Outcasts: The Cast of the BBC's Sci-Fi Epic in Spring Gear

Cast of sci-fi show Outcasts see out a cool planet Earth spring in gear for all weathers.

The Arctic is melting, the rainforests dying, the world’s economy is collapsing around our ears and, inexplicably, Louis Walsh is still being given a voice on national television. However, as bad as things are, realistically speaking, they’re certainly not on the scale of the BBC’s new blockbuster series Outcasts. Answering the question of what the human race would do if planet Earth gave up the ghost and died, the new eight-part series from the makers of Hustle suggests that we’d ship a select group of elite humans off to start life on a new planet, in this case, one called Carpathia. With a stunning South African back drop, huge set pieces and Lawrence Of Arabia-style tracking shots, expect this to be high concept, beautifully shot and, as the next few pages illustrate, not short on big name talent either.

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Ashley Walters, 28, plays Jack Holt

Why you know him: Former chart botherer with So Solid Crew, starred in Speed Racer and Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ alongside 50 Cent

Tell us about your character…

I play a guy called Jack Holt, who is the deputy of what we call the ‘expeditionaries’, the army on the planet out there. His attitude is very black and white, you deserve to die or you don’t, and he’s quite trigger happy, too. I suppose because there’s not a lot of things going on on the planet.

Did you enjoy staying in South Africa for so long?

It’s crazy, the minute you get out of Cape Town airport you’re in one of the biggest townships in South Africa, and it’s just something you’ll never see. I suppose it was good for my kids to see as well because they’re very spoilt, they clean their plates now.

What was the casting process like?

I didn’t cast at all. I got a call one day and they said, “Do you mind flying to South Africa in the next few days?” I read the script and it was really good, so I was, like, “I’m up for it!”

Daniel Mays, 32, plays Cass Cromwell

Why you know him: Played Jim Keats in Ashes To Ashes and Yeti in football hooligan film The Firm

You filmed for five months in South Africa, that’s quite an upheaval…

No, it was fantastic! I’ve never been there before and I had the opportunity to take my partner and young son so it was also a life choice.

Did you actually see much of the World Cup?

Yes, I was like a kid in a sweet shop. We got in a minibus and drove to Cape Town and the atmosphere was electric. It was full of St George’s flags everywhere and predominantly England fans, an amazing atmosphere. Then I got 20 minutes into the Algeria game and I just thought, “Man we haven’t had a shot…”

Do you get recognised now?

I got a little bit after Ashes To Ashes, actually, because that was such a high-profile show.

Is that odd or do you enjoy it?

I can’t say I enjoy it, but when people say, like, “I really enjoyed that show”, that’s all positive.

You’re a football fan, though. Do you get stick at the matches?

No, not really. I remember one guy stopping me on a night out and he turned and said, “Oh yeah, you’re in that shit show on TV,” and I was, like, “Oh, cheers mate, thanks very much.” It’s part of the job, really.

Jamie Bamber, 37, plays Mitchell Hoban

Why you know him: Played Lee ‘Apollo’ Adama in Battlestar Galactica and Matt Devlin in Law & Order: UK

This is the second big sci-fi series you’ve done, were you a fan growing up?

I was just about old enough to watch Star Wars, and I think my toy of choice as a kid was always a spaceship, but I wasn’t someone who was buying magazines or obsessing about it. I wasn’t a collector of things. Battlestar brought sci-fi down to earth in many ways because it was less about the paraphernalia, and I think Outcasts is part of that, too.

Were you worried about doing another sci-fi series?

I was a little bit apprehensive about it being too close to Battlestar, but having done it, the differences are what interested me, and I was very, very excited to start a new epic saga. You don’t get to do that on TV very much.

What do you think you would take with you if this happened in real life?

I would bring, and I hate to say it, books and music and, you know, that kind of cultural heritage would be what would interest me… deeply impractical. There are some people alive on this planet that really could start developing civilisation from scratch, but I really would not be one of them.

Michael Legge, 32, plays Tipper Malone

Why you know him: Played Tom O’Leary in Shameless and Frank McCourt in Angela’s Ashes

The cast seem to get on really well. Was there a lot of banter and practical jokes?

I think the clever thing was that they got us out to South Africa two weeks before shooting so we got to know each other. At times it’s not easy being that far away from home, but we all became really good mates and bonded over some really nice peanuts.

Rock’n’roll! Did you get to grips with the South African accent?

I really quite liked the accent by the end. There’s a differentiation between the Johannesburg accent and where we were, which is closer to Cape Town. It’s not quite as harsh or as strong.

What’s your character like?

Tipper was a child genius. He has a photographic memory and a high IQ, and he sees himself more as a kind of charmer. There’s no hierarchy for Tipper; he can be talking to Stella, who’s head of protection and security, and then the next minute he could be doing a shoddy drug deal in the street because he likes his space poppers.

Space poppers?

Yeah. It might not make the final cut, but that’s what he spends his days doing, playing music and smoking space poppers.

What do you think you would bring if you were in that situation?

Literature, I’d bring the complete works of Shakespeare, just because I don’t think you’d ever get bored reading it.

Is there anything you’d be happy to leave behind?

Sounds a bit wanky, but I’d leave commercialism and road rage and those adverts that say: “Have you had a trip or fall lately?”

The ambulance chasers?

Yeah, saying, “Please follow this to make a claim.” Don’t get me started.

Outcasts started on BBC1 in February 2011.

The clothes

Ashley wears: Jacket by Penfield, T-shirt by American Apparel, trousers from a selection by Bottega Veneta and boots by Burberry Prorsum

Danny wears: Jacket and T-shirt both by Freesoul, trousers by Topman Design and boots by CAT

Michael wears: Jumper by French Connection, trousers by CP Company and boots by Russell & Bromley

Michael wears: Mesh knit top by D&G, cream long-sleeved T-shirt by Topman, trousers and scarf both by HUGO and leather hiking boots by Russell & Bromley

Daniel wears: Khaki camp shirt by Tween, khaki trousers by Penfield and watch by Victorinox

Michael wears: Black denim biker jacket and jeans both by Diesel Black Gold, T-shirt by Topman and black canvas belt by Next

Daniel wears: Washed out green parka by Topman Design, shirt by Freesoul and olive green trousers by Diesel Black Gold

Jamie wears: Brown denim biker jacket by Ralph Lauren, brown V-neck by Tween, brown biker trousers by Burberry Prorsum and brown work canvas boots by Condemned Nation at FootAsylum

Ashley wears: Camel button-up shirt by Armand Basi, mustard ripped jeans by Topman Design and brown split belt by Topman

Jamie wears: Parka by Diesel Black Gold, knitted roll-neck jumper by Topman Design, beige suit trousers by HUGO and brown boots by Condemned Nation at FootAsylum

Michael wears: Green mesh shirt and compact wool vest both by Burberry Prorsum

From the March 2011 issue of FHM India.