How did Gary Oldman end up joining Slow Horses? Here's the 'story' behind the star's entry into the spy thriller

Gary Oldman’s presence in the British spy series Slow Horses as Jackson Lamb has added to the show’s increasing popularity. Slow Horses on Apple TV+ follows the story of a group of British intelligence agents who work in Slough House, a division for MI5 agents who have made mistakes in the past. Oldman portrays the role of Jackson Lamb, the head of Slough House. In a recent interview, he shared that he became a part of the series as he wanted to move away from the movie roles he was being offered.

On The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Oldman shared how he came upon Slow Horses. He recalled,

“…I have a sort of manager, producing partner, Douglas Evanski, and I’ve been a fan of long-form TV….So here’s this golden age of television. And I said to him, ‘Wouldn’t it be lovely to just sort of do a show and repeat a character?’ I said, ‘But it would have to be very well written, of a high pedigree.”

He continued,

“I said, ‘I don’t really want to wear a wig. I’ve worn too many wigs. I don’t want to wear prosthetic makeup because I’ve worn too much of that... So I don’t want to sit in a makeup chair for very long… I said I don’t want a big, elaborate costume. I want something that’s kind of easy. I don’t really want to do an accent, I’d like something close to my own voice. Oh, and if it could be in the spy world, you know, like le Carré or something, that would be even better.”

As Oldman kept looking for the perfect script he came upon the thriller spy series, which piqued his interest. He said,

“… we’re sitting on a plane together and he’s chuckling over a script he’s reading. And I said, ‘What are you laughing at? Is it that good?’ …He said, ‘I’m reading a character who is just about to become your best friend.’ And it fell from the sky and ticked all the boxes. It’s ridiculous."

Who is Gary Oldman in Slow Horses?

Gary Oldman portrays the role of Jackson Lamb, the head of Slough House in Apple TV+’s Slow Horses. Slough House is a division of MI5 for British Intelligence agents who made errors.

Lamb is shrewd in his approach towards the team. He does not care for personal hygiene and is often the perfect representation of the term ‘grumpy old man’. Each season, the team at Slough House takes on investigations that leads them into conspiracies, espionage and terrorism. Though Lamb is supportive of his team, he often uses sarcasm to rile up the team.

Slow Horses is based on the book series by Mick Herron. Oldman’s performance in the show has been praised by critics and fans alike. The show first premiered on Apply TV+ in 2022. Oldman has been nominated for Golden Globe, Emmy and BAFTA for his portrayed of Lamb. Slow Horses Season 5 is currently in the works.

Watch Slow Horses on Apple TV+

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