Paterson Joseph is currently wrapping up new Hollywood film Wonka (the much hyped precursor to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory starring Timothée Chalamet), in which he plays villain chocolatier Arthur Slugworth.
“It’s been so much fun making Wonka because there are some real characters, like Matt Lucas, in the cast, but I can’t say too much about it except that thankfully I don’t have to do much singing, and the set is incredible. Wonka has got all the glamour of a really good musical,” he promises.
“on the first day of school they decided I was subnormal, as was anyone who had a partly Caribbean background”
We’ve been chasing each other for weeks – Paterson’s schedule is off the scale at the moment. But with one day of Wonka filming left, Joseph now has time to look forward to what the rest of 2023 holds.
For a start as Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University, a book tour of The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho written in lockdown, an appearance at The Oxford Literary Festival (book here) and a new six part drama Boat Story for the BBC.
“I did tell Oxford Brookes that I’m not around much – if the BBC want me at the moment I have to drop everything – but they seemed to accept that,” he shrugs.
I bet they did, because not only is Paterson the right man for the job, but he’s unequivocal about the role of education, despite his lack of one. “My appointment as Chancellor is about my own curiosity around education as much as anything, because I had such a rotten time at school and yet I’m still articulate and expansive.
Paterson’s own educational experiences in this country are shameful. He went to a small catholic primary school run by nuns in Willesden Green, North London in 1968. “I was the only black kid there. I could read and write already – I’d been taught at home – but on the first day they decided I was subnormal, as was anyone who had a partly Caribbean background.
“from the day on that’s how they treated me, as if I was desperately thick. It was a classic example of systemic racism. I don’t remember my teacher ever encouraging me”
“They didn’t feel it was worth spending any time on me. And from the day on that’s how they treated me, as if I was desperately thick. It was a classic example of systemic racism. I don’t remember my teacher ever encouraging me.”
So is Paterson angry about his own experiences? “No because I’ve succeeded. I’m OK. I survived. But if I wasn’t, I’m sure I’d be a very bitter and angry person. And there must be thousands that experienced the same shitshow that I did,” he says.
“the teachers were told not to bother with the black or Irish kids, so it was a self-fulfilling prophecy”
“The education system is better now, but there are still those who fall through the gap unless they find something that saves them. For me that was acting.”
“Mrs Bird however was my saving grace and I knew her until she died. She was from Goa so she understood, because the sisters told her not to bother with the black or Irish kids, so it was a self-fulfilling prophecy.”
We grew the cotton and sugar, were responsible for the industrial revolution and the colonies. The whole foundations of this country are based on brown people.
Instead Paterson would skip school, and, aged 13, and go and sit in the Willesden Green library and read. “That was the beginning of my education,” he says, “because I’m stubborn and part of me knew I was better than they thought.”
“At home we all had something to say and contribute. They were funny, fun times even though we grew up above a shop, five kids in three bedrooms, but we entertained ourselves.
After jacking in cheffing, Paterson joined Studio ’68 of Theatre Arts, then LAMDA, before going on to perform for the Royal Shakespeare Company and The Royal National Theatre, winning numerous awards along the way.
“I can sing about chocolate, talk about my education and teach about black history. It’s not a struggle”
“I remember first telling my mum I wanted to be an actor and make lots of money, and she laughed and said actors don’t really make money. Eight years later I was doing Henry IV Part 1 and I realised I’d had enough of being broke and should really consider doing some TV work,” he remembers, laughing.
BBC TV six-part drama Neverwhere followed, then Danny Boyle’s film The Beach starring Leonardo DiCaprio, science-fiction action film Æon Flux with Charlize Theron and The Other Man, opposite Liam Neeson and Antonio Banderas. TV parts included cult favourite Alan Johnson in Peep Show, more recently Home Secretary Kamal Hadley in the series of Noughts + Crosses and lockdown submarine drama Vigil.
Finding the time to write his debut historical novel, The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho in lockdown, is another Herculean feat, based on the true story of an 18th century activist, born on a slave ship who went on to be a writer, leading abolitionist and the first Black Briton known to have voted in an election.
“I felt I had to write it because no one else was going to. It enrages me that everyone thinks that black people came to the UK in the 1950s when actually they have been here for centuries,” he says.
“I’m not the first person to decry the lack of British black history and nor am I particularly qualified to do so, but someone needs to stand up”
“No one is writing about that or offering us any valid role models to relate to in this country,” Paterson says. “They simply do not exist. And yet here was a ready made story (he had already written and toured the play). It was a no brainer.”
“And besides we were responsible for whole swathes of the empire. We grew the cotton and sugar, were responsible for the industrial revolution and the colonies. The whole foundations of this country are based on brown people.
“That these stories don’t exist is criminal and needs to be redressed, not by me but by our historians, especially British ones. They need to get their act together.
“I’m not the first person to decry the lack of British black history and nor am I particularly qualified to do so, but someone needs to stand up and point out they are standing on the shoulders of giants. So if I’m allowed to say what I feel that’s what I’ll be doing.
That these stories don’t exist is criminal and needs to be redressed, not by me but by our historians, especially British ones. They need to get their act together.
Telling the story of The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho around the country, (at Oxford Literary Festival on Friday March 31) and then in the US, this is just adding another well oiled string to his already full bow.
“It does seem to be all I’m doing at the moment, but I’m happy to get my hands dirty at the same time as the fun stuff like movies that make people laugh. I don’t struggle with that. I can sing about chocolate, talk about my education and teach about black history.
And will Paterson be moving to Oxford as a result of his chancellorship? “I always think chancellor sounds like chancer,” he grins. “For me going to university was as likely as going to the moon but I want to change that and am excited about all the outreach work we are doing in schools because it’s all about finding the kind of education that suits you and keeping that spirit of curiosity alive.”
The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho is published by Dialogue Books and available in all good bookshops.
Paterson Joseph is appearing at Oxford Literary Festival on March 31 in the Exeter College Marquee. https://oxfordliteraryfestival.org/authors-speakers/2023/paterson-joseph
