TV Interview!
Interview with Idris Elba, Archie Panjabi and Max Beesley in “Hijack” on Apple TV+Ā by Suzanne 6/26/23
This was an early-morning press conference in London that I watched on Zoom. The host took questions from us ahead of time, as well as from the audience. This is a great show that you won’t want to miss, particularly if you love high-stakes drama and action. It was great to watch their chat.
[CHATTER]
[MUSIC STARTS]
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Thank you so much for joining us today. Iāve got to say, I think Hijack might actually be my new favourite show. I donāt know about you guys, but I guess there might be a few fans out there that binged it like I did ā oh, yes! Weāve got a round of applause already, isnāt it brilliant? Ok, well, letās get our glittering cast and creatives out. First up, Idris Elba [AUDIENCE APPLAUSE]; Idris plays Sam Nelson, and heās executive producer; this is George Kay, writer and executive producer; here we have Archie Panjabi, who plays Zahar Gahfoor; Max Beesley, who plays Daniel OāFarrel; and then we have Jim Field Smith, director and executive producer [ALL APPLAUSE]. Wow. Thank you so much. I mean, I literally think this stage is bowing under the weight of the talented accolades, really. I mean, you guys are a stella team, isnāt it, you are a force, absolute force. So, firstly, I just want to you, you play Sam Nelson, when did you first know, you were going to play Sam?
Idris Elba: Hi everyone, how you doing? Nice to see you all, thanks for coming.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): What happened? How did the script land on you? Was it a conversation with George?
Idris Elba: It was someā¦ made in an alignment of timings. And I think, you know, the idea cameā¦ George had the idea and was rearing that, at the same junction I was looking at, you know, Apple and I had a deal that were trying to figure out what we were going to do together, and this came as just an idea from George and then became, you know, the story beats and then the scripts. Soā¦ But I knew really much very early when I sat with George and talked about what were trying to achieve and what, you know, the story and the perspective of this story. For me, as a producer and a talent, I was sort of interesting in doing something that, you know, hit the mark in television. I love television, I love making television, I have done for years. I play in the film space as well and I think the- the sort of merger between film and what is film and what is television has gotten smaller, that sort of line. And- and working with George was just likeā¦ it was a joy. I was a fan of his work and wanted to make that happen.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Brilliant. Brilliant. I mean, Sam certainly stayed with me. Iāve got to say, like, you know, even that opening shot, itās almostā¦ the way youāre talking about the crossover between TV and film, it is filmic. Iāve never seen a travelator look so sexy in my life [ALL LAUGH]. Do you know what I mean? And the lens flare and the sun. And I love that motif that we see throughout, which is kind of, you know, you being backlit looking angelic and heroic, which actually brings me, really, I guess to the cinematography, and Jim, at the end.
Jim Field Smith: I thought you were going to say it brings you to Max Beesley.
[ALL LAUGH]
Kate Quilton (Moderator): From angel to another [LAUGHS]. But it is, it is exquisite, I mean, how itās shot; can you tell us a little bit about how you settled on shooting style and the look and feel of it?
Jim Field Smith: Ā Ā Well obviously, we spent most of our time trying to make Idris look presentable, which is toughā¦
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Tough gig [LAUGHS].
Jim Field Smith: The biggest thing for us, I suppose, was weāve got a show thatās set almost exclusively inside of an airplane. And thereās two problems with that, one is to make it engaging dramatically and not make it feel dull and flat, and the other thing is to make it feel like you are actually in an airplane thatās moving through the sky. So, it was sort of definitely very, very challenging, but we had a very talented team that figured out how to solve both of those issues. And I sort of heaped problem on top of problem by saying, you know, we didnāt really want to break this place apart, we wanted to move around the plane and never break through the skin of it, and we didnātā¦ I didnāt want the thing you sometimes see on screen where everything gets scaled up, we actuallyā¦ the plane you see in the show is a millimetre for millimetre replication of a- of an airliner. So, we sort of made it as hard for ourselves as we possibly could and hope that translates onto screen into something that feels really convincing, but at the same time, yeah, try to make it look as engaging and sort of pull you into the drama as much as possible.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Mhm. I mean, that must have been challenging. I mean, how many people were on that plane? I mean, obviously we have the two hundred passengers, plus crewā¦
Jim Field Smith: Well, as many as you seeā¦ As many as you see, plus some of them behind the camera, yeah. So, that was sort of everybody boarding a long-haul flight every single day for a hundred twenty days.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): [GASPS]
Idris Elba: In the middle of summer with no AC.
