Richard Armitage

The star of upcoming Netflix series The Stranger shares his thoughts on embracing the unknown, seeking happiness, striving for social unity and the comfort of helping others

- ALI ROFF FARRAR

Uncertainty can be exciting. I’ve had so many moments when something unexpected has happened to me that no matter how quiet things are or how much I think I’m not moving forward, I see there is always the potential to be surprised – not necessarily in landing a role but by a new idea or a new cast member with whom I connect.

Do what makes you smile. When I was four years old, I did tap dancing and I was told ‘smile and look like you’re enjoying yourself’. I realised that I wasn’t enjoying myself, otherwise I would have been smiling!

As a child, I was musical, and I enjoyed reading. When I got older, I was interested in escapism, science fiction and fantasy, and I realised that I have quite a literary mind. I was drawn to the theatre and that’s where my career began. The things that make my heart sing are the things that I now use for my acting; music, literature and theatre.