From Helensburgh to Rome… Synnove Karlsen’s career Cliques into place

Scot Synnove Karlsen has taken the fast track to acting success.

Synnove, who grew up in Helensburgh, quit drama school after less than a year when a plum role came up.

That was Holly, the lead in Edinburgh-set BBC Three drama Clique, which now has a prime slot on the new BBC Scotland channel.

And she moved right on to Netflix hit Medici: The Magnificent, working alongside Sean Bean and Sarah Parish.

“I was still in my first year at drama school when I got a Facebook message from a casting director about Clique,” Synnove, 22, told iN10.

“It was the first script I ever read and I felt like I knew this girl from a small seaside town like mine.

“I was so sad to let it go but what I’ve gone on to do has been like my drama school. I feel very glad that I’ve done it as it’s let me understand things in the industry which I never thought I would.”

Synnove went straight from Clique, with its very current student backdrop, into playing Clarice in period drama Medici.

Set in 15th Century Florence, the first series featured Richard Madden before he moved on to Bodyguard which propelled him to even greater fame.

Following on from her fellow Scot in series two and recently-completed three, Synnove admits it all took a bit of getting used to.

“When I turned up I didn’t realise it would be such a local crew,” she explained. “I didn’t speak a word of Italian and they didn’t speak any English.

“I was sitting in hair and make-up really struggling to communicate.

“But after doing two seasons now and spending four months of each year there, I’ve picked it up pretty well.

“We film mainly in Rome and around Tuscany and it’s quite rare to be filming around the locations on screen.

“It’s about the Renaissance and we were able to go and walk around the places referenced in the script.

“Rome has become my favourite city in the world and I was very sad when I left in December. It has become my home away from home.”

Alongside mastering Italian, Synnove’s acting experience was enhanced by watching seasoned professionals like Parish and Bean.

“I’ve never done anything like it before, so it is quite weird being in a room with people you’ve seen on TV as you’ve been growing up,” admits Synnove.

“You’re talking to them and working out how to engage, but you learn such a lot. Especially when you’re working abroad and it’s like they become your family.

“Sarah knows everyone and I could talk to her about anything. Over the two years, I felt I grew up a lot.”

Clique, the second series of which has just started its BBC Scotland run, couldn’t be more of a contrast. It became a cult hit during the original BBC Three screening, with Holly now encountering a very different clique, a band of brothers, in the university-set psychological thriller.

Although aimed at a youthful audience, Synnove says it appeals to a much broader demographic.

“It was always surprising just what a wide age group were interested,” said Synnove.

“I’d get young girls telling me that it was nice to see someone finally realising what teenage girls wanted.

“But I’d also get loads of older people saying how much they enjoyed it because it’s just a good thriller about friendships which people can relate to.”

Synnove, who has lived down south for the past decade, is on the cusp of another big project. But she says she had a little break for reflection.

“I took a month off and it’s all about gauging what I want to do next,” she added.

“Doing these two series has taken up most of the past few years, so what I do next is really important.

“It’s an exciting time and I don’t feel it’s as overwhelming as it was a couple of years back.

“I’m pretty tough on myself and it’s quite easy for me to forget and appreciate how much I’ve done.

“But my parents are good at reminding me that I’ve done well.”

Clique, BBC Scotland, Wed, 10pm.