Jim Field Smith: In the middle of summer, yeah.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): How was that for you? I mean, you must beā¦
Idris Elba: It was great Iā¦
Kate Quilton (Moderator): 6ā 3ā ish?
Idris Elba: Yeah [LAUGHS].
Jim Field Smith: Heās been wearing shorts ever since.
Idris Elba: 6ā 3ā, but luckily the first-class cabin had the extra legroom.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Oh, ok. I guess you spent maybe half your time there and half at the backā¦
Idris Elba: Yeah, some of it in the back, yeah. But actually, you know, I think the- the fact that we didnāt break the 
plane apart and makeā¦ you know, this is a real plane, just in a studio, and the- the- the confinement of that just really applied to the drama. Even for the crew, you know, figuring out how weāre going to do this top shot without being able to take the roof off was about trying to figure out how to Ā Ā do that. And, you know, it all sort of led into the claustrophobia of it, so the crew, the actors, you know, everyone was sort of tight, and weāreā¦ it was almost like watching a documentary being made while being in the documentary, you know.
Jim Field Smith: It meant we could keep going more, you know, it meant that we could stay in the moment and let the scene play out more, which, you know, when youāre dealing with a hijacking itās about people reacting and trying to figure out live, you know, how to get through the next second, how to get through the next minutes. And so, we were able to bring some of that into the actual making of it, you know, we used a lot of unbroken shots, we moved often with Samās characterā¦ with Idrisā character, Sam, weāre moving with him through the plane. So, we did a lot of that for real, you know. And there was a lot of like, you know, literally people having to hand the camera to each other and stuff like that. But, again, that was, as Idris says, that was all about wanting to feel engaged in the drama of it and not feel like it was artifice or that it wasā¦ we were sort of sitting aback and watching it from afar, I wanted it to feel like youāre in that hijack.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Yeah, which you certainly do. I mean, you feel it, itās a ride, you know what I mean? George, I want to ask you ā George is the writer of the project ā how did it come about? I mean, where did theā¦ what was the genesis of the idea?
George Kay: I was on a train, actually – I was on the Eurostar, I was doing a lot of work in France ā and we were in the Eurostar tunnel and the train stops quite abruptly. And even though I knew everything was alright, it flashed through my mind, what if thereās something going on, on this train? What if itās happening up the carriages? And I looked around me at the people, the kind of businessman eating his lunch, and the squabbling family, and I thought like, how would we Ā Ā cope as a group of people if this was a serious incident? Would the tough looking guy really be tough, would the kind of the weedy guy really rise up and actually cover himself in glory and manage to stand up to people. Who are these people really when you look past them as- as- asā¦ you get past your prejudice of those people and how they look. And it kind of put me in mind of blitz spirit and like when the chips are down, how does the British or an international community cope when suddenly thrust into kind of extremes. Then the thought of a plane was much more of a visual, you know, we could really open it upā¦
Kate Quilton (Moderator): High stakes.
George Kay: High stakes. Also, like a moving society, you know, weāve got a class system on a plane, youāve got all sorts of people. But as all the characters experience, whether theyāre on the ground or in the plane, that hijacking is a great leveller for all these people and so they really get tested, no matter what their rank, no matter what their class seat theyāre sitting on a plane, so it felt like a good setting to take it to a plane.
Idris Elba: So, youāre saying that Iām the weedy guy [ALL LAUGH]. So, thatās whatās really going on here, I didnāt see that.
George Kay: Youāre the business guy eating his lunch. On a serious point, what was great was that when Idris came on board to play Sam, we all have our understanding of Idris as an actor and his likeā¦ and itās great to give a role that, I think, thatās kind of aā¦ he doesnāt have those skills of a Royal Marine or an SAS soldier or stuff, heās reallyā¦ as a characterā¦
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Ā Ā But he does in a real lifeā¦
George Kay: But he looks like he might. He looks like he might, right, yeah [LAUGHS]. So, itās quite fun to play with what the hijackers thoughtā¦ think of Sam Nelson, and what Sam Nelson thinks they think of Sam Nelson. Those are fun layers to exploit.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Yeah. Now, Archie and Max, together, youāre part of the ground force, whatās happening on the ground?
Max Beesley: After you, Archie.
Archie Panjabi: So, yeah, so I am theā¦ Gosh, I was so interested in hearing how it all came about, I completely lost my words [ALL LAUGH]. Zaharās character first learns about the hijacking and gets together all the authorities and starts a big investigation. We were in a room thatā¦ not as narrow as the aircraft, but it was stillā¦ it was probably about three times the size of the stage, and the room just got bigger and bigger as it became more tense. Those were stressful scenes though, we all had to stay in one position, we couldnāt move because of the number people in the room, we were watching the monitor with like a dart, which was the aircraft, and really like intense scenes.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Who had it worse?
