Ginger Mr Darcy will break barriers, jokes Lowden
The 34-year-old joked on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that "it is one of the great last barriers to break down".
In a wide-ranging interview alongside fellow British actor Martin Freeman, 53, he discussed being trained by an ex-MI6 officer and their upcoming West End play.
On his role in Netflix's six-part adaptation of Austen's classic novel, Lowden said he might draw on inspiration from some actors who have previously played the iconic Mr Darcy role.
"I quite like the idea of being a ginger Darcy," he told the BBC. "I think that is really breaking down barriers - one of the great last barriers to be broken down."
Sitting next to Lowden a smiling Freeman said he "agreed".
Lowden continued: "I quite like the idea of me coming along and doing something else with it.
"Or just copying one of them because some of the guys who played it are amongst the best. Matthew Macfadyen, to me, is one of the best actors on the planet. So if I just try copy him - maybe that's alright?"
"But ginger?" Freeman asked.
"Ginger", Lowden replied. "Yep, change it up."
Lowden and Freeman are set to take part in David Ireland's West End theatre show the Fifth Step which is due to open at Soho Place Theatre on 12 May.
The pair told the programme they had not met before they agreed to play an alcoholic and his Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor.
Lowden said he enjoyed the dark humour of the show, saying that, while it may be "corny", laughter was "the best medicine" and a way of "self-healing".
Asked about the Bafta-nominated series Slow Horses, which focuses on intelligence agents who have been discarded by MI5, Lowden talked about being trained in spycraft.
"We did a day with an ex-MI6 officer who was helping us to train in the art of surveillance and counter-surveillance. Walking along and following a mark.
"He gave us a lecture for a bit and then said 'right we are going to go outside and do this'. But then he pulled the shutters up on the window and saw that it was raining and he went 'oh no maybe we shouldn't'.
"So MI6 don't operate a lot in the rain," Lowden - who has been touted as a possibility for the new James Bond - said. "Maybe it's cause they're abroad a lot."
Freeman then shared his own experiences about being "tailed occasionally".
"Just by people, sometimes follow you around. And they think you don't know and of course you do know."
Freeman said those experiences are "less scary and more annoying".
"It's annoying because they think you don't know they are doing it. So occasionally I do just turn round and go 'look, what do you want?'
"I try to be reasonable with people and say 'look I am not a prop'."
Culture
West End theatre
TV drama
Jane Austen
Netflix
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
11 minutes ago
- Metro
Top WWE SummerSlam match at risk with top star 'blocked from entering US'
A major WWE match announced for SummerSlam 2025 is in serious jeopardy after a top superstar wasn't allowed to travel back to the United States. On the first night of the August 2 and 3 double header, Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul are set to face Randy Orton and Grammy Award-winning singer Jelly Roll in a tag team match. McIntyre, known as the Scottish Warrior, has been back in the UK for a friend's wedding in England over the weekend, but he's now claimed he was stopped from boarding his flight back to the US where he has lived for a number of years. 'There's now a good chance I don't make #SummerSlam,' he captioned a video on X as he talking into his phone camera from a field. 'It's quite a week I've had. You wanna know how it's been capped off? i can't get back into America, They wouldn't let me board my flight,' he said in the video. 'I'm in England still, at my buddy's wedding – what a wedding it was. Planning to go back, train for SummerSlam, but no, no, no, no, I got blocked. **Warning – the below video includes strong language** 'Wife and I walked up to the gate, trying to check in, always goes perfectly fine. Not this time.' McIntyre noted that there was an issue with his documentation, despite never having a problem any of the other times he's been travelling. He continued: ''Drew, you don't have your US passport. I know who you are. I know you've lived there for a long time, I know you're showing me pictures of your US passport, and your global entry. ''I know exactly who you are, your property and the likes. But no, we can't let you in the country buddy. 'So my wife and I panic, we say we've got a sick animal at home, we're good people, we care about our animals, we care about people. In the end, his wife travelled back alone 'against her will' to see their pet cat, while McIntyre had to turn around and leave the airport. Ever the professional, the former world champion used the real life incident to continue his on-screen feud with Jelly Roll. 'Here I am. So what happened, what changed this trip? Jelly Roll. You know somebody, got some connections? You've got your 15 minutes of fame right now, can get away with some stuff? You're hot, soon you will not be, so you're getting it in when you can,' he quipped. 