Exclusive| Andrew Scott and Joe Alwyn talk about the challenges of playing 13th century men in Catherine Called Birdy

Andrew Scott and Joe Alwyn have had a diverse filmography so far. Whether it is haunting Sherlock or serenading Fleabag, Andrew has done it all, and similarly Joe, has had his fair share of memorable roles in biopics, fantasy thrillers, and what not. Now, the two are being transported to medieval England in their upcoming coming-of-age period drama Catherine Called Birdy. The two actors discussed the film and their roles in a recent exclusive chat with Hindustan Times.

Catherine Called Birdy is based on the eponymous 1994 young adult novel by Karen Cushman, and explores the 13th century world as seen by the film’s 14-year-old protagonist Lady Catherine aka Birdy (played by Bella Ramsey). Andrew plays Birdy’s father Lord Rollo, whom she sees as a controlling figure, but he says the character has more to him. “Even though Birdy sees him as a controlling father and to a certain degree he is, he also tries to find a good husband for his daughter to make his family survive because that’s the way things were back in the day. You had to try and get a financial arrangement that helped your family survive in bleak times. He is controlling but at the same time, he has a certain idea about dignity and providing for his family,” says the actor.

Joe plays Birdy’s uncle George, whom she sees as a hero, a sort of an ideal man. However, Joe says the real fun was in portraying the character’s growth and how Birdy comes to see him as a flawed human being too. He says, “For me, it’s about how Birdy starts to see him rather than a huge shift in his actions or behaviour. He has gone off the Crusades, and before he went, he was this idealised shining prince. And coming back, he is quite a different person. Birdy does not pick up on that right away and she puts him on a pedestal. It’s only over time and once he is sent on his own path that she realizes he is not a hero and that he is as normal and as messy as the next person.”

Lord Rollo’s quest of getting his daughter married for financial gain may come across as quite misogynistic but Andrew says he was just a man of his times, and that the film softened the character to make him more relatable and human. “In the original book, he was more macho and so we tried to make him a little different, like he is not very proficient at sword fighting or someone not very successful at what you’d call manly activities,” he reveals.

Catherine Called Birdy, directed by Lena Dunham, also stars Billie Piper, Dean-Charles Chapman, and Isis Hainsworth, with cameos by Russell Brand and Ralph Ineson. Following a limited release on September 23, the film releases on Prime Video on October 7.