Archie Panjabi: Sorry?
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Nobody knows who had it worse [LAUGHS].
Archie Panjabi: Yeah, well, I think we did because he was in business class with his feetā¦ first class?
Kate Quilton (Moderator): First.
Archie Panjabi: He was in first. We were kind of packed like sardines too. But we did have, you know, I was telling Idris earlier, we did have a good laugh on the show. It was intense, right, Jim? We had a lot of fun on the show.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): So, when the script first landed with you, did you know immediately, yes, I want to play Zahar?
Archie Panjabi: Well, when I first read it, I think I was sent three and I couldnāt put it down. And then, by the end of the third one, I wanted to know if my character had [LAUGHS] successfully saved the passengers, so I phoned up my agent and said, āI need to read four to sevenā, and she said [LAUGHS] so selfish of me. But she said, ādo you not want to do it?ā, I said āno, Iād love to do it. I just need to know what happens to the passengersā And thatās when I thought this is a brilliant script, itās really thrilling, itās going to have audiences at the edge of their seat, so. And Idris was in it, of course, and Max and Jim and [LAUGHS].
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Iāve just been handed a message, which, shall I read this out? Thank you. Ok, thanks, Ernie. Please remind press here in the screening room that while photos are ok, please do not video tape the press conference, thanks, Ernie. Running in a rule! Thank you. So, no videos but photos are great. So, sorry. Sorry to interrupt! [LAUGHS]. Brilliant, so, Max, I think you have maybe one of the best entrances possible, you know, just that killer reveal at the beginning Ā Ā of the episode where you literally just roll into frame and itāsā¦ itās a couple of seconds but we learn so much. In terms of storytelling, it is brilliant. I mean, for you, when you first read the script, did you think, ok, Iām in, this is brilliant?
Max Beesley: Well, Iā¦ Interestingly enough, Idris is very kind enough to suggest me for the role to the producers, which was lovely, and then- and then when I got the scripts, the first thing I always look at is whoās written it, because I write myself and I loveā¦ I like good writing. And I saw it was George, and then Jim as a director, and Iād seen Criminal, and what I loved about that show was it was compelling. It was in such small, confined spaces yet there was so much going on within the stillness, if that makes sense, and I thought it was really clever television that theyād both created. And so, immediately, I was like great, letās go. And also, I wanted to work with Idris. I didnāt realise that heād be thirty thousand feet up in the air and Iād be running around the ground trying to find out what was going on, you know, butā¦
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Did you ever see each other?
Max Beesley: No, not even in the six months shooting [LAUGHS].
Idris Elba: No, not once.
Max Beesley: Soā¦ But, of course, after reading it, the first couple of episodes ā I think I read three ā and the character became more and more involved. And there are so many wonderful nuances for me to play as well as a professional policeman, but also from a personal point of view, being involved in Samās ex-wife, played by Christine Adams. And we get very subtle reminders of that, you know, on the picture frame, thereās pictures of Sam with the family and heās obviously Ā Ā handsome and heās, you know, heās got a vibe about him. And so, I think that policemen, while theyāre so tenacious and professional and very good at their jobs, their personal lives are very discombobulated, if you like. So, there was something interesting there for me to get hold of. And then, of course, myā¦ Archieās character is another ex-lover of this rogueā¦ were we lovers? I think we were. George?
George Kay: Yeah.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): I mean, Iām itching to know the backstory because the relationship between you two, I mean, that dynamic just leaps off the screen, doesnāt it. I mean, something- something really bad went down [LAUGHS].
Max Beesley: We hadā¦ something went down, Iām not quite sure what it was, Kate, butā¦
Archie Panjabi: Oh, I am.
[ALL LAUGH]
Max Beesley: Oh, ok [LAUGHS]. But itās excellent because we very delicately and subtly worked through Christineās messages fromā¦ from Idrisā character, Sam, and then my relationship, past relationship with Archie, who is in counterterrorism, we can then start formulating something we donāt really think is going on, but as the dominos fall then we realise weāre into a very serious situation. Quite quickly in the show as well, which is good because it grabs you quite quickly. And itās high octaneā¦ high octane stuff. Itās really, you know, a great dramaā¦ a thriller and a great drama. Iām really proud to be a part of it, you know.
