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thecrownnet · 5 years ago

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Josh O’Connor may best be known for this breakthrough role in 2017’s God’s Own Country but the Southampton-born actor has been cultivating a catalog of great film and television performances for years. From The Riot Club and The Program in film and Doctor Who, Peaky Blinders, Ripper Street and The Durrells on TV, O’Connor has built a resume that made him the perfect choice to play the most challenging role of his career, Prince Charles in season three of Netflix’s The Crown. O’Connor play the Prince of Wales at a turning point in the would be king’s life, from the early years of his relationship with Camilla Bowles (the Diana years will show up in season four) to the daunting task of figuring out how to lead the commonwealth when the time comes.

I caught up with two-time BIFA winning actor to talk about God’s Own Country, his role in The Crown, what he likes and doesn’t like about biopics and playing real people and Todd Haynes’ I’m Not There.

I wanted to start by talking with you about God’s Own Country, which quickly became a cornerstone of queer cinema, and I think took off in a way most people weren’t expecting. Can you tell me a little bit the impact working on that film had for you?

It was a kind of monumental moment for me and I think a big moment for queer cinema and insofar as it was kind of a gay love story that we hadn’t seen before, you know, in terms of one that ended with hope and one that told a kind of positive story. It was something maybe we’d seen before, but, it’s rare and people were obviously hungry for that. And so it touched many people and I feel like it’s rare that your project gets to have that effect on people. So it was a kind of, it was a huge moment for me. In terms of kind of career wise also just as a creative, as an actor, I think it was a moment of realization about technique and how I want to work. It built a process, which I still use the basis of now. And so yeah, it was really impactful for me.

I love that. Earlier this year you had Emma., how was it stepping into Mr. Elton’s shoes?

(laughs) It was very different than anything I’ve done before. I’ve never done comedy before. Autumn de Wilde, who is an exceptionally talented director, came in and it was very clear she wanted a kind of Peter Cook-esque Mr Elton and we’ve talked about him having a sort of darker side, which we touch on in the film. I think it was real, I loved it, it was kind of getting to stretch my muscles, my comedic muscles I suppose. And yeah, it was a real treat and it’s a lovely, beautiful ensemble film.

Diving into The Crown, had you watched the first two seasons of the show to help inform you of the style or approach to the series?

Yes, I had. I’d seen the first two and I’m very good friends with Vanessa Kirby who played Margaret so, I initially watched it as a kind of support for my friends, but then absolutely, obviously got hooked and I think the first two series’ are exceptional. Claire Foy is kind of spellbinding, Matt Smith I think is extraordinary as Philip, and often sort of, it’s underplayed how brilliant he was. I absolutely loved it and then be a part of this group of actors who I totally adore and look up to, you know, the likes of Tobias Menzies, to go from Matthew is extraordinary, and Olivia Colman and Helena Bonham Carter, you know, these are all people that I aspire to so it’s been a real treat.

What were the main sources and figuring out who Prince Charles is on a personal level?

Well, I think there were a few things to kind of brought out the personal, but initially when I started with Charles, I spent so much time watching footage of him, or hearing recordings of him from the period. After a while I got to the point where I was like, actually, I don’t know that this has helped. It certainly isn’t helping me get any closer to the character and certainly isn’t getting close to who Charles really is behind closed doors. And so I sort of threw all that out the window. The thing that got me there more than anything was something that Peter Morgan had written, which is I think episode eight of series three. Charles described his life as being like he as being like a character in Dangling Man. He says, the character is a working class blue collar guy from Chicago and he’s waiting to be drafted to go to war and he actually wants to be drafted because it’ll give his life meaning, even though it means that they’ll go to a certain death.

And the idea that Charles, Prince Charles is this young boy who’s actually waiting for his own mother to die in order for his life to take meaning, I just thought that was a kind of, it locked into a sort of tragic narrative of this young boy that is so rare and an extraordinary. So that was the kind of, that was the crux of it.

When you’re playing somebody that is so well known, how do you strike the balance between impression and interpretation and what do you think you brought to Prince Charles?

Yeah, that’s such a good question. It’s a question I don’t know the answer to, yet. The best way to, for me, in my personal view of it as an audience member, is that I never enjoy seeing in any kind of biopic or whenever I see an actor playing a real person, I find it very difficult to watch and actor to do something really exactly like the person.

