I recently got a chance to talk with actor Sam Claflin of the upcoming highly-anticipated MGM+ original series, Vanished, which he co-stars in with the great Kaley Cuoco. A thrilling mystery drama miniseries where a couple played by Kaley (as Alice Monroe) and Sam (as Tom Parker) go on a couples trip to Paris from Marseille, France. With Tom suddenly disappearing aboard a train on their way to Paris and Alice in turn unwebbingthe many truths, danger and intrigues of the man she thought she fully knew. Until she had to search to find him. Me and Sam discussing what it was like playing Tom and such a mysterious, as well as intriguing character, how it was working with Kaley and the rest of the cast. As well as what drew him to playing the role and what viewers of the highly-anticipated new series can expect before it premieres this upcoming Sunday Feb. 1st on MGM+. Among some of the several topics we discuss about the series. That you can dive into below.
Nello Rubio for TheHipHopDemocrat.com: Hey Sam, my name is Nello Rubio with TheHipHopDemocrat. It is nice to meet you.
Sam Claflin: Hey Nello it’s nice to meet you.
Nello: This new role you have in this upcoming series, Vanished, is a pretty intriguing and somewhat complicated role. Where your character Tom vanishes and your girlfriend, Alice, who is played by Kaley Cuoco is on a mission to find him after he just suddenly vanishes. How was it playing that role?
Sam: Honestly it was quite challenging. Portraying a character that shows throughout the series many different sides of his personality. It was all at once challenging, but very very fun. I think it is a dream as an actor stepping into a role of a person who has different sides of a personality. For example a darker side, a lighter side, a romantic side, and an action side. So yeah it was a lot of fun and I think one of the reasons I was so drawn to the project and character in the first place. Is it gave me an opportunity to show different sides of myself. So it was really great for me.
Nello: Kind of piggybacking off that. What really intrigued you about playing this role and maybe trying something new?
Sam: I think I have always been more interested in doing roles that are different from my previous ones. I think if you look at my IDMB, you can kind of see that the roles are not only different, but they usually look different too. I try not to do the same thing twice and this definitely felt like something new for me. A new opportunity and roles I’ve been drawn to more as of late are ones that I find close to myself. Where I am able to bring an authenticity and a truth to it and Tom really at the end of the day. Is a normal man that is brought into a complex situation against his will in a way. So I think having an opportunity to explore that and bring myself to the role. To sort of play around with being a normal person in an impossible situation. Is a lot of fun.
Nello: As I already mentioned Kaley Cuoco plays your girlfriend, Alice. How was it working with her and the chemistry you had with each other?
Sam: Kaley is a real force. She honestly achieved great success and a great respect. And a high level of fame. Where I think when anyone like that steps onto a film set and where when you meet them for the first time it is kind of daunting. You always hope that they are going to be good. We all hope they are. I have never personally experienced anything negative with anyone I have worked with, but Kaley was like a breath of fresh air. She was so incredibly grounded. So approachable, so collaborative and such a team player. But at the same time also an incredible leader. I think the atmosphere on set always stems from the number one on the call sheet. And she definitely set the bar high in a really wonderful way. She is so professional, but also so willing to have a joke and a laugh. So it made the experience really easy and fun in exploring that relationship romantically between the two characters. It was a real breath of fresh air I would say.
Nello: Kind of piggybacking off of that. You said how fresh it was and real easy it was to work with her. Do you think how easy she was to work with you, but made it easy for the rest of the cast to work with her as well?