'You realised when I took off my shirt on SmackDown, you went , 'Oh my God! All that aura, I'm screwed!' So you screw up my training for SummerSlam week. More Trending 'Why am I in a field? I don't know what I'm in a field but I can tell you one thing! When this is all over, I'm gonna get back, and I'm gonna drop you Jelly Roll. 'I'm gonna make you pay. And eventually, you're gonna gain all that weight back and you're gonna look like one of these f***ers.' It remains to be seen whether McIntyre will make it back by the the weekend, or if a replacement will need to be found for the match. View More » Watch WWE SummerSlam on Netflix live on August 2 and 3. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 'I'll die on that hill': WWE star reveals moment she fought against bosses' plans MORE: How football could produce wrestling's next big superstar MORE: 'That cliffhanger was evil!' 7 sensational shows fans vow were cancelled too early
Metro
11 minutes ago
- Metro
Vanessa Kirby confirms huge Fantastic Four secret everyone is talking about
Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Vanessa Kirby has confirmed the truth behind that Fantastic Four mid-credits sequence. The British actress, 37, plays Sue Storm—or the Invisible Woman, to those in the know—in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Sue makes up one quarter of Marvel's First Family, appearing alongside husband Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), hotheaded brother Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) and human rock face The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as the titular Fantastic Four. With the Fantastic Four's Marvel Cinematic Universe debut out now, audiences have been flocking in droves to witness their arrival. The team may have their hands full battling cosmic world-eater Galactus and his herald, the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner), but there'll be an even bigger villain on fans' minds once the end credits finish rolling. With the cat out of the bag, Kirby has clarified what Doctor Doom's cameo at the end of the film means… and confirmed that star Robert Downey Jr. is already very much back. In the first of two post-credits sequences, Sue is shocked to find a menacing hooded figure looming over her young son, Franklin. Fans will already know this to be the Fantastic Four's longtime nemesis, Doctor Doom, who will be played by Robert Downey Jr. in the upcoming sequel, Avengers: Doomsday. Although the villain's face is obscured, Kirby has revealed that it was indeed Downey Jr. behind that hood. 'Yeah! Robert's never not been on set,' she told Variety when asked whetherRDJ was present for the shoot. She continued: 'He's always there. He is our leader. We call him our Godfather. He's looked after us. This sequence was filmed by the Russo Brothers as part of their work on Avengers: Doomsday and shot while Kirby was pregnant in real life. 'It's such a joy working with the Russos and him, because they've had such deep collaboration for so long,' she revealed. 'And it's been amazing being pregnant and working on Avengers. I felt so inspired and so relieved that I've been so taken care of. It's been a really beautiful journey. Robert is just doing incredible work. I'm so excited.' It was announced last year that Downey Jr. would be returning to the long-running franchise, six years after being killed off in Avengers: Endgame. This came as Earth's mightiest heroes faced off against purple menace Thanos (Josh Brolin) for the fate of the universe. This spelt the end of Downey Jr.'s career-defining stint as Tony Stark—aka Iron Man—sacrificing himself at the end of the film to secure the future of reality as we know it. A few years later, it was confirmed that he would be returning, albeit in an entirely different role. The actor's appointment to the post was unveiled at last year's Comic-Con, when a cloaked Downey Jr. removed his mask to reveal that he would be playing Doom, real name Victor von Doom. This character was previously played by late Nip/Tuck actor Julian McMahon in the 2005 and 2007 films and by Toby Kebbell in the 2015 reboot. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Doom's brief appearance at the end of First Steps gives little away as to what he has planned, although we do know it involves Sue and Reed's infant son. He will spearhead a massive cast in Avengers: Doomsday, which is currently set for release on December 26, 2026. More Trending Names already announced include Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright and Paul Rudd, as well as X-Men actors Sir Patrick Stewart, Sir Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn and James Marsden. Of his return to the MCU, Downey Jr. joked: 'New mask, same task. 'What did I tell you? I like playing complicated characters.' The Fantastic Four: First Steps is out in UK cinemas now. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Pedro Pascal responds to misconceptions and his answer is so on-brand MORE: Benedict Cumberbatch blasts 'grossly wasteful' film industry MORE: Meet the 'hidden' Russo sibling leading her Marvel director brothers' studio
