Rising Star Colin Morgan
Interview: Sophy Grimshaw Colin Morgan has quickly risen from a critically-acclaimed Theatre newbie to the star of BBC one’s new Saturday night drama, Merlin. Move over Harry Potter Merlin is known as a wizened old wizard. How did you play him as a young man? We approached it with the idea that, if Merlin was [...]
Interview: Sophy Grimshaw
Colin Morgan has quickly risen from a critically-acclaimed Theatre newbie to the star of BBC one’s new Saturday night drama, Merlin. Move over Harry Potter
Merlin is known as a wizened old wizard. How did you play him as a young man?
We approached it with the idea that, if Merlin was at one time an old wizard, there must also have been a time when he was a young man struggling to learn how to use his powers. He has to be able to cope with that before he can go on to become the Merlin we know.
Are you worried that a show about Merlin and the King Arthur legend might attract some slightly strange fans?
One of the best things about our show is that it has real breadth of appeal. There’s arguably something here for fans of Heroes and Smallville [about the young Superman], for fans of the Lord of the Rings movies, and for people who are just fascinated by the Camelot myth.
You also appeared in an episode of Dr Who. Is there a friendly rivalry between the shows?
I would never compare myself to David Tennant because he is so great and I’d never say I was anywhere near as a good as him. I think Dr Who fans will enjoy our show, but it’s quite different. One of the ways it differs is that Merlin has a lot of themes and sub-plots that develop throughout the series, so it doesn’t have the same self-contained episode style that Dr Who does.
What’s it like acting with John Hurt, who voices the dragon in Merlin?
I’ve still never actually met him! For the parts of the show where I’m speaking to the dragon, I’m looking at a cross on a piece of green screen [on which images are projected] and using my imagination. John Hurt sends his parts in on a tape. I know that sounds strange. I’m really looking forward to eventually meeting him.
Is working with a green screen difficult?
I actually enjoy that aspect of the show, as it challenges you as an actor and it’s part of what makes this so different from theatre work, which is what I’ve done in
the past. There are some amazing action sequences in the show; they’ve been beautifully put together using effects. I’ve filmed scenes where I’ve been chased through a forest by a griffin – all kinds of stuff.
Michelle Ryan is in the show. She’s had success in America with The Bionic Woman. Do you hope to work over there?
As an actor you’re always interested in different opportunities to keep working and push ahead, but I’m not set on one particular thing.
Merlin is shown on BBC One on Saturday nights
A wizard CV
Born 1 January 1986 in Northern Ireland, Colin Morgan studied in Belfast before going on to Glasgow’s Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. His big break came in 1997 when he was cast in the title role of Vernon God Little in the Young Vic stage adaptation of the book. Morgan then starred with Dame Diana Rigg in All About My Mother at the Old Vic, in the first-ever theatre adaptation of a Pedro Almodóvar film
