| Date: Source:Title:Author: | Date: Source:Title: Author: |
Date: October 2007
Source: CBC RADIO
Title: Michael Hirst Interview
Author: Words at Large Admin
Michael Hirst is a English screenwriter who wrote the 1998 award-winning movie Elizabeth, starring Cate Blanchett, and it's current sequel, Elizabeth, The Golden Age. Hirst also <a class="external" href=" http://www.cbc.ca/wordsatlarge/blog/2007/10/the_tudors.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> wrote</a> and produced the 2007 TV drama series The Tudors. The critically-acclaimed series brings to life Henry VIII's tumultuous early years and follows the intrigues, dramas and desires of this sexy, young king from 1520 to 1530. The Tudors airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on CBC. Episodes are available for streaming online, after they have aired on CBC Television on the <a class="external" href=" http://www.cbc.ca/tudors" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> official site</a> . Why did you choose to write about a young Henry VIII rather than the more familiar story of his later life? The answer is almost implied by the question! We all know the Holbein portrait of the overweight, puffy-faced, piggy-eyed Henry VIII, his legs planted arrogantly astride…but who knows that, as a younger man, he was called “the handsomest prince in Christendom”? We know–or think we know–the butcher and the monster he became, chopping off the heads of saints and wives alike…but have we met the sensitive younger man, once bound for a career in the church, the humanist, scholar and progressive thinker, determined to be a just ruler? And what are the connections between these two disparate images?Like Elizabeth I–who I also wrote about–Henry is an iconic figure in English history, but I’ve always been less interested in serving the icon than in discovering how and why it was created: in the human being behind the historical mask. What were some of the major historical events you needed to address in The Tudors?
The major historical event that I was really hoping to address was the Reformation. The destruction of the Catholic monastic orders, and the very faith itself and the way of life it represented, had such a huge impact on life in England, then and now, that I was desperate to dramatize it…and have now done so in Series 2.
When doing your research for The Tudors what surprised you the most in your findings?
I was constantly surprised by how extreme everything was! I know I am sometimes taken to task for “inventing” things, but believe me the general rule of thumb is that the more extraordinary and unbelievable a scene is, the more likely it is to be based on historical “fact”. I simply could not make up the story of Henry wrestling, virtually naked, with the King of France; or the “orgy” that followed the birth of his bastard son; or the fact that the King fell head first into the mud and nearly drowned trying to vault over a ditch. Again and again I stumbled over amazing anecdotes and stories, often in the foot-notes of very dry and learned texts, which gave me insights into an extraordinary reality.
How accurate did you feel you had to be in writing about this time period? With regards to balance between research and imagination, how much license did you feel you had?
I’ll answer that, partly, with a story. In 1588 the painter Veronese was dragged before the Inquisition to answer questions about his great painting of the Last Supper. They asked him why, instead of just Christ and his apostles, there were dozens of figures in the painting? Veronese said the canvas was very large and he had to fill it!…Then what is the meaning, they asked, of the dwarf whose nose is bleeding, or the German soldiers? Veronese replied: “Here I must say something: we painters, like fools and poets, claim license…” Well, I claim some license too. Art is different from life. It has to have form. What I always say is that I’ve written a soap opera based on historical material!
Your best-known work is as screenwriter for the Oscar-winning film Elizabeth and the current sequel The Golden Age. Queen Elizabeth was the second child of Henry VIII so clearly you have an interest in this time period. What is it that draws you to this part of history?
To some extent it happened by accident. Many years ago now I was working on a movie about Queen Victoria for one of the studios–when my friend Tim Bevan (of Working Title) said “there must be a more interesting monarch than that to write about?” So Elizabeth was born. At the same time, of course, it is a very vivid, colourful and dramatic period in English history, taking us from the medieval into the modern world, from a Catholic to a Protestant nation.
What, if any, are some of the differences in writing for film versus television?
The main difference is that in film, the director is god. But in serial television, the writer is god.
What challenges did you face in creating a historic series with a contemporary tone?
It wasn’t a challenge so much as an opportunity. I have always believed that history is a living thing, and the past is not a museum–or another planet inhabited by creatures we don’t recognize or connect with. History is made by people with the same range of feelings as ourselves. For example, to take the obvious point, to have as your central character a man who is torn between loyalties to his older wife and passion for his younger mistress! Well, how incomprehensible, or even old-fashioned, is that?
Of the characters you’ve brought to life in The Tudors who resonates with you and why?
