I met Daniel Sharman during Fantastic Fest in Austin back in September, and I’ve been holding on to this until getting closer to the release date for THE IMMORTALS, his big-screen debut.This young British actor is so new to the scene, that last I looked a few months ago; he didn’t even have a Wiki-page yet. Just a mere mention on the page.
Art from the IMMORTALS graphic nove
After this, I am sure there will be all kinds of dirt on him throughout the years and maybe even some nuggets of truth. I just know that I met a charming young man who was promo-ing his heart out and touring with a brief stop in Austin to show off some of the art from the graphic novel and was good enough to take the time out to chat with me for a few minutes. As we got started he and I talked about Fantastic Fest and the Karaoke madness that strikes every fall. He was a bit envious that he would not have time to stick around to participate; even though I tried to convince him to miss a flight… we start in the middle of talking about Dominic Monaghan’s performance the night before…
- Dominic layin’ it down at Fantastic Fest.
Holly B: Last night Dominic threw down on Ice, Ice, Baby…as part of the freestyle rap throw down show at The Highball.
Daniel Sharman: …Ah. A classic choice. A classic choice. I’ve just recently gotten into Karaoke…
HB: Are you a good singer?
DS: Terrible. But – I’ll do it. But after good drink…
HB: I did Get By With A Little Help From My Friends with some fellas I had just met that night, which is good, because if you’re not a good singer, you’ve got backup.
DS: It’s funny, ‘cause I’ve got the worse voice known to man. And I felt… it was always one of those one things that I wanted to do. But I didn’t want to do it…it was like my worst fear.
HB: Like your ego getting bruised?
DS: Exactly. And as soon as I did it, I was doing like nine songs in a row!
I talked about the Japanese contingent hosting the show on Sunday night (this was Friday) and how sometimes it involves scantily-clad women and men in diapers. Immediately, and with no hesitation he said: “That’s serious stuff! I’m there! “
The tour was only going to Austin, NYC, Los Angeles and San Francisco and I asked if he was obligated to go to all of it to host.
DS: Some of it I can do, and some I can’t…I’ve got to go back to London for a bit, so… I think it’s beautiful. Some of the art is fantastic.
HB: I now have a technical question—was this actually filmed in 3-D, or was it all done in post-production?
DS: Parts of it were, parts of it weren’t. It was all filmed to be transferred in a way to be compatible technically. They knew they wanted to end up in 3-D.
HB: So what extra filming challenges did that present?
Nice to see this in large format
DS: It takes a lot longer. Everything takes so much longer. You have extra cameras. So that was something that was different. The set-ups are different. They way they position the camera, how they do it… the main thing in some of my stuff is in super…super slow motion. And you watch it and it is so beautiful and flowing. That was just stunning to watch that.
HB: There’s obviously going to be a lot of comparisons to the last few sword and sandal films that have come out…
DS: Of course…of course.
HB: If you’re willing to be part of the PR-machine, I imagine you feel your film is up to this comparison.
DS: Yes.
Daniel had just finished an interview with the editor of a local Austin magazine before I spoke to him. (Who, while nice enough, asked him how his parents felt seeing him half-naked on the screen. REALLY? – what a puff question.)
HB: While we were both waiting for our turns to speak with you, we watched the behind the scenes and how it was made bits about The Immortals that was playing on a tv in the art gallery. One of the things I’d mentioned to the editor was that even though sometimes you see something that in your mind may not be good, but if you watch the behind-the-scenes footage you realize just how many people busted ass to make it good. The best they could, and how sometimes that can make you (or at least, me) revisit your impression of the film all around. It happened with me for Clash of the Titans. I don’t care for the story as presented, but I caught some of the extras on cable one night, and doing so has given me a different kind of appreciation for the film.
DS: Exactly! It doesn’t matter what you take out of this film, emotionally, it’s going to be a spectacle that you’ll just be…latched on to.
HB: A sit down and just enjoy the ride, sort of thing?
DS: Yes. Just enjoy it. Just appreciate it for that. At the very least. Whether you get transported by the story. Or get involved by the story is one thing. I mean, I’ve seen the kind of…the work…, the detail and thought, you know…the creativity that’s gone into making it. And I can’t describe to you beautiful how it is.
HB: I was watching some of the scenes on the TV over there, and they interviewed briefly the costume designer (Eiko Ishioka – who designed for Bram Stoker’s Dracula, The Cell and The Fall – the last two working with Tarsem directly) and seeing that she was from Japan it gave me a whole new clue as to her style of design on this film. Her whole cultural identity is different from a Western European’s interpretation of some things. And her designs are so fantastically realized. Especially the masking and helmets.
