Have you spoken to John le Carre about adapting the subsequent books?
No, we haven't really but I've read them and they're great.
They are, but I guess we'll see how this one goes.
Have you got a favourite scene from the film?
I'm a big fan of the break in with Peter Guillam and the George Formby tune. And when Smiley describes his meeting with Karla.
Mine is the last scene with Smiley and the mole.
Why a George Formby song? That's not exactly 1970s.
One big mistake filmmakers do when they are doing a period piece, let's say we do a film that is set in 1985 - everything is 1985 in the film, which is not true. In the film its 1985 and everything that came before it, backwards in history. So you need things to reflect the year everything is set. I was looking for stuff that made you remember World War 2 or the resistance - that time. Just like a taste from that time. And also something that would reflect Smiley's younger self or Control's younger age.
Do you have your next project lined up? What kind of scripts are coming your way?
I haven't decided yet. I'm doing some theatre in Sweden but that's not the film work.
You say you were immersed in British culture already - does that mean that all of the actors were known to you? Kathy Burke ...
Yes. We had a fantastic casting director who came up with suggestions including sometimes when you had actors you don't know quite as well. A few actors I hadn't seen before and they might be chosen because I didn't have any references or knowledge of them.
I'm a big fan of the break in with Peter Guillam and the George Formby tune...
Benedict Cumberbatch has a bigger role than I expected, how was it working with him? This is pretty much a star making turn for him.
It was great, he's fantastic to work with. He's very exact and he knows his lines better than anyone and he is like a Swiss watch. In the film he's a very useful tool to reflect what Smiley says and doesn't say, so he's like Smiley's mirror.