The Undeclared War Series 2: Hannah Khalique-Brown On Spycraft, Identity & Finding Her Place

Hi Hannah, how’s life going at the moment?

Life is going really well! I’m currently filming on a new movie, looking forward to the release of series 2 of The Undeclared War (even I haven’t seen it all yet!), and about to release a new song, singing lead vocal with my band, Big Sky Orchestra – so it’s been super busy but amazing!

You can soon be seen in The Undeclared War series 2. Can you give us an elevator pitch for the series?

We pick up right where we left off at the end of series 1. A brilliant young coder finds herself on an internship at GCHQ, thrown deep into a national cyber-espionage crisis with more responsibility on her shoulders than she ever imagined. This season explores the conflict between life inside and outside of the agency, and the threats, alliances, and loyalties that are tested on a personal and geopolitical scale. The series is super prescient and accurate, with real spies consulting on the show!

You lead as Saara Parvin – how would you describe her?

Saara is incredibly intelligent and wildly gifted in her field. Her talent as a coder and problem-solver sets her apart from almost everyone she comes across, and she knows it, but she also knows that she is different, that she doesn’t fit in. Grappling with a shifting sense of identity and racked with guilt, she’s forced to navigate her deep sense of loyalty, duty, and ambition under immense and growing pressure from all sides.

What does she have in store for this series?

Having established herself as a special talent at GCHQ through the events of series 1, Saara faces the challenge of trying to protect and save the life of an undercover foreign agent she has been working with from the start, whilst also working closely with Danny [Simon Pegg] to covertly look inside the agency itself to try and uncover a mole. She’s fighting on all fronts! But we also see a lighter side of Saara, as her friendships with her malware colleagues grow and she finds her place in a team – perhaps for the first time in her life.

It’s been four years since series 1 aired. What was it like coming back to the role?

It was so exciting to come back to playing Saara – when we got the call about series 2 being greenlit, I just couldn’t wait to keep telling her story, and to find out what was next after such a huge cliffhanger! Saara was my first lead role and a completely life-changing experience, so to return to her was so special.

Hannah: ‘The dynamic on set is really varied – we go from intense dramatic moments to falling apart into fits of giggles.’

Anything particular you do to get into character?

I use music and mantras to get into character – so one of the first things I did was return to the Saara playlist I created for series 1! Music is one of the most powerful carriers of meaning, so it is incredibly useful for acting preparation. I also talk to Saara quite a lot in my trailer before we go to set, as well as on set between takes – just under my breath to myself. It probably looks pretty crazy but I’ve always had that with Saara!

What is the cast dynamic on set?

The dynamic on set is really varied – we go from intense dramatic moments in the script where our characters are being pushed to their limits, to falling apart into fits of giggles, very often because Simon is making me laugh, to tense ten-minute one-shots where there are no camera cuts so everything has to come together in one take. The opening of series 2 is one of these! There is also a long-running bromance between Alex Jennings and Simon Pegg which is unrivalled.

Any standout moments from rehearsals or filming?

There was a day where we corpsed so badly that we couldn’t finish this extremely important and serious group scene with all of the Malware characters. Simon and I were in tears laughing – I couldn’t look him in the eye. I think we got there in the end but we might look a bit red in the face in that scene. Another standout is running lines with one of my co-stars in a chicken shop in Cardiff at 1am after a long day of filming – it’s a glamorous life!

What are you most excited for fans to see in series 2?

I can’t wait for fans to see the plot get even more thrilling – I think they’re going to love all the twists and turns, jeopardy, and mystery in this series.

What has been your favourite project to date?

That’s really hard to answer! Every project has been so different and incredible. I’ve been lucky enough to do everything from dying a bloody death in Black Doves, to putting Cromwell in his place as a medieval nun in Wolf Hall, to having an inflatable bra in Barbie! But honestly, Saara and her story holds a very special place in my heart.

Hannah: ‘Every time I’ve played opposite Mark Rylance it’s totally reformed my idea of what acting is.’

Any roles in the pipeline that you’re excited about? (If you’re allowed to tell us!)

One I’m really excited about I am filming right now! But I just can’t tell you what it is yet.

Who has been your favourite actor to work with in the past?

Again, I’ve been so lucky! Working with Mark Rylance twice now – first in series 1 of The Undeclared War, and then as Dorothea Wolsey in Wolf Hall – has been unbelievably cool. It’s hard to imagine a more thrilling scene partner. Working with Simon Pegg on both series of The Undeclared War is a dream; he is absolutely incredible in this series and has become a great pal. It was surreal working with Kiera Knightley, having grown up watching her – Pride and Prejudice is one of my favourite films – and of course Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling were also a total dream to work with in Barbie!

Which co-star did you learn the most from?

It’s got to be Mark Rylance. Every time I’ve played opposite him it’s totally reformed my idea of what acting is, and he’s always pushed me in scenes – he challenges me as an actor and encourages me to push back at him. Our scenes together often feel like a sort of sparring match to act in.

What’s a genre you’d like to do more of?

I’d love to do some more horror! I am also yet to play a proper villain, but I would really love to play someone morally bankrupt. I also really want to work in Japan – we have a base there – so I’m putting it out there that any Japan-related projects are definitely on my radar.

Who is an actor, writer or director you’d love to work with?

Ava Pickett is a writer I’d love to work with. As an actor, I’d love to play opposite Anna Sawai – she is amazing! And there are so many dream directors on my list but a standout would be Terrence Malick. I would love to experience his long takes and improvisation.

Hannah: ‘My interior design style is eclectic, with both classic and modern elements and nods to my heritage.’

Do you get to spend much time at home?

We lead a pretty busy life generally – acting takes me and my husband all over the place – but we also go on tour with our band Big Sky Orchestra so are quite often on the road! We also have family in Tokyo, so try to spend time over there as well as our favourite place in the world, Paris. When we are able to be home, we do settle in quite a bit and enjoy the downtime!

Do you live in the town or the country? Which do you prefer?

Both! We are based in London but I’m lucky enough that we have family in the countryside so we are often there too. I’ve been in London since I was 18, and I will always adore it, but in the last few years I think I’m starting to prefer the country. Having a base in Tokyo is also amazing as we get to experience a really different kind of town-life when we are there – surprisingly peaceful.

What’s your interior design style?

I would say my interior design style is eclectic, with both classic and modern elements and nods to my heritage. A huge rug defines my living space, balanced out with modern European furniture and huge, handmade Pakistani cushions. Music also plays a huge part, with our vinyl record, CD collection, and speaker system holding centre stage in our living room, and a painting of Miles Davis by painter Sam Wooton – which I commissioned as an engagement gift for my husband Benedict – hangs proudly above. Benedict is a guitarist, so there are about 15 guitars, old and new, dotted around our living space, which make for objects of beauty as well as being readily available for him to pick up and play at any moment.

How do you find balance in your personal and work lives?

My personal and work lives are totally interlinked to be honest, but as I love what I do, it never feels like work!

How can we all live a little bit better?

Fix our posture, read every day (fiction if you can!), lock our phones in a drawer!

Anything fun in the pipeline – professionally or personally?

Aside from filming on an exciting feature at the moment and getting ready for the release of The Undeclared War series 2, I’m playing with my band at some festivals this summer, and our new song ‘Endless Light’ – where I sing lead vocal for the first time – is also being released!

Hannah: ‘My personal and work lives are totally interlinked, but as I love what I do, it never feels like work!’