Chris O’Donnell (Scent Of A Woman) stars as fictional hero Jack McAuliffe, a man caught in the dark underside of the American intelligence community, in a brand-new TV event for BBC Two.

The Company is based on Robert Littell’s gritty, best-selling novel about the CIA, and comes from the writer of Black Hawk Down, the makers of Rome and Band Of Brothers and acclaimed director Ridley Scott’s Scott Free Productions. The series spans a 40-year period, from the Cold War up to the first Gulf War, and features genuine events and characters.

What is it about the story and your character that made you interested in working on this project?

In general, it is a fascinating subject because it’s covering so much material in such a large period of time. Jack is a pretty complex character, and yet he’s in a very interesting, complex story as well. Usually it’s one or the other, and you don’t have time to explore both sides. This film allowed me to explore the story and the character in depth over a 40-year time period.

Tell us about your character, Jack McAuliffe.

Jack is someone who’s very idealistic coming out of Yale and being recruited by the CIA. He is very excited going over to Berlin for his first assignment and probably a little green. Working with the Sorcerer is very much an eye-opening experience. We get to see 40 years of his career and see the changes that take place in him and what helped to make him who he is at the end of the show. The events of his life and career helped shape a part of who he is. He is married to his job.

What is this movie about?

The film is based on the novel by Robert Litell. We are covering a lot of actual historic events and using some fictionalised characters to tell the story, which is really interesting because it obviously personalises the story and allows the viewer to look at the bigger picture issues of what happened in history during this time. The film also provides a good look at some of the smaller decisions that were made that affected so many people, and what were the different agendas that all the different players had and who was coming from which angle. This is a great project because it’s incredibly entertaining to watch, but it’s actually educational, as well.

What is Jack’s relationship with the Sorcerer?

Jack is the Sorcerer’s apprentice. He is a little confused by his methods initially and maybe doesn’t approve of them. Once he gets out there and realises some of the realities of his job, he begins to understand the Sorcerer a little bit better.

You are working with Michael Keaton, Alessandro Nivola, Rory Cochrane and Alfred Molina. What is it like working with such a star-studded cast?

I’m really blown away by the quality of the acting and actors I’m working with. I feel very fortunate.

Where does the drama come from in The Company?

The drama for Jack in the film comes from his professional experiences in Berlin, Budapest and Cuba. On the personal side, his relationship with Leo provides a great deal of drama. He’s his best friend, and to have experienced his betrayal is devastating.