I don’t know why. I think it becomes too much like an impression. And what I always loved is that there was a great film called I’m Not There, which is about Bob Dylan. And so it was like eight or nine actors playing Dylan at different stages in his life and not just different stages but playing different aspects of his personality. So Cate Blanchett, plays the kind of more recognizable Dylan, which is the sort of public eye Dylan, you had Heath Ledger playing the kind of rock and roll Dylan, you had a young actor [Marcus Carl Franklin] playing the Woody Guthrie influenced Bob Dylan. So you had all these different actors, all totally different and most of them looked nothing like and resembled him in no way. And I remember that was the most powerful representation of Dylan I’ve seen or of anyone I’ve seen and I thought when I’m playing Prince Charles there’s no point in me spending all this time trying to get his voice and trying to look like him and walk like him.

Those things will happen naturally. And I think, you know, it’s good to have little aspects and little notes that people feel safe and comfortable in the knowledge secure that you are playing Prince Charles. But as soon as you can get rid of those, the earlier you can get rid of those, the the more interesting and the more adaptive that character is, the more influential that character can be. And as I say, it’s more interesting seeing Josh play Prince Charles than it is seeing just seeing Prince Charles.

I love that example of I’m Not There. It’s a brilliant movie and it is such a great way to bring an audience into a character without feeling like you’re just watching video footage.

Exactly. Because there’s documentary. We also undersell the brilliant art form that is documentary, which I absolutely adore it. There’s nothing better than watching old footage of Charles. I love it. But it’s not the same. I want to see an actor play and Claire Foy is a great example. I should stop rambling but Claire Foy is a great example of an actress who plays the queen so stupendously everyone in the world sat up right when they watched Claire and Matt Smith in series one and two. And it wasn’t because there was, ‘Oh my God,’ she looked and speaks exactly like the queen at that age. Most of us don’t know what the queen looked like at that age and it sounded like at that age because there wasn’t very much TV. So actually all we’re looking at is an incredible performance of the character. And I think I remember watching Claire and Matt and thinking ‘let’s focus on that.’ Let’s not try and play Prince Charles, let’s try and play the character.

Again, that’s a perfect example that makes perfect sense. There’s a turning point in the series when Charles, as the Prince of Wales, has to learn to speak Welsh. Did you know any Welsh or was this something new for you as well?

I mean, I certainly knew no Welsh. I’d never spoken a word of Welsh in my life a lot. I’d heard the language. One of the most kind of influential or most magical moments from when I was in grammar school was I heard an old recording of Dylan Thomas reading Under Milk Wood and was a beautiful radio play that he wrote and it was and poetical and beautiful and Dylan speaks it in this kind of like raucous Welsh voice. It’s like, mind blowing, and it was a kind of really special moment. So that combined with the fact that I love Wales the country, I felt very great affinity for the Welsh language. But as I said, I had no idea. So it’s very much, it was very much kind of like Charles’ feelings about having to learn it. There were muffs the same as mine and we went through a long process of learning everything. And yeah, I mean it’s great. I still know the speech now, but I don’t know what it means.

Which brings us right to that monumental episode where you have to give the speech for his investiture. Tell me about that sequence, which I think is just extraordinary in this series.

It’s a beautifully written episode. It has so much significance because it’s about Charles stepping up and becoming an adult. To me it was the thing that convinced me to take the role in the first place. I suddenly realized this as a young man who is, in my in recent history, is kind of known as a bit of a wally [British slang for ineffectual or foolish]. He goes around and talks about the environment, which of course we all know he was right. In the 80s and 90s he was considered a bit of a buffoon. And then there’s the Diana years and the thing that got me and took and basically convinced me to take the role was I suddenly realized he’s a lost boy and the investiture episode is him taking that lost boy and going, ‘No, I’m going to own this and I’m going to become a man.’

Jumping off that a bit, what do you think was the most misunderstood thing about Charles from this period of his life?

I think sort of the misunderstood thing of most of the Royal families, is that they had some perfect childhood. I mean, in terms of financially, they probably had a pretty great childhood, but I think terms of relationships to parents, relationships to siblings, they’re just like anyone else. I mean, they’re difficult. They have their ups and their downs. He was a lost boy but a lost boy with the knowledge that he was going to have to at some point lead, be the king, the reign of England, of the Commonwealth of this huge empire and we now know, it’s taken an entire lifetime and he still isn’t the King.

