‘I was given the big picture early’: Rory Kinnear on love, drama – and how his father’s death changed his life

When Kinnear was 10, his beloved father Roy died in an on-set accident. This affected how he now approaches his work as an actor, and also his understanding of life’s most important questions

At first glance, Rory Kinnear is Mr Normal. Bald head, nice face, wholly unremarkable. As an actor, he’s not one for flashy tricks – no dramatic weight loss or gain, rarely disguising himself with prosthetics or CGI. Yet, somehow, whatever role Kinnear plays, he’s totally different.

So here I am in his dressing room at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London, face to face with the man I’ve just seen on stage, and whose films and TV shows I’ve pored over for the past week, failing to recognise him.