EXCLUSIVE: Ben Radcliffe on Fackham Hall
Vest - Sunspel, Jacket, Jeans & Shirt - Brunello Cucinelli
With a twinkle of mischief and an old-Hollywood ease, Ben Radcliffe steps into the spotlight as the leading man of Fackham Hall, a riotous period comedy written by Jimmy Carr. He speaks to The Rakish Gent about humour, heritage, and the craft of not taking yourself too seriously.
Words - Tajinder Hayer
Photography - Matthew Eades at Eighteen Management
Videography - Will Corry
Creative Direction & Styling - Suzie Street
Grooming - Charlie Cullen at Forward Artists
Digital Technician - Tom Green
Styling Assistance - Harri Ellisdon
Shot on location at The Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park
With thanks to Pinnacle PR
Ben wears Shirt - Connolly, Tuxedo - AMI, Socks - London Sock Company
On the bed - Suit - Oliver Brown, Scarf - dunhill
On bedside dresser - Glasses - Brunello Cucinelli, Bow tie - dunhill, Gloves - Hackett, Fragrance - Connolly
On the right - Speaker - Bang & Olufsen
Ben Radcliffe is having a moment—one of those rare career junctures where everything seems to align at once. Fresh from standout performances in Masters of the Air, Anatomy of a Scandal and The Witcher, he now leads Bleeker Street’s new British period comedy Fackham Hall. It’s a role that finally gives him the chance to take centre stage, flex new creative muscles, and bring to life a character he describes as “charming, adaptable and resilient.”
From the moment he read the script, Radcliffe knew this was something different. “Fackham Hall is a spoof comedy that pokes fun at the upper class and period dramas in general,” he says. “I like to describe it as Downton Abbey meets Airplane.” The film follows his character, Eric Noone—“a street-smart survivor”—as he lands a job in an aristocratic manor house, falls into a forbidden romance, and gets swept into a plot that veers between satire, love story and murder mystery.
“It is hilarious, witty, sharp and completely absurd,” Radcliffe adds. “It’s a real fun watch.”
Fackham Hall leans fully into parody, but it’s the tone—the commitment to absolute seriousness while delivering utter nonsense—that makes the comedy sing. “Every frame is filled with absurd gags… gags, puns, wordplay and slapstick humour,” Radcliffe explains. “The best part about it is all delivered with completely straight faces.”
That balance—between sincerity and silliness—became one of his greatest challenges and greatest joys in playing Eric. “There was a real fun balance of being the charming, happy-go-lucky guy doing his best to fit into a world that doesn’t really want him and tender moments of vulnerability as he falls completely in love,” he says. But there was more to Eric than laughs. “I had to make sure there were layers of humanity underneath so he wasn’t just a caricature.”
Shirt, Trousers & Cummerbund - dunhill, Bow tie - Brunello Cucinelli
Physical comedy also plays a major role. “There was a lot of physical comedy and action scenes, which I always enjoy,” he says. “It was a really fun experience.”
It helps, of course, that Radcliffe is surrounded by an exceptional cast: Thomasin McKenzie, Tom Felton, and Damian Lewis round out the ensemble. “The cast was chosen exceptionally well,” he says. “Watching them approach this material with the same intensity and seriousness as they have brought to their previous roles is what makes the film so funny.” Off-camera, that chemistry held too. “With a great group of people you’re always going to have an enjoyable time on and off set so we had lots of fun making it.”
Tuxedo - Oliver Brown, Shirt & Scarf - dunhill, Socks Socks - London Sock Company, Loafers - Canali
Tuxedo - Oliver Brown, Shirt & Scarf - dunhill,
The film’s comedy is anchored in an elegant period world—which, paradoxically, only heightens the humour. “On the surface you’ve got all the elegance and restraint of a traditional period drama… but then the writing slices through it with this absurd, unexpected humour,” he explains. His approach was simple: avoid playing for laughs. “My job was to play everything as truthfully as possible… In a way, the straighter you play it, the funnier it becomes.”
Eric also required Radcliffe to shift between a surprising number of genres. “It’s not often you get to jump through so many tones in a single role,” he says. “As long as you don’t try to be funny, you’re good. Just make it believable.”
Radcliffe’s earlier work prepared him well for the challenge. He credits his varied experience—from the scale of Masters of the Air to the intensity of The Witcher—with giving him both confidence and clarity. “Those early roles shaped me as an actor and made me more confident on set… They definitely toughened me up in front of the camera,” he says. The scope of those productions, he adds, forces you to grow quickly. “There’s no hiding. You’ve just got to trust yourself.”
Comedy, he insists, demands even more of that trust. “If you hesitate or play it safe, it just falls flat,” Radcliffe says. “Having that grounding from the earlier jobs gave me the confidence to take bigger swings with Eric.”
Now, as Fackham Hall prepares for release, Radcliffe is already deep into his next chapter. “I’m in the middle of shooting a new adaptation of The Age of Innocence for Netflix,” he says. “It’s a beautiful story and a big challenge – it’s keeping me on my toes in a completely different way.”
But comedy isn’t out of his system. “I’d love to jump back into comedy at some point, especially something with real heart and emotional depth running underneath it,” he says. He’s also eager for modern roles after back-to-back period projects, as well as action—and anything that lets him push himself creatively. “I also would love to do an action film, or even something where I really get to perform – throw a musical number in there. There’s a good one in Fackham Hall…”
Ben wears Suit & Shirt - Paul Smith, Socks - London Sock Company, Loafers - Hackett, Silk scarf (worn as cravat) - dunhill, Sunglasses - Brunello Cucinelli
On the table - Plate - Connolly, Bow tie - dunhill,
On the mantelpiece - Speaker - Bang & Olufsen, Glass coupe & candlesticks - Connolly
Ben wears Suit & Shirt - Paul Smith, Socks - London Sock Company, Loafers - Hackett, Silk scarf (worn as cravat) - dunhill, Sunglasses - Brunello Cucinelli
On the table - Plate - Connolly, Bow tie - dunhill,
On the mantelpiece - Speaker - Bang & Olufsen, Glass coupe & candlesticks - Connolly
For an actor whose career is now accelerating at remarkable speed, Radcliffe is thoughtful, grounded, and quietly ambitious. His rise has been steady, built on strong work rather than noise, but Fackham Hall feels like a turning point—a film that showcases not just his charm, but his range, timing, and command of the screen.
And if there’s one throughline in everything he’s said, it’s that he’s ready for more.
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Fackham Hall is in cinemas now.