Game of Thrones star Alfie Allen reveals why it's hard to tell good from bad characters in his new show
"How can you tell the difference...?"
From Game of Thrones to SAS Rogue Heroes, Alfie Allen is no stranger to roles that push his characters to the limit – and Sky Atlantic's Atomic is no exception.
The five-part action series, adapted from the non-fiction book Atomic Bazaar, follows drug smuggler Max (Allen) and "enigmatic outsider" JJ (Shazad Latif) as they're pulled into a "chaotic, high-stakes mission they never signed up for: trafficking highly enriched uranium across North Africa and the Middle East".
But their every move is shadowed by undercover CIA officer Cassie Elliott (Samira Wiley), who "is convinced the pair are in league with violent extremists".
"Her relentless pursuit puts them all on a collision course, revealing that nothing is what it seems and everyone has an ulterior motive," teases the official synopsis.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com about those "ulterior motives", Allen said: "The idea of government trying to get that kind of power into their own hands, and then that potentially transitioning to an organisation – how can you tell the difference between the two sometimes? Who are the good guys and who are the bad guys?
"And with the characters we play, they're two anti-heroes. I think it's always very interesting to present that choice to audiences, which Atomic really does. On top of all the great action, there are also morally ambiguous characters – and that's interesting too."
Of course, the subject matter also meant the cast had to be in peak physical condition.
"We both did training, especially with the stunt team," Latif explained. "There was an hour of boxing, an hour of gun training, an hour of working out. You've got to be fit for these days, you've got to be ready."
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The regime was so demanding that Allen leaned on sweet treats to help him get through it.
"The workouts were a lot for me to get used to at the start," he admitted. "They really drilled us. But three weeks into the shoot, I made the excuse that I needed desserts on set because we were running around so much. So as I'm eating tiramisu, I don't care."
Latif started with good intentions, but eventually gave in too.
"It was lamb kebabs, cans of Coke… anything," he laughed. "Chocolate, whatever anyone gave me – because I was so exhausted. But it was great."
Atomic launched on Sky and NOW on Thursday 28th August 2025. Get one month free Sky Stream, Sky TV and Netflix.
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Authors
Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.
