Alfie Allen stars as a drug trafficker being chased by the CIA in Sky’s new fast-paced thriller series Atomic, and the actor says his character believes in ‘the power of love’
He’s conquered Westeros as Theon Greyjoy in Game of Thrones – now Alfie Allen is embarking on an even more perilous mission.
In Atomic, Sky’s new high-octane thriller, he plays Max, a free-spirited drug trafficker making runs through the Middle East. “He’s a big believer in the power of love and connection between people,” Alfie says.
“But this is interrupted by a crazy stunt that happens in the first 30 seconds of the show.” Thrown into danger from the get-go, Max is ambushed by militants while crossing the Libyan desert – until one spares him.
“The first stunt in the series is a massive car crash, which was actually the first day of shooting for me,” he says. “The car flips over, and that’s where I meet the man I call JJ as he won’t tell me his name.”
JJ, played by Shazad Latif, is a mysterious figure hiding out in the desert with a warlord. “We meet him just as he’s being chased by a guy called Rab,” Shazad says. “He decides to kick it into gear and make a move. That’s where he meets Max, who’s just had a car crash.”
JJ takes Max hostage, sparking a tense, unpredictable road trip across Libya, Algeria and Beirut. Their trail soon reaches deep-cover CIA agent Cassie Elliott, played by The Handmaid’s Tale star Samira Wiley. “She is a Non-Official Cover (NOC) officer with the CIA,” Samira says.
“Her deep cover job is a professor at the American University of Beirut. She’s been there for about four years. When she is pulled back into the game, she is in pursuit of Max and JJ because they happen to be in possession of the HEU, (Highly Enriched Uranium).”
Yet JJ’s motives may not be entirely criminal. “JJ is on a journey to reconcile with his complex past, his relationship with faith and his own fate,” Shazad says. “He thinks Max might be a sign of a way out and a way to find a path to redemption.”
The unlikely pairing fuels the series’ tension. “Max is constantly trying to get answers from JJ about who he is, and where he is in his life,” Alfie says. “With Max, you see what you get – JJ is much more secretive and Max is determined to work him out.”
Off-screen, however, there was no hostility between Alfie and Shazad. In fact, the pair managed to bond during filming of Atomic with Alfie showering his co-star with praises.
“Working with Shazad has been amazing,” Alfie says. “We’ve been very, very fortunate to be able to have a buddy journey project where you get along with your co-star.”
Five part series Atomic begins on Sky Showcase and NOW at 9pm on Thursday 28 August.
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