For Krish Misra’s first lead regular role on TV, he plays Glen in Silverpoint throughout the two series already aired on CBBC, BBC iPlayer and Hulu. Krish works alongside a cast including fellow leads Oliver Cunliffe, Maiya Silveston and Katy Byrne, and the sci-fi series was nominated at last year’s BAFTA Children & Young People Awards for Best Scripted and Best Writer, and he has previously appeared as a guest on Saturday Mash-Up. Further projects for Krish have included playing Tupac in the Apple TV+ series Invasion, which was the first screen job he booked, and during the pandemic, he was part of The Guardian’s Shakespeare Solos for Shakespeare’s Birthday. Currently, Krish is working on a couple of projects including short film Run Like We. Chatting to us, we found out from Krish about booking his first series lead role as Glen in Silverpoint, filming as Tupac in Invasion and being involved with The Guardian’s Shakespeare Solos for Shakespeare’s Birthday during the pandemic.
You play Glen in Silverpoint for CBBC, how do you find the experience on set of the show for your first lead regular character?
I play Glen in Silverpoint on CBBC/BBC iPlayer/Hulu. The experience on set was always very good, to put it simply. I loved being in front of the camera and being on a professional acting set. It was my dream to be on TV, and having it realised was so amazing. Since the cast and crew were so close, it kind of took the workload out of the equation and it always felt like fun. I love acting and, to me, it shouldn’t feel like work. If it does, then it means we are doing something wrong. But it didn’t. Being in front of the camera with a lot to do, and since this was my first character as a lead, it was very fun. The director always gave directions in a very friendly way, and not in a strict manner. I loved building the character with the director.
I do want to add something about the tutoring on set for the under 16s, since I am often asked how it works with school and how one stays on top of schoolwork. The production provides trained tutors on set, who work with school and make sure we aren’t falling behind. We had a great tutor and chaperone, so even the classes were fun! I just loved the environment on the set of Silverpoint.
Was there anything that originally drew you to the show and how did you feel finding out you’d booked the role?
Initially when I got the script for the tape, I found the story very unique, and I felt it had a lot of heart. My parents said the same when they read it. It felt very untainted somehow. It felt like something everyone wants to read/watch when growing up. It is full of humour, has plot twists, and has great characters. Even if I wasn’t a part of it, I would have loved Silverpoint.
Finding out I’d booked the role was one of the best feelings ever. Life changes just for a little bit. I had also got through the audition for NYT at that time (which I couldn’t do due to filming), and then my mum came in, phone in hand, speaking in her formal voice, which led me to believe that she was talking to my agent. It’s always great to hear that! Then she said I got the part, and I remember just sitting down and thinking woah! It all happened very fast. We had to film in, like, two weeks! There is also a long story of me auditioning for two characters on the same day, and I was first booked for Elliot and then changed to Glen! That was actually very good for me, since Glen is part of the core Dragonfly group.
Can you tell us about Glen and what is he like to play?
So, Glen! Where do I start? Fun, friendly, warm-hearted! He is the comic relief of the show. But then we realise there’s more to him since he almost uses comedy as a weapon. Growing up, he always felt he didn’t fit in, being a bit smaller than everyone. In the show itself, he finds everything very cool, till reality dawns and then he realises things can be scary. His mouth often works faster than his mind. He can appear chaotic since he stumbles on plot points without realising, till Louis explains to him. He’s very good at moving the plot. He’s a great character to play as you can just have fun with him. He also has an emotional side to him and that gave some depth, as it can get slightly repetitive playing the same comic tone. He is very warm-hearted and loves his friends, in fact, he is often the glue between all of them since the others have differences that crop up at times. It is Glen who is often the one the others are leaning on to go back to each other. And the best part was he had all these little stunts to do in Series 1.
How has it been developing the role of Glen over the two series already aired and how is it seeing the fan response to the episodes?
Developing the role of Glen has been a bit of a challenge at times. Since sometimes you have ideas but they may not fit with the show’s view of the character idea or even the character. But finding stuff that works and adding things which the audience may not even notice is fun, since the other actors do notice. For example, there’s one moment in Season 2 where we go on a carousel, and in Season 1 Glen is taught how to control motion sickness, so I just show this in the background. Things like that add to the character and make him more human. I played Glen for two years so I think I can easily switch into him. He’s, of course, very young as well, though he definitely matures between Season 1 and 2, since the novelty wears off him a little bit in Season 2. He is more mature and probably shows more fear. He also shows a bit more restraint, which was an interesting development to play.
It’s just very surreal, I guess, knowing that people watch and like a show that I just loved to work on, and getting recognised by fans is a very nice feeling. I remember the smile on a fan’s face, who recognised me on my way home, and it made my day and I hopefully made hers. It’s sometimes a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine reading Silverpoint reviews, and they are usually very nice. There’s also a CBBC fan chat and I love reading that because they’re just genuine kids who watched the show and want to talk about it. Of course, it still feels new to me, but I love that.