I love them all, in different ways. It’s always a joy to get back to them, and terribly moving when I have–literally–to axe them! I “identify” with Henry in a small way–as an alter ego–but in the first series I felt privately close to the musician Thomas Tallis because he seemed to me–as an artist–both inside the story and outside it, observing it while being in it. In the second series, for the same reason, it’s the poet Thomas Wyatt.Why did you decide to become a writer?
I didn’t decide. I just was (am) one. I wrote stories as soon as I could write.
What books or authors have most influenced your life?
The novel Moby Dick had a profound effect on my life and beliefs. After reading it I ditched all the certainties which had previously seemed to hold my life together. The Great Gatsby and War and Peace are my favourite novels, I think–and I always go back to reading W.B. Yeats and T.S. Eliot.
What advice would you give to writers starting out?
Get a good agent.
| Date: December 2007
Source: The Metro
Title:
Author:
Actress Natalie Dormer, 24, played Anne Boleyn in the recent BBC bodice-ripping drama, The Tudors, where she faced several sex scenes with co-star Jonathan Rhys Meyers. This marked Natalie's first big break in her acting career, although she previously appeared in Casanova and Rebus. The Tudors series one is out on DVD now.
There can’t be much suspense in the role, everyone knows she’s getting her head chopped off.
Yes, it’s the Titanic syndrome. You know how the story ends, but it was a joy to play her. She’s infamous in history and yet there’s not a great deal of documentation about the woman herself. You’ve got the great thing of everyone knowing who Anne Boleyn is, but you’ve also got carte blanche to do what you want with it.
Have you become an expert on 16th-century history?
I’ve read quite a few books. My David Starkey, Eric Ives and Antonia Fraser are all well thumbed. That’s a personal choice, I’m obsessed with research as an actor, it helps inform my performance. I felt with something as important as The Reformation I should know what I was talking about.
Tudors has raised your profile, are you inundated with offers now?
It never works that way, unfortunately. No matter what echelon you’re at, there’s always competition, the competition just changes. You can never be complacent, there are too many actors and not enough work.
What are you hoping to get?
A nice human story feature film. I’ve learnt so much about camera work doing this job it would be nice to capitalise on that. Or, I’d love to go back and do theatre.
Are you moving to Hollywood?
No, my heart lies at home, but you have to go where the work takes you. I might pop across to Hollywood and have a look around.
What was working with Jonathan Rhys Meyers like? He seems quite intense.
He’s incredibly intense and he radiates a profound energy that can be used to incredibly charismatic effect. It’s his gift and a cross he bears. He is 110 per cent committed to his work and people don’t realise how intelligent he is. He’s also a very generous actor to work with. When I started, I was very inexperienced and he takes good care of his co-stars.
Were the sex scenes embarrassing for you?
Taking your clothes off in front of a film crew, even on a closed set, is completely harrowing. Anyone can sympathise with that situation. You find the motivation for it in your head. With Henry and Anne, you’re talking about an intense love affair. In my experience, intense love affairs result in taking your clothes off. It’s about justifying it through characterisation.
Why did you want to be an actress to begin with?
It’s an innate, rather dark part of an actor’s soul. It’s just something deep within actors. It’s a wanky answer, but I think it’s the same for all artists and creative people. You’re compelled to do it. It’s not a job, it’s a lifestyle. I can’t say: ‘When I was six, I saw Midsummer Night’s Dream blah blah…’ It’s more esoteric than that.
When did you realise you could make a living from it?
About 18 months ago when I got The Tudors. I was like: ‘Oh god! I can make a living out of this!’ I’d done things before, but any actor, regardless of where they are in their career, is scared they’ll never work again. It’s a profound fear.
What’s the best Christmas present you’ve ever received?
I got a first edition Winnie The Pooh. I used to have Winnie The Pooh read to me as a child so that book was a damn fine present.
What’s your favourite film?
La Reine Margot. It’s a French film from 1994. The French do sex and violence so well. I suppose you could see the lineage between that film and The Tudors.
What’s your favourite Christmas song?
Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt and The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole. The oldies are the best, making mulled wine and listening to those songs gets me in the Christmas spirit.
What's been your worst acting experience?
I did Casanova and my first scene involved me having to break a bird cage and two birds would fly out of it. I was incredibly nervous. We started out with 25 birds but due to camera issues, cage issues and acting issues we got down to 2 - the other 23 had flown away. On The Tudors I had to work with a dog who was pining for its owner and kept staring at its owner who was standing next to the camera. It wouldn't do anything other than try to run away from me. Animals seem to be a problem for me.
Have you ever had a supernatural experience?
