Interview with John Hannah
John Hannah plays Dr Archie Watson.
Published: 3 April 2019
It’s a great thriller, it looks terrific and there is loads of young talent in it - it’s a wicked piece of entertainment.
Tell us about your character
Archie Watson. He’s a man who may not be all he seems, but perhaps he’s not all you imagine either.
What drew you to this role?
Three things: the script, the script, and the script.
Archie has quite an awkward persona and manipulates people around him. Did you find that character difficult to play?
Yes I did. Archie has a fairly dysfunctional relationship with his patients and perhaps he sees them as a bit of an impediment to running an efficient department. I think actors generally are very sociable and talkative - that’s part of the creative process - so having that touch of misanthropy to him did make it difficult.
You play a clinical lead on a neuro rehab ward. How did you prepare for the role and did you research the medical scenes you faced whilst filming?
I had no hands-on surgery or anything to do, but it was a case of knowing the meaning of what you’re saying and the correct pronunciation of certain words. I read a little bit about what I needed to know in terms of the injuries and what that meant in terms of prognosis.
What was it like filming Trust Me? Did you enjoy filming in Scotland?
Bizarrely, I hadn't worked in Scotland for ten years, and then last year both The Victim and Trust Me were both filmed in Scotland so that was nice being back and getting to spend some time with friends.
How would you describe Archie’s relationships with other people on the ward?
Archie is slightly misanthropic towards the patients, slightly controlling, slightly in charge, and probably not quite as good at doing what he has to do as he thinks he is, but at the same time has an agenda which he works hard to fulfil.
What does Archie think of Jamie?
Archie sees Jamie as a kind of number that’s making a mess of his books. He doesn’t necessarily loathe him or dislike him but at the same time he doesn’t necessarily have any empathy for him.
Was there a particularly memorable scene or moment to film?
I had the morning meetings where I had to prove I was in charge. It meant I had a lot of medical dialogue early on. It was mostly my character who was driving those meetings so it was difficult.
Why should viewers tune in to Trust Me?
It’s a great thriller, it looks terrific and there is loads of young talent in it. It just all works. It all comes together in terms of the style of the script. The whole piece works very well - it’s a wicked piece of entertainment.
Character breakdowns
Corporal Jamie McCain, played by Alfred Enoch
Corporal Jamie McCain is both tough and intelligent. His world is one of physical capability, getting on and doing, not talking about it. The kind of person you would describe as a man of action. As the story begins, the man of action finds himself unable to walk. Frozen both physically and emotionally, and suspected of suffering from PTSD, it looks like Jamie might never recover. But when patients on the unit die unexpectedly he becomes obsessed, determined to uncover the truth - and although he doesn’t know it, this is the first step in his rehabilitation. But are patients really being murdered? Or is that just the paranoid conclusion of a man with an unstable mind?
Dr. Archie Watson (clinical lead), payed by John Hannah
Dr Archie Watson is the unit’s clinical lead, whose bad jokes and awkward persona hide a seedier and much more sinister side. Archie is basically hiding in Neuro Rehab, devoting most of his time to minimizing his workload and avoiding trouble. Archie may appear indifferent, but he’s also manipulative and will stop at nothing to save his own skin. Despite his marriage, Archie often oversteps the mark with his female colleagues. His ‘technique’ works very well with a certain type of woman.
Debbie Dorrell (head physio), played by Ashley Jensen
Head physiotherapist Debbie can be sharp-tongued, and often gets on the wrong side of people without meaning to. Debbie is a fantastic physiotherapist, she’s a professional who’s fiercely committed to her patients. Sometimes she pushes a little too hard, but she always gets there in the end.
Dr. Zoe Wade, played by Katie Clarkson-Hill
Zoe has always been smart, but even qualifying as a doctor hasn’t quite pushed down her feelings of insecurity and imposter syndrome. Everyone around her seems so confident that she’s sure she’ll be found out any minute. Up until now, Zoe’s solution has been to try and embrace the conventional. Even in her relationships - she is currently engaged to Alex - she’s played it safe. And the safe option is working, sort of. So why isn’t she happy? Alex has been there for Zoe through dark times, but she’s much better now - or so she’d like him to think.
Dr. Alex Kiernan, played by Richard Rankin
A career neurologist, Alex is training to become a consultant. On the surface he is a fun, attractive and dedicated doctor. But all of this belies his steely ambition, and we sense an undercurrent of threat beneath his professional exterior. Alex’s desire to protect Zoe means that he doesn’t always recognise her boundaries, but if this is a problem for Zoe, then Alex is unaware.
Dr. Laila Karimi (clinical psychologist), played by Amiera Darwish
An exceptionally intelligent and intuitive woman, Laila loves being a psychologist. Sometimes she can come off a bit more like a scientist than a human being - which suggests she’s probably not as ‘stable’ as she’d like to think she is. Her friendship with Zoe is real - an opposites attract dynamic - but does Zoe know the real Laila, or is she hiding behind her clinical persona?
Parveen Shankar (pathologist), played by Manjinder Virk
Parveen is a studious and efficient pathologist and a stickler for the rules. But she is also strong and capable of standing up for herself when she’s faced with difficult situations. Others may assume that they can walk all over her - but it’s often the quiet ones you have to watch out for...
Danny Adams (patient), played by Elliot Cooper
Danny is a handful. His mind fizzes at a hundred miles a minute with technology stats, conspiracy theories and an obsessive love of Doctor Who. When Jamie arrives on the unit Danny self-appoints himself as his best mate, and soon takes Jamie into his confidence. Is Danny just a conspiracy nut, or could he actually be on to something?
