Kate Dickie lands Marvel villain role in Disney+ Loki series

Depending on the nature of the role, Dickie may graduate to Marvel's Phase Five roster of cinematic releases, adding to her recent film credits that include The Northman and Shepherd. 

She was a relative late-comer to film acting - her breakthrough role in the 2006 psychological thriller Red Road, set in Balornock, came when she was 35 years old with stage work and television credits to her name. It remains one of the most important portrayals of Glasgow committed to screen.

The city so often substitutes for other places in movies that opportunities to tell local stories are to be treasured. "I didn't realise at the time how unusual it was to play a lead role as a woman that wasn't there to prop up the man's story or to be sexy or dress in a particular way" she says.

"We made it in 19 days, it was full on and I just went for it. It was a real privilege to tell Jackie's story and be her voice. It was such a joy of a job."

Kate's father was a dairy farmer and then a professional gardener, meaning that she grew up across a series of Scottish estates: "I ran wild, a real tomboy, I was always putting on shows at home for mum and dad. I was ten when I knew I wanted to be an actor. My dad was creative and a storyteller. My parents wouldn't let us believe we couldn't do certain things because we were from a working class family. I was always encouraged to do what I wanted to do."

She moved to Glasgow in 1990, winning a place at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. "Back in the nineties there were amazing theatre companies like 7:84, Andy Arnold was doing exciting shows at The Arches, Robert Carlyle and Alexander Morton had set up Raindog theatre company" she explains.

"It was a way to connect because you need that safety in numbers when you are doing a job that's scary and competitive and there's a lot of rejection. There's a certain type of person that wants to pretend to be other people all the time. We're not confident in ourselves."

Beginnings in television included the Scottish trilogy of roles in Rab C Nesbitt, Still Game and Taggart: "I actually did Taggart twice, I want it all" she laughs. "It was really important to have those Scottish roles you can relate to, seeing people who talk like you on screen. I watched the big American blockbusters growing up but you don't see yourself in those films."

Red Road changed things, Kate began to have a career as a character actor in independent cinema before Hollywood came calling. She was cast in Prometheus by Ridley Scott. "That was so overwhelming" she says. "I started to convince myself they wanted Kate Winslet and had hired me by mistake. I was very quiet for the first few weeks hoping no-one would notice me.

"Michael Fassbender is the kindest soul, he took me under his wing and made me part of the group. I ended up having a brilliant time, Ridley's one of the smartest directors I've worked with. The storyboards he draws of how he wants a scene to be shot are like works of art."

A remarkable body of work followed: Lysa Arryn in Game of Thrones, film roles in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, The Witch and The Green Knight, more television in Peaky Blinders, The Cry and Shetland. All achieved while living in Kelvinbridge with her partner Kenny and daughter Molly.

"I wasn't going to move to London, our lives were established here" she says. "As actors, we shouldn't be considered lesser because we choose to live in Scotland. I love working in other places but this is a great city to live. You don't have to give everything up for your art."

Kate Dickie was interviewed for Conversations at The Chip, ubiquitouschip.co.uk. This feature was first published in Best of Scotland magazine.