« on: November 26, 2014, 12:18:51 PM »
Famous Phone Calls Sean Bean April 2011
This was one of the biggies during the course of my fairly brief TV writing career.
I was a huge fan of “Lord of the Rings,” and I had seen a bunch of other stuff he’d done, so talking to Sean Bean in April of 2011 was exciting.
"Game of Thrones" had yet to premiere, but it was coming. I hadn’t read the books, so I didn’t know Ned Stark’s fate. If you read what he said to me, however, I think he may have been dropping a hint.
What I remember: His voice was wicked deep. Our connection was pretty good, despite the fact he was in England.
Some people are easy to connect with - you can talk and joke around a bit and it’s like you have a rapport, even though you’ll never speak to them again. (In fact, one of my major pet peeves is when someone on a conference call with a celebrity tries to force a relationship. It’s stupid. It’s just work for everyone involved - ask your question and move on.)
Anyway, like I said, sometimes it’s easy to connect with someone. Not so much here.
That’s not to say he wasn’t nice. He was fine. There was just a very large wall between him and whoever he was going to talk to about the new series. This was work, and that was that.
But I did really like talking to him. I mostly got B-listers and reality TV stars. This was a case of having an A-list celebrity on the line.
Here’s what happened when Sean Bean called my house:
Sean Bean seems to have a knack for falling into epic productions.
The veteran British actor, who spent parts of his career in the “Sharpe” television series and “Lord of the Rings” films is now part of an expansive cast thrown into a fantasy world of political intrigue, betrayal and violence in HBO’s new sprawling series, “Game of Thrones” (Series premiere Sunday at 9.)
Based on George R. R. Martin’s wildly-popular “A Song of Ice and Fire” series of fantasy novels, “Game of Thrones” puts Bean back in familiar territory – that is, with armor on his back and a blade by his side, marching into danger.
“To do something like this is unusual for television,” Bean said from his home in London. “There’s an epic quality to it. It’s quite courageous of HBO to do this – it’s different. It’s great to do 10 episodes that stretch right across all seven kingdoms.”
Bean’s Lord Eddard “Ned” Stark is the Lord of Winterfell and protector of the northern edge of the seven kingdoms of Westeros. Initially a relatively simple man, Stark begins to reveal previously unmined facets as the complicated story begins to unfold.
“If you play (the character) from what is there, it works,” he said of Martin’s source material. “You’ve got to try not to impose anything unnatural on the character. The book provided a very good description of the characters – what they look like, what they’re thinking. It’s a great backstory and all the information you need is in the script. It felt very natural. I just tried to play as much as I could what Ned was in the book.”
The lines of good and evil are somewhat more fluid and changing in the treacherous world of Westeros. There’s also a rather risque randy side of the intricate tale – brothels, skin and incest play pivotal roles.
“I’d tell people to expect a bit more sex,” he said. “It’s quite a raunchy thing, which is good. It’s a strange land where people use sex for power. And it’s a violent time – a very treacherous time.”
Bean may best be known as the conflicted but ultimately noble Boromir from the “Fellowship of the Ring.” And while Bean’s Ned Stark might look a bit like Boromir - what with the swords and armor and the same exact face - that’s where the similarities end. “Game of Thrones” is not your typical sword and sorcery fare.
At the outset, Stark’s life seems fairly well grounded. But when circumstances dictate he assumes a new role, his world is uprooted and things begin to unravel.
“He’s a fair man – loyal to his king and realm,” Bean said. “He’s a courageous family man who looks out for his children and his wife. He puts his loyalty above all else.”
Perhaps known more for his villainous roles in films like “Patriot Games,” “Goldeneye” and “National Treasure,” Bean is happy to be inhabiting a character with more admirable characteristics.
“He tells the truth, but he’s not stupid,” he said. “People are after him, people want his head. He’s intelligent, but at the same time he’s like a fish out of water. He’s not used to being around these types of people – backstabbers. Winterfell is a cold, bleak and austere place.”
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« Last Edit: November 26, 2014, 12:21:48 PM by patch »
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