Scottish Sun
12 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Iconic British film starring Keira Knightley confirmed for a sequel after 23 years
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BEND It Like Beckham has been confirmed for a sequel, more than two decades after it was released. Director Gurinder Chadha revealed she is developing a follow-up to the 2002 hit film, which launched the careers of Keira Knightley and Parminder Nagra. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 Bend It Like Beckham has been confirmed for a sequel, more than two decades after it was released Credit: Kobal Collection - Shutterstock The sequel is being lined up for release in 2027 to mark the film's 25th anniversary and coincide with the FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil. Gurinder told the BBC: "We've been part of changing the game for women, so it felt like this was a good time for me to go back and investigate the characters." The director said she has been asked 'almost twice a week' since the original came out to create a sequel, though no decision has been made on whether it will take the form of a film or a television series. She added: 'A lot has changed since the original movie, but I think that people still don't think that women should play football. "There are people who still don't take it seriously, although the Lionesses are riding high. I've left it a while, but I thought: 'Look at the Euros, look at the Lionesses.'" Gurinder said she hopes to reunite the original cast and suggested members of the current England squad would be 'queuing up' to appear in cameo roles. The original film, made on a £3.5 million budget, became a box office success, earning nearly £60 million worldwide. It followed Jess Bhamra (Parminder), a teenager who dreams of playing football professionally, despite pressure from her traditional Sikh family to focus on education and marriage. She is recruited by Jules (Keira), who spots her talent and brings her into the local women's team. Chadha claimed she had not expected the film to take off, but wanted to 'uplift girls who were always being told how to dress and what to say'. Keira Knightley admits she's only watched Love Actually once - and reveals real reason why She said: 'What I did was say you can do what you want, and you can have it all,' she said. 'And I think that's a really great message to put out again. I think there's still stuff to say, and stuff to challenge.' Gurinder previously told The Mirror she had been working on a sequel to iconic movie The filmmaker said in 2023: "For the longest time I never wanted to do a sequel. "But I have to say, after the World Up this year, and also with the Euro's a few years ago, my brain is ticking again and I have an idea in my head that I'm thinking through for the first time. "I'm thinking that I could definitely do something. I never wanted to follow the girls off in America, because I felt that what I had created was so magical for that moment in time. "It's very hard with sequels - there are very few sequels that I think really hit the mark after the success of the first film. "However, I do have an idea and I am starting to work on it, so I think I will definitely do something that shows how brilliant our athletes are right now." The film highlighted the challenges girls face despite women's football growing in popularity since the film was released in 2002. Gurinder was inspired to create the film after seeing a photograph of legendary England and Arsenal striker Ian Wright dressed in a union jack flag. This made her think about what Britishness actually meant and the "evolving concept of Britishness." Football is important to Britain and the sport has the power to pull many different people together. Gary Lineker, who featured in the film, reflected on it saying how "football does unify the nation, everyone gets behind England and it's probably the only time we do all come together. That's what originated the idea of Bend It Like Beckham." There are plenty of fun facts about the film besides Wright being the inspiration. The budget may have been just £3.5 million but it grossed at nearly £60 million. Chada didn't know much about football and relied on co-writers to add the football bits. It was even the first Western filmed to be screened in North Korea at a public broadcast during a film festival in the country. Actresses Nagra and Kiera did three months worth of football training for the film and didn't use any doubles. The title itself is a metaphor as Chada explained back in 2003. She said: "We can see our goal but instead of going straight there, we too have to twist and bend the rules sometimes to get what we want. "No matter where we reside, no matter what group we claim or do not embrace as part of our ethnic lineage." 4 Director Gurinder Chadha revealed she is developing a follow-up to the 2002 hit film Credit: AFP 4 The original film earned nearly £60 million worldwide Credit: Rex
