WORDS BY IRVIN RIVERA

English actor THOMAS BRODIE-SANGSTER plays Benny Watts in the Netflix hit series THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT opposite Anya Taylor-Joy. His leather jacket-clad character, Benny Watts, emerged as the breakout character of the limited series, based on Walter Tevis’s 1983 novel of the same name. His rockstar charm and innate suave captivated the global audience’s attention since the show dropped.     

The seven-episode show is set during the Cold War era and follows orphan chess prodigy ‘Beth Harmon’ from the age of eight to twenty-two, as she struggles with addiction in a quest to become the greatest chess player in the world.

Thomas’s past screen credits include: Richard Curtis’s beloved Love Actually, Nanny McPhee with Emma Thompson and Colin Firh, critically acclaimed Wolf Hall for the BBC, Netflix’s Godless, award winning Nowhere Boy, J.J. Abraham’s Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, HBO’s Game of Thrones and the YA cult global hit trilogy The Maze Runner.

In this exclusive interview, Thomas Brodie-Sangster opened up about playing his character Benny Watts in The Queens Gambit, the preparations he did for the show, the memorable moments while filming, 60s music, the highs and the lows of production, what keeps him busy, and him as an ever developing diary.

How did you prepare for the role of Benny Watts in The Queen’s Gambit?

I bought myself a chess set and began playing games at home while listening to lot a music from the period. Luckily the 60s is one of the best times for music.

How would you describe Benny’s evolution throughout the show?

I think Benny doesn’t evolve that much throughout the show. He is present and active in helping Beth to evolve and develop. He perhaps softens a bit towards the end and drops the cocky vizard when he speaks to Beth.

What’s the best part about playing Benny?

I loved putting on those clothes and indulging in his arrogant charm.

How much do you have to learn about the world of chess as you immerse yourself in the world of Queen’s Gambit?

It was fascinating to dive into the mad world of chess. We had some amazing teachers who are masters of the game and just spending time with them and playing through the games was hugely interesting and useful. In reality, we didn’t need to really learn much in the way of game structure and technique. We just had to look like we all knew what we were doing so we would spend ages moving the pieces around the board and learning certain sequences. 

What’s a highly memorable thing that you’ve learned throughout this whole process?

I had never heard of Castling before making The Queens Gambit. This is a chess move where you can swap the rook and the king so long as there is space to do so and neither piece has moved previously. It’s a very unique and odd-looking move that I had no idea about.

How was it to work with Anya Taylor Joy and the cast?

Anya did a fantastic job in this and was a pleasure to act opposite. Beth is in every scene and this character was quite an undertaking but Anya dealt with it beautifully and managed to bring many layers to Beth. I very much enjoyed our scenes together and loved how our two characters bounced off one another. The cast as a whole were all quite fantastic and lovely to work with. Everyone felt perfectly cast in their roles. Each person brought a new and unique feel to set which kept the dynamics flowing through the shoot. I think everyone was aware that we were a part of something special and this kept the passion and excitement high. It was a real pleasure.

Have you ever had moments whenever you read your script/watch playbacks when you almost yell at your character for doing something that you, yourself won’t do?

I have played many characters who have done and said things that in reality I would never personally do or say, but if there is a moment which feels wrong to me or out of place with what I believe my character would do, then I find a way to either change it or alter it in some way which would be more fitting for the character. 

What are the challenges and the highs that you experienced during filming?

There is a scene where I am driving Beth to New York and we are playing a game in our heads and speaking out the moves to one another. This was quite challenging as it was hard to learn the exact moves in the correct order. Speaking out the moves of chess is like trying to memorize code. The highs for me was having the opportunity to immerse myself in the chess world and learn a bit about what it takes to be good. Also getting another chance to work with a fantastically talented creative team who I had previously worked with before on a Netflix series called Godless. Scott (Director/Writer) and Steven Meizler (Cinematographer) are the stars of both shows and is also a delightful pair to work alongside.

What’s the most memorable moment for you throughout the whole process of making the series?

I was blown away by all of the sets in this show. One of the most memorable moments for me was setting foot into the Vegas Casino set. The attention to detail was spot on and it was a joy to wander around in-between shots exploring this immense and beautiful set.  

You’ve been acting for a while now. Out of all the roles that you’ve played, is there any role/character that resonated with you the most and why?

Every character I play has a deep connection to me. I think they have to in order for the performance to be grounded in a sense of reality. Each character is special to me but I must say that I loved playing ‘Whitey Winn’ in Godless. Much like ‘Benny’, he was cocky yet charming. I got to spend 6 months up in the mountains of Santa Fe pretending to be a cowboy. My days were filled with riding horses and learning to spin two Peacemakers (old revolvers). Far too much fun! 

Can you walk us through your creative process whenever you go and film a scene?

Being dyslexic I have to read the scene through a few times before it even makes scene at all. Then I will start to pick out the key moments in the scene and look at the path I have to take through the scene to hit all of those moments. Anything that doesn’t fit nicely I then change slightly to flow better. Finally, it all comes together on set when you feed off of the other actors and the director begins to shape the performances to fit with the camera moves. It’s a beautiful choreography of collaboration. 

Who and what inspires you?

I get inspired all the time by my surroundings; nature, friends, family, co-workers. I am a fan of motor racing and love watching people who can take a car or motorcycle to the limit of adhesion and hold it there lap after lap, relying on nothing other than talent and pure feel. This level of concentration mixed with calmness in an environment of speed, noise and adrenaline I find to be inspiring.  

What scares you?

What scares me about myself is not reaching my full potential. In a broader sense, what scares me is humanity’s tight grip upon this world leading to a disastrous disconnect from life.

Aside from acting, what else keeps you busy nowadays?

I’m doing lots of work on my house at the moment which is quite exciting. Autumn is here as I write these answers so this time of year I like going for walks in the park and looking at the leaves and the crisp sky. Going for a drive in my old Citroen or plugging in my bass and playing along to some funky bass driven music.

What’s a valuable lesson that you’ve learned that you always carry with you?

Don’t take yourself too seriously. Keep yourself open to everything and everything you do, do it with love.

If you were a book, what book would you be and why?

I would be a diary. Open ended, personal, raw and ever developing.