We chatted to Tom about starring in Netflix’s series Dept.Q
Hi Tom, how has it been making your Netflix debut in Department Q? It has been Incredible! I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to work on such a
wonderful project with so many talented artists. When we were shooting the series
we knew it was something special but it is so gratifying to see people respond so
positively to it. Since its release it has been quite surreal, I went from pouring pints to
people asking for pictures and autographs in a week which was a bit strange.
However everyone has been so kind and positive about the series and William as a
character which has been so lovely to hear.
For those who have yet to see the show, what can they expect? It is a dark, twisted, sometimes funny, roller-coaster ride. Scott Frank (the director/writer) has crafted a mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat from the very first scene (literally).
How would you say your experience of being neurodivergent has informed
and enhanced your work as an actor? When I was a kid I would drift off into these fantasy worlds in my head, to me they were extremely real, I could see, touch and feel everything there. While I was in these worlds my parents noticed I had an easier time communicating with others so encouraged me to start acting. To this day to still use many of my autistic ticks and traits to explore/get into character. For me my autism and my acting come from very physical places in me and cannot be separated and I am honestly so grateful for that. It has allowed me to reach depths within character I otherwise would not beable to do so and I am very proud to call myself an autistic artist.
You’ve starred in The Grapes of Wrath at the National Theatre and The Play
That Goes Wrong – would you like to return to theatre? I adore performing on stage. There is nothing quite like the rush you get from performing in front of a live crowd. I have so many venues I’d love to tick off my bucket list (Almeida, Old Vic, Donmar, Royal Court etc) there is so much incredible work happening on these stages, as well as stages all over the country that I would love the chance to be a part of.
What do you love the most about the most about what you do? I am never bored. Every day something new and exciting happens that I get to be a part of, whether that is a new character to explore or travelling to a new city to film. Getting to explore new things and step out of my comfort zone was the thing that originally drew me to acting as a withdrawn autistic kid, and to this day I am happy to say that this is still the case.
Tom Bulpett, represented by BBA Management, is a neurodivergent actor who can be seen in Dept Q on Netflix alongside Matthew Goode and Kelly McDonald. Previous credits include narration for the BBC, Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds Immersive Experience and several Project GameBox titles. His previous credits for stage and screen include The Play That Goes Wrong (West End), Father Brown (BBC), Quiz (ITV) and The Mummy (Universal Pictures).
Dept.Q is available to watch on Netflix now.