'It really pops with Jack'
James Wood created Malice with his star in mind
- Emma Cox
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Malice writer James Wood is best known for creating Rev, the award-winning BBC comedy starring Tom Hollander as a vicar in a deprived parish in east London. On that project, he worked closely with Hollander to create the part of Adam Smallbone — similarly, he wrote Malice with Jack Whitehall very much in mind.
“I loved writing Rev for Tom,” says Wood. “We’d go and meet priests together. If you’re with the right person and your sensibilities match, it’s a lovely way to work.
“I’ve always enjoyed building a role with and for a particular actor and in Malice Jack was involved in some of the early script meetings.
“After we had the idea of a psychopathic manny, we all thought Jack was perfect because he’s charming and funny and would entertain your kids. And wouldn’t it be entertaining to see Jack play a sociopath?”
David Duchovny and Jack Whitehall in Malice. Prime Video
Given that Whitehall is best known for stand-up, was Wood worried about whether audiences would buy him as a terrifying presence in a psychological drama?
“There’s a rich tradition of comedy performers playing against type,” he says. “Robin Williams did it incredibly well, as did Peter Sellers. The trick is to make something that feels emotionally honest, but entertaining and fresh.
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“There’s a version of Malice that could have had an established drama star playing Adam, and it would have been good, but with Jack I think it really pops. Also, there’s something about our era that loves stories about liars, whether it be The Tinder Swindler, Baby Reindeer or Traitors.”
Authors
Emma Cox
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