Gary Oldman is Ready to Hang Up the Spotlight
Gary Oldman has decided it’s time to step back from the silver screen. The 64‑year‑old actor’s next big gigs will likely be as Jackson Lamb in the hit spy drama Slow Horses, but he’s already eyeing the day he might put the final act on the stage.
In a candid interview with the Sunday Times Culture magazine, Oldman confessed that he enjoys a wholesome life beyond acting. He said:
- “I’ve had an enviable career, but careers wane, and I do have other things that interest me outside of acting.”
- “When you’re young you think you’ll get round to doing all of them—read that book—then the years pass…”
- “I’m 65 next year, 70 is around the corner. I don’t want to be active when I’m 80.”
- “I’d be very happy and honoured to go out as Jackson Lamb and then hang it up.”
A Stage Wife in a Made‑to‑Order Office
Although Oldman signed up for at least two more seasons of Slow Horses, he’s found himself missing the old theatrical camaraderie. “This is the closest thing to a theatre company I’ve known in years. We all get on,” he says with a smile. “I didn’t plan on stopping theatre, it just happened.”
The actor — best known for his role in Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban — highlights a surprising detail: many viewers share their own secret past as spies. He’s delighted they find the show realistic.
Oldman’s Take on Messy Lives
- “These are normal people who happen to be spies.”
- “A surprising number of people tell me they used to work in the world, and it’s quite realistic.”
- “They’ve got exes, messy divorces, and messy custody arrangements — it’s deeply touching and sad.”
- “Having been divorced myself, I’ve experienced that heartbreak.”
So while Gary might soon let the curtain fall on his screen life, he’s already looking forward to the next chapter of his journey, away from the spotlight and into whatever adventures come next. Stay tuned — after Slow Horses, his final bow is expected soon.
