David Tennant’s transformation into Litvinenko for chilling ITVX drama took ‘several hours’ everyday-Pierra Willix-Entertainment – Metro

David Tennant as Alexander Litvinenko (Picture: ITV)

The writer of the upcoming drama series Litvinenko says David Tennant spent ‘several hours’ in the make-up chair each day on set to transform into the former Russian KGB officer.

When images of Tennant as Alexander Litvinenko were released earlier this month, the likeness was immediately astounding.

One of the final images of Litvinenko showed him lying in a hospital bed three days before he died.

It was this image that was recreated for the series, with Tennant having his hair turned bald and his facial hair dyed white, while he looks gaunt and sallow as the poison takes hold.

Write behind the series, George Kay, has revealed Tennant actually spent ‘several hours’ with make-up and costume every day to become Litvinenko.

However, he added that while the make-up work was transformative, it was Tennant’s work preparing to take on a Russian accent which blew him away.

Alexander Litvinenko was a prominent critic of Putin (Picture: AP)

Alexander Litvinenko died three weeks after being poisoned (Picture: PA)

‘What I would say about [him playing Litvinenko] is it is about the incredible work he did with the Russian dialect coach,’ he said.

‘His accent is absolutely on point.’

Kay added that taking on a Russian accent spot on is incredibly difficult, but Tennant went the extra mile to ensure it was precise.

‘There is a terrible version of this if you think about how it could have gone wrong,’ he said.

‘If he didn’t put in the incredible amount of effort into it and speaking to Marina (Litvinenko, Alexander’s wife) and researching the character and the symptoms of what was happening.

‘The wonderful and make up is a nice icing on the cake but there is also so much work going on beneath the surface in terms of being ready for those scenes.’

In the series, Tennant plays the former Russian Federal Security Services and KGB officer, whose death from Polonium-210 poisoning in November 2006 triggered one of the most complex and dangerous investigations in the history of the Metropolitan Police.

At the time, two officers were called to University College Hospital in London to interview a patient in declining health, who turned out to be the Russian dissident who claimed to have been poisoned on the direct orders of Vladimir Putin.

With Tennant taking his work so seriously, Kay praised his dedication.

‘What you get with David Tennant is a man who turns up to set 1000% prepared,’ he said.

‘It’s always astonishing what he brings—he put in so much work. He is amazing.’

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The four-part series will not only detail the work done by the MET Police to worked to unravel the case and hold those involved accountable.  

It also recognises the determination of his widow to fight to ensure justice was served.

Margarita Levieva plays Marina, while Mark Bonnar and Neil Maskell play Clive Timmons and Brent Hyatt, the New Scotland Yard officers who first interviewed Litvinenko.

Litvinenko starts streaming on December 15 on ITVX.

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