I think that’s the biggest thing that hopefully people have taken. There’s been a great response within people calling out and saying they feel great sorrow for Charles now. So hopefully that’s what they’ll take.

In looking forward to the future of your career, do you have a dream role in mind that you’d like to play?

I don’t know actually. It’s one of these questions that so hard because I’m always surprised when I say something quick and then a script will come through with a totally original role and there’s nothing better than a new script and a role that you’ve never thought of. It grabs me. But I suppose there are plenty of performances I’ve always kind of aspired to like Daniel Day-Lewis has played and those kind of fully formed characters or Tom Hanks. Those are the kinds of roles that you dream of. In terms of theater it’s easy because everyone wants to play Richard II or Hamlet. I’ve always wanted to play Richard II, so one day hopefully I’ll be able to do that. But beyond that, certainly the dream is to keep getting to play new characters and work with great directors.

All seasons of The Crown, including S3 where Josh O’Connor appears, are streaming exclusively on Netflix.

#josh o’connor #prince charles #the crown #god's own country #emma #the crown netflix

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featherquillpen · 8 years ago

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Ten Sherlock AU longfics that are better than the show

Seasons 3 and 4 of Sherlock were an absolute steaming garbage pile that made me retroactively hate the entire show. A large part of me regrets ever having watched this sexist, homophobic, etc., trashfire. But the rest of me doesn’t regret it, because the fandom produced some of the best epic AU fanfiction I have ever read. All ten of these stories are excellent novels that just so happen to be AU fics of Sherlock.

So, in no particular order, here is my list of long, well-plotted, emotionally satisfying Sherlock fics that will give you much better (and less racist, etc.) storylines than canon ever managed.

All the Best and Brightest Creatures by wordstrings (canon divergence AU, dark, ace!Sherlock)

An AU where Sherlock caught Moriarty poisoning Carl Powers at age ten, and he and John meet in a different (but still spot-on) way. Moriarty is much scarier in this fic than in canon. And Sherlock’s addiction problems are treated very very well. There is a 30-hour long podfic available of the story, if you can believe it.

The World On His Wrist (sci-fi AU, internalized homophobia, BAMF!John)

John is rarely so jaw-droppingly badass in fic as he is in this one. This is a super intriguing story where after John gets shot in Afghanistan, his consciousness fractures into four different timelines. The story we see in the show is just one of the four lives he leads. The execution of the premise is even cooler than it sounds.

The Republic of Heaven by BlindAuthor (His Dark Materials AU, permanent WIP)

This fic is a great example of how to bring in an AU to improve the plot of the original canon. I’m very picky about my HDM AUs, but this one has great worldbuilding and makes the show’s plot much more consistent, especially the notoriously weak episode The Blind Banker. Also you’ll love Sherlock and John’s dæmons. They’re so well done.

Indecorous by Basingstoke (Johnlock polyamory with pre-S3 original!Mary)

I have read this fic at least ten times and I am certain I will read it again. This is the fic that convinced me that I could try being polyamorous in real life. It’s the best polyamory negotiations fic I’ve ever read. It is also by turns incredibly funny, super sexy, and a far far better emotional arc for John and his PTSD than canon ever came up with.

How the mouth changes its shape by havingbeenbreathedout (historical AU, genderswap, backstory, casefic)

In this story, Sherlock and Johnnie are lesbians in 1950s London. The author still keeps them very recognizably themselves, and has a fascinating historical mystery to boot. I love how the social issues faced by lesbians in this period are explored, and the sex is some of the hottest I’ve read in fic, period.

Spectrum by thisprettywren (speculative fiction AU, permanent WIP)

This fic may have the most interesting AU premise I’ve ever encountered, worldbuilt to perfection. The author should really write an original novel with this concept. The fic explores disability in a deeply compassionate and nuanced way, the mystery will keep you on the edge of your seat, and the intimacy between Sherlock and John is achingly tender.

The Least of All Possible Mistakes by rageprufrock (genderswap, minor character POV, Mystrade)

An awesome fem!Lestrade AU. Mystrade that really gives you the feeling of divorcing and learning to fall in love again. It’s also a brilliant portrait of what it is like to be a woman in a male-dominated profession. A serious feminist kick in the ass to canon. I hardly ever read het and I loved this.

