Glass interviews British actor Margaret Clunie

Can you tell me about why you became an actor? 
I can’t really give you a definitive answer – I’ve always loved acting, from doing every possible school show then university play to performing at the Edinburgh Festival with a group of friends when we were 17, it was just always something that felt right.  My parents took us to see shows as birthday treats, the very first play I remember seeing was the Hobbit – I think in Chichester – I was about five, and when someone died at some point in the play, I turned to my Dad and asked if the actual man onstage had died, to which he paused, then turned to me and said yes, yes he has … For years I really believed him and could not get over the fact a man had actually died in front of us. Thanks Dad.

I saw that you had a part in the BBC 3 comedy, Pramface. I absolutely loved that show. I hope it was as much fun to work on as it was to watch? 
Pramface was a riot to film. We filmed it up in Edinburgh, which was lovely, although I had to hold a baby in one scene which I was pretty nervous about.  Someone came onset to give me a “safety briefing” for it … said safety briefly genuinely involved a man saying to me “don’t drop the baby” before turning and leaving.  I managed to not drop the baby but I was terrified after that.

You played the part of Contessa Silvia in Upstart Crow, the BBC comedy about Shakespeare’s life and plays, where David Mitchell plays William Shakespeare. Can you tell me a bit about your part?
Upstart Crow was such an exciting show to be a part of, The Contessa Silvia was Italian – I cannot believe they let me do an Italian accent on television … it was mad.  I auditioned for the show a couple of days after getting married and was on such a high I think I might have been quite mad when I met the director and producer … although I guess that worked out quite well!  Silvia turns out to be a double agent in the plot of that episode which was pretty great to play but also she falls madly in love with Valentine and immediately calls for their wedding. She was extravagant and quite silly which was a joy to play.

Now onto your most recent project – Victoria. You play Harriet, the Duchess of Sutherland. Can you tell me a bit about the show? What makes it different to previous depictions of the monarch’s life? 
This has very much been a younger depiction of Victoria where we see her coming of age and becoming a monarch as opposed to the usual way of seeing her as an old grumpy lady dressed in black.  Although this was touched on in the film Young Victoria, getting to play it out on television means more storylines and events from her early years have been covered, we see a young woman finding her place in a very male-orientated world.

You have done a few TV shows based on real historical events or set in the past, is there something that attracts you to those kinds of roles?
It’s been pure coincidence. I’ve loved working on period dramas, having a reason to brush up on your history is always great … although I must say it would be great to do a role that didn’t involve a corset.

Margaret Clunie. Photograph: Leonardo Veloce

If you are able to share, have you got anything particularly exciting in the pipeline?
Next up I’m doing a horror film called Here Comes Hell with some friends. They’ve funded it through kickstarter which is amazing.  It’s going to be a freezing shoot in January in an old stately home somewhere in Lincolnshire but the whole crew and actors are all friends so I’m really looking forward to it – plus working in January is always ideal so you can begin the year with a bang. In this case a very spooky, blood-soaked one.