of creating Mick Herron’s world, and the tone of it. It’s dark, it’s dirty. I think Mick Herron is so brilliant in creating that. And the script, Will Smith is such an amazing writer. He is so smart and generous and collaborative. He took the world and buffed it up a bit and just threw in so much magic and nuance and opportunities for us to play and grow.
Screen Rant: Is there anything that surprised you about Shirley’s journey over the seasons?
Aimee-Ffion Edwards: Yeah, I think just how unpredictable she is. I am always surprised by you. It is such a joy to play because there are no rules. You could go anywhere, and you don’t really know which way she’s going to go. Every now and again, I think she might respond or behave in a certain way that feels a little out of character. And it’s really fun to play. But, you know, Will Smith gave us the space to do that and to find the nuances and find a little depth and find new little dynamics with each other. I never know where they will take it. It’s really great.
Slow Horses’ Gary Oldman is full of stories and anecdotes
“Every day is a learning day in a really fun and privileged way. And I’m going to capture that if I can.”
Screen Rant: What was it like working with Gary Oldman?
Aimee-Ffion Edwards: He is incredibly generous. He is an amazing person to work with. Just very generous and lively and sparkly. It allows you to be really present and bounce off him. There were times when I just had to sit in a room, and I didn’t really have any lines, and I could only live and be directed, and be Shirley, even though Shirley didn’t enjoy it that much, I could enjoy it. From him alone. It is exciting to watch. Every day is a learning day in a really fun and privileged way. And I’m going to catch that if I can. But he is very funny.
He is full of stories and anecdotes, so there is never a dull moment. I think he is fearless. But I think in terms of the role, he can make something out of nothing. He is like a little boy. I think this is, there is a curiosity about him. There’s a curiosity about every line or every moment, and that’s really exciting to be a part of and to watch. I think that fearlessness is quite contagious. It’s fun, as you need to be on your toes. And to have a place where you feel safe to do it in a creative way. It’s so brilliant to have that because you can make magic out of it, you never know what’s going to happen.
About Slow Horses Season 4
Slow Horses is an adaptation of CWA Gold Dagger Award-winning Mick Herron’s first novel in the “Slow Horses” series, which follows a team of British intelligence agents serving in a dumping ground section of MI5 – Slough House. Gary Oldman stars as Jackson Lamb, the brilliant but irritable leader of the spies who ends up in Slow House due to their career-ending mistakes.
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