Unfortunately not and I'd like one. I've got an open mind. I say I'm an atheist but I wouldn't mind being visited by a ghost, I'd be open to the experience
Date: Sunday November 25th, 2007
Source: Fametastic
Title: Jonathan Rhys Meyers asks for applause not silence at mum’s funeral
Author: Lucy
<a href="/page/Jonathan+Rhys+Meyers" target="_self">Jonathan Rhys Meyers</a> led the congregation in a round of applause to honour his mum at her funeral on Friday.
The Tudors star’s mum Geri <a class="external" href="http://fametastic.co.uk/archive/20071121/8579/jonathan-rhys-meyers-spotted-drinking-on-street-at-10am-after-mums-death/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">died on Tuesday</a> after a sudden illness and was buried at St Joseph’s Church in Glanmire, County Cork on Friday.
Jonathan told mourners: “She was the best mum a son could ever have. It is a very sad time. At a time like this it is traditional to have a moment of silence.”
“But anybody who knew my mother would know she hated silence. So I ask you all to stand and give her a round of applause.”
Jonathan was accompanied to the service by girlfriend Reena Hammer and friend <a class="external" href="http://fametastic.co.uk/tag/Colin+Farrell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Colin Farrell</a> was also in attendance, telling the grief-stricken Jonathan: “I’m here for you man, you will get through this.”
Jonathan in happier times with his mother Geraldine Meyers O'Keefe | |
Date: June 2007
Source: Out.com
Title: Our Hottest Straight Guy
Author: Jeffrey Epstein
So, you are our Hottest Straight Guy.
That’s pretty bold. No one’s ever accused me of being straight before. Nice one.
I hope that’s OK…
I don’t mind at all. I’ll show it to all me mates!
Do you have a sense of your gay fans? Are they vocal?
Sometimes. They’re always fucking vocal. It’s a very important market when you’re an actor. Essentially you’re selling yourself and if you can garner a gay audience, gay men and women who love your films, then straights will follow. I think Samantha said it once on Sex and the City to her young model boyfriend: “First you get the gays as your fans, then you get the girls, then you get the industry.” It always starts with what is avant garde and ends up being industry commercial over time. What wasn’t cool 10 years ago… Clive Owen was back in England making films and no one gave a shit. And now, 10 years later, he’s the leading man of the moment. He has a huge audience. It just took a little bit of time.
Do you have gay people in your life?
Oh, God, yes. I have an apartment in Morocco with a load of old gay ex-pats who can’t be gay at home so they run around Morocco. Ireland was a very sexually uptight country for many years because it was run by the church. There’s a lot of men in the closet for many, many years. I’ve got quite a few gay friends in Dublin. But still it’s not as free as it would be here in New York. In New York, if you’re gay, you’re gay. But in Ireland there’s still a taboo about it. Maybe in Dublin there’s a little bit of a scene. But once you go outside of Dublin, forget about it. It’s hard to be a gay man or a gay woman in Ireland. There’s still a lot of prejudice over there.
The Prime Minister of Ireland recently pledged to legalize civil partnerships for gay couples.
I’m sure he would. I’m sure from a political point of view, he wants to be seen as a very liberal person. But that’s not necessarily the way of the people. What’s said in the public eye so a politician can be seen as open doesn’t necessarily give a perception of how the man on the street is going to take it. I’ve got lots of really, really ultra-straight friends in Ireland who would still have major problems… not the same as they would have 10 or 20 years ago, but they still hold some element of prejudice. But who gives a fuck anyway. I don’t go to bed with any of them. I could care less at the end of the day.
More than most actors, you have really defied typecasting. Is that something you actively pursue or do you just get offered a variety of roles?
It’s just the way the cookie crumbles. I’ve always gone out to try to play different roles to give myself as much range as possible. I did the films that I got. Up until doing Match Point people still had this, “Well, he’s a bit pretty,” and they look back at Velvet Goldmine and The Governess and Vanity Fair, and it’s all very lovely. But it wasn’t until Match Point came out that people said, “He can play a straight leading man.” It changed over time. Sometimes you will get a role that will define you for a certain period of time as what you are. And then you get one that changes that and they define you as that for a period of time.
Was Goldmine the only time you have ever played a queer character?
No, God, no. I did The Tribe with [writer/director] Stephen Poliakoff for British TV. I played not gay but bisexual, and I ended up in bed with Jeremy Northam. It was really funny. It was me, Jeremy, and Anna Friel in bed together for a threesome. And Jeremy’s reeeeeeally uptight. The more uptight he got, the more outlandish and flamboyant I got. When we were doing the scene, I kept reaching my hand down and squeezing his ass and he was trying to fucking concentrate. Then I did B. Monkey where I was Rupert Everett’s boyfriend, and you can imagine, Rupert wasn’t uptight at all.
