Keeley Hawes wasn’t prepared for how famous she became after ‘Bodyguard’.
The 43-year-old actress received a BAFTA nomination for Leading Actress for her performance as home secretary Julia Montague in the award-winning BBC show and admitted that it was a "surprise" to see the show become so popular.
Speaking on the ‘The Graham Norton Show’ on tonight’s episode (05.04.19) she said: "It is so nice and such a surprise. It’s so flattering and really lovely."
The ‘Line of Duty’ star went on to explain that after "being in the business so long" it was "interesting to gain a lot of recognition and suddenly becoming "hot".
She said: "When you’re 43 it’s a bit weird – you’ve in in the business for so long and suddenly you’re ‘hot’. It’s an interesting thing."
The hit show saw Keeley’s character- who was protected by Richard Madden’s PC David Budd – killed off in at the end of the first season in an epic explosion.
Keeley went on to explain that to prepare for the role she observed Amber Rudd – who served as Home Secretary from July 2016 to April 2018 – and confessed even the politician was keen to know about the show’s upcoming plotlines.
She said: "I watched Amber Rudd a lot for research. I actually bumped into her in a restaurant and she told me she really enjoyed the show. She did ask me if I was really dead!"
The ‘Durrells’ actress previously admitted that she can’t escape her alter-ego Julia and has even been stopped in the streets of Corfu, Greece, during filming for the ITV drama.
She said: "This is the best place for me right now, I think! Being away from it all is amazing – in the middle of nowhere on a small Greek island.
"Although I’ve still heard what’s going on. It seems there’s no escape from ‘Bodyguard’. Even here in my Corfu bubble people come up and ask me about it!"
Keeley Hawes wasn’t prepared for Bodyguard fame
