I was born in Loughborough and come from a musical family, both my parents sing and Dad plays the piano too. They were also actors themselves for a time and at only a year old I would be spending time backstage at the Burton Little Theatre, soaking up the atmosphere and apparently the smell of greasepaint! My first taste of performing was music – I started learning the Trumpet at 8 years old and was a member of multiple bands and orchestras throughout my childhood and teens.
I first realized I wanted to be an actor when I saw Star Wars at the age of 7. I was completely taken in by the story, the characters, and the world. I’d always played pretend growing up, I lost count of how many cap guns I had! But when Star Wars hit, me and my brother soon added lightsabers to our toy box.
My first time on stage was in school plays and then I moved on to the local theatre groups, performing in musicals. I studied Media Production at College and it was there I got my first taste of making and acting in films before moving on to the University of Lincoln where I studied Drama.
It’s @ShowreelShare today! Always great to see everyone’s work. I’m an actor who works mainly in film & VO at the moment but always looking for exciting opportunities! Thanks to @KateDaviesSpeak for setting this community up. #actor #film #castingdirector #tv #showreelshareday pic.twitter.com/q7OeARlM4V
— Robert Dukes (@MrRobertDukes) February 21, 2018
I moved to London in 2011 having fallen out of love with acting and got a job at a Post Production house in SoHo – I found editing fascinating. I also was doing some work in production too, learning as much as I can about the business as possible. I say ‘fallen out of love’ the truth was, I was scared. I worried that being an actor was too difficult and that I wouldn’t make it.
I was watching films and plays and finding myself getting depressed that I wasn’t doing that, I desperately wanted to be part of that world but It wasn’t actually until I was working on ‘The National Lottery Awards’ that I finally got myself in gear. It was my job to look after the male celebrities on the show that night and by chance one of whom was Benedict Cumberbatch. We chatted and I told him about my love for acting but that I was struggling with it and he very simply said, “You live in London, there is no better place to give it a go”. I began to produce my own short films and act in them, and I haven’t looked back.
The Code Poster
indieactivity: Did you study acting?
Robert: Yes, but not in the traditional sense. I never went to Drama School because I couldn’t afford it, but I studied drama at University and then studied with the American acting coach, Bernard Hiller in both London and Los Angeles. From there I trained with ‘The Actors Class’ in London, under Mary Doherty, which ended with a really fantastic industry showcase. Luckily, I’ve learnt from some incredible industry professionals and really value ongoing training-I’m kept on my toes and challenged by various different directors-I don’t subscribe to the belief that all actors need to go to a dedicated drama school; diving in and getting on set has worked brilliantly for me.
indieactivity: What acting technique do you use?
Robert: That’s one of the best things about continued training, I’ve been fortunate enough to study several techniques, I don’t think adhering to one technique solely is necessarily the best idea, certainly not for me. Over the years I have taken elements from different practitioners in order to find something that works for me. Everything we do as actors comes from within so it makes sense to me that the origin of characters begins with you as a person.
indieactivity: Do you take courses to improve your craft?
Robert: Absolutely! I regularly do workshops as part of ‘The Actors Class’ alumni which are run by working professionals. I have also done online courses about the business of acting, workshops with directors, casting directors, actors and producers. We constantly grow as people, the way humans behave adapts and changes and as such the way we act changes. It’s not just about the acting either, I’ve just completed a fight performance masterclass and will be taking a resident horse riding course later in the year.
Left to right: Kevin Leslie, Robert Dukes and Jacob Anderton on location for The Code. Directed by Patrick Ryder. Make up by Sophie Scott. Pic credit Sophie Scott.
indieactivity: What acting books do you read?
Robert: On the craft of acting, I’ve read; The Michael Chekhov Handbook, Sanford Meisner on Acting, An Actor Prepares by Stanislavski, Bernard Hiller’s Stop Acting Start Living, True and False by David Mamet, and Michael Caine’s ‘Acting on Film’. On the business side of things I am reading ‘Self Management for Actors’ by Bonnie Gillespie as well as TED publications and books on running your own business. There are so many things in life that can be used in other areas, it makes sense to me to delve into these as well because as actors, we are running a business.
indieactivity: How do you keep fit as an actor?
Robert: I like to keep physically fit. I’ve always enjoyed going to the gym, being in my own world, with my headphones on – it’s incredibly therapeutic. Not only that, when I’m working out regularly my mental wellbeing is far better than when I’m not. I started boxing for fitness last year which has been absolutely fantastic, I have a huge amount of respect for boxers, it is without a doubt the most taxing workout I’ve done.
I use ‘Headspace’ and ‘Calm’ to meditate from time to time as well. Taking stock of what we have, what we’ve done, our achievements – these can get lost in our mind when you go through a quiet patch. Acknowledging where you are and the adventures you’ve had is really important. We are our own worst critics and it’s easy to forget what we’ve done if we don’t take time to reflect.
Robert Dukes still from The Code, directed by Patrick Ryder, Director of photography, Richard Oakes. Make up by Sophie Scott.
indieactivity: How do you prepare for a role?