What is it like filming alongside Oliver Cunliffe, Maiya Silveston, Katy Byrne and the rest of the cast?
It was amazing working with Oli, Maiya and Katy. I love them so much. We formed our own little Dragonfly family and, when looking at the call sheet, I would get excited if I saw we were filming a scene with just us four. I think we work really great together given how much time we’ve spent together both on and off set. Especially with Oli, I feel our off-screen chemistry translates well on screen. I only wish we had more Glouis (Glen + Louis) scenes! I also loved working with the rest of the cast, especially in Season 2 with the much larger cast. I think the group scenes were definitely challenging to film given there were so many characters, but they were also so fun as it was great to have scenes as a big, snappy ensemble cast. If anything, it was a challenge to ignore our real-life relationships as they were so close and strong to play the tension between groups. Overall, working with everyone was a real privilege and I am happy that we have stayed really close after filming wrapped!
Silverpoint was nominated for Best Scripted and Best Writer at the BAFTA Children & Young People Awards last year, what was the ceremony like to attend?
When Silverpoint was nominated at the BAFTAs (Children & Young People) in the Best Scripted and Best Writer categories and we were invited to the ceremony, we didn’t want to get our hopes up. But we were really excited to go to the ceremony! It was held in a venue in Central London. There were cameras everywhere and a big dance floor with so many people. Everyone was dressed up and looked so amazing. It just felt really surreal (I think I have used that word too much!), but it did feel really surreal, and seeing the red carpet with the billboard and getting photographs was incredible. In fact, that’s still my Instagram profile picture. That’s not changing! Even though we didn’t win, when the Silverpoint nomination was announced, I remember they showed a scene of me i.e. Glen talking to his mermaid-girlfriend. It’s a very complicated relationship! We all cheered, and it was just very sick to see me on the screen at the BAFTAs. It was like a small dream come true, you know.
You’ve previously been a guest on Saturday Mash-Up, how did you find the experience filming the show?
Yeah, I went on Saturday Mash-Up and it was such a different experience to filming Silverpoint. It was live so I found that you have to be on your toes all the time. You have to be prepared to go out on stage and you’re briefed on what you have to do, but when you are actually on, it feels very dynamic. Working in the studio with the audience felt in a way like theatre, though this is a bit different because they can react to what you’re doing but can’t talk because that would ruin the take obviously. I like being myself on screen, or rather a heightened version of myself. It was a different experience but that made me realise that I love doing interviews and, also, we played a lot of games on set. Maiya and Scarlett (Rayner), both of whom I hadn’t seen for a while, were also on set, so filming it was really fun.
How was your time playing Tupac in the Apple TV+ series Invasion and how would you describe the character?
Playing Tupac, given that it was my first job, felt like a dream! I was tinier at the time, and there were so many massive people and so many cameras as it was a big production! It was crazy and it never felt real to me, I guess. It was such a big production and, for a first job, it was a really great experience.
Tupac, named after the rapper, was an interesting character, with some similarities and differences to Glen. Different because the whole vibe of the show itself was very different to Silverpoint, which is very young and refreshing. Tupac definitely was harder to develop than Glen because he got much less screen time, but he had his own quirks. It gave me something to play with. I would describe Tupac as quite fun-loving like Glen but also a bit anxious. He goes about it in a very different way because he’s upbeat and he likes his rapping, and he loves his brother and keeps making a lot of quips. He loves snacks and he is also quite brave. When the situation gets bad, he changes and he’s very worried about himself and his friends, rightly so as well.
Unfortunately, due to COVID, the script was changed a bit, and Tupac’s character wasn’t taken to his full potential. He certainly could have added a layer of humour and warmth.
What was it like having Tupac as your first recurring role on screen and how did you prepare for filming?
Tupac, as my first recurring screen role and my first screen role at all, was an amazing experience because I was very lucky to work on something so big and professional as my first job. It threw me straight into the heart of the industry, I guess, and kind of really showed me what it was all about pretty quickly. To prepare myself, since it was all so new to me, I just needed to make sure that I was ready with my lines and that I wouldn’t get stage fright or anything. I didn’t think I would, since when I am acting, I am not really nervous about people watching, though I knew I would have to get used to the cameras and all the paraphernalia on set. I just made sure I was confident about my lines and delivery and didn’t mess up at all.
I remember one time when Paddy (Holland), who played Monty, and me kind of ripped off each other in an improvisation which took about, like, two minutes of a scene that was meant to take one. It ended in me i.e. Tupac outsmarting Monty, which was quite funny, and everyone burst into laughter. I don’t think it made it into the show though.
