Having recently graduated from drama school landing a role in ITV1’s prime time drama was a real coup for Ben.
This is the first really big job I have done. I’ve done some theatre and filmed an episode of Holby City which wasn’t really the same as being in Primeval. There were no computer generated f uture predators, dragons and certainly no medieval knights on horse back. It was a little more sedate.
So knowing what the project was all about and who was starring in it, how did the new boy feel on his first day?
Let’s just say my first scenes didn’t go quite how I had planned them. I was nervous and trying not to fluff my lines, as well as dealing with all these guns with which I had only had a bit of training beforehand. When I got there the costume department had given me thigh holster which didn’t fit and as I walked up this muddy hill out pops this gun in front of everyone including the actors who make up Becker’s team, some of whom were in the military so it was really quite embarrassing. Then I had to stand on top of a hill and arrest everyone. Not the best way to introduce yourself.
So guns and ill fitting thigh holsters aside, how would he describe Becker?
He comes from a military family, has been in the Q.A. military academy and then went onto Sandhurst after that. He is rather young for the senior position he holds, but that simply demonstrates how good he is. He is not particularly well integrated with the team initially as understandably they are very wary of him. Stephen has just passed away and they, particularly Cutter, don’t like having someone coming in who they don’t know, telling them what to do. And Becker initially sees them as a bunch of crazy scientists who don’t know how to take care of themselves. He is a good soldier and follows orders so his fundamental mission is to protect them at all costs. Even if it meant shooting one of them in the leg to save them he’d do it. There is a real trust issue between the two sides which makes for some interesting moments of conflict.
You say initially. Does his view of the group change throughout the series?
Oh absolutely. Becker sees things he thought to be impossible. The circumstances he finds himself in and the passion and sincerity of Cutter and the team bring out a softer side to him. There are also things that take place which make him question the chain of command and he starts to take matters into his own hands.