During the First World War, hundreds of British soldiers were executed by their own military, many after being convicted of desertion or cowardice. It’s a darker chapter of history that has received considerably less attention than the battles themselves, and one that writer and director JR Rappaport explores in his independent war drama The Fallow Few, starring Bradley James (Merlin), Luke Brandon Field (Interview with the Vampire), and Sir Tony Robinson (Blackadder). The film is currently screening in select cinemas in the UK ahead of its digital release on November 3, 2026.

Set in December 1916 and based on the true story of Lieutenant Edwin Dyett (Christopher Bonwell), a British officer sentenced to death for desertion, The Fallow Few follows Corporal George Hansen (James), who has been assigned to guard condemned soldiers thanks to his childhood friend and superior officer, Sydney Oakes (Field). But as George begins questioning the treatment of the prisoners, his growing objections put him increasingly at odds with Sydney, ultimately forcing him to choose between following orders and doing what he believes is right.

We recently spoke with Field about his approach to playing Sydney, the research and unexpected inspirations behind his performance, and his experience working alongside James on the film, and we’re excited to share two exclusive photos of Field from the film and behind-the-scenes as well. But as he revealed during our conversation, he wasn’t originally supposed to play Sydney at all.

“Interestingly, when JR and I first met, it was actually to discuss me playing Edwin,” Field explained. A few weeks later, however, Rappaport approached Field’s team with an offer to play Sydney instead.

“Initially, I was a little taken aback because I’d already started imagining myself playing Edwin. But once I began looking at Sydney more closely, I could see exactly what JR was thinking,” he said. “I’m very grateful that he saw something in me that perhaps I hadn’t initially seen in myself.”

Finding Sydney Oakes

While Sydney initially appears confident and authoritative, Field saw something considerably more complicated beneath the surface.

“I think the most important thing to understand about Sydney is that he’s deeply insecure about where he comes from,” Field explained.

Like George, Sydney comes from a working-class background, but unlike his friend, he’s spent much of his life trying to distance himself from his origins. Field wanted that insecurity to inform even the way Sydney speaks.

“I remember coming home from rehearsals one evening and watching Lawrence of Arabia. It suddenly occurred to me that Sydney’s voice could be something he’d consciously constructed for himself,” Field said. “He’s a man who aspires to be something greater than his origins. He’s uncomfortable with where he’s come from, and his voice becomes a way of concealing those insecurities. It’s almost a form of armor.”

Field also drew on his experience preparing to portray a Nazi in the Taika Waititi film Jojo Rabbit, particularly when it came to understanding a character whose beliefs and actions he didn’t share.

“I remember when I was preparing for Jojo Rabbit, I kept coming back to the idea that nobody really believes they’re the villain of their own story, as people generally believe that what they’re doing is right. They have their convictions, and they stand by them,” he said. “As an actor, I think you have to find something within yourself that you believe in very strongly and then, in a sense, substitute that conviction for whatever your character believes. You don’t necessarily have to agree with their ideology or their actions, but you have to understand the strength of their belief.”

Working with Bradley James

Sydney’s insecurities also inform his increasingly strained relationship with George, although Field believes the friendship between the two men is real, at least initially.

“I genuinely believe that at the beginning of the film he cares for his friend. He wants to protect him and get him away from the front.”

But as George begins questioning the executions, Sydney interprets his objections as a challenge to his authority. As Field put it, “What begins as genuine concern gradually becomes really a struggle for power.”

Off-screen, however, Field and James shared a camaraderie that predated the film, making the news of James’ casting particularly exciting.

“I was absolutely over the moon when I heard Bradley had been cast as George,” he said. “We’re both Arsenal supporters, we have mutual friends, and he’d worked on Medici with three of my closest friends, all of whom had spoken incredibly highly of him.”

The foundations of that friendship proved to be “enormously helpful” on set.

“When we began rehearsing together, there was an immediate sense of comfort,” Field said. “We understood each other’s rhythms quite naturally, and that allowed us to explore the relationship between Sydney and George without feeling that we had to manufacture some sort of history between them.”

Bringing Sydney and the First World War to Life

To prepare for the role, Field visited the Imperial War Museum in London with Rappaport, returning to an exhibition that had given him nightmares as a child due to being terrified of its wartime gas masks. He also revisited the period through Peter Jackson’s documentary They Shall Not Grow Old, along with films such as Paths of Glory and King & Country.

