Angel Coulby | 'The Tunnel' - ratings ep 1 + 'Dancing on the Edge' - interview
DigitalSpy: 'The Tunnel' gets strong start on Sky Atlantic
Sky Atlantic was given a boost in the Wednesday night ratings by a solid performance from new drama series The Tunnel.
Sky's adaptation of Nordic Noir favourite The Bridge pulled in 362k at 9pm last night (October 16), an impressive figure for the channel with a homegrown production.
UptownMagazine: Q&A: Angel Coulby Steals The Spotlight In ‘Dancing on the Edge’
Meet Angel Coulby of the Starz mini-series 'Dancing on the Edge' premiering October 19, 10 p.m. ET/PT. This London-bred actress plays Jessie the lead singer of the Louis Lester Band and best friend to Carla (played by Wunmi Mosaku). As her character begins to lavish in the spotlight, her ambitions may soon be a detriment to her. Coulby chats with UPTOWN about being bi-racial, singing on camera for the first time, and finding her confidence ...
UPTOWN: Congratulations on the show, we cannot wait to see it ... I just saw stills of you in that gorgeous silver gown singing on stage!
Coulby: Thank you very much! I play Jessie who is initially this humble mixed-race girl that gets a chance to become a member of this band and be a part of their success. She is very driven and ambitious and her main objective is holding onto that success, which becomes her detriment in the end. She will do anything to maintain her success and she's actually quite naive.
[click to read more]UPTOWN: Your character Jessie is best friends with Carla (played by Wunmi Mosaku).
Coulby: Yes, they come as a pair and they audition to be lead singer of the [Louis Lester] Band together and basically tell the band that they take both of them or neither of them, so the band agrees to have two lead singers.
UPTOWN: Jessie steals the spotlight and Carla is more in the background ...
Coulby: Yes, Jessie is more ambitious and will elbow people out of the way if she needed to. She is very, very driven and ambitious in that way.
UPTOWN: You have been working as an actor in the U.K. for years and are a television star there ...
Coulby: I just finished filming the series 'The Tunnel' which is a modern, gritty crime thriller! Something totally different from 'Dancing on the Edge'! The costumes for 'Dancing on the Edge' were amazing and wonderful, but quite high-maintenance; sequins from a gown I wore had to be brushed up [by someone] so that they could sew them back on the dress because it was an original costume from the '30s. A lot of times I was not able to sit down in the costumes (laughs) so it was quite nice in the modern drama ["The Tunnel"] to wear jeans and a T-shirt and sit down whenever I wanted to!
UPTOWN: Now that everyone in the States will be familiar with you as an actress after the October 19 premiere, tell us about you as a person.
Coulby: I am originally from London and grew up there, and decided that acting was the path I wanted to follow and after drama school I got an agent, and started working. it's been 12 years now and 'Dancing on the Edge' was my foray into singing. I have always loved singing, but had never done it publicly. Nobody even knew I could sing! This is my first time singing in a production and it has been quite a discovery for me to find where my voice was. Maybe I'll just roll with that for now! I've always been influenced by the '30s era and the glamour of it.
UPTOWN: Jessie is a bi-racial singer in the '30s, how does this affect her as a singer amongst London's elite, and how has it effected you as an actor?
Coulby: Jessie is aware that there is this kind of hypocrisy as being jazz musicians everyone is excited by them and they are exotic, they are part of a pioneering era of music. Yet, as long as they are on the stage that is OK. As soon as they try to become part of the social aspect that's not OK. She is aware of that, but naively starts to believe that she perhaps has gone beyond that and is more desirable as a star - that she can do anything and it ends up being her downfall.
In terms of myself I don't particularly define myself by my race. In this industry you definitely think about it more because you are cast as a Black/mixed-race actor. I played in the television series 'Merlin' and I was cast as Guinevere, which was a surprise as a mixed actor and the production was very open-minded and forward-thinking, and it was about my talent as an actress not my color.
UPTOWN: In the States race is a big issue. it's discussed and analyzed all of the time, and also an issue for women/men of color in their pursuits of an acting career ... Have you ever dealt with these types of issues?
Coulby: I would say here in the U.K. it's not as in the forefront. I mean, you never know what the conversations are in the production offices and with the higher up executives, but I've never been particularly aware of it. I've worked consistently and I don't know if that has to do with my race necessarily. A lot of the roles I go for don't specify race, but then I have also experienced being denied a role that my agent will submit me for and am told no because they want a Caucasian actress.
UPTOWN: The mindset in the U.K. seems very open to Black and bi-racial actors more so than in the States.
Coulby: That's so interesting because a lot of people here seem to think it's vice-versa.
Uptown: I think here in the States yes, there are a lot of of roles for Black actors, but they tend to fall more into the stereotypical role, and that's a struggle for Black actors here. For bi-racial girls and women to see you on screen in this multi-dimensional role is inspirational.
Coulby: I'd like to think of it as inspirational and I hope as a sign of things to come in this industry.
UPTOWN: What advice can you offer to the girls and women who will now be more familiar with you and are pursuing a career in the entertainment industry?
Coulby: I would say as soon as you can get involved in classes ... if it's acting then drama class. Get around people that are in your industry and get involved in performing as much as you can, so you can get an agent. Be confident and take risks, don't feel stupid about asking questions. Having a vivid imagination helps! You also can't over think things too much ... and maybe there's a tiny bit of madness to it (laughs), and if you're getting that positive feedback, trust in yourself that you're doing a good job and enjoy it!