Are you dating anyone?
Yeah. I’ve got a girlfriend back in London. She’s a student. She’s a nice girl.
And what’s up next? You seem to have a deal to only work with Keri Russell [with whom he costars in MI3 and with whom he’s currently filming August Rush]. Are you contractually bound to act together?
I hope so. She’s spectacular. We’re shooting August Rush in New York. She’s a great girl. Great actress. She’s a girl who’s been around films and making good work for quite a few years now. I think this year she’s going to move into leading lady status where Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz are. You’ve got a lot of actresses out there, but nobody’s as quite as—and this might be a horrible way of describing it—handsomely beautiful as Keri Russell is. I can really see her playing very sophisticated roles. The kind Michelle Pfeiffer played. Keri’s got maturity without looking any older than 25.
What else do you have coming up?
I’m playing Henry VIII [in Tudors]—a sort of younger, sexier version of Henry VIII. I won’t have any red wig, red beards, or 50 pounds of weight. There’s a preconception of what he looked like, but it’s an artist’s interpretation of him 50 years after his death. Henry didn’t like having paintings of him in real life. People had to imagine what he’d be like. He was quite a lean guy who was quite into hunting. And anyone who did that much hunting, fucking, and cutting people’s heads off really didn’t have too much time to sit around on his La-Z-Boy watching Friends.
Scarlett Johansson said working with you was like having a “girlfriend on the set.” How did you take that quote?
Did she really say that?
Um… yep. Thought you would have heard about that.
Kinky tart. I have a love of women’s shoes.
Wearing them or just looking at them?
Looking at them and buying them. I would go out and buy a fantastic pair of shoes for nobody just to own them. If I wasn’t an actor, I’d probably design women’s shoes. I talked to Scarlett about that for hours. Cheeky tart. Wait until I get me hands on her! | Authoe: Alex Strachan Sex, sensuality, sedition - a heightened sense of emotion and a raw, earthy physicality: The Tudors is not your grandfather's stodgy costume epic.
"It's a soap opera," Henry Czerny said, with an easy laugh. "It's soap operatic."And about bringing sexy back to 16th-century England.As envisioned by Elizabeth screenwriter Michael Hirst and personified by a charismatic, athletic Jonathan Rhys Meyers in the role of Henry VIII, The Tudors is part bodice ripper, part Shakespearean passion play.
Hirst wanted to update the historical tale of a headstrong and single-minded monarch for a modern-day audience more familiar with sex-'n'-suds epics like Rome and Casanova. The setting is a matter of historical record - The Tudors is set in the royal court of 16th-century England, where king and church would clash with cataclysmic consequences - but Hirst's intent is to work history buffs into a lather with a soapy tale about seduction and betrayal.
The Henry VIII of history is known for having had six wives; for bringing about the union of England and Wales; for ushering in the English Reformation and severing the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church; and for severing the head of his second wife, Anne Boleyn, from her shoulders.
He died without conceiving a male heir - the source of his considerable frustration and annoyance - but Boleyn would have the last laugh: Her daughter, Elizabeth, would go on to become England's most powerful and influential monarch, Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen, Gloriana, Good Queen Bess, Queen of England, Queen of France - in name, if not in fact - and Queen of Ireland until her death in 1558.
There would be no Henry IX.Czerny, the Toronto-born son of Polish-Canadian parents who established himself as an actor of no small ability with The Boys of St. Vincent, plays Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, in the 10-part miniseries, which makes its Canadian debut Tuesday on CBC.
The Tudors bowed earlier this year on the U.S. pay-cable channel Showtime, where it caused a sensation - strong reviews, solid ratings and an Emmy Award for its Canadian composer, Trevor Morris.
It has already been renewed for a second season, and will air in the new year on both Showtime and CBC.
The Tudors was filmed on lush locations in present-day Ireland, where, Czerny says, many of the rolling glens and stone spires of the time remain virtually unchanged. That bucolic, historical setting, steeped in the atmosphere of the time, made it easy to bury himself in the role of 16th-century power broker, he says.
"The Duke of Norfolk historically was a very formidable figure, a grain of sand in the oyster of King Henry VIII," Czerny said. "He was a hero to the aristocracy, being that he survived King Henry VIII and lived to be present at the christenings of all his children."
Rhys Meyers struck a formidable, and masculine pose as Henry VIII, Czerny says, as different from the historical film portrayals of Henry - the late Robert Shaw played Henry as an obese tyrant in Fred Zinneman's 1966 Academy Award-winning film A Man for All Seasons - as French cuisine is from English food.
