A Spy Among Friends director praises Guy Pearce's 'mammoth performance'

Watch: A Spy Among Friends' director heaps praise of Guy Pearce

A Spy Among Friends director Nick Murphy has heaped praise on Guy Pearce for his commitment to acting, calling his performance in the new ITVX show 'mammoth'.

Citing Pearce's appearance in the Neighbours finale as another demonstration of the actor's dedication to his craft Murphy said of his leading man: “[Guy's] focus and his approach to work is the same whatever it is, he literally isn’t able to come and dial it in.

"He commits completely and that happens in Neighbours and happens in this.”

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In A Spy Among Friends, Pearce plays the notorious real-life character Kim Philby, one of the infamous Cambridge Five spy ring that passed intelligence to the Soviets during the Second World War and the start of the Cold War.

Based on Ben Macintyre’s best-selling novel and set in England in the 1960s, this thrilling espionage show focuses in on an almighty act of betrayal and features an ensemble worthy of its textured storyline — also consisting of Damian Lewis — and Murphy was equally as impressed with Pearce’s co-star.

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“His [Pearce] performance in this particularly as the six hours unfold is just phenomenal and every bit as strong as Damian’s and they are mammoth performances.”

Anna Maxwell Martin, famed as the tough interrogator Carmichael in the BBC’s immensely popular Line of Duty, who plays Lily in the show agrees that Pearce 'smashed it' in the Neighbours finale.

She also cites 2016's crime drama Jack Irish as one of her favourite Pearce performances, calling him 'a lovely person'.

A Spy Among Friends launches on ITVX on Thursday, 8 December. Watch a trailer below.