About this episode
Mark Strong discusses his acting process and notable theater performances.
Mark Strong has made a name for himself playing villains or stealing scenes (or both) in movies like "Sherlock Holmes," "Kick-Ass," "Zero Dark Thirty," "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," "The Imitation Game," the list goes on. On this episode, he talks about his work in the theater, particularly two of his most celebrated performances for the stage: Eddie in "A View From The Bridge," and "Oedipus" (which just earned him a Tony nomination for Best Actor In A Play). He explains why he needs to understand a character fully before he can play it, why extensive research is often not necessary, why specifics in direction usually doesn't work for him, why trust is so important, how going bald changed everything for the better, and much much more. Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the craft. Subscribe to Back To One on Substack Follow Back To One on Instagram
People in this episode
Host: Peter Rinaldi
Guest: Mark Strong
Topics covered
- acting process
- theater performances
- character understanding
- trust in acting
- research in acting
Keywords
- Mark Strong
- acting
- theater
- character study
- Tony nomination
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Sherlock Holmes, Kick-Ass, Zero Dark Thirty, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Imitation Game, A View From The Bridge, Oedipus
More episodes of Back To One
- Karolina Wydra · June 9, 2026 · 53 min
- Simon Helberg · May 5, 2026 · 1h 8m
- Asa Butterfield · April 7, 2026 · 39 min
- Jordan Hull · March 31, 2026 · 43 min
- Matthew Shear · March 24, 2026 · 59 min
- Robert Longstreet · March 17, 2026 · 55 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Back To One podcast page.