The Henry VIII depicted in The Tudors is a portrait of a tyrant as a young man, an alpha male in tight leather pants who hunts, wrestles, runs a kingdom by day and has plenty of sex at night.
"What attracted the producers to the notion of (Rhys Meyers) playing Henry VIII, and what attracted him to the part, was his intensity and his drive," Czerny said. "One imagines that a young king Henry VIII would have had that drive, that intensity and certainly the ego to command the loyalty of older men, at a relatively young age."
Most of the film portrayals of Henry VIII have centred on the king as an older man, Czerny notes, an aging monarch, "who had increased his girth and was losing his mind."
The Duke of Norfolk, Anne Boleyn's uncle, earned himself a long list of titles by means both fair and foul, from Lord High Admiral to Lord High Treasurer and Earl Marshal. His power only grew when his niece became Henry VIII's mistress, but their relationship was strained: Boleyn believed her uncle to be selfish and untrustworthy, qualities that stood him in good stead in the royal court but weren't necessarily conducive to a happy family life.
In later years, as Henry VIII became fat, stubborn and increasingly paranoid and murderous, Norfolk would become the latest in a long line of confidants to be accused of treason and sentenced to hang in the Tower of London; his sentence was commuted when Henry VIII had the good grace to die the day before the execution was supposed to take place.
"He was very shrewd," Czerny said. "Norfolk understood how the world worked, and managed to preserve first and foremost his family estates, which at that time was a third of England."
Making The Tudors was one of the more enjoyable experiences of Czerny's career in recent years.
"It was extraordinarily fun," he said. "It was a challenge, to say the least, at times. Working with those actors, though, working for such supportive people at Showtime - those costumes would not have come cheaply, as you're about to see - and being in Dublin, at a time when Ireland is going through a massive transition, was splendid. I wouldn't change it for anything."
It's good to be king, according to the old saying. The Duke of Norfolk would have agreed, Czerny believes - to a point.
"I think if the opportunity presented itself, provided it did not jeopardize what he already had, he would certainly have jumped at it. As it was, he maintained as close a proximity to the king as he thought was safe, for himself and his family."
Czerny himself? No so much.
"No, I would not like to be king," he said, with a rueful laugh. "Having seen what happened around Norfolk, having seen what he did, having seen how empires fall quickly if not protected, no, I think I can do without that."
The Tudors premieres Tuesday, Oct. 2 on CBC. Check local listings for the time. |
Date: April 2007
Source:Venice Magazine
Title:The Second Act of Gabrielle Anwar
Author: Terry Keefe
Venice: Being from England originally, you obviously knew the story of Henry VIII. How familiar were you with the real details?
Gabrielle Anwar: Well, I had endured all my history classes regarding Henry VIII [laughs]. With chagrin. So, any ideas of having to read up further were not the most exciting point of the project [laughs]. But I did read a very dry account of Henry VIII’s sisters, as that pertained to me particularly. And it was really hard going, and I must confess that I haven’t yet finished the book.
Had you known much about Princess Margaret then?
I knew of her and Mary, and I’m actually playing [the story of] Mary. Which was a little confusing to me for the first few days of shooting, as I didn’t know this. It turns out that they had to change her name from Mary to Margaret, because there was already a Mary character [Mary Boylen] and I suppose that was a little too confusing to an audience.
Was it apparent on the page that this wasn’t going to be the Merchant-Ivory version of Henry VIII?
Yes [laughs]. It’s very rich and sexy. A totally different take. Merchant-Ivory it is not. Michael Hirst is an incredible writer, particularly for women. Which is unheard of. Having read my character in just page form for the audition, I was convinced that it was a female writer who wrote it.
What was the audition process like?
Audition processes are, by nature, horrific [laughs], no matter what the project, in my opinion. I was actually asked to audition for three of the parts, two of the wives and one sister. Unfortunately, they cast a great actress, Mary Doyle-Kennedy, to play Catherine [laughs]. She’s terrific.
Jonathan had an immense task in being the focal character of these 12 hours. How in character did he stay as Henry?
[laughs] He was very focused. I thought it was rather amusing when Michael Hirst commented in one of the promotional pieces that I saw, that “Jonathan is Henry VIII.” He was great. He was very convincing, especially considering that no one would have ever considered Henry VIII to have been hot at any point in his life. He was remembered as a big, fat pig. This Henry VIII has nothing to do with the one from my history classes. I would have paid much more attention, let me tell you [laughs]. I’m not sure if the British audiences will be as generous as the American audiences though. The Brits are pretty unforgiving when it comes to anything in their history that the Americans have taken a hold of. I’ll be curious to see.
