Still sizzling from the premiere of Guy Ritchie’s Mobland, Emily Barber sits down with Wonderland to discuss playing Alice in the TV series, her acting beginnings, and working alongside screen powerhouses.

Emily Barber first heard about Guy Ritchie’s MobLand TV series through a call from her agent on a random Friday. Come the following Monday she had been cast, and by Thursday she was on set, all whilst performing 8 shows a week for Mincemeat on the West End. But, “when you get contacted for an upcoming film that has Guy Ritchie at the helm with a cast including a Bond, a Dame, and Tom Hardy already attached to it – that’s a pretty cool email,” she laughs. It’s not everyday an actress can be whisked away into the arms of Hollywood’s most elite, but the Bridgerton alumna feels right at home as she riffs on the energy of Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, and Tom Hardy, to name a few of her A-list fellow cast members.

The English actor’s affirmative years were quite the thespian dream; summering at drama school, a quick stop at The National Youth Theatre’s holiday programme, to then scrub up on the finer details in her acting skills at the Royal College of Music and Drama. It’s no easy ladder to climb, that’s for sure. From here she tried her luck in the real world, foraying around a few features in TV, notably as Tessa in Bridgerton – the artist-turned-muse-to-Benedict from season two. And now, Alice in MobLand.

As the name suggests, Guy Ritchie’s new Paramount+ series makes itself known as a crime series: centred around two warring families, with Harry Da Souza (Tom Hardy) and Eddie Harrigan (Anson Boon), at the heads of the antics. It’s a gangster epic that allows Ritchie to slow his usual fast-paced style down, exploring the underbelly of the mafia saga which  has TV-fanatics frothing at the mouth for more of. 

After a much-needed holiday getaway, Emily Barber catches up with Wonderland to debrief on her time playing Alice in MobLand, her acting icons whilst growing up, and what’s next in the pipeline for her.

Hi Emily! Thanks so much for chatting with us — how are you today? What have you been up to lately?

I’m very well thank you! I actually have just come back from a few days holiday in Sardinia. It rained pretty much the whole time(!) but it has been such a busy time for me finishing filming and attending the MobLand premiere – it was my first opportunity this year to get away, see the sea and take a breath. So, whatever the weather, I was thrilled! 

Before we dive into your latest project, let’s go back to the beginning. Did you always know acting was your calling? How did it all start for you?

Bizarrely, even though I didn’t know anyone in the industry growing up, or even in creative vocations, I would probably say it has always been my calling. From as early as I can remember I was rushing off to ballet and jazz classes and pestering my mum to join the local youth theatre. The bug was officially caught at the “summer school” during the holidays at The Key Theatre in Peterborough where we would rehearse a musical for a week and perform it on the Saturday night to friends and family. I just remember it being so much fun. I’d found my tribe and loved every second of it. I spent most of the year just waiting for school to be done so I could go back to summer camp..! Around the age of 10 we did Jesus Christ Superstar, and I was cast as Judas. Amazingly Jesus was played by a similarly young and green Himesh Patel! 

Who were some of your earliest influences in the industry? Was there anyone in particular who really inspired you?

I think when I was in my early years of drama school and trying to see as much theatre as I possibly could, I became obsessed with Helen McCrory, Anne Marie Duff and Kate Fleetwood. They were leading ladies dominating the National Theatre and giving powerhouse performances. When you’re young and training you’re so impressionable, and I have no doubt they inspired me to want to be the actor I am today. 

But I would say joining the National Youth Theatre when I was 16 was a brilliant introduction to the world and again, where I found my tribe. So many of my peers from that time are still my best friends, and/or working in the industry and it is lovely to see. 

Huge congratulations on MobLand! Tell us a bit about the project, and walk us through the arc of your character, Alice.

Thank you!! MobLand is a new crime drama which centres around a very powerful gangster family, The Harrigans, led by Conrad and Maeve Harrigan (played by Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren) and their right-hand man/fixer, Harry Da Souza (played by Tom Hardy). They have a rival family, The Stevensons, and after a particular event in episode one, their feud is ignited or reignited, and the bloody war is on in a fight for revenge, power and legacy. 

We meet my character of Alice at a group therapy session in episode 1 where she befriends Jan (played by Joanne Froggatt) who is married to Harry Da Souza employed by the Harrigan family. They become fast friends, bonding over their mutual marital problems, but as their friendship develops, Alice becomes more and more entangled into the Harrigan family dramas. 

How did this opportunity first come about? When did you hear about the film, and what was your audition process like?

I received a call from my agent with a self-tape on the Friday, I was cast on the Monday and was on set with Joanne Froggatt and Guy Ritchie on the Thursday. So quite the whirlwind! Many of the cast had similar experiences, so before any of us had time to overthink or worry, we found ourselves jumping into the deep end together. Everything about the production had a speed and adrenaline to it, as the scripts were being written as we went, so it was a pretty exhilarating process from start to finish. 

Any fun stories from your character prep days? How did you go about stepping into Alice’s shoes?

Alice was the dream of a role because she has such an interesting journey to go on through the series. Because the scripts were being written as we filmed, it was quite a scary prospect stepping into her shoes at first, because I didn’t know where I was walking to (if that metaphor makes sense!). But it was exhilarating getting the scripts through episodically and working out how to navigate her journey through all the twists and turns she has to face. She is confident, funny, fearless with a complicated past; I really loved playing her. 

What was it like working with Guy Ritchie? Any favourite memories from set?

Working with Guy was unlike any other experience I’ve had filming as he creates such an energetic, fun set. He really sets the tone; working fast and embracing improvisation which I found really exciting and opened me up to a new way of working. 

I have so many incredible MobLand memories, but I will never forget sitting around the dinner table at the Harrigan family home filming a scene where my character is being given marriage advice from Maeve (Dame Helen Mirren) whilst she is passing me the potatoes. 

Tom Hardy, Helen Mirren, Paddy Considine… what a cast of heavyweights! How did it feel to be sharing the screen with such giants? And what are some lessons you’ll be taking from the experience?

Surreal! I have admired Helen Mirren and her extraordinary body of work for as long as I can remember, so sharing a screen with her was a pinch me moment for sure. Later in the series I have a dinner scene with the Harrigan family and so getting to spend a few days with the heavyweights around a dinner table and watching them work was a real life experience. What I realised very quickly was how they are the ultimate professionals. They care deeply about the work but find the joy in it too. Pierce and Helen particularly have such playful energies, it was so infectious to be around. 

What were the biggest challenges of taking on this role?

I think because the scripts were being written as we went along, you never knew where your character arc was going so it certainly made me prepare in a different way. Also because Guy Ritchie’s style is improvisational, it was a real lesson in taking the given circumstances of the scene, and being open and listening to your fellow actor(s) on the day. My character is very complex and has many versions of herself that she shows the world, so that was probably my biggest challenge; navigating the journey of someone who isn’t always telling the truth. 

Looking ahead, what’s next for you? What’s exciting you most about the future?

I was filming MobLand whilst still performing Operation Mincemeat the musical in the West End, so I am most excited about having a bit of downtime – going for dinner, seeing my friends – the simple stuff! But I am filming a new project next month in Ireland which I’m excited about as it is in the fantasy genre which is totally new to me. For the first time I have prosthetics! As for after that, I feel like every job brings a new challenge, or new perspective, so I shall wait in anticipation for what that could be!

Words – Freya Goodchild-Bridge
Photography – David Reiss
Styling – Alexandra Reid
Make Up: Jade Bird
Hair by Michela Olivieri at Caren using Nicky Clarke