SPOTLIGHT: Mr Oscar Salem

Actor Oscar Salem (House of the Dragon and Des) recently joined the cast of the high-stakes thrilling BBC drama Vigil alongside Suranne Jones who is reprising her role of DCI Amy Silva. Salem plays Captain Sattam Abdul Kader, who works with Silva as they investigate drone warfare and sees Silva brought in to uncover the cause of fatalities at a Scottish military facility.

What can you tell us about season 2 of Vigil?

Season 2 will definitely provide some familiarity that everyone loved from the first but its also somewhat a departure away in terms of tone. And I mean that in a good way! The high stakes are still very much there and we stay with characters that we know and love, but its a brand new investigation with complex new additions to the cast, leaving behind the claustrophobia of the submarine for a much more open yet treacherous landscape with equally if not more tense dangers. Season 2 is definitely something that gets more rewarding as you watch through it, it really does leave you on the edge of your seat and gets more and more epic.

Is there anything that you can share with us about the character that you play?

Absolutely! I play Captain Sam Kader who’s a pilot operating under the fictional Wudyani Airforce in joint operation with the British Air Force. He’s one of the military personnel involved in the weapons test in Scotland. We meet him right before things start to go sideways and after the incident, he gets swept up in the investigation lead by DCI Silva.

He’s an incredibly brave and fiercely loyal person. Sam is very much a product of his environment who through tragedy starts to see that he doesn't really fit or agree with it. His morals quickly become at odds with his obligations and duty. He’s a man with deeply held personal secrets that get uncovered which compromises his position and loyalty. Whats more is he exists within a place where he cant truly be himself. With everything going on, he’s desperately trying to keep himself together. What I love about him is that he’s a complicated representation of a middle eastern man. I think so often we see the stereotype of what a middle eastern man may be, but Sam has all the complications and contradictions that all human beings feel. I think whats great for the audience to see is what he’s willing to risk in order to do what he believes is the right thing.

What was it like for you to join an already established cast?

I was so excited to sign on to Vigil - I was a huge fan of the first series and I’ve loved Suranne and Rose’s work for a long time. There was definitely an element of nerves in meeting and working with them but to be honest, they were quickly dispelled. Both of them are such amazing examples of how to be leading actors - their kindness and professionalism went such a long way to make me feel welcome and at ease. I cant say enough nice things about them, I feel very lucky and grateful to have worked with them and even just observing them on set and off, there was so much to learn. It was the same with the other creatives and crew as well, everyone did such a lovely job of making us newbies feel welcome and part of the team. Couldn’t have asked for a better creative environment.

Was there much physical preparation required for your role?

You know I try and keep to a consistent exercise routine all year round, something thats enjoyable to do but more importantly maintainable. I find that this works well for me, it leaves me in a physical condition thats both healthy and ‘malleable’ if that makes sense? It means that I can go into pretty much any project feeling strong and athletic and whenever a very physical role comes along, I’m able to start the training for it from a great baseline. There wasn’t too much physical prep for Vigil but I felt great going into it both physically and mentally.

What were you doing prior to acting?

Horrendously failing at academics! That and fantasising about being a rock star. Actually now I mention it, that fantasy hasn’t really gone away. Theres still time, right?

What was it that inspired you to be an actor in the first place?

In the spirit of honesty, I was never academically inclined. I was quite lost at school and it took me a long time to find my place. I’d say I owe my inspiration and start of my journey to three very important people.

Firstly, my head of drama at school. He would write his own plays which I got to be a part of in school productions. He had this amazing way with words and he was so supportive and kind, he really championed me. I think he could see that I was a little directionless and saw how much I enjoyed performing so he gave me a lot of opportunities which I’m incredibly grateful for. Secondly, my head of music at school, who may as well have been my second mother. I wasn’t the easiest student to deal with in terms of concentration and effort and despite loving music, studying it in school may as well have been like learning astro physics. That being said, we had a great relationship and she really wouldn’t let me get away with anything.

Ultimately that was a very good thing though because she really pushed me to follow what I actually wanted to do and enjoy which was performing. Its because of her I ended up getting involved in youth theatre which ultimately lead to drama school. Finally, my older brother. He moved to LA when he was 19 to study acting out there and him being my hero, I just thought that was the coolest thing. Very much following the trend of just copying everything he did from an early age, I’d say that was a huge influence in me pursuing it as a career.

What was your training like?

Intense. Honestly I don’t feel anyone goes to drama school to enjoy it. I completely recognise that thats a very dramatic statement but drama school can demand a lot from you. At least for me, it very quickly became a means to an end. It doesn't follow the conventional higher education format, we were in from 8am-6pm five days a week, often six when rehearsing for a production and its pretty much non stop for three years. It was definitely the most exhausting period of my life thus far. Everybody who goes obviously really wants to be there so not only is a lot expected from you by the institution but you push yourself to work as hard as you can which leaves you with very little left in the tank at the end of each day and by the time the weekend comes around, all you want to do is sleep and recover for the next week. Drama School was a rollercoaster of emotions for me, not just because of the training but the lifestyle surrounding it as well. My training was a very significant part of my career for sure and it was a hell of a grind. Don't get me wrong, I feel very fortunate to have gone and it really was a huge learning experience and I made lifelong friends there which I’ll always be grateful for. It really went a long way in terms of teaching discipline and shone a light on how hard you have to work in every aspect of the craft if you want to do well. It was a very unique experience and ultimately it lead to the career I have now which is amazing. Not in any hurry to go back though!

Did you enjoy being part of the House of the Dragon series?

It was an absolute dream. I was such a huge fan of Game of Thrones so I was very aware of what I was stepping into. That brought on all kinds of nerves and excitement. HBO is such a well oiled machine and the scope of the production was unbelievable. Working on HotD really was a huge moment for me from an acting standpoint but it also just really appealed to my inner nerd. It was such an incredible experience. The locations were beautiful, the costumes were awesome and I got to work with some incredible people. Acting opposite the likes of Matt and Paddy was such a significant and important experience for me, both of them were so generous and brilliant to work with. On top of that, having the opportunity to nerd out with Ryan Condal on set was mind blowing. He’s such a genius and I’ve been a fan of his writing for a long time so that was a big moment.

What sort of roles would you like to do going forward?

Its always hard to think of specifics when I get asked this. There are definitely roles that stand out and appeal to me or rather, appeal to my inner child I should say. I’ve always loved franchises like James Bond, Mission Impossible and the Bourne films - I think they’d be so much fun to do. But really I think what my taste comes down to ultimately is good stories. I want to tell good stories whatever form or genre they take. A lot of the actors I look up to are all so versatile in the stories they tell and the rolls they bring to life and thats very much what I aspire to do.

What are you working on now and next?

I would love to share, but I may get in trouble…what I can say is that 2023 was a great year and I’m really excited for 2024 and beyond.

Oscar can currently be seen in season two of BBC’s Vigil, available to stream now on BBCiPlayer.

Follow Oscar Salem on Instagram.

Tajinder HayerJanuary 24, 2024spotlight, long reads, interview, bbc