Scottish actor Graham McTavish is king of the franchises.
He’s been in hit sci-fi and fantasy variations (“The Hobbit,” “Outlander”), he’s entered the Marvel world (in animated type) and he’s at the moment in two juggernaut reveals concurrently: as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Ser Harrold Westerling, in the already renewed “Sport of Thrones” spinoff “House of the Dragon” (Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO) and as Sigismund Dijkstra in “The Witcher” (Netflix), at the moment filming Season 3.
McTavish, 61, spoke to The Submit about his profession.
Have been your roles in these franchises a deliberate selection?
Sure, it’s a marketing campaign of world domination. If it’s acquired a sword in it, and a cloak, and possibly a candle, and a horse, I’m there. I sleep with these issues by my mattress. Nicely, possibly not the horse. However I’m very in tune with my type of fantastical self. I like these issues, I’ve all the time been a giant sci-fi and fantasy fan. Actually, it’s simply the way it’s labored out. The final 10 to 12 years, it’s been one fantasy after one other. I’m filming “The Witcher” in London in the meanwhile. I had the weird expertise of filming “The Witcher“ in the course of the day, after which actually having to get became my outfit for the premiere for “Home of the Dragon.” It was very odd. Actually shedding one character to go and discuss one other.
Have been you a fan of “Sport of Thrones” earlier than getting forged in “Home of the Dragon?”
Oh sure, completely. So I used to be excited to be a part of that world. I keep in mind I acquired the information, and I used to be with my kids on the time, they’re 10 and 15. And their first query was, “Do you get to experience a dragon?” I needed to disappoint them as a result of I didn’t. However I spent a variety of time round [dragons]. It’s an odd factor, as a result of clearly you’re having them represented in all kinds of unusual methods on set — one in every of which was actually a laser pen on the roof that we’d take a look at, and that will be the dragon flying round. We use our creativeness on a regular basis after we’re appearing, however in a scenario like that, you must combat in opposition to the intuition to really feel just a little silly, a tennis ball on the tip of a stick and making an attempt to think about that that could be a fire-breathing dragon. It was nice enjoyable, although.
After I walked into the throne room, it was simply me and Milly Alcock, who plays the young Rhaenyra — and whenever you see that iconic Iron Throne when you’re standing there in a swimsuit of armor with an enormous sword, little or no appearing is required. You simply immerse your self in that world.
You had been additionally in “The Hobbit” movies. Are you planning to look at the “Lord of the Rings” TV present?
Oh yeah, I’m going to be very to see how it’s. Once you’ve been a part of that Center Earth fandom, you get just a little proprietary, you wish to see how that legacy is being sorted. So I feel I’m not going to be alone among the many forged of “The Hobbit” or “The Lord of the Rings.” We’ll all be tuning in.
What are you able to share about Season 3 of “The Witcher“?
I can’t share any of the plot, however I can say that I’m having an exquisite time. It’s actually a stunning forged. There’s a variety of laughter on that set, and Henry Cavill is a stunning man to work with. It’s nice; [my character] Sigismund Dijkstra is a crafty, manipulative particular person. He has an agenda, he won’t be deflected from it [and] we are able to anticipate just a little extra of that from him.
And there’s extra of your travel docuseries “Men in Kilts” along with your “Outlander” co-star Sam Heughan?
Season 2 is about in New Zealand. I spend a part of my time there as a result of that’s the place my kids are, so Sam [Heughan] joined me and we drove across the nation from prime to backside. In the event you thought I used to be scared in Season 1, wait till you see how scared I get in Season 2. [Sam] is set to — I don’t know, give me a coronary heart assault, everlasting PTSD, nightmares. It looks like his purpose in life is to scale back me to tears as typically as attainable.
