After becoming popular for his role as Simon ‘Sick Boy’ Williamson in the 1996 dark comedy Trainspotting, Jonny Lee Miller went on to star in not just the sequel, T2 Trainspotting (2016), but plenty of other critically acclaimed films like Afterglow (1997), Dark Shadows (2012) and The Flying Scotsman (2016). At the same time, the English-American actor also starred in TV shows like Emma and Dexter (Season 5), followed by Elementary, where he plays Sherlock Holmes (earning him a Satellite Award nomination for Best Actor). As Elementary steps into its sixth season, we catch up with the actor to find out about what’s in store.
Created by Robert Doherty, Elementary offers a contemporary take on Sherlock Holmes — this one is set in New York and Watson is a woman. Sherlock (Miller) is portrayed as a recovering drug addict, who assists the NYPD, solving crimes, ably assisted by his sober companion, Dr Joan Watson (Lucy Liu). This season opens with Sherlock’s cognitive skills being compromised. Miller explains, “I think the writers really wanted to see him put on the spot and struggling with something other than his addiction problems. His brain is what he uses the most, it’s his bread-and-butter. So, to have that interrupted and to make somebody who relies so heavily on that struggle — they really wanted to see him hampered.”
Sherlock befriends a character called Michael (Desmond Harrington), a fellow addict in recovery, this season. “Michael is fascinated with Sherlock and also has a dark secret. He then tries to push Sherlock into his world using ulterior motives. He really tries to toy with Sherlock, so, I wouldn’t say he can be completely trusted,” says Miller of Michael. Interestingly this is Miller’s second collaboration with Harrington — the two have worked together in Dexter as well. “He’s brilliant, and such a good actor. He is a fabulous actor and he is a subtle, lovely guy. It’s great watching him be a total creep because he is not,” Miller adds.
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The best part about playing Sherlock, Miller says, is “getting to say cool stuff. It sounds really cheesy, but Sherlock is not just super smart, but he’s pretty funny too. I love his dry sense of humour and I love playing that.” However, while the show is not in production, the 45-year-old actor says he is nothing like his character. “While filming I’m a little more wound up, and I operate in a more tense kind of setting because there’s so much to keep in mind. People expect you to know your lines, and there are a lot of lines. I don’t like to take my work home with me, and I don’t like to work on it in the evening, I like to give my brain breathing space. So, when I’m not filming, in between shots, I’m learning tomorrow’s work. When people run into me like in the off-season, in the hiatus, I’m like way more chilled out.”
Talking about Sherlock’s relationship with Watson, Miller admits that it doesn’t change too much because he feels the audience doesn’t really want it to. “A lot of things have happened between them, and in their lives, but essentially you want to keep their relationship the same. They both care deeply about each other. They both antagonise each other, probably a bit less as time has gone on, and they lock horns occasionally. But essentially, you want them to overcome those problems and be able to work together and solve mysteries.”
Elementary airs on Mondays at 10 pm on AXN.