Jim Field Smith: We actually, you just reminded me you guys talking about being on the ground, is that part of the necessity of where we shot was that everyone was sort of Ā Ā separated, but it was also slightly by design as well. And the people on the plane never met really any of the people on the ground but used to call each other the āground peopleā and the āplane peopleā [ALL LAUGH]. And they would always try and sneak in and look at what we were doing in other sets, and weāre like get off, get out of here. Because, of course, part of the, you know, without being too highfalutin about it, part of the fun of it is about information and about who knows what. And, you know, the genius of Samās character is heās trying to get information to the ground without being caught doing that by the hijackers, meanwhile, because of the methods that heās using, which are maybe a little bit unconventional, the characters on the ground are having to decipher this and figure out is it hijacked or is it not. And so, we sort of deliberately wanted to keep everyone separate and keep everyone guessing the whole time. And, yeah, again, hopefully that comes across on the screen.
Idris Elba: [LAUGHS] I remember actually, you know, because weāre shooting at a studio with several stages, and because I couldnāt sort of go and see what the other stages were doing every now and then, Iād always stay near the back, and then one time I realised I was walking right through basically a whole shot. And I think Archie was in there, I think, and everyone was huddled in this tiny room, and they were just, you know, I think they were just running lines, right, and I just walk past. And I was like āhey!ā [ALL LAUGH] and they all looked at me like, what are you thinking? Youāre meant to beā¦ and I was in full costume, blood on my face, they were like, he looks happy! What the fuck are we doing!
[ALL LAUGH].
Jim Field Smith: Heās fine, hijackās over, guys.
Idris Elba: I thought everyone would be like, hey, whatās up, Idris! They were like, what are you doing here? Just get out, man, youāre killing our vibe.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Brilliant. Well, those are a few questions from me, but the people we are really interested to hear questions from today is everyone out here and also everyone online who has joined us virtually. So, Iāll start by taking a question from the floor in the room here, if anyone has got a question, just pop your hand up and weāll get a mic to you before you ask it.
Press: This question is for Max, you mentioned that you didnāt have the opportunity to meet with Idris for about six months while shooting, but your character is pretty much solving, trying to solve the pieces of the puzzle to this, you know, mystery with whatās going on with, you know, this hijacking, so did that help you in your role not having to be able to interact with Idris in those six months, or did that hinder you?
Max Beesley: Iā¦ It was helpful. I mean, just from a professional point of view, I wanted to do the dance with Idris on set because heās a terrific actor, but I think it helped a little bit. And also, obviously, heās a very handsome man, so like I say, when you doā¦ there are very subtle shots of me and Christine in the bedroom, there are family pictures of her with Idrisā character with the boys, and thereās just a couple of moments that Jim shot there where you justā¦ itās the male thing of, you know, just like, what am I working with? And theseā¦ this guy is a professional but so is Sam, heās a very successful professional guy. And so, I donāt know, I mean, yeah, it probably did help, maybe, yeah, Iām not too sure, just try to be real on the day with the scene and thatās it.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Thank you. Oh yeah, letās take it. Thank you.
Press: Thank you. Question for Idris, obviously this is an action thriller, so talk us through, please, if itās ok, the sort of fight sequences or action sequences, and Ā Ā sort of how did it effect you? Did you get battered and bruised, or were there any injuries or anything like that?
Idris Elba: So, I guess, you know, one of the things that I guess was by design was that, you know, we didnāt take this plane apart and made it easier for us to shoot, we designed all the action sequences with what weāve got, ok. And, you know, you know, Sam does a lot of sneaking around the plane, you know. Me sneaking on a plane is like, bro, what you doing? [ALL LAUGH]. We can see you, you know, so it meant that I had to even get lower, or we had to figure out another way. And that was actually really, again, adds to the sort of drama and reality of this thing. The fight sequences were certainly hard to shoot. They were choreographed within the space, if we hurt ourselves, we just took a breather and carried on, because not to say that we didnāt care but itās just we didnāt try and change the choreography not to hurt ourselves because, in this instance, the fight sequence- sequences were based on what would we do rather than this is a fight sequence, you know. And one of the memorable ones for me is the one with Neilās character, and this gun and this tiny kitchen space ā Iām a big man, so I could justā¦ but it just wasnāt easy to move around and fight this guy, especially if my character is not a fighter, heās fighting out of desperation and heās frightened of getting shot. Not only is he frightened of getting shot, but he doesnāt want the plane to go down because of a bullet. So, thereās all this stuff that was part of the design of the action and I think really givesā¦ puts the audience in thatā¦ weāve all been on a plane, weāve all sat in a chair and looked over and seen that person from this perspective, weāve all looked down the aisle and looked behind us, and thatās what Jim and the team really designed well and implemented into the action sequences, you know.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Thank you. Iām going to take a question now from the journalists that have joined us virtually. So, this is a question to Archie and Max, and this is from Barbara Monker, who is at DPA in Germany, youāre part of the team on the Ā Ā ground and the personal backstory, how did you experience the tension building on the plane while figuring out a solution on the ground?