Sam: Yeah I mean it is a cast full of different personalities. As with any cast is, but this one felt real in particular. Eclectic. Like we had a real mixed bag of cultures. You know we had a German actor, an Israeli actress. French actors and actresses. An American, and Brit. So it really was like such a melting pot of cultures and the history and experience. I think again everyone sort of looks up to the number one and she made it like a real family. We all got along really well and had a lot of fun. Even during the more intense sequences. I always say one of my strong points as an performer who works in TV and films in this industry. Is that I am really flexible and open to new things. And meeting new people and working with anyone. I think I have barely, if ever butted heads with a co-star. I think that is sort of how I like to work. Where I make it an enjoyable environment to work on. I want the process and experience to be as enjoyable as possible. So I laugh and kind of don’t take myself too serious. Especially now and Kaley kind of works in the same way. And I think when you have two actors who are willing to participate and in a line of phrase, ‘Get their hands dirty.’ It makes things a little more easier.
Nello: You mentioned how you have worked in both TV and film throughout your career. How do you think this role differentiates from other TV and movie roles you have had before?
Sam: I think the fact this has a bit of everything in it as a series. There is a bit of comedy, a bit of romance. A bit of stunt work and action brought to it. There is a lot of thrills and twists and turns. I think it felt like a culmination of a lot work I have done before, but in a new way. So yeah I think I have always prided myself on choosing different roles and there is a reason I choose this. Which was to explore a different part of me. And to really sort of tell a different story in a new way. I have been sort of drawn to thrillers a lot recently and I really love the genre. So I feel every role I have I at least treat and prepare differently. So this one felt different and special in its own unique way.
Nello: You mentioned about working on a lot more thrillers lately and being drawn to the genre a lot lately. Is there any genres you still haven’t explored and wanted to?
Sam: I would have said to you at the time before making this particular project. I would have said I have not really explored action much. This was like a nice introduction to that realm. But as I mentioned in a few other interviews there is not really a lot of action for me to undertake. However at the back end of last year I was involved in a new Taylor Sheridan movie that required a lot more action, stunts and physicality. I really relished and loved it. I can only hope I get a chance to explore that genre more. But I feel like I have really touched on a lot. Fantasy, sci-fi, maybe not for awhile. But I love cinema in all of its entirety. So I am not afraid of anything. I want to explore it all. It’s something I really enjoy. I don’t sort of discriminate against other genres. I am greedy and want to be involved in at all.
Nello: The setting of the show is Paris and overseas. Something that is one of those romantic, yet still thrilling areas of the world. So what was it like filming in that area and kind of exploring that through the story?
Sam: It was amazing. We actually filmed most of the series in Marseille and I had never really been to Marseille. So exploring a brand new city in any capacity is always fun for me. I enjoy putting myself out there and exploring new culture. Experiencing some of the history of the place. And Marseille is sort of heeped in history, heeped in great architect. And heeped in great art and creativity. I think it was really such a great home for us for a month. Then at the very end of filming we moved to Paris for a few days and exploring Paris in a new way. I always loved Paris and getting to explore kind of a little more the few days we were there was amazing. Again we were really blessed with a great French crew, who gave us all the best recommendations of restaurants and things to do and see. It was a real treat. I think that is one of my favorite perks of my job is kind of getting to explore the world through my work. I mean sometimes you are not able to see the real authentic side of certain cities. But I try to branch out and see and explore as much of it as I can. I have yet to work in a city or country that I haven’t really enjoyed it for what it is.
Nello: Finally I got a chance to screen the whole series already and liked a lot of the thriller and mystery aspects of a lot of it. So for those who haven’t seen it yet and are still going to see it. What would you say about the series to make them want to watch the series?
Sam: I would say one of the biggest draws of this series in particular is that there is great cliffhangers at the end of each episode. It is sort of filled with mystery, suspense, thrills. It has a bit of action. There is a bit of romance. There is a lot of twists, turns, surprises and shocks. The twists turn back and it is a very fun well rounded series with great characters and greatdepth. I think one of the things that I personally was really drawn to. Was both the leads, me and Kaley especially. They are just two normal people who are just thrust into a very crazy and choatic situation. And it’s kind of how they deal with it. And I think lot of people can relate and resonate with those kinds of stories and characters. So hopefully people will enjoy it, tune in and stick with it.