Sky Atlantic was given a boost in the Wednesday night ratings by a solid performance from new drama series The Tunnel.
Sky's adaptation of Nordic Noir favourite The Bridge pulled in 362k at 9pm last night (October 16), an impressive figure for the channel with a homegrown production.
UptownMagazine: Q&A: Angel Coulby Steals The Spotlight In ‘Dancing on the Edge’
Meet Angel Coulby of the Starz mini-series 'Dancing on the Edge' premiering October 19, 10 p.m. ET/PT. This London-bred actress plays Jessie the lead singer of the Louis Lester Band and best friend to Carla (played by Wunmi Mosaku). As her character begins to lavish in the spotlight, her ambitions may soon be a detriment to her. Coulby chats with UPTOWN about being bi-racial, singing on camera for the first time, and finding her confidence ...
UPTOWN: Congratulations on the show, we cannot wait to see it ... I just saw stills of you in that gorgeous silver gown singing on stage!
Coulby: Thank you very much! I play Jessie who is initially this humble mixed-race girl that gets a chance to become a member of this band and be a part of their success. She is very driven and ambitious and her main objective is holding onto that success, which becomes her detriment in the end. She will do anything to maintain her success and she's actually quite naive.
[click to read more]UPTOWN: Your character Jessie is best friends with Carla (played by Wunmi Mosaku).
Coulby: Yes, they come as a pair and they audition to be lead singer of the [Louis Lester] Band together and basically tell the band that they take both of them or neither of them, so the band agrees to have two lead singers.
UPTOWN: Jessie steals the spotlight and Carla is more in the background ...
Coulby: Yes, Jessie is more ambitious and will elbow people out of the way if she needed to. She is very, very driven and ambitious in that way.
UPTOWN: You have been working as an actor in the U.K. for years and are a television star there ...
Coulby: I just finished filming the series 'The Tunnel' which is a modern, gritty crime thriller! Something totally different from 'Dancing on the Edge'! The costumes for 'Dancing on the Edge' were amazing and wonderful, but quite high-maintenance; sequins from a gown I wore had to be brushed up [by someone] so that they could sew them back on the dress because it was an original costume from the '30s. A lot of times I was not able to sit down in the costumes (laughs) so it was quite nice in the modern drama ["The Tunnel"] to wear jeans and a T-shirt and sit down whenever I wanted to!
UPTOWN: Now that everyone in the States will be familiar with you as an actress after the October 19 premiere, tell us about you as a person.
Coulby: I am originally from London and grew up there, and decided that acting was the path I wanted to follow and after drama school I got an agent, and started working. it's been 12 years now and 'Dancing on the Edge' was my foray into singing. I have always loved singing, but had never done it publicly. Nobody even knew I could sing! This is my first time singing in a production and it has been quite a discovery for me to find where my voice was. Maybe I'll just roll with that for now! I've always been influenced by the '30s era and the glamour of it.
UPTOWN: Jessie is a bi-racial singer in the '30s, how does this affect her as a singer amongst London's elite, and how has it effected you as an actor?
Coulby: Jessie is aware that there is this kind of hypocrisy as being jazz musicians everyone is excited by them and they are exotic, they are part of a pioneering era of music. Yet, as long as they are on the stage that is OK. As soon as they try to become part of the social aspect that's not OK. She is aware of that, but naively starts to believe that she perhaps has gone beyond that and is more desirable as a star - that she can do anything and it ends up being her downfall.
In terms of myself I don't particularly define myself by my race. In this industry you definitely think about it more because you are cast as a Black/mixed-race actor. I played in the television series 'Merlin' and I was cast as Guinevere, which was a surprise as a mixed actor and the production was very open-minded and forward-thinking, and it was about my talent as an actress not my color.
UPTOWN: In the States race is a big issue. it's discussed and analyzed all of the time, and also an issue for women/men of color in their pursuits of an acting career ... Have you ever dealt with these types of issues?
Coulby: I would say here in the U.K. it's not as in the forefront. I mean, you never know what the conversations are in the production offices and with the higher up executives, but I've never been particularly aware of it. I've worked consistently and I don't know if that has to do with my race necessarily. A lot of the roles I go for don't specify race, but then I have also experienced being denied a role that my agent will submit me for and am told no because they want a Caucasian actress.
UPTOWN: The mindset in the U.K. seems very open to Black and bi-racial actors more so than in the States.
Coulby: That's so interesting because a lot of people here seem to think it's vice-versa.
Uptown: I think here in the States yes, there are a lot of of roles for Black actors, but they tend to fall more into the stereotypical role, and that's a struggle for Black actors here. For bi-racial girls and women to see you on screen in this multi-dimensional role is inspirational.
Coulby: I'd like to think of it as inspirational and I hope as a sign of things to come in this industry.
UPTOWN: What advice can you offer to the girls and women who will now be more familiar with you and are pursuing a career in the entertainment industry?
Coulby: I would say as soon as you can get involved in classes ... if it's acting then drama class. Get around people that are in your industry and get involved in performing as much as you can, so you can get an agent. Be confident and take risks, don't feel stupid about asking questions. Having a vivid imagination helps! You also can't over think things too much ... and maybe there's a tiny bit of madness to it (laughs), and if you're getting that positive feedback, trust in yourself that you're doing a good job and enjoy it!