Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw are poised to monopolize the holiday season with their new Netflix spy thriller, Black Doves. The six-part series, set to premiere on December 5th, promises a heaping dose of Christmas carnage as Knightley’s character, Helen, a covert operative, fights to protect her unsuspecting family from the fallout of her exposed identity.
Whishaw plays Sam, Helen’s mysterious protector, who arrives on the scene just as the bullets start flying. The duo’s on-screen chemistry is palpable, their banter as sharp as the knives they wield. “If you’re feeling angry with your relatives and you want to see two possible psychopaths killing lots of people at Christmastime, this is the show to go for,” Knightley quips, a mischievous glint in her eye.
A Festive Twist on the Spy Genre
Black Doves is not your typical holiday fare, but that’s precisely what makes it so compelling. Creator Joe Barton, known for his work on Giri/Haji and The Lazarus Project, has crafted a story that seamlessly blends the tropes of the spy genre with the trappings of the festive season. “The absurdity of being bombarded with jolly songs when you’re busy shooting everyone,” as Whishaw puts it, lends the series a darkly comedic edge.
The show’s stellar cast is rounded out by an array of special guest stars, including Tracey Ullman, Paapa Essiedu, Kathryn Hunter, and even punk rock legend Rat Scabies of The Damned. Their appearances, scattered throughout the series like plums in a Christmas pudding, add an extra layer of excitement to an already thrilling ride.
Knightley’s Christmas Takeover
For Knightley, Black Doves is just the latest in a string of holiday-themed projects. From the iconic Love Actually to the whimsical The Nutcracker and the apocalyptic Silent Night, the actress has been quietly staging a Christmas takeover. “Yes, I am planning to take it over,” she confirms with a prim smile. “I’m planning to completely ruin the festivities with this one.”
Whishaw, meanwhile, is no stranger to the world of espionage, having played Q in the recent James Bond films. He brings a quiet intensity to the role of Sam, a man haunted by his past and grappling with his sexuality. “I like that he’s just this queer guy who shoots people,” Whishaw says, appreciating the matter-of-fact treatment of his character’s identity.
The Actor’s Rage
Both Knightley and Whishaw agree that there is an inherent rage to actors, a well of anger that fuels their performances. “It comes from this being such a subjective industry where it is very public when things go wrong,” Knightley muses. “And it’s an industry of people searching for a truth that by its very nature they can’t find because it’s fiction. Maybe that creates the coiled spring, which is where some performances come from.”
It’s a sentiment that resonates with Whishaw, who leans forward, rapt, as Knightley articulates the thought. “I’m fascinated by how you articulated that,” he tells her, a note of admiration in his voice. It’s clear that the two share a deep respect for their craft and for each other.
An Unorthodox Creative Process
The making of Black Doves was marked by an unorthodox creative process, with Barton writing the later episodes as filming was already underway. “We didn’t entirely know where we were going,” Knightley admits. Whishaw is more blunt: “That’s generous. We had no clue!”
But rather than being a hindrance, this fluid approach allowed the show to evolve organically, with Barton crafting the story around the areas and people he found most compelling as the production unfolded. It’s a testament to the trust the actors placed in their creator, and to the strength of the central concept that the series never loses its way.
A Christmas Treat with a Twist
As the holiday season approaches, Black Doves promises to be a Christmas treat with a twist. With its star-studded cast, razor-sharp writing, and heady blend of humor and violence, the series is poised to be the talk of the festive season. “Blood, bullets, bad Santas – it will guarantee you a raucous holiday season,” Knightley declares with a grin.
So deck the halls, pour yourself a glass of eggnog, and settle in for a wild ride. Black Doves is coming to town, and it’s not leaving until the last body hits the floor.