Robert: I love that, “When you get it”… That’s on the nose! We audition so much and often it goes no further. Another actor once said to me, “Your job as an actor is to audition. Once in awhile you get to do the part you auditioned for. Once in a while…” That’s stayed with me.
When I do get a part though, first and foremost I read the script as a whole. I will then read it a second time paying closer attention to my character and their motives; where they’ve been, where they are going, what they want in their lives. I like to do research on the topic and type of person they are as well. As soon as possible I start to speak the lines out loud, often with my partner, who is also an actor, so I can begin to hear the scene and how that affects me. I also read the other characters lines and start to write mine out as I go. (This is often on a train around London). The biggest thing I do though is character prep and background. Once I’m more familiar with the script, I’ll improvise around the lines, playing with impulses to see if anything unexpected comes to light.
indieactivity: How do you create a character in a script into a person?
Robert: As above, I read through the script and take note of who I am, my motives, relationships, their life outside of what’s on the page. And then I go through their life, from the beginning and work out who they are. So, where and when were they born, to whom? What did their parents do, what was our life like? Their childhood. Exciting things that happened in their life, bad things. What do they enjoy, dislike etc.
I go into great detail, creating a real person. I really enjoy the process! I will then go through, “what if” scenarios, how would I (Robert) react to this, how would I feel etc. and then bleed some of those into my work as well. Music is a huge inspiration to me and during my character prep I find music that I feel represents the feel of the piece and the person I am playing. Whenever I’m working I will have it on in the background, this then becomes an integral part of who the character is for me.
BTS Black and white on a beach. Left to right, Aislinn De’Ath, Karen Anstee and Robert Dukes. Receiving direction from director Karen Anstee on Holkham Beach during filming of Rachel.
indieactivity: How do you stay fresh on a production set?
Robert: It all depends on the scene in question, sometimes a moment of quiet is all I need, other times music helps, if I’m able to have my phone with me and a set of headphones I will listen to the playlist of a few songs I put together during the character prep stages. This links me back to the work I did when I first started on the project. Sometimes some physical exercise if it’s a high energy scene, running around, press ups, that kind of thing.
indieactivity: Describe a memorable character you played?
Robert: Josh, the character I mentioned above, is pivotal in the short film ‘Rachel’ directed and written by Karen Anstee in 2016. He’s frightened, and he’s experiencing something that’s part of the human experience-love and loss. The idea of losing someone so close to you is a terrifying thing & finding the courage to stand up to his partner’s father whilst dealing with his own grief was simultaneously fascinating and heartbreaking.
indieactivity: Explain one creative choice you took on set?
Robert: I find stillness and silence incredibly powerful, I like to explore this whenever possible and I got the chance on a film I did, called ‘Rachel’. My character is grieving for his dead partner, and it felt too obvious to play it loudly. Grief is often quiet, and stillness became a huge part of the character’s persona.
indieactivity: What do you want most from a director?
Robert: The opportunity to play. Otherwise you may as well be a moving chess piece-it’s far more exciting to work as a team to bring the story and characters to life, and great directors are skilled at creating that dynamic.
Robert Dukes Character Poster for The Code
indieactivity: What actors do you long to work with?
Robert: So many-I have an enormous list that I look up to. Gary Oldman springs to mind, as does Judi Dench, Brian Cranston, Morgan Freeman, I feel like I could go on forever!
indieactivity: Why?
Robert: The opportunity to learn from them; I’ve grown up watching these people and their performances are dynamic, subtle, human-they take risks-also I hear Judi Dench has a wicked sense of humour!
indieactivity: What advice would you give to actors?
Robert: Stay hungry, stay humble, do the work and enjoy every second. Most importantly, make your own work and don’t give up.
indieactivity: Briefly write about your career?
Robert: Rep theatre seems to be a thing of the past outside of NYT and as such I believe short indie films are the new Rep. They’re the place to try new things, test your skills, work with up and coming industry professionals and often take you on journeys that higher budget productions will not.
I’ve been exceptionally lucky in my time in the industry to have worked on a variety of projects including Man in The Mirror, Rachel, The Desert (Adam Spinks), The Code (Little glass Films) and even to have helped produce a few with my film company Flight of Fancy-we’ve almost completed a puppet film that’s been years in the making called ‘Fright’ and our version of ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ won best short at Kenneth Brannagh’s ‘Shakespeare on Film’ Film Festival, which was a huge honour! Our other two shorts, Early Birds and The Morning After have also had lovely receptions at film festivals and feature in my reel.
I’ve been working in voiceover for the past few years too which has been an experience that has impacted the way I use my voice in other mediums and has opened up fantastic roles for me, some of the most enjoyable being on Zombies, Run! Last year I had a wonderful time returning to stage at The Stockwell Playhouse as Detective Daniels in Neive Hearity’s ‘The Rally’.
More recently I’ve been working on an exciting new project with a friend and colleague, Matthew Curnier, but I’m keeping schtum on that one for now! The past few years have been utterly incredible and with some exceptionally engrossing projects on the horizon, I count myself as a very happy actor who can’t wait to see what’s around the corner.
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