My Policeman: Linus Roache Was Happy to Play Older Harry Styles

During an interview with ComingSoon, My Policeman star Linus Roache spoke about the impact the film has had on LGBTQ+ audiences and what it was like to play an older Harry Styles.

“I’m very proud of the film,” Roache said when asked what it’s been like to see the film’s reception. ” I’m very proud. Just doing the press tour for that and the discussions that we had with audiences and the responses that I’ve heard from people … it’s been beautiful and I’m very proud. The film’s a reminder that, although we’ve still got a way to go on that issue, that we’ve come a long way from the 1950s — particularly in the West.” So yeah, it’s been fascinating and I’m very proud of the way it’s come out I think the movie has proved to be quite a talking point for people, so it’s great.”

When asked about sharing a role with Harry Styles, Roache discussed the creative motivation behind having different actors play the characters of My Policeman at different ages.

“Obviously, Michael Grandage, the director, decided to cast three different actors for the older people,” Roache explained. “He could have had Harry, Emma [Corrin], and David [Dawson], age up and stuff, but he made a really great point early on that we aren’t the same people 40 years later. So, although Harry and I were playing the same character, the 40 years of stifled [and] repressed passion and just the man who’s frozen in time is a very different man to the one that Harry plays, who’s full of color and hope for the future.”

Roache ended the point by elaborating on how we worked with Styles on the set.

“But we did chat and talk about it and I spent a little bit of time on set with Harry and he’s just such a delightful young man. I think he’s amazing, what he’s doing as an artist and as a person and as an actor. I’m very happy to be the older Harry Styles.”

You can see Roache in The Apology, which is now playing in theaters and is available for streaming through Shudder and AMC+.