John Le Carre and Gary Oldman talk about Smiley in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Gary Oldman: The DNA is a signature of Le Carre. It's in the words. It's in the character.
Tomas Alfredson: He's almost a mythological person. How many different characters he created is fantastic.
John Le Carre: Smiley is extremely personal. But not quite for the reasons you might suppose. I was an extremely awkward fellow in those days. I gave Smiley my social awkwardness. My lack of self-respect. Because I came from an extremely dysfunctional background. I made home the most dangerous place for him. Home is where he lets himself in cautiously. Home is where he sees the shadow of his adulteress wife in the window.
Gary Oldman: I picked his brain about the character. I've stolen some stuff too. I've watched him and taken a few little things from him, which I think Guinness may have done as well.