The scene where you are married off to the King of Portugal and see him for the first time is a great one. I hope the actor who played the King had a good sense of humor with the faces you were making.
Right [laughs]. What a lovely man that actor was, but he played it so well, that it wasn’t difficult. So that response was authentic. He did a great job. What a sweet guy.
The next scene where you have to consummate the marriage, with the whole court surrounding the bed to make sure, was so uncomfortable and a little creepy. Do you know if it happened that way historically?
I am told that in fact did happen. Because obviously the man is on his last legs and he absolutely has to produce an heir. So there’s a lot invested in that one night of sex.
You’ve done a number of costume dramas before. How did this compare to some of the other productions in terms of scale?
I think I’ve played about seven princesses in my life. This might be my last princess though [laughs]. I think I’ve graduated past the ingénue. For the budget that Showtime had, I think they did a remarkable job. I’ve worked with a much bigger budget [in period films], for example on The Three Musketeers. So the sets were bigger there. But I think Showtime did an incredible job. Joan Bergin, the costume designer, was extraordinary.
The costumes seemed historically accurate but also very sexy, which is quite a change from most takes we’ve seen.
The trouble with those BBC costume dramas is that you can’t really imagine people actually sitting in a chair with all their buttons done up, with no sleeves rolled up. I just can’t imagine that happening. And yet, that’s the only image which we’ve had. So when you veer away from that and do something that’s a little more casual, a little more seductive, it’s a lot to handle. Especially having grown up in England. Windsor, no less.
You looked like you were having a ball on The Librarian sequel. Noah Wyle has both action and comedic chops that I never knew existed.
Who knew? I guess that’s what happens when you play a doctor on TV for so long. People assume that you’ll be performing surgery and not making jokes. Noah has an incredible sense of humor and timing. I enjoyed that show a lot more than most. The director Jonathan Frakes was just a blessing and the producer Dean Devlin was fantastic. It’s rare to get a group of people in this industry that are that likable [laughs].
Let’s talk about the “Burn Notice” pilot which I just saw. It’s a fun show, which mixes action and a light tone well.
We start shooting the series next month in Miami. It is a very fun role. I like this woman. Again, another fantastic writer, writing great women’s roles! There must be a revolution underfoot. I was actually surprised when I saw the rough cut, because I didn’t realize we were making something which was so funny. Not a good thing to do [laughs]. I was pleasantly surprised, but then I panicked, worrying that I had perhaps been playing the wrong tone without knowing it.
You’re having a real career resurgence right now in terms of the quality of the material you’re being cast in, as well as its profile. Did that just sort of happen, or has it been a matter of an aggressive pursuit of material on your part?
All of my children are in school now, so I guess I’m trying to redefine who I am as a woman, now that I’m not necessarily needed as a mother as many hours as I have previously been. Part of that has been endeavoring to capture where I left off in my career. Although that’s an almost impossible task, as this is a very unforgiving business that I’m involved in. As perhaps are most businesses, when women take time off to have babies.
Anwar and Al in Scent of a Woman.
During that time, did you turn down a lot of work?
In the beginning, I turned down work. Which was delicious for my ego. After the second child, I was not receiving offers. After the third child, I was begging for employment.
Did anything happen specifically which turned it around to what’s happening now?
I think The Librarian, perhaps. Because they wanted to cast a hot, happening A-list name. Surprise, surprise [laughs]. Which was not me. I was cold, unhappening, and perhaps at the end of the alphabet at that point. But the director did something unheard of in this town and insisted that they go with somebody who they enjoyed in the auditioning process. So I owe him much. He and Mr. Devlin actually did something unusual, which I, my children, and my landlord appreciate greatly.
Had you known Jonathan Frakes beforehand?
No, and I don’t even own a TV, so I hadn’t even seen “Star Trek.”
But you’re going to have to get a TV now that you’re on a new show!
