Kate Trotter: More Famous Friends.
Murdoch Mysteries Star on Thomas Craig and Angelina Jolie.
Nov 10, 2007
For her finale in this four-part series, Kate Trotter discusses other projects on the go – including her latest guest stint on acclaimed Canadian television series The Murdoch Mysteries written by Maureen Jennings and costar Thomas Craig (whom Corrie Street fans will remember as irascible Tommy Harris). Also – the age-old question: acting or directing or both... and why Angelina Jolie's "the real deal".
You are also a director. You did a piece called Wednesday’s Children. Are you going to do any more directing?
"That was something I did for the National Film Board. I got my start directing a couple of stage plays up at Blyth Festival. I love directing. The problem is, there is so much to do. I do a lot of TV and film, which I really like doing, including The Jane Show on Global. You can’t be everywhere. I have not got to the stage yet where I am willing to put my acting career on the back burner in order to further the directing career because you have to do that."
You have done theatre, television and film, including Beyond Borders.
"Yes, with Angelina Jolie. I played her mother-in-law. What a wonderful woman she is. I am here to say to everybody that she is the real deal. You see these stories about her in the papers and magazines... Having met her, she is an extraordinary woman and seeing the love she has for those children, that’s 100% real. I adore her."
Are you still doing The Murdoch Mysteries?
"Oh my God, I had such a good time doing those a few years ago. I have just finished another one. (Trotter plays a character called Donalda Rhodes and the series will air on Bravo/ City TV in early 2008). The plot line is revolves around a Canadian theatre troupe and the play they love doing is The Scottish Play, so I get to play Mrs. M. My husband has been killed, put up in the Gods [above the stage] and he falls out at one point. "
Who else is in this one?
"Thomas Craig (ex Tommy Harris) from Coronation Street (2002-2005) plays Inspector Brackenreid. I don’t know Coronation Street as well as others. But everyone that does watch the show recognized Thomas instantly. He is a very very nice guy and cute as a bug’s ear. I took him to see some plays. I took him to see Top Girls for a start.
Did he like Caryl Churchill?
"He loved it. It is his culture. He and some of the other cast members and directors from Murdoch came to our opening night of Elephant Man and they loved it."
Who is your favourite playwright?
"Is it ridiculous if I say Shakespeare? I have a hard time saying just one because I would also say Tennessee Williams and [George Bernard] Shaw. Because, again, both Williams and Shaw understand and know women. You don’t have to try and wrestle the part to the ground and say 'Oh My God, these people don’t even know how we think.'
But you step into a Shakespeare play and you think how did that man understand Hermione? [whom Trotter played] How did he ever write Winter’s Tale? How did he know when a woman, when she speaks about love, would say?"
It wasn’t from Anne Hathaway..
"He wasn’t there with Anne at all. Who knows? I would say the same thing for Tennessee Williams. It is a shock to see how well they understood the female psyche and again how much they love the female psyche."
Look for Kate Trotter in Bruce MacDonald's The Dark Room, and the 2008 season of The Murdoch Mysteries.
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