Charlie Cox on “Kin” and tackling accent work

Charlie Cox on “Kin”

Backstage Live

Keeping It in the Family

Charlie Cox’s new series “Kin” is some of his most emotional work yet

By Rebecca Aizin

The following interview for our on-camera series Backstage Live was compiled in part by Backstage readers just like you! Follow us on Twitter (@Backstage) and Instagram (@backstagecast) to stay in the loop on upcoming interviews and to submit your questions.

THOUGH HIS LATEST ROLE

doesn’t involve superheroic stunts like those he performed on Netflix and Marvel fan favorite “Daredevil,” Charlie Cox turns in some of his best screen work yet on AMC+’s “Kin.” Starring as a troubled member of an Irish crime family, the longtime screen and stage performer spoke with us about his work on the show, his craft and career tips, and what he hopes to do next. from the area, listening and repeating, and trying to stay in it as much as possible to stay as authentic as you can.”

Cox mainly used material from the script to build his character, Michael, on “Kin.”

“I had a lot of conversations with the creator and writer. We were able to get to the root of Michael and Jimmy—his brother’s—backstory. To be honest, not much was needed from my part. It was so clear on the page, the character was so wellrounded and fully formed by the time I read the script, [that] I didn’t need to invent much.”

The series had Cox tackling an Irish accent.

“I work really hard on accents; they don’t come naturally to me. For some reason, I’ve done a lot over the course of my career. I keep getting roles where I have to put an accent on. I work with an accent coach and heavily rely on him. It’s a question of getting the sounds right, listening to podcasts with people

TELEVISION

More ‘Murders’ for Hulu

By Casey Mink

THOUGH STILL SMACK-DAB IN THE

middle of its first season, Hulu has announced a Season 2 order of its comedy–murder mystery “Only Murders in the Building.” The series, which stars Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez and was co-created by Martin and John Hoffman, will air its finale Oct. 19. Said Hoffman of the news, “To feel we’ve connected with our audience and hit the mark enough already to have the chance to continue—and to carry on our show’s wild ride of mystery-comedy-empathy—is too exciting for words.”

Though Cox didn’t dream of being an actor from a young age, as soon as the seed was planted in his head, he had to go for it.

“I loved acting at school, but it was just a thing I did as a hobby. I just did school plays and really enjoyed it. Toward the end of my school career, someone from a drama school came to see one of my plays and asked if I [had] considered applying to a drama school, which I hadn’t. As soon as she said it, though, it ignited a bit of a fire in me, and suddenly I became obsessed with the idea of going to drama school. From there, I got lucky. I got an agent, I got a movie, and then I went away and did a year at drama school [at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School,] but I was pulled out early to do ‘The Merchant of Venice.’ ”

He still remembers “Daredevil” as a career highlight.

“It was such a cool period of my life, and it was so unexpected. I was in my mid-30s when I got that job, and for me, I thought that ship had sailed. I had a lot of friends who were Marvel superheroes or were in the superhero universe in some capacity. It always seemed like so much fun to me. I’m someone who really enjoys the physical aspect of filmmaking, and I love getting stuck in the action sequences, but I didn’t think it would happen for me. Then this came along in 2014, and it was a dream. To be someone who is now associated with that character—I’m still pinching myself.”

Want to hear more from Cox? Watch our full interview at backstage.com/magazine, and follow us on Instagram: @backstagecast.