Rheon, a history buff himself, shares his excitement about taking a deep dive into the Flavian dynastic struggle and investigating the rumblings of the Roman underworld. In an interview with ETimes, he discussed his role as Tenax and the challenges of playing historical characters at a time when the audience is left starry-eyed with fictitious shows like ‘House Of The Dragon‘ and ‘Bridgerton‘, giving a rather glossy retelling of history.
During our chat, he shares his thoughts about the challenges of being typecast, his excitement about working particularly with screen legend Anthony Hopkins, and making movies that his son can watch. Excerpts:
Iwan, you played one of the most terrifying villains on television in Game of Thrones. Since then, you have done a lot of great work. What do you like the most: playing the good guy, the bad guy, or just a man in power?
Iwan Rheon: I think I just look for something compelling in the character, something different and interesting. I don’t really think about characters in terms of good guy or bad guy. Often it’s just about what’s available, and what parts are being filmed. With ‘Those About To Die’, for example, the character of Tenax was very interesting. He’s an ambitious, compassionate gangster—very three-dimensional. Even though he’s ruthless and a product of his tough environment in ancient Rome, he has a real heart. He looks after his community and the people around him, but he’s also incredibly ambitious and wants to break out of the world he grew up in. It’s a simple reason to play him.
Many actors often find themselves typecast after taking on historical epics. Do you think it’s challenging to break away from these roles?
Iwan Rheon: Not really. ‘Those About To Die’ is very different from something like ‘Game of Thrones’, which is fictional. It is based on actual events and a specific period. It’s interesting to do historical projects because you get to learn about the period. I enjoy looking into history and learning about specific times. The script for this show is punctuated with genuine historical events, although the character of Tenax is made up. People like him would have existed in Rome in 79 AD.
Was it your love for history that made you want to go back in time again for this series?
Iwan Rheon: Well, yeah, who doesn’t want to be in a Roman drama? It’s such a fascinating period of history, nearly 2000 years ago. This story is a particularly interesting point in the evolution of Rome as a great power. It’s set before the Golden Age, the Antonine Age, and shows Rome in control of the Mediterranean. It was a period of relative calm for 10 years after the Civil War. So, yeah, I think it’s really interesting and completely fascinating to dive into a world that’s so different to the one we live in today.
There have been many web series on ancient Rome, like Spartacus and Barbarians. What were some of your inspirations?
Iwan Rheon: I have watched ‘Barbarians’, although it’s not entirely historically accurate. I listened to a podcast called ‘The History of Rome’, which was very fascinating. I wanted to know the history of Rome rather than just watch a TV show based on a specific time. Podcasts were a great way to absorb information while travelling. It helped me understand the history of the character I was playing, knowing the era, the emperor, and all that. ‘Gladiator’ is a great film, of course. I’ve also been watching ‘I, Claudius’, which is amazing.
Who were you most excited to work with on the show?
Iwan Rheon: Obviously, working with Anthony Hopkins. The cast is fantastic, with an international lineup, predominantly European.
What was your biggest takeaway from this series?
Iwan Rheon: The scale of the show is incredible. It gives a closer look at Rome, especially the underworld, factionalism, and gambling. I don’t think it has been investigated quite in the same way. The balance between the dynastic struggle at the top and the rumblings underneath is very cool.
I think the thing about the show is that this period in history hasn’t really been done before. The Flavian dynasty period, the events of the Coliseum being built haven’t been explored much in films before. I think it was this investigation of that period that really excited me.
At a time when various fantasy shows like ‘House Of The Dragon’ and ‘Bridgerton’ are incorporating diverse cultures and ethnicities into the fabric of their stories, do you think there is still a place for historical epics?
Iwan Rheon: Well, I hope there is a place for them. Obviously, it’s harder to do something historical, because you aren’t free to just make up whatever you want. But, I think people are genuinely interested in the history of the world. People are interested in looking at something historical, we can look back at ourselves and understand where we’ve come from, and gain insights into our current lives. So, I think that’s why people are interested in these things about history, that help shine a light on our lives now.
Since becoming a dad, are you consciously trying to make more family-friendly movies?
Iwan Rheon: ‘Those About To Die’ isn’t particularly family-friendly, he might have to wait until he’s older. But, I’d like to do something my son could watch at some point.
‘Those About To Die’, a 10-part series, explores how Vespasian, a former army general, sought to restore order in Rome after the city’s turmoil under Emperor Nero. The series debuted on Prime Video in India on July 19.
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