Jodie Comer is often referred to as one of the greatest actors of her generation – but the star has picked the two people she would give that description to.
After launching to fame in British TV shows such as My Mad Fat Diary and Doctor Foster, Comer, 33, had her big global breakthrough with the twisty assassin drama Killing Eve, for which she won an Emmy.
In the 2020s, she’s starred opposite Ryan Reynolds (in Free Guy), and Hugh Jackman in the new film The Death of Robin Hood – and won an Olivier and a Tony for her lead turn in the acclaimed one-woman play Prima Facie.
While she continues to whip up acclaim with every role she stars in, Comer herself is a big fan of Jessie Buckley and Harry Melling. In a new Independent interview for the video series Life in Pictures, the actor said: “Immediately, Jessie Buckley comes into my mind. She, to me, just seems so embodied and fearless and I’m always so excited to see what she does.”
Irish star Buckley, who appeared as a contestant on the Andrew Lloyd Webber talent show I’d Do Anything in her teens, won an Oscar for her role in Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet earlier this year. The 36-year-old’s other credits include I'm Thinking of Ending Things, The Lost Daughter and the Fargo TV series.
Comer also named former Harry Potter child star Melling, 37. Since playing Dudley Dursley, Melling has appeared in films including The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, The Pale Blue Eye and Pillion.
“I’ve just done a film with him [body horror romance musical Stuffed] and I’ve always admired Harry because he strikes me as an actor who makes choices for himself. I feel like he’s got a lot of integrity, a really strong intuition.
“I’ve always thought he’s made really interesting choices, so when this script came to me and he was attached, I was immediately like, ‘OK.’ So I sat down and read it and was like, ‘Wow.’ So I would also say Harry.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Comer reflected on her friendship with Stephen Graham, who recommended her to his agent after acting opposite her in the Liverpool-set BBC series Good Cop. They then starred together in the Covid drama Help in 2021.
“I’d love to work with him again,” Comer said, adding: “I think that’s inevitable and I know that will happen and I can’t wait.” She described the This Is England star as a “constant” in her life.
The Death of Robin Hood is in cinemas now.
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