That’s....debatable [laughs]. | Date: June 7, 2007
Source: Showtime announcement
Title: Legendary Actor Peter O'Toole joins the cast of The Tudors
Author:
O’Toole Dons Pope Paul III’s Robes for the Second Season of the Epic, Critically Acclaimed Series LOS ANGELES – Emmy-® and Golden Globe®-winner, and eight-time Oscar® nominee Peter O’Toole will make his way to Dublin, Ireland to join the cast of THE TUDORS’ second season, it was announced today by SHOWTIME’s President of Entertainment Robert Greenblatt. O’Toole will take on the pivotal role of Pope Paul III, who is ultimately responsible for excommunicating Henry VIII (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) from the Catholic Church as punishment for the King’s dalliances with Anne Boleyn (Natalie Dormer). Hailed by critics and audiences alike, THE TUDORS is currently in production in Dublin, and Season Two will premiere on SHOWTIME next spring. “As an Irishman, I am delighted to be working on an Irish production, filming in Ireland,” says Mr. O’Toole. "We're honored to have Peter O'Toole take on this wonderful part,” echoes series Executive Producer Morgan O’Sullivan. ”We look forward to welcoming him home for THE TUDORS’ second season.” While O’Toole is possibly best known for his Oscar®-nominated work in the title role of David Lean’s sweeping epic Lawrence of Arabia (1962), he made cinematic history by being only one of four actors to earn Best Actor Oscar® nominations for playing the same role in two different films: he played Henry II in Becket (1964), and opposite Katharine Hepburn in The Lion in Winter (1968). He has earned a total of eight Oscar® nominations, most recently for his work in last year’s indie drama Venus. In 2003, he was awarded a special Lifetime Achievement Oscar®. In the first season finale of THE TUDORS, Henry and Anne’s passionate affair has reached a fevered pique and Henry’s obsession with making her his queen has grown all-consuming. As Season Two begins, Henry’s desires are thwarted by the Church, an obstacle that makes him even more determined to separate Parliament from Church. After Henry secretly marries Anne and has his marriage to Katherine (Maria Doyle Kennedy) declared invalid, Pope Paul III (O’Toole) moves to excommunicate Henry and the two have an on-going feud with a fall-out that has repercussions in England to this day. THE TUDORS is a presentation of SHOWTIME, in association with Peace Arch Entertainment. Series creator and scribe Michael Hirst (ELIZABETH) executive produces, alongside Benjamin Silverman and Teri Weinberg of Reveille; Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan of Working Title Films; Sheila Hockin of Dufferin Gate Productions; and Morgan O'Sullivan of World 2000. Gary Howsam and James Flynn of Peace Arch Entertainment serve as producers. THE TUDORS is an Ireland/Canada Co-Production. ________________________________________
Date: April, 2007
Source: Angeleno
Title: Rock ‘n’ Ruler!
Author: David Hochman
Jonathan Rhys Meyers seems to have it all: the looks, the lips and a lockdown on the royal act. He played Elvis, and now he does Henry VIII in this month’s mega Showtime miniseries The Tudors. But has the trash-talking Irish rogue really gone from pauper to prince?
Catching up with Jonathan Rhys Meyers is trickier than it appears. On one hand, the Irish actor is everywhere these days. He’s playing a young, virile version of King Henry VIII in this month’s 10-part Showtime series The Tudors, and his face is all over ads and buses as the new Hugo Boss boy (this after he peddled his icy good looks last year for Versace). On the other, the actor works so tirelessly—he’s made 34 films and tv shows in the last dozen years—that he barely has time to purse those inflatable lips before jetting off to another location.
Rhys Meyers, 29, has been a man on the run as long as he can recall. Growing up poor in County Cork, Ireland—”I went without a lot of things: toys, sometimes food”—he was raised by a single mom and moved homes frequently. Later, he was expelled from an all-boys Christian school, only to be discovered at age 17 by a casting director in a local pool hall.
Even after finding success with rakish roles in projects like Velvet Goldmine, Bend It Like Beckham and the CBS miniseries Elvis (for which he won a Golden Globe in 2006), Rhys Meyers never settled down. Today, he maintains residences in London, Dublin and Morocco, and recently bought his first place in Los Angeles (although he admits he has yet to spend a night in the new house).
“Jonathan isn’t an easy person to pin down,” says Morgan O’Sullivan, a producer for The Tudors. In fact, tracking him down this time involved scouring the boondocks of China, where he was filming The Children of Huang Shi, about the Japanese invasion of the world’s largest country in the 1930s. But it’s not just his physical location that’s tough to determine. “I think it’s the Irishman in him, but from minute to minute, you never know quite which Jonathan you’re going to get. He can be angry, joyous, sad and racy in the span of a few minutes,” O’Sullivan says.
So to help you understand this mercurial spirit, we’ve laid out the many royal sides of Rhys Meyers, in honor of his latest kingly portrayal.
