Keira Knightley: ‘Black Doves is a Christmas series – like Love Actually, but we kill everyone!’

As a seasoned storyteller and observer of human nature, I find myself utterly captivated by the lives of Keira Knightley and Joe Barton. Their journeys in the world of entertainment are as diverse as they are compelling, each leaving an indelible mark on the silver screen and small.

Interestingly, the popular British holiday movie, Love Actually, is not and will not be a part of Christmas viewing for Kiera Knightley and her family.

During the time when Love Actually was released, it significantly impacted Joe Barton, who was then a young film student at the University of Westminster with dreams of becoming a director. As he puts it, “I realized Richard Curtis had transitioned from screenwriting to directing, and I thought, ‘If this man can do it, maybe I could as well.’

Barton shared that he began crafting stories from childhood and created small films at a young age. He’s content with his decision to stick with writing instead of venturing into directing. His most recognized television series include Sky’s time-travel sci-fi, The Lazarus Project, and the BBC’s collaborative Japanese crime production, Giri/Haji, which features an awe-inspiring rooftop dance-fight finale.

Discussing holiday movies since Barton has penned a fresh spy-thriller sequence titled “Black Doves,” featuring Knightley as the main character. The story unfolds in London, starting off in a pub where the classic, intoxicating tune of Fairytale of New York echoes.

In a lighthearted tone characteristic of the conversation, Barton quips, “Death Actually.” This Zoom interview features an atmosphere of jovial banter. Barton appears to be seated in a study adorned with a somber, deep green wall, embellished with artwork; while Knightley resides in a refined room where one of her children is eagerly trying to enter.

Black Doves is the name of the spy organisation Knightley’s character Helen works for. Helen’s cover, which she has maintained for ten years, is as the doting wife of high-ranking politician Wallace, played by Andrew Buchan, who is heading for the top job of prime minister.

Throughout this period, she’s been passing government secrets to Reed, a character played by Sarah Lancashire in the series, known as Black Doves. The storyline begins with the murder of Helen’s lover Jason (Andrew Koji), which leaves her deeply grieving but requiring to conceal her emotions while managing her various responsibilities and steering clear of being targeted herself.

In the meantime, Sam, an old acquaintance and work partner, who had been enjoying the good life in Rome – strolling along the beautiful Spanish Steps and relaxing in cozy bars while trying to live the sweet Italian life – is summoned back to duty to safeguard Helen.

In a surprisingly suspenseful, darkly humorous instance, Helen conceals herself behind a door just as two armed women ascend the staircase. Meanwhile, her little girl unexpectedly appears on a video call from her mobile device, inquiring: “Mommy, can you see me?

In 2013, the actor tied the knot with musician James Righton, who is a member of the band Klaxons (currently seemingly indefinitely on hiatus). Since then, they have been residing in north London along with their two daughters, Edie, who is nine years old, and Delilah, who is five.

Has Keira Knightley’s experience as a working mom likely influenced her portrayal of the character Helen, without necessarily involving dark or ominous conflicts.

She agrees, expressing fondness for Helen. One aspect that she found appealing was how she managed to transform a common, potentially stressful situation – like the school drop-off where parents and children might argue – into a friendly encounter with fellow mothers or fathers. It’s those instances in life where people can display two sides of their personality, often switching from frustration to friendliness almost instantly.

“Then suddenly you’re at work and you’ve got your work face on and then you’ve got your kid on the phone and you’re, ‘Oh baby, are you OK?’ So it’s that thing I think we all know and that we all do, but ramped up to ten, or 11 or 12. And that’s what I liked. It made me giggle. Particularly that scene you’re talking about.

As a movie enthusiast, let me share my thoughts on a film that left quite an impact: “We’ve all been there – watching a movie, immersed in the story, when suddenly a character aces a spelling test and my heart swells with affection. But this time, it wasn’t ‘I love you so much!’ Instead, it was, ‘My dearest, I love you beyond words as they prepare to end my life. Kiss me goodbye, my love.’

Delighted to express that during filming, there were numerous conversations centered around “The Juggle,” as various crew members, like Barton, juggled their professional responsibilities with caring for their young families. Indeed, Barton, a resident of Brighton, manages his work alongside his partner Alice and their two lively boys, aged 13 and 7.

He wrote the first episode of Black Doves (he appropriated the name from his local pub) in the quiet week after Christmas in 2022. “I wrote it on a whim, to be honest,” he recalls. “I started it on Boxing Day and finished it on New Year’s Day – it irritated the people I live with!”