Left by lifeonmars (superpower AU)

The simple observation that John Watson is left-handed but shoots the cabbie right-handed sparked this long, awesome character study of John Watson, an extraordinary and unusual man who appears on the surface to be anything but. And overall this show is very well suited to superpower AUs. An excellent podfic of this story by @consultingsmartass is also available.

The Madness of Angels by ayalesca (urban fantasy AU, poetic, London-as-character)

This fic is a fusion with two excellent urban fantasy book series set in London, the Matthew Swift series and the Rivers of London series, but you don’t have to read either to appreciate this cracking good story. Here, Sherlock and John are urban sorcerers in a city filled with magic tied to the history and geography of London.

Names for the Galaxy by evadne (sci-fi AU, mystery)

This story is a brilliant, suspenseful, plotty sci-fi novel that just so happens to be a Sherlock fic. evadne makes great use of minor characters like Harry Watson and Soo Lin Yao, the sci-fi worldbuilding is so imaginative, and it’s yet another unique and beautiful take on Sherlock and John’s relationship.

#sherlock #fic recs

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samsdisneydiary · 6 years ago

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Toy Story 4 Poster

Woody has always been confident about his place in the world, and his priority is taking care of his kid – whether that’s Andy or Bonnie. But when Bonnie adds a reluctant new toy called “Forky” to her room, a road trip adventure alongside old and new friends will show Woody how big the world can be for a toy.

The highly anticipated film arrives in theaters June 21 – and it just wouldn’t be the same without Tom Hanks and Tim Allen as Woody and Buzz Lightyear. The rest of the gang, Jessie (Joan Cusack), Rex (Wallace Shawn), Slinky Dog (Blake Clark), the Potato Heads (Don Rickles, Estelle Harris) and Hamm (John Ratzenberger) among others, join Bonnie’s newest toy “Forky”(Tony Hale) and set off on a road trip adventure that reunites them with Bo Peep (Annie Potts) and a new cast of amazing characters including Ducky (Keegan-Michael Key) & Bunny (Jordan Peele) , Duke Caboom (Keanu Reeves), Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks), and Giggle McDimples (Ally Maki).

Forky along with Bo Peep can already be found in Walt Disney World Toy Story Land, along with a vast assortment of merchandise. I was able to participate in a media preview that included an early screening of the film, a look at new products including toys, games, and collectibles associated with the film and a press conference featuring some of the voice actors along with Director Josh Cooley and Producers Jonas Rivera and Mark Nielsen. There may be slight unintentional spoilers in the Q&A… fair warning. Overall, this film is marvelous. It’s the perfect extension to the Toy Story franchise with a great mix of familiar characters, alongside new characters on an unexpected adventure… it’s perfect and you need to see it!!! Maybe even before you watch the rest of this…

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The first question on everyone’s mind… The trilogy appeared to wrap up perfectly with the ending of Toy Story 3, why Toy Story 4? Director Josh Cooley answered “We had those questions five years ago when we started…. Tons of responsibility, tons of pressure. A lot of sleepless nights knowing that we were going to attempt this. Because we love the end of Toy Story 3 and felt like that’s the completion of Woody and Andy’s Story. But there was more of Woody’s story to tell, so that’s how we approached it” Producer Jonas Rivera added “… we thought Toy Story 2 was the last one…. The end of Andy’s story and Woody’s story… as filmmakers, to be honest, we felt satisfied that this is where you can end it. Now there’s an implied future to all these films and we sort of never say never at Pixar.”

Tim Allen Quote – Toy Story 4

A consistent of all the Toy Story movies is Woody and Buzz Lightyear… Tim Allen was asked about the evolution of Buzz Lightyear over the past 24 years. “his [Buzz Lightyear] core has always been this little authentic kind of soft-hearted… and you see in this movie, it’s kind of weird about that. Woody has this inner voice; I think it’s the sweetest part of this movie… He [Buzz Lightyear] is Innocent… and he’s just one of his [Woody’s] best friends… That’s the journey through this thing, how cool of friends these guys are.”