Can you tell us about being involved with The Guardian’s Shakespeare Solos for Shakespeare’s birthday during the pandemic?
You have really done your research! The Shakespeare Solos were something that got sent around our school to do. Because it was the lockdown, it was very tough to get any drama or acting in, so The Guardian sent this call out, where one did a self-tape of one Shakespeare poem and sent it back. The Guardian then picked a line from the ones they liked and collated it into one big montage video. I had done ‘All the world’s a stage’ but I didn’t expect anything to come of it, to be honest, but seeing my little bit was very cool. I think I watched it at least, like, five to ten times! But then there was a news article, and my face appeared next to Stephen Fry’s, and it was crazy! I liked the format of sending in a self-tape and then putting them all together because it allowed one model to have so many different approaches. Watching the final product was very fun. And seeing the news article with my face next to Stephen Fry was absolutely crazy!
How did you get into acting and was it something you always wanted to do?
Acting was something that I always wanted to do but I never really knew how to get involved other than school plays. Then I joined my new and current school, and my acting teacher once called me and my parents about considering acting as a professional venture. They were most surprised, and I was very happy. Not too long after, she sent through an open call audition for a show called Invasion to the entire school. Almost everyone taped for it. So, I genuinely didn’t expect anything to happen, but it turns out that eventually I got the part. I almost missed the face-to-face audition though, since the recall email had landed in my mum’s junk email folder! I got an agent after I got the part, which isn’t how most people do it normally. Usually, one has to audition for an agent, and then you start getting parts. So yes, I think I got very lucky and was very fortunate to have my first audition turn out successful and get my first job. It’s something that I can be proud of, I think. I would love to continue doing it.
What are some of your favourite films and TV shows to watch?
My favourite films and TV shows… that is a tough question because technically I shouldn’t have watched them because they are 18s and I’m not there yet! I did love Fight Club. With the two big recent movies, I really loved Oppenheimer and I am proud to say I watched Barbie twice! I have also always waited for the next Marvel movies.
TV show-wise, Breaking Bad is up there as my favourite show, and Peaky Blinders! I just love Cillian Murphy in that, the grit, the real feeling of it. I like The Office as kind of my favourite comedy show. Modern Family also has a special place in my heart because I watched it with my family during COVID so that was very nice, it kind of got us through lockdown.
I want to rewatch Inception because I watched it when I was not old enough to fully grasp and appreciate it. I’m trying to tick off all of the classics. If you want a favourite romcom, it’s probably going to be The Notebook because, even though I wasn’t really paying attention, it still made me cry. La La Land is probably a close second as well. I’m a bit of a Ryan Gosling fan. There’s just something about him!!
Do you have a favourite aspect of being an actor and working on screen?
This is a very tough question! My favourite aspect of being an actor and working on screen is that, because you’re not working for a live audience, you don’t have to think about the technical side of drama like projection and clarity because you have mics. It just allows you to give a more real performance because everything can be seen, everything can be heard, and you don’t have to worry about people having to notice everything. If it’s noticed by the camera, then you’ve done your job. If people are observing enough to see subtle touches, then good on them, and it just allows you to be far more in the headspace of the character rather than thinking about performing. I feel it’s all about being kind of the character rather than just performing. I also love meeting people; I love meeting the crew and love kind of forming your own little family on set.
But the main reason I like acting is because it gives me the opportunity of being someone else, not that I don’t like being myself, I love being myself, but being someone else lets you appreciate their viewpoints and life. I love the challenge of taking on a character that’s very different to me and trying to play that convincingly. When you do a scene and you watch it back and feel you’ve actually done well, it’s rare but it just feels very good. If I’m feeling upset, I can just do a sad scene and so it’s almost a bit of catharsis at times. I just love doing it and showing people, I guess.
How do you like to spend your free time?
I like to spend my free time watching films or TV, since there is so much to learn watching so many talented actors. Of course, playing on the PlayStation with friends and spending time with my friends, though it is getting harder to get all of us available together. I also like playing cricket when it’s not tipping down outside. I like playing football also, though I’m not very good at it! I’m not going to say what team I support but if you check Instagram it’s quite obvious! Obviously, I also love acting. If I have a self-tape then it will be done, and I really enjoy doing it. These days, there’s a lot of work at school. Not that I am complaining because so far, it’s been fine. So, I try my best to keep doing the things I like doing, like cricket and spending time with friends.
What are you hoping the next few months bring for you and do you have any upcoming projects that you can tell us about?
I would absolutely love for the next few months to bring me another acting job, and I want school to go well on a more personal level, and to maintain relationships with my friends. There are a couple of projects – including Run Like We – that I am working on and look forward to these and more in 2024! Now that I’m 16, I can work full hours and really get the full experience, so I am hoping there will be more jobs coming up soon.
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