Performing has always been in Eleanor Tomlinson’s blood. Having come from an acting family (both her parents and her younger brother are in the industry), she landed her first job at the tender age of 11 in the TV series Falling. She was then cast as a young Sophie in the 2006 film The Illusionist – what Tomlinson considers her breakout role – and that led to more work in films, including best friend Jaz in Gurinder Chadha’s teen cult classic, Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging.
While she’s also starred in numerous TV roles including The Couple Next Door, One Day and The Outlaws, it was Tomlinson’s turn as Demelza in the Bafta-winning series Poldark that made her a household name.
Now, she’s pursuing a new challenge. For the first time, Tomlinson is taking to theatre as she stars in the Reverberation, written by the Tony and Olivier award-winner Matthew Lopez. A play about love, loneliness and longing, Tomlinson stars as the enigmatic free spirit Claire, who becomes a lifeline to the introverted Jonathan (played by Michael Ahomka-Lindsay).
We caught up with Tomlinson ahead of her stage debut to discuss her career to date...
“I found my love of performing…
…when I was young. Watching my parents on stage or on set was very much a part of my growing up. It’s always been in my soul, if you like. I just really loved it, and one day I decided I wanted to give it a go. Getting that role in The Illusionist was my breakthrough. That really solidified that this is what I want to do – this is how I want to live the rest of my life.”
“My role models growing up were…
…my family, but I also admired Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson. I think Emma Thompson is phenomenal, not only as an actress, but as a writer. What I love about them is that they’re all known for their craft. They are in the limelight to make a statement and to make a point about something they believe strongly in. They don’t court celebrity in a way that doesn't further their careers.”
“The project that changed my life the most was...
…Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. I was 15 and just had the time of my life on that film. It was a real defining moment. But obviously, Poldark as well. To get to spend five years working on a show is so rare these days, and it's very rare that things will continue on for that long, but to hone my craft and learn so much from working on that show, that was a real gift. I just absolutely loved the role, I loved the creative team. That was a real career defining moment.”
“The most unexpected curveball of my career…
…was Reverberation, in lots of ways. Theatre was something I’d been thinking about for some time, but I hadn’t found the right play. The script for this really drew me in and it actually made me suddenly think, well, this is something I really want to do, and this is the right time for me to do that. It was a curveball – and a welcome one.”
“The project I could talk about forever is…
…Poldark, as the fans love it. As I was leaving the theatre yesterday, this young girl stopped me and said, ‘Oh my goodness, I wrote my dissertation at on Poldark!’ What a compliment to have had that impact on someone's life that they wanted to write their university dissertation on you and your show and the performances in it. Those moments are really, really incredible. But equally, I get some people come up to me and say that Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging shaped their childhood, or it’s the film they still watch with their friends when they're having a girls' night. It means so much to hear that a film that we made nearly 17 years ago still has that effect on a generation of people. It's really humbling.”
“I deal with the fame that comes with my job…
…by being very lucky. I live a very normal life. I just want to be known as an actress for doing good work. I don't want people to know what I had for breakfast or what the latest in my life is. It's so much more interesting as an actress if you don't know absolutely everything about somebody.
"But in terms of dealing with any fame, it's always lovely when someone approaches you and tells you that your work has meant something to them. But other than that, I tend to kind of fly under the radar a little bit and just concentrate on my work and enjoying my life."
“The best piece of advice I’ve received about the industry is…
…My parents always taught me to keep my feet on the ground, and that if you are an actor, you are so lucky to be able to say that. There are so many people that want to do it and don't have any success, and it can just be a question of wrong place, wrong time. So I always try and remember that I'm fortunate to be in this position. My parents also always taught me when I was younger to show up on time and be a professional.
"The other piece of advice I will always remember was from Bill Nye. He said to me, ‘Visit America. Visit LA, go do it. But never live there, darling. Come home.’ I just think it’s really lovely."
“Having friends in the industry…
…is incredibly valuable. I can call up any of my family and they're instantly going to understand exactly what I'm going through. It can be really gruelling – and there are still auditions that I go for, if I don't get, that I can get really upset about. It takes me a little while to kind of heal from that and get over that, because I care so much about it. So it’s important to lean on friends in the industry, but also lean on friends outside of the industry. It helps you keep a lid on reality, see what's important and what isn’t. It's really easy for your vision to become warped when you're so involved in something."
“I was drawn to Reverberation because…
…there are so many ways it can be interpreted. That's what's magical about it. It focuses on a very special relationship between two people. It's very relatable. But I think it's also so much more than that. It's a very current play. It's about recovering from trauma. So for me, it's a very important text. It’s a really beautiful study of a friendship and a love between two people. I always want to push myself as an actress to try new things, and further my career, but also to push myself as a performer. And it really felt that taking that big leap into theatre, it was the right time in my life to do that.”
Reverberations is on at the Bristol Old Vic until 2 November. Find out more information and buy tickets here.
Eleanor wears Zimmermann, photographed by Jacques Burga.