Tom Hanks added “Woody has been the great gift that I’ve seen play out again and again in my own family as well as sort of around the world, even in cultures where it’s not my voice. It’s Spanish or Mandarin or what have you…. What I have truly appreciated is that no matter how old you are now, when you see one of the movies, you’re the same age you were when you saw it first… there is a cohesiveness and an eternal quality to not just the stories and the characters, but the emotional bonds that we all have with each one of them”.

Bo Peep is back, and Annie Potts was asked about stepping back into the role: “Well, lovely, with a new improved, emboldened, courageous, seasoned gal. It’s been lovely.”

ORLANDO, FLORIDA – JUNE 08: Tom Hanks, Annie Potts, Tim Allen, Tony Hale, Christina Hendricks, Keanu Reeves, Mark Nielsen, Josh Cooley and Jonas Rivera visit Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on June 08, 2019 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for Disney)

Pixar is famous for hiding Easter Eggs in films, references to previous or future Pixar projects. What can we expect in Toy Story 4? Josh Cooley “… There are a lot of Easter Eggs in this movie. I swear if you pause any frame when they are in the [antique] store, you’ll see something in the background.” Mark Nielsen added “Yeah. From every movie Pixar has ever done, there’s something in the antique store”. Jonas Rivera added, “Some we didn’t even know…. I just noticed the other day, Carl and Ellie’s house shrunk down on the shelf…” Josh Cooley “Bing Bong’s Rocket…”

How would you sum up Toy Story 4 in one word? Josh Cooley, Director responded, “If I was to just sum it up in one word, it’s Transition. Every character in this movie has gone through a transition or is struggling with going through one… Bo Peep has gone through one… Woody is struggling with moving from Andy’s Room to Bonnie’s Room, Forky doesn’t even want to transition, Gabby Gabby is stuck in time.”

Speaking of Forky, Tony Hale the voice of Forky, was asked about joining such an iconic team. “It’s overwhelming, which helps because Forky is very overwhelmed… I remember when they brought me up to Pixar… and described him [Forky] as kind of nervous, I was like check. He [Forky] asked a lot of questions, check and he’s kind of nervous, check, and he’s kind of gullible to a fault. It’s like bingo, I’m in.”

Where did the idea for Gabby Gabby come from? Josh Cooley “Great question. We realized we had never done a doll before, just a regular doll, and we all have daughters, so we look at our own kids and their toys… the idea of a talking Tina or Chatty Cathy and a little godfather… it’s one of my favorite scenes.” Jonas Rivera “The story would not work without Gabby Gabby. She is an echo of Woody. The same thing for Duke Caboom and Giggle and everybody new”

Christina Hendricks the voice of Gabby Gabby “…you have to listen to everyone’s full story before you make a judgment about them… everyone comes from a place and it’s what made them who they are, and you need to listen to that before you can fully understand them”

Mark Nielsen. “We had signed him [Don Rickles] before we lost him… we wanted to see if we could craft a performance from all the incredible sessions we’ve had with Don through the years. He recorded for theme park rides and toys and commercials, short films, feature films, a lot that we hadn’t used before. So, we were honored to really be able to kind of keep his memory in the film, and our editorial department did a great job really creating his performance out of his own voice from past projects.”

Absolutely not forgotten, Keanu Reeves as Duke Caboom. “There are so many different kinds of people going through different things, and Duke Caboom just happened to be a crybaby, and a super with a big heart and brave, who loved life, and so I think that there’s a bit of Duke Caboom in all of us”.

So, what’s next for the franchise? Mark Nielsen “I’m producing some short films for Disney Plus which will star Forky, our very own Tony Hale.” Mark goes on. “It’s a series called Forky Asks a Question; There are ten episodes that will be on Disney Plus when it comes live in November”

Toy Story 4 Merchandise at Walt Disney World

Toy Story 4 Merchandise at Press Junket

ORLANDO, FLORIDA – JUNE 08: Environment as seen at the Global Press Junket for Pixar’s TOY STORY 4 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on June 08, 2019 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for Disney)

Tim Allen Quote – Toy Story 4

Toy Story 4 Merchandise at Walt Disney World

Forky Plush hits Walt Disney World

Forky takes a ride on Slink Dog Dash at Hollywood Studios

Toy Story Land

Toy Story 4 is about to hit theaters, and you need to see it!! Press Conference Highlights Woody has always been confident about his place in the world, and his priority is taking care of his kid – whether that’s Andy or Bonnie.

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