Interview: Actor & Interviewer Genevieve Gaunt
Gaunt is a graduate of the University of Cambridge with a degree in English (where she received no less than a double first), a background that informs her thoughtful character interpretations and her own forays into writing. This has positioned her as an engaging speaker and commentator, recently participating in high-profile public discussions, including a notable conversation on style and storytelling with iconic fashion designer Sir Paul Smith at the Nevill Holt Festival.
The London-born actress and award-winning voice actor has seen her play the beguiling Marilyn Monroe in The Marilyn Conspiracy (Park Theatre). Additionally, she has narrated the James Bond novel The Spy Who Loved Me by Ian Fleming, Parade by Rachel Cusk and On the Calculation of Volume by Solvej Balle, as well as 30+ audiobooks and BBC Radio 4 dramas including Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain, Twelfth Night and Macbeth.
Not content with acting alone, the ambitious trail-blazing Gaunt is also successfully fusing worlds of literature and culture – as a writer for culture magazine, A Rabbit’s Foot, and curator for The Braemar Literary Festival with the Queen’s ‘Reading Room’. She’s held numerous high-profile conversations for Paul Smith in his eponymous Mayfair Gallery – from Elizabeth Day to Matt Smith.
In this interview, we find out Gaunt’s favourite London haunts, as well as the artist she would most like to interview. Watch this space.
THE WICK:
What does a typical Monday look like for you?
Genevieve Gaunt :
Russian roulette. I’m a jack of all trades these days: acting, voice work, book reviews and interviews so it could be learning lines, doing a self tape audition, researching an interviewee’s work and life story, singing or in Soho recording a voiceover job, writing a commissioned short story or audiodrama, pitching a drama to BBC Radio 4, or reading a book to review, maybe doing a theatre workshop.
TW:
Your work bridges the written word, speaking and acting – what did you study to be in your current culturally curious role and how would you describe your job?
GG: My parents didn’t go to university but were keen for me to. My school didn’t really believe in me but I had two great English teachers: Mr Bell and Mrs Trimming. I still count on my fingers so Maths or Science were out of the question. I went to Newnham College, Cambridge because Emma Thompson and Miriam Margolyes went there. I spent my time 50-50 doing plays and writing essays.
TW:
You’ve recently worked on a new short film, Case 237, with Isher Sahota and Lucian Msamati . How did this project come about?
GG:
The director, Isher Sahota and I have known each other since we were teenagers. Isher is fresh off directing big Harlan Coben shows for Netflix and he wanted to make an artistic short in black and white about love and missed opportunities. He asked me to go on this adventure with him and I said ‘hell yes!’ It’s been experimental and I’ve loved working with actor Matthew George-Williams. Lucian Msamati is one of our most powerful actors so working with him was a real buzz.
TW:
You’ve had a successful career spanning many fields – acting, curation, and journalism. How does art and culture touch your world?
GG:
Art and culture touch my life because it pays the bills! But it also makes me happy. Like everyone, a good book or film or play or audiobook entertains or educates. It takes you out of yourself, shows you new worlds. Someone once said a story makes you feel one of three things: 1) That’s me! 2) I wish that were me 3) I’m so glad that’s not me; like the harrowing West End production starring Bryan Cranston of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons.
“Have a side hustle, read, make stuff with friends and keep the faith. Write it all down. Resist buying tat. Don’t do drugs and only date bad boys if it makes for a good story afterwards.”