THE YOUNG KING
Most people know Henry VIII as the fat guy depicted in the Hans Holbein painting. But that was Henry in his 40s. Rhys Meyers gets to play the king in the prime of youth, still married to his first queen, Katherine of Aragon, and studly as all get-out. In the miniseries, the monarch comes off as less a rat than a Renaissance Rat Packer. “Henry is the best king England ever had,” Rhys Meyers says. “He was perceived as a misogynist, but he actually gave people independence and gave England its greatest queen, Elizabeth I. He was a great politician. He read Machiavelli.” And, oh, did we mention the parties young Henry threw? To portray that splendoriforic Tudor era, the designers called in 2,500 costumes, including some tailored black leather and gold ensembles that would have made the old Henry groan with envy. No wonder the chain-smoking Rhys Meyers was cast.
THE TOWN CRIER
Unlike so many public figures in these PR-muzzled times, Rhys Meyers isn’t afraid to call it like he sees it. The actor famously told Oliver Stone that the script for U-Turn was “s***,” and, on the set of Alexander, reportedly hurled a piece of armor at the director when he got frustrated during the shooting of that ill-fated epic. Sure, Rhys Meyers quit drinking afterwards, but then he clashed on the set of Vanity Fair with director Mira Nair. Let’s face it: The man just can’t keep those big lips sealed. Of Angelina Jolie, Rhys Meyers once said he was “really disappointed” when he saw her in person the first time, since she didn’t look as “airbrushed” as she does in movies. And let’s not even repeat what he once said about America’s most notorious former Mouseketeer. Oh, what the heck: He said, “If I had a thousand d**** I wouldn’t stick one inside Britney.” As you can see, it’s easy to understand what Rhys Meyers means when he says, “I got into acting to stay out of jail.”
THE LOVER
Perhaps O’Sullivan puts it best: “Jonathan’s ability to generate sexual magnetism is quite impressive.” You can say that again, considering the literally thousands of fansites gushing about how “HOTTTT!!!” he is. But despite being romantically linked to several actresses—among them, Toni Collette, Asia Argento, Rachael Leigh Cook and Estella Warren—he’s actually had just one woman by his side for the last four years. The actor is rarely seen at high-profile outings without Reena Hammer, a young intellectual type who studies ancient Latin translations. “We actors are egotistical, and I don’t need that, which is why I’m not dating an actress,” he says. “I’m happy with the woman I have.” And even though the two have been together for a while, when asked on a scale of 1-10 how content he is these days, Rhys Meyers replies, “When I’m with my girlfriend, 11.” You can practically hear the “Awww!”s from the legions ot teens in cyberspace now.
THE COURT JESTER
“There’s rarely a dull moment when Jonny’s around,” says O’Sullivan, who describes Rhys Meyers as having “a youthful vitality that either has you laughing or crying, depending on the moment.” Apparently, there was lots of laughing on the set of Match Point, much of which had to do with Rhys Meyers’ dead-perfect impersonations of director Woody Allen’s nasally whine. And given the right set of circumstances—say, if you just start talking to him—Rhys Meyers will come at you with one of those too-bawdy-to-believe jokes better left in the back of some Dublin pub. A favorite involves two tramps, a fast train, a girl tied to the track and a certain sexual act. The punchline isn’t suitable to print in a mainstream publication.
THE PRETENDER TO THE THRONE
For all his bluster and bravado, Rhys Meyers is the first to point out his own shortcomings. He has said he “wasn’t very good” in Vanity Fair, that he was “appalling” in Velvet Goldmine and “miscast” as the soccer coach in Bend It Like Beckham. He didn’t even watch his award-winning performance as the king of rock ‘n’ roll. “It’s a bit weird to watch yourself and I guess I’m overly critical,” Rhys Meyers explains. But he says his frequent misgivings drive him to improve himself. “It takes a lot of confidence to stand in front of the camera. The more I do it, the more confidence it takes. It doesn’t get easier. It gets harder, actually, because I want things to be really, really great. I have little patience, but I’m willing to stay for 20 hours until I get it right. I’d hate to be an actor who goes in, gets paid and goes home.”
THE BEAU OF THE BALL
Fashion magazines have gushed that Rhys Meyers is jarringly handsome, and he’s even been likened to a work of art sculpted by Michelangelo. Whatever, says the actor. He claims his look is basically thrown together, but he also fesses up to being enough of a style hound to occasionally spend a couple grand on crocodile-skin cowboy boots. “My own style really comes from not liking to spend a lot of money on clothes, and I pretty much wear whatever I want,” says the actor, who names John Galliano and DSquared as being among his favorite designers. “If I see something that everybody else is wearing, I’m more likely not to wear it. But I like things that are streamlined and fitted. For me, I find going out into the world is like combat every day, so I kind of dress for defense and attack.” Given his knack for speaking his mind, that’s probably a smart idea. |
Why did you choose to write about a young Henry VIII rather than the more familiar story of his later life?