Archie Panjabi: Well, I guess weāre, you know, the great thing about filming this is that we did it chronologically and so the tension just builds. And having to, you know, work with the ministers, the JTAC, the county-terrorism, thereās all these different things going on that [LAUGHS]ā¦ I guess the pressure just builds so much that the tension in that room just escalates to a point where it becomes unbearable. In terms of usā¦
Max Beesley: Yes, carry on.
Archie Panjabi: I remember when we first met, we were like, well, whatās our chemistry? Whatās our backstory? Whatās our history? And I think we both had two different stories, didnāt we, we both decided each of us had chucked each other, and then you pointed to the script, didnāt youā¦
Kate Quilton (Moderator): I said you were the dominantā¦ youāre the dominant, you broke my heart, maybe.Ā I mean, I think itās only George that can settle this.
George Kay: Yeah, sorry, Maxā¦
Kate Quilton (Moderator): George, whatās the backstory?
Max Beesley: Was I an animal? I donāt know anything.
George Kay: I think Zahar is strong and managed to kind of see that maybe Daniel is not the right partner and they broke up. But they did have a relationship, for sure, yeah.
Archie Panjabi: And maybe Sam Nelson was more appropriate, you think? [ALL LAUGH]
Max Beesley: In answer to that ladyās question [LAUGHS]ā¦
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Thatās a whole new series.
Idris Elba: Yeah, a whole new one.
George Kay: A love triangle.
Max Beesley: No, no, in answer to the question, when we were working on the ground, obviously as we get more information, the stakes are high, everythingās heightened, everythingās heightened, everythingās heightened. And then, weāre out on the road and then the counter-terrorism units are involved, response units are involved, then it really doesā¦ you just play the script and thatās all you need to do. And it grows quite beautifully, you know, throughout the seven hours of the show, I think, soā¦
Archie Panjabi: Thereās a really nice moment though, isnāt there, thereās a really nice moment when Iām driving the car and you ask me all these questions about your ex, and I have a completeā¦ I have a go at you, and at the end she just says, āitās ok, I get itā. I think from then onwards we just work together.
Max Beesley: Ā Ā Weāre very good at our jobs, which is important, and ultimately, we do kind of really help the situation, I think, you know.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): I think youāre all quite exceptional at your jobs. Talking about the tension buildingā¦
Max Beesley: Sorry, I meant as the characters. I wasnāt being an egomaniac. We are both very good counter-terrorist policemen, ok [ALL LAUGH].
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Oh, funny. Thereās a question here, and this is to Jim and George, itās from the States, itās from Cherry the Geek TV ā Joe at Cherry the Geek TV. Now, he was wondering if you could talk about the real time element in the show. In the past, this type of story was told as a two-hour movie, with this format, youāre telling the story of the seven-hour flight over the course of seven hours, and it works really well. Talk about the development of the stories and the challenges, and maybe unexpected surprises of doing this story in real time.
George Kay: You want to go first?
Jim Field Smith: Yeah. Well, I was going to answer the second bit, do you want to answer the first bit?
George Kay: Yeah, ok, yeah. In terms of the- the real time of seven hours and maintaining tension, what I realised when writing was that in the hijacking situation, itās not immediately life or death, itās not like youāre just about to be pushed off the edge of a cliff or something. For Samās characterā¦ For Idrisā character, Sam, he has to contend with a situation that is about to be, constantly is about to be life or death. So, thereās time and tension is suspended because until you know what Ā Ā those hijackers want, where theyāre taking the plane, what they intend to do, these are all unknowable things at the start of our story, and so we have a kind ofā¦ weāve got a tension inbuilt. And thereās no point breaking that, from a writing perspective, thereās no point breaking that tension, you want to unfold the mystery really carefully and slowly because you should have peopleās breath held in their chests at that point, and youāve got seven hours to play with, thatās all they know. And I think at the end of the first or second episode, it becomes clear that theyāre going to go to London, I donāt know what we can say in terms of the story, but the seven hours is the size of the football pitch under which Sam Nelson can plot his strategy around and get to his goal. So, the tension is going to be there throughout because youāre edging all more incrementally towards a more intense situation the whole time.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): And at which point did you decide, right, weāre going to do this real time?