Much of The Fallow Few unfolds within the confines of a military prison, making Sydney’s physical presence especially important to Field.

“You’ll notice that Sydney never sits down in the presence of a prisoner or a subordinate. He’s almost always standing, commanding the room. The exception is when he’s with George, which I think says something interesting about their relationship,” Field said. “I also made a conscious decision about how Sydney entered a room, whenever possible, I’d position myself in the centre of a doorway or occupy the middle of the space. I wanted it to feel as though the room belonged to him, its his territory, and everyone else is operating within it. I think once you’ve established that physical relationship with the environment, you can communicate an enormous amount about a character’s psychology and intentions without saying very much at all and in a confined space, those details become even more pronounced.”

Field also found inspiration in an unexpected place: classical music. Often, for his roles, he will create playlists to help him get into the character’s mindset and set the tone, but The Fallow Few proved to be one of the most difficult he’d compiled.

“I wanted to keep it as authentic to the period as possible, but I also have to confess that my knowledge of classical music was fairly limited,” he explained. He started with Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem, but it was another piece that truly inspired him.

“About a week into shooting, I returned to where I was staying and happened to catch a YouTube documentary about Ralph Vaughan Williams which then led me to The Lark Ascending, which I thought was extraordinarily beautiful. There’s something wonderfully serene about that piece, but at the same time, I found it incredibly inspiring. It gave me a sense of calm and helped me see another side of Sydney.”

In the end, Field even gained a newfound and “wonderful appreciation for classical music”.

Beyond The Fallow Few: Interview with the Vampire, Music, and More

While many fans are hoping Field returns to AMC’s upcoming Queen of the Damned (the continuation of Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat) to reprise his role as a young Daniel Molloy, questions remain about when and if that might happen. Former showrunner Rolin Jones told us earlier this year that Field would “probably” return, adding that “he’s in our family… we think about him often.” As for Field himself, he kept any potential return to the series close to the vest.

Regardless of what the future holds for his character, Field has maintained close friendships with several of his Interview with the Vampire castmates.

One of those is Eric Bogosian, who portrays the older Daniel. “I think from the very beginning, it was particularly important to me to establish a good relationship with Eric. I knew that he believed in me, which meant an enormous amount, and we got along immediately,” Field said.

Their friendship has continued well beyond their work on the series. “We probably speak every couple of months, and he’s been such an encouraging voice in my life. I feel very fortunate that someone I admire so much as an actor has also become a genuine friend,” he said.

Field also spoke about his friendship with Assad Zaman, who plays Armand, and with whom he’s shared the majority of his time on screen in the series. The two actors began filming on the same day during the show’s first season, and their connection was immediate.

“We’re both English, neither of us had been to New Orleans before, and we just immediately hit it off, and that friendship has continued to grow over the years, entirely independently of the show,” he said.

That friendship has developed a few traditions of its own, depending on which side of the Atlantic they happen to be on. “Whenever Assad comes to Los Angeles, we have a little ritual of going out for Korean BBQ and visiting one of my favorite bars. And when we’re both in London, we usually end up at the same coffee shop. It’s nice to have those little traditions with a mate.”

For Field, those relationships have become one of the most rewarding parts of his experience on the series.

“It’s such a collaborative environment, and I’ve been incredibly fortunate so far to come away from it with great friendships that extend beyond the work itself.”

Outside of acting, Field is also one half of the musical duo Rogues, alongside musician Camila Grey, and he had some encouraging news for fans who’ve been waiting for new material.

“I have to admit, the delay is entirely on me!” Field said.

With Grey touring with Morrissey for much of the past year and a half, Field has been recording material on his own, including while filming in Bulgaria, and learning the technical side of music production.

“For the first time, I’ve had to record quite a lot of material on my own, which has meant teaching myself recording software, microphones, and the technical side of music production,” he said.

The work is beginning to pay off. “We’ve actually recorded and mixed two singles, and I’ve recorded a third, which I just need to finish. My hope is to have all three ready so that we can release them back-to-back early next year,” Field said. “Hopefully, the fruits of that labor will finally see the light of day very soon. I might even go and finish that third single after this interview!”

The Fallow Few is currently screening at select venues across the UK, including special events featuring members of the cast and creative team. It will release on digital on November 3, 2026, courtesy of Archstone Entertainment.