Linus Roache says Harry Styles brought honesty to ‘My Policeman’ role
Linus Roache, the co-star of Harry Styles in My Policeman, has given praise to the singer-come-actor for his performance as PC Tom Burgess. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Bethan Roberts and is set in the 1950s.
My Policeman focuses on Burgess, a wedded policeman, who begins a secret affair with Patrick Hazlewood, a local museum curator. Linus Roache plays Burgess 40 years after the main events of the film.
Discussing the film at the BFI Festival this month, Roache was in great admiration of Styles’ acting. He said: “I love Harry! What he has is a wonderful honesty to him. He’s very present and interested and intrigued; he has a sense of wonder in him, so I think it’s beautiful what he did.”
It’s always an interesting facet of a film when two actors play the same character at different ages, and on this, Roache noted: “In a way, when I watched some of his scenes, I thought, ‘well, I don’t need to imitate him. I just need to be in my own honesty and simplicity’. The Tom I play has spent 40 years repressed, with his heart closed, and maybe there’s a glimmer of hope at the end. There’s always a chance.”
Roache also highlighted the importance of the emotional story in contemporary society. He added: “I suppose it’s a reminder of how bad things were and that maybe things are better. We’ve still got a way to go, but we’re in better times. It’s also a message of ‘love who you want to love, don’t be afraid.'”
Alongside Styles, Emma Corin of The Crown will play his wife at a young age, while Gina McKee will play her older self. David Dawson will play the younger Patrick Hazlewood, while Ruper Everett will play the older Hazlewood.
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