Jim Field Smith: I was looking at the- the flight distances and the length of a TV series, and theyāre very similar, and actually then the thought they cropped up, well, hang on, why donāt we just play it, why donāt we just run it for real, because weāve all been on what would feel like interminable plane journeys, that it would not feel interminable or it would be suddenly a short, intense and magnified experience if you were under a hijacking so it just felt right that the length of the show seems to be the length of a flight.
Jim Field Smith: What you donāt want to be is on a flight that gets captained by the network halfway through [ALL LAUGH].
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Was that reason at the beginning, you thought… [LAUGHS]
Jim Field Smith: Ā Ā They canāt- they canāt cancel it. Yeah, one of theā¦ One of the bits of research we were doing early on, I was listening to this testimony from a hijack survivor, and she said this thing that really, really stuck with me the whole way through the show, which was that she had been in a hijack situation and she said, āduring a hijack, time ceases to exist and all youāre left with is decisionsā. And thatā¦ I sort of had that in my head the whole time because it is real time, itās potentially more real time for the people on the ground as it is for the people on the plane. As George has said, for the people, youāre sort of suspended, I mean, youāre literally suspended but youāre sort of in suspension and youāre just trying to figure out how to sort of live through to the next moment. For the people on the ground, theyāre scrambling for answers, theyāre trying to figure out whatās going on, and of course, this plane is heading essentially towards them. In terms of the second part of the question, there wereā¦ the sort ofā¦ some of the challenges of making it sort of perversely became, I think, some of the benefits of the show. So, the problem with making a real time drama is that you are wedded to every single decision that you make in production throughout. Normally, if itās like, oh, we hate this jacket, oh, donāt worry, weāll get rid of it in the next scene or, you know, weāre going to jump to this or we can cut around this or we can go there, we canāt do that in our show. So, we had to live with all of the decisions that we made, and thatās the reality of what would happen in that situation and so we werenāt able to do the convenient thing of jumping ahead in time or sort of swerving around something, we had to just take everything head on. So, you know, we made decisions about characters in episode one that we then had to, you know, essentially live with. And I think, hopefully, thatās to the benefit of the show. You know, the downsides are that you canāt avoid anything. If youāve got a real time storyline, youāve got scripts that are written to a real time storyline, you canāt skip things.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): And thereās very little fixing in the edit.
Jim Field Smith: Ā Ā Thereās very little, you know, but the good thing was, to bring it back to the original point, the material on the plane we found could actually expand, because actually once youāre in those scenes on a plane, we, hopefully successfully, went for it, like I really wanted to feel the tension of moments that in any other situation would be completely inconsequential, feeling like the most important thing ever, like, you know, Samās character waiting for someone to move slightly so theyāre not in his eyeline anymore and they can go this way. You know, I wanted those moments to feel like they lasted forever almost, you know, and- and conversely, wanted the stuff on the ground to feel like relentless, so.
George Kay: Also, weā¦ we didnāt want to do any flashbacks or give the audience any irony or any knowledge that Sam and the characters on board didnāt have, everything has to be earned for people on the ground and for the people on the plane. TV is full of shows that are mixing timelines and flashing back and giving audience better knowledge than some of the characters in the show, so it felt fresh to try something just linear, everyone learning at the same time.
Idris Elba: Just quickly, as an actor though, it felt like I was flying to Mars [ALL LAUGH]. I was just like, am I still on this flight? Six months later Iām still on the flight, or three seasons of the show, are we still here? Whatās going on?
Kate Quilton (Moderator): In the same outfit [LAUGHS]. Like, how manyā¦
Idris Elba: Ironically, the same shirt Iām wearing now. Iām joking.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Did you haveā¦ Was it kind of like Jeff Goldblum in The Fly, did you have like literally twelve hanging up in your dressing room?
Idris Elba: Yeah, and they were all very different stages. Oh, this one over here with all this blood on, I know where that is, Iāll wear that again, ah man
[ALL LAUGH].
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Brilliant. Alright, weāll take another question from the floor. Excellent.
Press: Not a very intellectual question, but I wondered, before making the show were any of you afraid of flying and if that had changed since making it?
Archie Panjabi: Well, I didnāt fly on the show, but in terms of watching it, no, no not at all. I think maybe for the first five minutes and then after that it didnāt really affect me so much. But I have done a few dramas on a plane before so maybe Iām, you know, used to flying, I donāt feel the fear so much.