DS: Yes…she did The Cell and The Fall as well. So cool.
David being interviewed. So I photo'd the photographer.
HB: So how was the experience for you? Was it good? Was it super grueling because there’s so much green screen and the effect is not there?
DS: Parts of it were. Parts of it were grueling. You do the training, you do the work. You do the time and you get to the place where you fit in with that thing. And parts of it were enormous bits of fun. The scenes in Heaven kind of flow and work. And so it’s umm…it was both …it was kind of such a weird experience. I mean, it took me an hour to get into costume, and it’s there and brilliant and things have to look right…
HB: …Camera ready.
DS: Right! – And you do it and you kind of — there are moments where you completely lose it. Because, you know… they’ve built these amazing sets and sure there’s green screens and you have to go off into your imagination, and you see what they’re going to actually look like.
HB: was there a lot of pre-viz (simple computer renderings of how a scene or a monster should look when shot) that you could use for reference at these times?
DS: There were a few on the set. They weren’t finished, of course. Not fully detailed.
HB: Of course…you have some blocky square buildings to see where it will be.
DS: There’s building here, and tents out there. But I kind of got a sense of scale of the whole thing. That was helpful. They all made it very…very easy as an experience as an actor.
HB: It’s just all the crew that has to work. I work in theatre in Atlanta and while the actors get all the praise, and there’s nothing wrong with that…but the crew is often there longer hours to build and paint and light something… but here you’ve got carpenters that are hammering away for months doing the work.
DS: It’s funny, because it’s odd to me that actors get that…that level of adoration.
HB: I would love it if there were Academy Awards for Stuntwork, for example. I mean, it took until 1981 and American Werewolf of London and Rick Baker’s amazing work for an Oscar™ to be created for makeup/effects.
DS: Those people do such hard work.
HB: On that note, so how well DID you get to know your stuntman?
DS: Very well. I went up early for a month for training with them. They’re so talented and skilled. And they’re in the lot of the movie, as soldiers and background fighters and such. You’d almost want an extra thing in the movie of them because they busted their ass so much.
HB: And they get injured on set sometimes, or like that BOND stuntman who died on Quantum of Solace a few years ago…
DS: And you just kind of look in awe… I mean, coming from Theatre, where you know the work that goes into that, obviously. Not just the fancy bits.
HB: You see the end results on stage.
DS: Yes. I am big on spending time with those types of people. For one, they’re much cleverer and more interesting. Better stories.
HB: Down at the bar?
DS: Exactly. My fondest evenings seem to be always spent with a Key Grip or something. They have the best stories. I’m just a fan of those folks. They do the hard stuff.
HB: Are you surprised that this point in your life or career with thoughts like, I am about to headline a big giant movie…and it’s going to America, and it will either break me wide open, or it will take me years to
DS: …get back up there. (said same time as me)
HB: Is that a frightening thought? I am not trying to scare you…
DS: (laughs) Well, I’m tough. Yeah…ummm. I’ve thought about it. I’m not terrified. I’ve never really wanted it in the first place. I’ve never…it’s weird ‘cause I guess I always excepted to do …find a way to work. And work in theatre. And to do things here and there…and to have things here and there it’s such a funny thing
HB: How did it happen? How did you get tapped?
DS: I was in LA to sort of take meetings. I went in to audition and thought, well, I can only do so well. Do my interpretation of the character. I did an interesting interpretation of it. I said; if I get it, I get it. Oh well. But they rang me back up. And Tarsem said, “I really loved your version.” It’s nice to have that validation. To go out on a limb with something. I was very different than anyone who was doing it.
HB: And not just because you’re a slight fellow. That’s so much more polite then ‘skinny’. Slight is nicer, and “fellow”, because you’re British.
casually just hanging out with a local crew
DS: That’s really nice, thank you. (Laughs)
Holly: Do you fear repercussions from critics, because they tend to give this sort of thing a pass…and go “Eh…It is what it is.”
DS: I mean, you really want to have to do this. I mean, acting you get to do what you want. To play around and experiment and stuff. By no means think that I’m…I’m ready to… I guess I’m always learning. If I said; Oh yeah, I’m the actor I want to be— I’d laugh. I’m not. Like a Peter O’Toole, who I think is astonishing.
Holly: I recently watched My Favorite Year again and…he’s so great in it. Or Becket.
