In this new interview with Camelot star Joseph Fiennes and Camelot writer/showrunner Chris Chibnall, they chat about Jamie Campbell Bower (aka Caius) and his contribution as King Arthur in the 10 episode original series (expected to air in the Spring of 2011). Thank you Team-Twilight for the heads up/JCB alert!
On Assembling the great Camelot cast:
CHIBNALL: That’s really the great joy of the series. We’ve got Eva Green doing her first television series. We’ve got a wonderful Arthur in Jamie Campbell Bower, who is a really terrific actor. We’ve got Tamsin Egerton as Guinevere. We’ve got some great guest stars coming in. We’ve got Fitz Regan, Sinéad Cusack and Sebastian Koch, from The Lives of Others. When it comes down to it, this is a show with an amazing ensemble, and my job is to keep feeding them and let them do great stuff. The caliber of acting in this show is something I’m really proud of and shall try and take as much credit for as possible, even though it’s down to the actors.
On the relationship between Merlin and Arthur (Played by Jamie Campbell Bower). Is it the traditional one of mentor?
FIENNES: We’re bringing them in very young. Their relationship really is from when he was born, and Merlin takes the boy from the Queen, at that time, who’s married to Uther. He installs the baby with a man called Sir Ector, and Sir Ector educates him in a wonderful way and nurtures him without the blood lust of the warlord king that is his father. That’s where their relationship starts. And then, when he’s a young man, Uther is poisoned and that’s the time that Merlin brings him in. Merlin has pretty much designed this. There’s a contract between Merlin and Uther, that he could have the child when he comes of age, and that’s what puts him into power. Their relationship takes many different turns and shifts. He’s a tutor, a father figure and a brutal headmaster. He’s got to give this boy all of the tools to be king in a ruthless world, and he has to do it in a very short space of time, so there’s a lot of cruel to be kind. I also think there’s a great love and respect for what this boy goes through. He sacrifices a lot to take this position of king, and there’s a huge witness of that sacrifice for Merlin. A very special relationship emerges because of that.