Idris Elba: I, no, for me, more informed about flight and airplanes now, which is weird, you know what Iām saying, Iāll sit on a plane, and Iāll be like, oh, the A3 80 [ALL LAUGHS], oh, different trim, interesting. I donāt know this shit. But itās actually not, you know, I love flying, I love travelling, and Iāve always, always said hello to staff on planes, off planes, just by way of people wanting to say and wave and what not, so yeah, it just felt interesting to be on a plane again after making this show.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Can I ask a questionā¦
Max Beesley: Before you do, can I just say, sorry, because I flew in six hours ago on a BA flight and every single stewardess was like āare you doing something with Idris? Heās so lovely. Weāve had him on British Airways so many times, heās such a nice guyā. Like, six minutes in, and Iām like, can we get back to me for a second? Ā Ā But yeah, that was nice to hear. But I did use to have a fear of flying. I used to love it and then I had a couple of terrible, terrible turbulent flights, and then it was Paul McKenna actually that helped me years ago and now I love it. But I do remember after 9/11, because I live in Los Angeles, I always eyeball the passengers when I get on, and I just think, rightā¦
Idris Elba: Thatās helpful.
Max Beesley: Yeah [LAUGHS]. Right. Yeah, Iām likeā¦ No, Iām notā¦ I just clock them quite quietly and I just go, mm, ok, because Iāve got two little girls and so Iāmā¦ if anythingās going to happen, Iām goingā¦ Well, after watching this show, you donāt know, who knowsā¦
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Who knows? But, as you already said, you are an excellent policeman, what would you be looking for on that flight?
Max Beesley: Just little tell-tale signs. You know stewardess, when you board a plane and stewards, theyāre also reading you as a passenger as someone who can help them in an event, whoās fit? Whoās looking good? Whoās drunk? Who doesnāt drink on the plane? You know, so, yeah, Iām into flying, I really like it a lot.
[ALL LAUGH].
Kate Quilton (Moderator): If you ever happen to be on a flight with Max, he might beā¦
Max Beesley: Youāll be alright, youāll be alright.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Donāt be alarmed! Right, weāve got loads of hands in the audience so letās go wherever we can get a microphone, yeah! Great. Excellent.
Press: Idris, serious question here, this sees you do a more multi-dimensional role, but in terms of being an actor and getting a variety of roles, is it a blessing or a curse to be a good-looking man?
[ALL LAUGH]
Idris Elba: Iām getting a lot of love today, thank you very much.
Press: Max, you can answer that as well, if you like.
Idris Elba: Wow. Look, Iām sure itās all subjective. Iām not sure Iām good-looking to everyone, but there is something interesting you said earlier, George was talking about, you know, the weedy man versus the strong man and, you know, my size and shape and, you know, all my life sort, oh, youāre a big lad, you know, and Iāve taken on roles that sort of feed into that a little bit. And in this particular time, I was really interested in playing against that. Even though Sam is what he is, he isnāt always the sort of hero in that sense, you know. Heās usingā¦ itās more cerebral, heās quite vulnerable in the sense that heās got lots going on internal in terms of his family, and I really was interested in that, you know. So, it played against type, if you like, and Iā¦ Yeah, you know, some camera angles are not sexy man, especially on a plane, let me tell you. When Jimās got the camera right up my nozzle, Iām like, are you sure thatās the angle bro? [ALL LAUGH] Can I just shift to the light? Heās like, no, no, no, this is perfect.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): And letās take another question from our journalists virtually, this is from Nando Rona at Deadline in Germany, this is it to Idris, Archie and Max, how do you think you might personally react in a situation like the series because of the show? So, since youāve made it, how might you react on a plane that [LAUGHS] has been hijacked?
Idris Elba: Well, look, you know, I would shut up and mind my own business.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Really?
Idris Elba: No. But I wouldnāt be Sam, for sure, I just wouldnāt have thought out that clearly, but if I had an opportunity to speak to a hijacker and I got eye contact and I thought for a second that person would listen to me, I would go for that and be like, dude, this is very stupid. Or, dude, can you get me a drink please? Just quickly get me drink [ALL LAUGH]. I donāt think I would be the hero guy thatās trying to, you know, outsmart the hijackers, I doubt that very much, but I certainly would want to help the staff and say, look, Iāll, you know, if you need a volunteer to help you do something, Iām in, a hundred percent.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): And youāve got a bit of intel now. I mean, youāve learned a lot making this series.
Idris Elba: I know. I know how to fly now, I know how to fly a plane, so yeah.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): What about you, Archie?