DS: Exactly…they are so good. So thoughtful…slight fellow. And if you think…you kind of aspire to do that.
HB: If you could have half of his career.
DS: If I could have one-tenth of his carreer I’m happy. Or I can do things that are as moving or as inspiring as some of those roles, then you kind of go; That’s what you do. That’s the job. The rest of its great you know? It’s wonderful being able to do those you know… impressive things. My massive aim, whether you like it or not isn’t really important to me. I know that sounds really obvious.
Holly: I don’t think it’s arrogant, it’s like you’re saying “This is what I want, and if you want to be a part of it, great…”
DS: I’m my worse critic. Yes. So whatever’s going to be said (by critics and reviews) I am thinking ten times worse. I set very high standards for myself. And then if it doesn’t work, I’m always just thinking; if I can get work somewhere near as good as that. Or as detailed or as thoughtful as that. That would be great.
HB: Are you going to stick with the theatre world as much as you can?
DS: I’d like to go back as much as I can. Again, I mean, I’m not …I’ve not learned enough of that. I want to be one of those people who know …
HB: The craft of it…?
DS: Exactly. But, doing this is hugely inspiring. I want to be good at this, now. But you can never say “I’m done with that, I’m finished”. If you give me the opportunity I’ll do my own thing.
HB: For example, your co-star, Mickey Rourke has invented and re-invented himself like five times. And he was not in a good place for a long time, as far as Hollywood was concerned, but you do Sin City and one wrestling movie, and everybody loves you now.
DS: It’s so fickle. So fickle. The whole thing’s so flip-flopped. If you spend time worrying about that, you’ll drive yourself batty.
HB: that’s why you have agents and managers. Let them do the worrying. And if you do badly, you can just say, “Why didn’t you get me better material?” And put it on them. (Daniel laughs)
DS: Yeah, I don’t’ CARE. Just give me something to do. I’ll spend 20 minutes going off on it, thinking about it. I’ll give you whatever I can do. If that’s interesting to you, that’s interesting. That’s as good as it gets. That to me is the fun part.
Holly: What was your worst day on the set?
DS: I think is a weird juxtaposition of the worst and the best day. The fighting scenes. You get to watch them in slow motion on the screen. But it lasts seven hours. You’re going to be hitting the things. The helmet’s heavy. The armor’s digging in…it’s lucky that after an entire day I’m standing upright. You’re wearing these shin guards…and everything digging in. you just find the energy to go on. The end of that day I remember just sweating so much that everything’s slimy. And you squelch!
HB: Conversely, what was your best day?
DS: Funnily enough, the beginning of the day was one of the best days of my life! I got to smash up everything and we’ve learned an entire routine of killing.
HB: So you’re ready to go, finally.
DS: And you set upon this thing, and ready to go off and batter. That morning was just phenomenal. You say, I want to see that! I want to see how that looks, in the absolute slow motion, if you like. And tear this stuff apart. It’s every boy’s dream, that. Stress relief.
HB: When I was getting married, I registered for a Chuck Norris™ heavy-bag (he laughs) I did not get one, and got divorced four years later, and I think that they’re connected.
DS: I don’t doubt it for a minute! The stress relief. I hope next time you get one of those. I’ll GET you one of those.
HB: I dunno, I celebrate my Divorceaversary™ every year in November. (he laughs again) I made up a whole word just to celebrate it. And I note: I am in a relationship with a great guy, so I’m not the single bitter divorced girl…FYI.
The publicist gives me the high sign at the end of the laughter (maybe we’re not allowed to joke, I don’t know) and we start wrapping things up. Daniel was very complementary to me saying “You know your stuff” about not trying to ask the same old’ boring questions. I asked if he would take a cheesy photo. He offered the soon to-be-famous Karaoke Face.
Your new GOD OF WAR - unafraid to be a Karaoke Superstar
It’s lovely. We had a nice 20 minutes together. It’s not the posed face he made for others, and I like that he’s not so jaded and guarded at this stage in his career that he can’t laugh about divorce, praise the behind-the-scenes folks and still make dumb faces. I hope he can keep all of these qualities throughout his time in the machine and his life and I hope to have opportunity to sing some bad karaoke (is there any other kind?) with him, either at The Highball, or the dive bar of his choice.
** Big thanks to Jessica Martinez at Moroch for setting this up, and inviting me, and to the folks at Fantastic Fest for having such a killer reason to go to Austin in 105-degree heat. THE IMMORTALS opens wide in the US today and elsewhere sometime after that.
