ineffably queer book lover

David: We have just come from a publicity photoshoot for Good Omens, which is a show we’re doing, during which we had to sort of dress up in clothes and have our photograph taken, kind of as ourselves.

Michael:  Yeah

David: I don’t think I’m talking out of school when I say that both of us find that… not our favorite part of the job of acting.

Michael:  No. We haven’t talked about this until now, so this is quite fun. [David laughs]  Can I ask you, am I the grumpiest person you’ve ever seen at a photoshoot, or have you seen grumpier people?

David: Oh no, I’ve seen grumpier

Michael: You have?

David: Yeah.  I don’t think you’re that grumpy. I think you’re an honest version of how I’m feeling

Michael: I wanted to kill everyone. Including myself

David: [Laughing]  That’s exactly what’s going on in my head, but because I could see how annoyed you were at times, it made me become sort of a performing monkey, going “No, everything’s great! Everything’s fine!”

Michael: I’m so sorry

David:  No!  Because you’re right!  It was excruciating

Michael:  I was aware at certain moments that I was totally leaving you to pick up the pieces. [David laughs]  I was just refusing to answer certain things. I was like a child, just not answering.  And you were very nicely, because you’re a lovely person, saying something just so that there wasn’t utter silence.

David: Usually I’m you in that situation

Michael: [Laughing] Are you really?

David: Exactly. That’s what I mean. I think we’re very similar about it. I’m asking you, as a means of therapy for myself, why is that bit of the job so excruciating?

Michael: Because it sort of strips away a lot of the stuff that allows us to feel better about ourselves. 

David:  Right

Michael: So it strips away all the pretense of artistry.  It’s just, “MONKEY F**KING PERFORM, MONKEY!!!”