Though his latest role doesn’t involve superheroic stunts like those he performed on Netflix as Marvel’s fan-favorite “Daredevil,” Charlie Cox turns in some of his best screen work yet on AMC+’s “Kin.” Starring as a troubled member of an Irish crime family, the longtime screen and stage performer spoke with us about his work on the show, his craft and career tips, and what he hopes to do next.
Cox’s convincing Irish accent seen on “Kin” was difficult to master for the English actor.
Cox: “I work really hard on accents; they don’t come naturally to me. For some reason, I’ve done a lot over the course of my career. I keep getting roles where I have to put an accent on. I work with an accent coach and heavily rely on him. It’s a question of getting the sounds right, listening to podcasts with people from the area, listening and repeating, and trying to stay in it as much as possible to stay as authentic as you can.”
Charlie Cox on His ‘Betrayal’ Broadway Debut + His Most Embarrassing AuditionCox credits a well-written script for helping him create his character, Michael, on “Kin.”
Cox: “I had a lot of conversations with the creator and writer. We were able to get to the root of Michael and Jimmy—his brother’s—backstory. To be honest, not much was needed from my part. It was so clear on the page, the character was so well-rounded and fully formed by the time I read the script, [that] I didn’t need to invent much.”
Acting was first just a hobby for the now well-known star.
Cox: “I loved acting at school, but it was just a thing I did as a hobby. I just did school plays and really enjoyed it. Toward the end of my school career, someone from a drama school came to see one of my plays and asked if I [had] considered applying to a drama school, which I hadn’t. As soon as she said it, though, it ignited a bit of a fire in me, and suddenly I became obsessed with the idea of going to drama school. From there, I got lucky. I got an agent, I got a movie, and then I went away and did a year at drama school [at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School,] but I was pulled out early to do ‘The Merchant of Venice.’ ”
Cox says “Daredevil” is still his career highlight.
Cox: “It was such a cool period of my life, and it was so unexpected. I was in my mid-30s when I got that job, and for me, I thought that ship had sailed. I had a lot of friends who were Marvel superheroes or were in the superhero universe in some capacity. It always seemed like so much fun to me. I’m someone who really enjoys the physical aspect of filmmaking, and I love getting stuck in the action sequences, but I didn’t think it would happen for me. Then this came along in 2014, and it was a dream. To be someone who is now associated with that character—I’m still pinching myself.”
What to Know About Auditioning for Marvel CD Sarah Halley FinnWhat’s next for Cox?
Cox: “I would like to do some comedy. Some of the first stuff I did onstage was comedic, so I have a love for that if I can get the right genre. With the pandemic, I don’t feel like I can just take a job now and leave the family. I have young kids, and I don’t want to go away and not be able to get back. It just means that I have to really consider what the next job is so I don’t miss out on the most important part of life, which is family.”
Watch the full interview with Cox above.
This story originally appeared in the Sept. 23 issue of Backstage Magazine. Subscribe here.
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