It is more than likely that you have spotted 21-year-old Camden born Daniel Kaluuya in one of many cult youth or mainstream television shows from Skins and Psychoville to Dr Who and Silent Witness. Not that he is shouting about his burgeoning career from the rooftops, despite being in demand as a must have actor. Currently enjoying an extended run, and acclaim, in Roy Williams’ searing play Sucker Punch, Daniel tells Joy Francis how the play’s backdrop of the sus laws and racism in the 1980s became a chilling reality for him.

July/August 2010

Daniel Kaluuya

What made you decide to become an actor?
At primary school I was a bit of a busy kid – hyperactive. The teacher told my mum to get me into acting to release all of that energy. I went on to the waiting list for Anna Scher theatre school. I was 13 when I got in. I was in the most talented class. No one was over 16 and they were already on TV. It was inspiring. I got my first job at 16 and went to as many acting classes as possible. I considered going to drama school, but in my heart of hearts I didn’t really want to go.

Why not?
I would miss out on three years of not learning on the job as you can’t work while you are on the course. I joined the cast of Skins when I was 17 and I thought I’m on to something. I felt like I shouldn’t go to drama school despite getting offered a place when I was 18. I don’t have a game plan. I just go with my feelings.

One of your very first acting jobs was BBC2’s Shoot the Messenger, about a black male teacher who has a mental breakdown, turns against black people but finds redemption and inner understanding. It attracted a lot of criticism, though it took risks. How did that strong reaction feel for you at the time?
Shoot the Messenger was my first job. I listened to the Angie Le Mar Show on Choice FM after the show came out. People were ringing in and being really critical, saying it was negative because it showed a black person hating black people. They argued that it shouldn’t be shown. I wondered what they were on. This show gave me my first job. Did they not realise that the show had a black writer, black director and black lead and cast us young black people? How is that negative? After that show I had a professional credit. I was still at school and built upon that role as did the other young black actors. People were passionate about the show. It created debate. That is exciting, isn’t it? Why should we have passive TV? It showed one view of black people. It was David Oyelowo’s character. If we say we are individuals, then other people will say we are individuals.

Your role as boxer Leon in Roy Williams’ play Sucker Punch is physically demanding with simulated fight scenes and energetic skipping while speaking. How did you prepare for the part?
I lost three stone. I auditioned for the part in December 2009 and I was cast in January 2010. Me and Anthony [Welsh] started training after the audition as I wanted to get in shape over Christmas. I officially started boxing training in February and I lost three stone in three months. I wanted to lose the weight before rehearsals so I could focus on my character and not my weight. I didn’t know how to skip or box. I had to learn everything including skipping and talking while doing tricks in a theatre full of people. It was a lot to learn, but I did it bit by bit until it’s now second nature. I skip for 30 minutes every night to get to the level where skipping is now like walking for me. There are times when I have messed up during a show, but you have to front it.

Could you relate to any of the themes in the play, from police brutality, casual racism and the struggles around black male identity?
Yes definitely. In January I got beaten up by the police during a stop and search. It went to court where they said that I had resisted arrest. The charges were dropped. My mother did an amazing job with me and I’d never been in trouble with the law, but now I’m on their database and I didn’t do anything wrong. There were seven police officers on one person - me. I didn’t kick back. All of this because I am black. I just want to represent my life positively. If I was a middle class person from Primrose Hill they would never have talked to me how they talked to me. A lot of young black people don’t know their history. We know the American stuff but not our stuff like the Broadwater Farm riots which Sucker Punch looks at. My character Leon has a battle in terms of him not understanding that for black people to accept him he has to ‘be’ black. He doesn’t understand that looking black is not enough. If he was born this century, I don’t think he would ever be a boxer. Yes, he can box, but it wouldn’t have been the perfect career choice for him. He is a really scared young man. He just went with the flow and it nearly ruined his life.

You seem to have a flair for comedy, skills which are on display in Sucker Punch. And you have appeared on comedy programmes like the Mitchell and Webb Show on BBC TV. Is comedy a secret love?
I was always considered the joker at school. I don’t know what makes me funny or why. I don’t really analyse it. When I was at Anna Scher it was complete improvisation. There was a lot of serious acting or you could make people laugh. I did a bit of both. When you make people laugh you get an instant reaction so you know it is working. I do find comedy more fun to do. On set you crack up so much that you can’t finish the scene. If you do drama all the time it can be a bit depressing and stay in your head.

What was it like playing Posh Kenneth in the cult teenage show Skins?
It was the most ridiculous time of my life. I was still at school. I had already done Shoot the Messenger, but I didn’t tell people in my area that I was acting. I was in one episode of Skins but they asked me to be in an advert for the show. I was in sixth form and wasn’t going to turn down money. When the advert came out it was everywhere. I went back to school and literally everyone stopped talking when I walked into the sixth form common room. I sat down to eat my chicken and chips and people were talking about me while I was sitting there. It was like my university experience doing the first and second series of Skins. None of us knew it would be huge. We were not prepared for it. If it wasn’t for Skins I wouldn’t have the agent I have now. It was only then that I thought about doing acting properly.

What advice would you give to young people who want to act based on your experience?
I get asked this question a lot when I talk to young people. If you really want it, just be you and stand out. That is what it really boils down to. There is a lot of competition out there. Be willing to learn. Be hungry. If I could, I would still be going to acting classes. I was doing that up to last year. Try to be as versatile as possible. Don’t talk, just do. If you want an agent, they will check what’s on the CV first.

As well as Sucker Punch, you are currently filming Psychoville for BBC2 and you have been cast alongside Rowan Atkinson in Johnny English 2. Anything else in the pipeline?
It is the most ridiculous schedule ever. I am knackered. I film Psychoville during the day, do Sucker Punch and Johnny English 2 then I go home to my mum and say that I’m tired. She just tells me to shut up. You are young and you should work, she says. It has been an amazing experience. It would be great to do more film. I just want to do stuff that I would watch. I want to watch Sucker Punch. I feel so happy that I’m a part of that play. You have one life. I thank god every day as I feel very lucky.

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