Smiley is the anti-Bond. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
John Hurt: You're not talking about the kind of fantasy spies. Not like Bond. It's a completely different thing if not genre altogether.
Gary Oldman: There are no gadgets, no gizmos, no Aston Martins
Toby Jones: I think he's a fascinating character because of his discretion, sobriety, self-control, you don't see celebrated in other action spies.
Gary Oldman: He's sort of been described as the anti-Bond. So he's a great manipulator.
John le Carre: He has components which have mass appeal. He's out of sync with his employed constantly. He has a romantic agenda that he can never fulfill. He sees a lot and can do nothing about it. And seeing a lot is very painful.
Benedict Cumberbatch: He lets everything come to him. The room temperature changes to him. He completely and utterly regards people into thinking he's harmless.
Colin Firth: Smiley has to figure out these people based on how he understands them. It brings out the human element in all of this. I think he's one of the most compelling characters created in this genre.
