Slow Horses creator teases "massive star" Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù's new character
Will Smith spoke exclusively with RadioTimes.com about Dìrísù’s season 3 role.
Apple TV+ spy drama Slow Horses is back for its third season, with the regular cast including Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden all returning.
However, they're not the only major cast members this time around - two major guest stars are joining, with Katherine Waterston playing MI5 agent Alison Dunn and Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù playing Sean Donovan, the former head of security at the British embassy in Istanbul.
RadioTimes.com caught up with the show's creator Will Smith to talk about the new season, and he explained why Dìrísù was so perfect as Sean, who is a man on a very specific mission this season, and what he brought to the role.
Smith explained: "He’s fantastic at action, but he's also a brilliant actor. What we wanted for that part, the Sean Donovan part, is you've got to believe his anguish and his grief and that that is motivating him. If you don't believe that, I don't think you buy all things he does, and you start to question it.
"He just brought a reality to it, and an emotional heart and heft that just brings the central plot alive, brings it all alive. He’s phenomenal and I loved working with Ṣọpẹ́. He's already a massive star and he's gonna be an even bigger star. I mean, he's off, he's away."
The official synopsis for this third season says: "A romantic liaison in Istanbul threatens to expose a buried MI5 secret in London.
"When Jackson Lamb and his team of misfits are dragged into the fight, they find themselves caught in a conspiracy that threatens the future not just of Slough House but of MI5 itself."
Read more:
- Jacob Elordi's The Narrow Road to the Deep North adds Ciarán Hinds
- Wolf Hall returns for second and final season on BBC
A fourth season of Slow Horses has already been confirmed, which will be based on Mick Herron's novel Spook Street and will feature Hugo Weaving and Joanna Scanlan in its guest cast.
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
The blurb of the Spook Street novel says: "Twenty years retired from the Intelligence Service, David Cartwright still knows where all the bones are buried. But when he forgets that secrets are supposed to stay hidden, there's suddenly a target on his back.
"The 'Old B****rd' raised his grandson to be a hero, not a slow horse. Now, far from joining the myths and legends of Spook Street, River Cartwright is part of Jackson Lamb's team of pen-pushing no-hopers at Slough House. Which doesn't mean he won't ditch everything and go rogue when his grandfather comes under threat.
"Lamb worked with Cartwright back in the day, and knows better than most that this is no innocent old man. So, when a panic button raises the alarm at Intelligence Service HQ, it's Lamb who's called on to identify the body. And it's Lamb who'll do whatever's necessary to protect an agent in peril."
Slow Horses season 3 will debut on Wednesday 29th November, while seasons 1-2 are available to watch now on Apple TV+. Sign up to Apple TV+ now. Mick Herron's full Slough House book series is available now.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
