musings about the actor and the characters he brings to life
I admit (*choking with emotion) that I have been waiting for this day for some time.
Fan Fun with Damian Lewis is TEN years old today!
TEN years?!?!?!
Yes, TEN years! So I think I deserve my crown 🙂
And I give you our TEN Years in (almost) ten minutes…
“It seems fairly redundant to say “Damian Lewis is a good actor”, but, well, here we are: his Henry is outstanding, the biggest guy in the room in name and stature if not ever actual presence, something flawed in the hull and he knows it.”
– The Guardian
Wolf Hall is one of the best things that ever happened to TV. A slow-cooking, dark, and witty political drama, it has a contemporary feel. Peter Straughan’s script is wonderfully condensed, with most of the conversation coming directly from Mantel’s pen. Hearing some of the best lines I have ever read spoken by the characters is delightful. Peter Kosminsky’s directing is flawless. Every shot feels like a painting. And while some characters needed to be recast, the continuity is beyond impressive that you don’t feel the nine-year interval between the two productions. The entire cast gives a masterclass in acting. Mark Rylance and Damian Lewis, as the two leads, are electric together. So yes the long wait was entirely worth it.
Continue reading “TOP Damian Lewis Moments 2024: Henry VIII in Wolf Hall The Mirror And The Light”
“He’s a genius – all the information is in his paintings.” – Joanna Eatwell, Costume Designer, Wolf Hall
I had written about the authenticity of the costumes in Wolf Hall as well as how much the series’ brilliant costume designer Joanna Eatwell values Hans Holbein the Younger’s work in achieving this authenticity here back in 2015.
It turns out that Eatwell digged into the paintings of Holbein for research. From Lucy Worsley’s interview with Eatwell in 2015:
He’s a genius – all the information is in his paintings.
He not only painted members of the court, he also painted merchants and even some of Henry’s courtiers and staff, so we have a complete cross-section which is incredibly important for a piece like this.
Eatwell argues, in an audio interview with the BBC Academy, Holbein is a “master in his craft” and his paintings are realistic but also propaganda. The paintings make a statement about the person in the painting which she calls the “photoshop” of the times.
Continue reading “The King’s Painter: Hans Holbein The Younger in Wolf Hall”
I always talk about what I think about Damian Lewis and the characters he brings to life here. And I think, we have to leave it to Damian, from time to time, to see WHAT he thinks about… well, anything or anyone! And why not start with what Damian thinks about his wonderful Wolf Hall co-star Mark Rylance…
…especially because Damian was a fan of Mark Rylance way before they starred in Wolf Hall together!
When asked about his acting idols at The Hollywood Reporter Drama Actors Interview back in 2012, here is what our favorite actor says…
Henry VIII is a monster, but he’s our monster. We’re perversely proud of Henry. -Hilary Mantel
Now tell me… what are the odds your all-time favorite actor plays your all-time favorite historical monster in a mini-series based on your all-time favorite book?
I know! 🙂
In celebration of Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light arriving finally on BBC, I would love to share my own very personal Wolf Hall journey with you. ENJOY!
Continue reading “10 Years of Wolf Hall: A Personal Journey”