Harry Potter and The Dark Knight alumnus Gary Oldman has been talking about taking a new step in his career and is looking to retire. He wants to see his current project to completion but may hang up his hat once it is completed. Although the series he is currently starring in has been renewed for a third and fourth season, it is still being determined whether he will be a part of the renewed seasons.
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Current Works
Gary Oldman can currently be found in AppleTV+’s Slow Horses, a spy thriller on its way to a second-season debut. The show is based on a series of novels written by Mick Herron, with the first season being based on Slow Horses and the second confirmed to be based on Dead Lions. Although the series has been renewed for a third and fourth season, it’s still being determined if it will continue to adapt the books or break away for some variety.
One of the more significant struggles that Gary Oldman has faced was doing justice to his non-fictional characters versus the ease he finds in the freedom of a fictional character. “You’re at liberty; you have the freedom to take it places,” he shared, rather than the restraints that he felt with portraying characters that have lived before in real-life, such as his character in Pick Up Your Ears (1987).
When asked why he felt so strongly about it, he shared that it might have been a responsibility he had taken on himself without being asked. However, he feels it is imperative to honour non-fictional characters, especially those who may still have family that is still around to this day.
Happy To Retire
Gary Oldman started his acting career in 1979, first in theatre and then moving to act behind the camera. Now, 43 years later, he is finally ready for some relaxation, and we can’t fault him for that. However, even actors are human and have interests outside of their careers, so it’s about time he got to explore some of them.
During a discussion with The Sunday Times, Gary Oldman shared that he is looking to retire once his current project finally wraps up. Oldman shared that he has had an enviable career, having worked in magnanimous franchises like Harry Potter and The Dark Knight and many more. “But careers wane,” he said. Now, as he nears age 65, he doesn’t want to be active forever and wants to get to some of the interests that he has let fall to the weigh side in his youth. “When you’re young, you think you’re going to get round to doing all of them – read that book – then the years go by.”
Oldman feels that nearing the conclusion of his role in his latest series, Slow Horses, is the perfect time for him to hang up his hat. “I’d be thrilled, honoured, and privileged to go out as Jackson Lamb – and then hang it up.”
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Although his cult following will be very sorry to see him go, even legends need to rest. I hope he has a retirement that is just as restful as his thriving career.
Shame Gary Oldman is mulling retirement even though there are ever more Slow Horses they remain a must see and a must read. Although Mick Herron’s Bad Actors meanders a bit, it is still almost as compelling a read as Slow Horses. Mind you, that’s not surprising: on Amazon, Mick Herron is described as “The John Le Carré of our generation” and it’s all to do with bad actors and slow horses. Who would have thought le Carré might be associated with “any generation”! In terms of acclaimed spy novels, Herron’s Slough House series has definitely made him Top Of The Pops in terms of anti-Bond writers. For Len Deighton devotees that ends a long and victorious reign at number one.
Raw noir espionage of the Slough House quality is rare, whether or not with occasional splashes of sardonic hilarity. Gary Oldman’s performance in Slow Horses has given the Slough House series the leg up the charts it deserved. Will Jackson Lamb become the next Bond? It would be a rich paradox if he became an established anti-Bond brand ambassador. Maybe Lamb should change his name to Happy Jack or Pinball Wizard or even Harry Jack. After all, Harry worked for Palmer as might Edward Burlington for Bill Fairclough (real life MI6 codename JJ) in another noir but factual spy series, The Burlington Files.
Of course, espionage aficionados should know that both The Slough House and Burlington Files series were rejected by risk averse publishers who didn’t think espionage existed unless it was fictional and created by Ian Fleming or David Cornwell. However, they probably didn’t know that Fairclough once drummed with Keith Moon in their generation in the seventies. Both books are a must read for espionage illuminati.