On the final countdown to the release of his new project, Apple TV+’s drama series The Buccaneers, Josh Dylan has a lot to look forward to. The Buccaneers is a historical drama, created by Katherine Jakeways, based on the unfinished novel of the same name by American novelist Edith Wharton. The series is a refreshing take on the 1938 novel, bringing a Bridgerton-esque energy to the original story.

Early in 2024, he’s also preparing to (hopefully) direct a feature film produced by Gabrielle Tana and celebrate his role in Apple TV+’s World War II drama series Masters of the Air, starring Austin Butler and Barry Keoghan. We caught up with the star to discuss this past year and next — the process of connecting with his character Lord Richard Marble in The Buccaneers, what he’s learned from his co-stars, and his dreams for the future, including enacting a protocol for actors to receive a lollipop on the way out of auditions.

Read the interview…

Hi Josh, how has 2023 treated you? What has been a major highlight?
Hello. 2023 has been a beautiful, strange year. Lots of big moves in my personal life. It’s been a year of laying foundations. A major highlight was making a film with some of my close mates called The Licensed Fool about a travelling court jester. It was ridiculous, I loved it.

Talk to me about how your acting career started. How did you know you wanted to pursue a career in acting? What has your journey been like so far?
I wanted to be a musician before I thought about pursuing a career in acting. When I was growing up that was what got me going, and still does to be honest. But when I was 16, I played Henry Higgins in the school musical, My Fair Lady, and Dame Judi Dench came to see it, because her Grandson, Sammy, was working backstage. She wrote a lovely note to the school about me. We were introduced and she encouraged me to audition for drama school and make a go of it. We’ve been very close ever since. Growing up, I didn’t know anyone that was in that world, so to have that encouragement from her meant everything. She’s to blame. I went to Guildhall and have been pottering on since then.

Congratulations on your current role in The Buccaneers, as Lord Richard Marable. Can you give us a brief introduction to your character and what it means for you to play it?
Thank you. Lord Richard Marble, or ‘Dick’ to those that know and love him – ‘Dicky’- if he’s been naughty… is the eldest son in a stuffy English family. He falls head over heels in love with an American woman called Conchita. When they move back to England it’s obvious that their relationship is a world apart from what’s expected. They have to navigate parenthood and marriage together with all these pressures on them and Richard has to confront some latent demons for sure. It was challenging to play someone caught so strongly between head and heart. I imagine for a man like him, living in the 1870s, expressing yourself emotionally and going against the grain might’ve been difficult and possibly unusual. That’s something I enjoyed pondering and exploring. Richard is a sensitive soul. Getting to work with Alisha Boe, who plays Conchita, was a dream too. She’s wonderful.

What has been a key learning for you on this production?
Some of the older actors on the show are phenomenal and I loved being around them. There was so much to learn from watching their work. Anthony Calf, who plays Lord Brightlingsea, and I talked about DIY a lot, so I tried to nab a few pearls from him on that front too.

This coming January you are going to be starring in Apple TV+’s World War II drama series Masters of the Air. What can we expect from this upcoming series? Can you share any teasers?
I play a very small part in the last episode. Band of Brothers had a big influence on me when I was younger, I was mesmerised, so to be part of this in a small way was special. There are some excellent people involved and I’m looking forward to seeing it.

What is one thing you would tell your younger self starting out in your career?
Try not to waste energy worrying about the result or the things that are out of your control. Instead channel all that energy into properly learning the lines and the thoughts, and finding ways to embody it.

If you could change one thing within the industry, what would it be and why?
Cor blimey. I’d like to see fewer things made that are designed for people to half watch and make more space for creations that might not please everyone, but are distinctive. I’d also like to protect cinemas and independent films. Oh and I’d like actors to receive a lollipop on the way out of auditions.

What do you wish to experiment with within your profession?
Everything. I’d like to try more improvisational work. To be part of something where you spend time building a detailed world together that then becomes completely immersive, so when you’re filming the camera feels almost incidental. I think that’d be very rewarding. I’d also really love to do another play; to be in a rehearsal room and get stuck into the rhythm of that again. I’d like to make a documentary at some point too.

What is 2024 looking like for you? Can you share any new projects in the pipeline?
I’ve written and am hoping to direct a feature film which Gabrielle Tana is on board to produce. I’ve been developing that a lot this year, so I’m excited to see how that takes shape. Other than that, there are some projects that are still up in the air… I hope it’ll be cosmic.