Ruth Bradley reveals how she built Emma Flyte's fall on 'Slow Horses'
Actress Ruth Bradley has opened up about the major arc her character, Emma Flyte, undergoes in the latest season of 'Slow Horses'. In a spoiler-filled interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Bradley explained that she read the source novels in advance, knowing Flyte's journey from a position of power to a humbling downfall.
Bradley said this foreknowledge allowed her to fully embrace Flyte's initial arrogance toward the disgraced spies of Slough House. Playing up that sense of superiority made the character's eventual collapse more dramatic and satisfying for viewers, per the actress.
She also delved into Flyte's complex relationship with MI5 chief Diana Taverner, played by Kristin Scott Thomas. Bradley described a 'mother-daughter' dynamic that culminates in a profanity-laden confrontation, with some dialogue taken directly from Mick Herron's books.
According to the interview, Bradley found Taverner's decision to banish Flyte to Slough House particularly cruel. The actress suggested Flyte would have preferred being fired outright, as the transfer felt like a deeply personal insult from someone she once admired.