It’s got all the things he likes in it: “Spies, Christmas and London.” There were two sparks for the idea – one, he was in a “spy kind of mood”, as he puts it, after a friend of his had worked on A Spy among Friends, based on the book by Ben Macintyre about double agent Kim Philby. And then, he read an article in a newspaper, where a woman was talking about the man with whom she’d been having a clandestine affair, who had died – “there was something about the idea of being in a secret relationship when one of you is gone and you can’t talk to people about it, which was really interesting to me.”

For the first time on television since portraying Lara in the 2002 ITV mini-series of Doctor Zhivago, Knightley is now taking part in a series – or perhaps a long-form streaming show on Netflix, she ponders. She had been searching for the ideal project for quite some time, yet nothing seemed to materialize. However, thanks to their shared manager in the US, the actor expresses her interest in reviewing Barton’s fresh script, having admired his work in Giri/Haji. It was love at first read for Knightley with Black Doves.

Later, Sister Productions, a company famed for its daring creativity (once known as Eric and Kaos), expressed interest. And just like that, Keira Knightley was part of the team. Even today, Barton can recall the butterflies when he received an email from his manager early on, with the subject line as simple as: “Keira Knightley”.

Once he was certain she was fully dedicated, they arranged a meeting and worked together to create the subsequent episodes of the series. Nowadays, it’s quite typical for main actors to also have an executive producer role. How significant was that position in her case, given that she was joining so early on? “Given I’m coming aboard at such an early stage,” she states, “it’s a risk to say ‘I’ll do six episodes, and I’m prepared to invest financially and take care of everything else,’ when all I’ve seen is one.

“It’s a different thing to a film where you go, ‘I know exactly what this is and everyone is in place.’ This, in contrast, is, ‘OK, where are we taking this? What’s going to happen? How is this going to work?’ And as an executive it gives you a little bit more power to have approval over a lot of stuff.”

Discussing the captivating conclusion of Giri/Haji, a scene that many appreciate: “Wow, he concludes it all with an expressive dance! It’s fantastic. Could we possibly end season two [of Black Doves] with something similar, like a dance sequence?

“Tango!” interrupts Knightley.

“It will be Strictly Come Spies,” smiles Barton.

Just about a month prior to our meeting, Barton received the unexpected news that Netflix had decided to renew Black Doves for a second season. This was quite surprising since most of his projects usually get cancelled right away.

Initially, I had planned for a rather anxious Christmas celebration this year. However, while I was vacationing abroad, an unexpected call came in from the producers, instructing me to return home as they needed me to continue working on more projects.

He expresses delight that everyone feels extremely confident about the show, implying a sense of pride, and they’re eager for everyone to see what they’ve created, which they can all proudly support.

Knightley: “Happens to most people.”

Barton: “Yes, par for the course.”

How about this alternative phrase for you, Keira? “It’s been quite a while since I last visited. I’ve had my share of enjoyable moments as well as some challenging ones – just like any other place.

1) He’s hesitant to consider a third season, fearing it might be too good to be true, since that would indeed be delightful.

Among her favorite television shows are The West Wing and Grey’s Anatomy. During the nights when she was breastfeeding, she watched quite a bit of these series, especially for her children. It seems odd, but they were perfect for late-night viewing while breastfeeding, and thus have a special place in my heart.

In Black Doves, you’ll find a witty and somewhat risqué banter that has a hint of the James Bond series (but with more explicit undertones). This dialogue also carries a touch of dry humor. Could it be that they appreciate this film franchise?

“I am – I like Q,” says Barton. Well, it is Ben Whishaw, after all.

“I’ve liked some of them,” Knightley says. “They’re fun. Good to watch at Christmas.”

As we approach Christmas, what are some ways they celebrate? Barton: “I have numerous traditions surrounding Christmas, from the placement of each decoration in our home to the events themselves. It’s become quite customary for us. Food and drinks abound – quite typical. My partner is a vegetarian, as is her family, but I am not. I prepare the Christmas meal and buy a small chicken for myself and one of my sons, while also preparing a large nut roast for the 15 other vegetarians who join us.

Instead of Charades, it might not work out right now because there are too many people, it’s too noisy, and the kids are restless. I hope we can try it someday when it’s quieter, but for now, the noise level would be overwhelming.

Knightley: “Abundant food, ample wine, no charades (for now, but it could be fun to introduce later). Let’s enjoy plenty of Christmas films instead.

Every year seems to feature The Godfather Parts 1 and 2, however, this year might also include Love Actually on the list of favorites.

2024-12-02 04:37

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