Archie Panjabi: I donāt know what I would do. I guess it would depend on the hijackers, what they were like. Iād like to think Iād be able to communicate with them and talk with them, use some of Zaharās skills, but I donāt know, thatās a really interesting question. It would depend on the people.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Max?
Max Beesley: Again, Iām no ideaā¦
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Employ McKenna? I mean, would you rely on a few of those hypnotherapy tips, I donāt know.
Max Beesley: No, Iāmā¦ Because I remember years ago, I got robbed in Ladbroke Grove at gunpoint and I remember thinking if that ever happens, Iāll go to work and take care of business, and I completely froze. I was in a chair with a gun at the back of my head. And even if I had a weapon I would have said, ābrother, Iāve got a gun here, manā, I was terrified. So, I donāt know. I have a friend in America, Spencer Stone, who was aā¦ in the military, and he was on the Amsterdam to Paris, he was one of the soldiers that took that chap down. Iāve spoken to him at length about it and I think youāre just wired in a different way, so Iāve got no idea. Iāve got no idea what, you know.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): And George, I mean, it feels unfair to leave you out butā¦
George Kay: I wouldā¦. I would run and hide in the toilet [ALL LAUGH]. I would not step up at all, I think.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Jim?
Jim Field Smith: Me and George and a friend of ours used to play a game that if the three of us were on a boat that was sort of marooned at sea, which of us would turn on each other first to kill them and eat them? So, I think [LAUGHS] every man for themselves.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Ā Ā Are youā¦ Ok, youāre eater, not eaten.
Jim Field Smith: Iād definitely rather be eating than be eaten [ALL LAUGH]. If thatās what youāre asking me.
George Kay: I get eaten in the game.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Oh, you get eaten.
Idris Elba: Whatās the name of this game?
[ALL LAUGH]
Kate Quilton (Moderator): I think we got oneā¦ Weāve got time for just one more question from the floor. Great, weāve got a mic there.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): Last question, do you think you could watch Hijack on a flight?
Idris Elba: [LAUGHS]
George Kay: Do you think theyāre going to put it on when- whenā¦?
Kate Quilton (Moderator): [LAUGHS] I donāt know, you might want to fight for it, George, I donāt know, like have that chatā¦
Jim Field Smith: You can watch it on a seven-hour flight. That would be a very specific requirement you need to be able to watch it.
George Kay: Ā Ā It would be annoying to watch it on a four-hour flight.
Idris Elba: It would have to be a nine-hour flight because youāve got two hours delay, then they donāt let the thing work.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): I mean, itās intense. I watched one episode on a train and that was enough for me, to be honest, the blood pressure definitely raised for sure. Thank you so much, everyone. Thank you so much for this really exceptional piece of work. It is, yeah, an exhilarating ride. I will, just to bounce things out, compliment you all on your looks and say you are all beautiful, exceptionally handsomeā¦
Jim Field Smith: And very good at our jobs.
Kate Quilton (Moderator): But it is a very beautiful panel. So, thank you so much, thank you for joining us today, thank you for coming, thank you everyone online.
[APPLAUSE]
[CHATTER]
[MUSIC BEGINS]
MORE INFO: Trailer
ABOUT āHIJACKā:
Told in real time, āHijackā is a tense thriller that follows the journey of aĀ hijackedĀ plane as it makes its way to London over a seven hour flight, and authorities on the ground scramble for answers. Idris Elba will star as āSam Nelson,ā an accomplished negotiator in the business world who needs to step up and use all his guile to try and save the lives of the passengers ā but, his high-risk strategy could be his undoing. Archie Panjabi will play the role of ‘Zahra Gahfoor,’ a counter terrorism officer who is on the ground when the plane isĀ hijackedĀ and becomes part of the investigation. The series also stars Christine Adams, Max Beesley, Eve Myles, Neil Maskell, Jasper Britton, Harry Michell, Aimee Kelly, Mohamed Elsandel and Ben Miles.
āHijackā has been produced by 60Forty Films, the production company set up by Emmy Award winning Executive Producers Jamie Laurenson and Hakan Kousetta (āSlow Horsesā, āThe Essex Serpentā) under its exclusive content deal with Apple TV+, alongside Kay and FIeld-Smithās own production company Idiotlamp Productions, and also marks the first series to debut from Elbaās first-look deal with Apple TV+ and his Green Door Pictures. In addition to writing and directing, Kay and Field Smith each serve as executive producers alongside Elba, Jamie Laurenson, Hakan Kousetta and Kris Thykier.
Proofread and Edited by Brenda
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