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Cape Town - Kelly Reilly returns to Above Suspicion as Anna Travis, who has risen through the ranks to Detective Inspector. In Above Suspicion: Silent Scream, Anna is ambitious as ever, and has hopes of being promoted once again.
Having played Anna Travis for four years, Kelly has seen her character grow, but admits she’s still a rookie. What sets her apart from Lynda La Plante’s other most famous female sleuth, Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect, is her drive to reach the top.
"Anna Travis is such a wonderful character," says Kelly. "She is on a professional and personal journey. There is always something new and as an actor it provides a challenge."
"The on-going story for Travis is watching how she reaches her goals. In Prime Suspect we saw Jane Tennison at the top, trying to find her way in a world dominated by sexual politics. But Travis doesn’t come up against those problems, she thinks, and 'I’m a woman, so what?'"
"We’ve moved on. Now it’s about acceleration and ambition. Travis is single-minded, she’s willing to climb and she’s willing to do what it takes. Her ambition is her whole life. It’s always been like that, but I think we are watching her become more eagle-eyed.
"However, Travis is still learning. There is so much further to go with her character. I think life experience will inevitably make her grow as a police officer; it will inform her emotional decisions and help her become a better detective. I think with time she will reach the top. At the moment I am really enjoying playing someone who is still figuring it all out."
Kelly reveals she is keen to go on that journey with Travis, and hopes for more adaptations of Above Suspicion.
Anna Travis is forever being reprimanded for going off on her own and not reporting to the team. In this fourth installment her instinct gets her into more trouble than expected, when she visits a suspect’s house without backup and winds up in hospital.
"In this story she really tries to work with the team," says Kelly. "However, she has such a fast mind that it gets in front of her sometimes. Her instinct is to go off on her own because she is so impetuous and acts often before she considers the risks. She always ends up slightly in trouble."
A range of suspects in the new season
In Above Suspicion: Silent Scream the suspects range from Amanda Delany’s agent to her movie star ex-lovers, unit drivers, and even her ex-housemates. All are embroiled in a sickening world of deceit, and all had a reason to want Amanda dead.
As well as starring in the Above Suspicion serials, Kelly Reilly has a growing film profile. Last year she appeared alongside Robert Downey Junior and Jude Law in Sherlock Holmes, and will reprise her role as Mary Morstan in the sequel released in December 2011. Kelly has also recently finished filming Flight, directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Denzel Washington, in which she plays the lead female role.
"I love playing characters," says Kelly, "And as much as I am excited about the end project, that’s not the reason why I do it. The reason is the process and the experience of doing it."
"In Above Suspicion I get to work with the nicest group of people I’ve ever worked with. You’ll hear it from all the cast I’m sure, but we’re such a small little family. Everyone’s very supportive of one another. There is a nice juxtaposition because we have a lot of fun although we’re dealing with quite dark subject matters. It’s lovely to work with a group of people that make you laugh and smile.
"I love my job and I feel so lucky to be working and getting the parts I get."
"I’ve just finished filming Flight. It went really well although it was an intense couple of months. It was different playing a heroin addict rather than a police officer but that’s all the fun of the job!"
Kelly’s other television and film credits include: Edwin Boyd, Meant to Be, Triage, Me and Orson Welles, Eden Lake, He Kills Coppers and Joe’s Palace.
(Photos: BBC Entertainment)
Having played Anna Travis for four years, Kelly has seen her character grow, but admits she’s still a rookie. What sets her apart from Lynda La Plante’s other most famous female sleuth, Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect, is her drive to reach the top.
"Anna Travis is such a wonderful character," says Kelly. "She is on a professional and personal journey. There is always something new and as an actor it provides a challenge."
"The on-going story for Travis is watching how she reaches her goals. In Prime Suspect we saw Jane Tennison at the top, trying to find her way in a world dominated by sexual politics. But Travis doesn’t come up against those problems, she thinks, and 'I’m a woman, so what?'"
"We’ve moved on. Now it’s about acceleration and ambition. Travis is single-minded, she’s willing to climb and she’s willing to do what it takes. Her ambition is her whole life. It’s always been like that, but I think we are watching her become more eagle-eyed.
"However, Travis is still learning. There is so much further to go with her character. I think life experience will inevitably make her grow as a police officer; it will inform her emotional decisions and help her become a better detective. I think with time she will reach the top. At the moment I am really enjoying playing someone who is still figuring it all out."
Kelly reveals she is keen to go on that journey with Travis, and hopes for more adaptations of Above Suspicion.
Anna Travis is forever being reprimanded for going off on her own and not reporting to the team. In this fourth installment her instinct gets her into more trouble than expected, when she visits a suspect’s house without backup and winds up in hospital.
"In this story she really tries to work with the team," says Kelly. "However, she has such a fast mind that it gets in front of her sometimes. Her instinct is to go off on her own because she is so impetuous and acts often before she considers the risks. She always ends up slightly in trouble."
A range of suspects in the new season
In Above Suspicion: Silent Scream the suspects range from Amanda Delany’s agent to her movie star ex-lovers, unit drivers, and even her ex-housemates. All are embroiled in a sickening world of deceit, and all had a reason to want Amanda dead.
As well as starring in the Above Suspicion serials, Kelly Reilly has a growing film profile. Last year she appeared alongside Robert Downey Junior and Jude Law in Sherlock Holmes, and will reprise her role as Mary Morstan in the sequel released in December 2011. Kelly has also recently finished filming Flight, directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Denzel Washington, in which she plays the lead female role.
"I love playing characters," says Kelly, "And as much as I am excited about the end project, that’s not the reason why I do it. The reason is the process and the experience of doing it."
"In Above Suspicion I get to work with the nicest group of people I’ve ever worked with. You’ll hear it from all the cast I’m sure, but we’re such a small little family. Everyone’s very supportive of one another. There is a nice juxtaposition because we have a lot of fun although we’re dealing with quite dark subject matters. It’s lovely to work with a group of people that make you laugh and smile.
"I love my job and I feel so lucky to be working and getting the parts I get."
"I’ve just finished filming Flight. It went really well although it was an intense couple of months. It was different playing a heroin addict rather than a police officer but that’s all the fun of the job!"
Kelly’s other television and film credits include: Edwin Boyd, Meant to Be, Triage, Me and Orson Welles, Eden Lake, He Kills Coppers and Joe’s Palace.
(Photos: BBC Entertainment)
