Tom Ainsley is best known for his roles Benoit from The Versailles and Nick from The Royals. The actor is now playing the role of Charlie in the much-awaited Disney+ Hotstar show How I Met Your Father, which is the spin-off of the iconic show How I Met Your Mother starring Neil Patrick Harris, Cobie Smulders, Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Alyson Hannigan. Tom Ainsley sat down with MissMalini to discuss his career, his character and the future of the show.
Do expectations make you feel anxious?
We look at the show more as a spiritual sequel rather than a classic spin-off. Do expectations make me nervous? That side of it comes when it’s closer to the release date. I’ve watched the original, and I am a big fan of the show myself. When we were shooting, we did realise that it is a big responsibility to take the legacy forward, knowing the fan following of the show. But to think about it, no, the expectations didn’t didn’t make me nervous but a lot of other things did.
What is an iconic moment from the show that you will like to recreate? Who is your favourite character?
Gosh! I did find all of the stuff towards the end of the first season like the blue horn and everything, I always found it incredibly romantic. I was always fond of Robin because she wasn’t always a part of the group and then exploring through her past, the whole Robin Sparkles side of it had a lot of depth to it and that really fascinated me. So, Robin was my favourite character.
Do comparisons affect you?
No, I think as time goes by people will realise that we aren’t trying to recreate anything. It’s impossible to recreate magic. We’re just walking along the way, playing our parts, hoping to create magic all along the way for ourselves. I have a job to do and I will do it. And if other people want to draw comparisons from it, they are very entitled to do it.
How I Met Your Mother had a lot of running gags, can we expect a similar turn of events with this show?
The brilliant thing about jokes is, I loved the slap bet joke. It takes time to build. You can’t just create a joke over a few episodes and expect it to have that kind of gravitas. You have to give it time and hopefully, we can create something similar with it.
Describe your character in 3 words or more?
I have a whole feel about Charlie but well, he is entitled, hopeful and romantic!
Is there a connection to the old show or a cameo that the fans can expect?
Connections with the old show, well well well—there are a few key things sprinkled all the way through the season and there is something big happening at the end of season 1. I got into trouble when I said it the last time but since I’ve done it once, here goes—there is one scene which is so secretive and big that it wasn’t even included in my script. I am not going to tell you what it is, how it goes, the audience will have to figure it out themselves but there is something massive, it’s a surprise! And there is this voice in my head asking me to stop talking right now, so I’ll do that.
What should we look forward to with the show?
I think they should be looking forward to a feel good, easy watching, funny romantic show. It is going to provide a sort of escapism from the last 2 years. You can just sit back and it will take you on an enjoyable journey. The show has the same soul as the first one. It is essentially the same story about a group of friends navigating their way through life and finding love on the way. It is surely not continuing where they left off but the soul is the same.
A Quick Round of Rapid Fire:
Romance like Ted or Hook Up Like Barney?
Romance like Ted
Mom of the Group like Lily or TomBoy of the Group like Robin?
I’d like to think of myself as the Mom of the Group but I know I am the TomBoy. I wish to believe I am the Mom of the Group and in control of things but I know I am not.
Lawyered like Marshall or Played It like Barney?
I would Lawyer Them like Marshall! Of course!
Follow @missmalinilifestyle on Instagram for more content like this and download the Girl Tribe by MissMalini App to join our Talent and Entertainment community.