'The Amateur': Shooting an Action Thriller around the world with director James Hawes & actress Caitríona Balfe

Today on the show, we’re joined by the brilliant James Hawes - director of Slow Horses, Black Mirror, and One Life - alongside the wonderfully talented Caitríona Balfe, acclaimed for her Golden Globe-nominated performance in Outlander and her standout role in Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast. They each sat down with host Dom Lenoir to dive into their latest feature film, The Amateur (2025), an edge-of-your-seat espionage thriller starring Rami Malek, Jon Bernthal, and Rachel Brosnahan. In this wide-ranging conversation, they explore:

• How the project came together
• The challenges and logistics of shooting a globe-trotting action thriller
• Finding the right tone: balancing emotional depth with high-stakes genre storytelling
• Directing and acting insights from two masters of their craft
• Collaborating under pressure
• ...and so much more.

Enjoy!

THE AMATEUR is out NOW | Trailer

When his supervisors at the CIA refuse to take action after his wife is killed in a London terrorist attack, a decoder takes matters into his own hands.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT is finally out NOW | Watch it HERE

A documentary exploring the rapid growth and uptake of the vegan lifestyle around the world.

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PATREON

Big thank you to:

Serena Gardner

Mark Hammett

Lee Hutchings

Marli J

Monroe

Karen

Newman

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CREDITS

The Filmmakers Podcast is written and produced by Giles Alderson @gilesalderson

Edited by @tobiasvees

Logo and Banner Art by Lois Creative 

Theme Music by John J. Harvey

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