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Mark Strong Is Desperate To See Arsenal Win The Champions League
原文来自https://www.unilad.co.uk/feature ... e-champions-league/
What can we say about Mark Strong? He’s starred in not one, but two movies called Sunshine. He also kicked Kick-Ass’s ass – although it didn’t end well for him. And as Kingsman’s Merlin would say, he’s ‘f*cking spectacular’.
The British actor recently led troops on 1917’s front line. Now, he’s the latest storyteller to immerse listeners in nautical tales of the deep on Krakenory, a new online series inspired by CBBC’s Jackanory, looking to steer people away from cabin fever.
First though, the country roads took him home to the place he belongs: sitting on the phone, chatting to UNILAD. Because we’re a merciful bunch, we didn’t tempt him with the Eye of Sin – instead, we put him through his paces with our thought-provoking interview format. Thankfully, he didn’t send his goons to put me in a giant lumber microwave (yet).
This is The Ten…
1) You’ve got a time machine, where’s the first place you’re going?
Mark: There’s lots of things. I eventually plumped for the late 16th century, when Shakespeare was writing plays, and Ben Johnson and Christopher Marlow – they were all writing plays together for these theatres that had popped up on the South Bank, that during the daytime were being used for bear-baiting.
The idea they were writing plays people would come and watch, and stand up and be rowdy during it, it’s kind of a fascinating idea we now hold those plays in such reverence 400 years later. So, I would love to go there to see what the thinking was behind them.
Lord Henry Blackwood Sherlock Holmes 2009 Mark StrongWarner Bros.
There’s that eternal mystery of who Shakespeare is: was he really an actor or one of the King’s Men? Was it written by royalty? I think it’s the Earl of Oxford isn’t it, that people think might have written the plays. How did that guy know the conventions of the court in Italy, for example?
I would love to use the time machine to go back and explore that time and see how grimy it was. Also, there’s people that say if those guys were writing today, churning them out, they’d be writing for soaps or something. I’d love to know whether that was true, or whether they truly understood these plays would live hundreds of years into the future and still be performed.
UNILAD: Out of interest, what’s your favourite Shakespeare play?
Mark: I think Hamlet is my favourite play, because that was written during a 20-year period which was was known as the ‘Revenge Period’, and there were plays written by people like Thomas Kyd – who wrote The Spanish Tragedy – and other writers who were writing revenge tragedies at the time.
There was a kind of formula to it all, a bit like horror stories and horror movies now – there had to be a skull, there had to be a dagger, the villain had to die, often there was poison and people kissing poison, stuff like that. The idea that something would happen to someone and they’d take their horrible revenge, the audience loved these.
Mark Strong StardustParamount Pictures
But what Shakespeare did was write a revenge play in which the ‘revenger’ couldn’t take his revenge. It’s a much more cerebral play – the idea he just kind of went to another place. Instead of writing a play with all the usual daggers and poison and skulls and all of that, he kind of wrote a play that fits the period. But it’s a much more cerebral play about someone who has an inability to take revenge rather than how they take their revenge.
UNILAD: I think I’m still shook to the core by having to near-memorise Hamlet in school that a mention of it really gets under my skin.
Mark: [Laughs] Well, recently Andrew Scott did [Hamlet] at the Almeida which I thought was fantastic, by a guy called Robert Icke who I’ve worked with. He made it really clear and really watchable, and I took my young teenage son who was riveted by it from beginning to end, and it’s not one of Shakespeare’s shorter plays either.
Andrew Scott HamletBBC
It’d be extraordinary, you know? It’s not just Shakespeare writing at this time, it’s all the other guys too, and the competition between the different groups.
At this time there was a thing called the Vagabonds Act [1572] and I think actors were deemed to be rogues and vagabonds, and kind of lumped together with bookies and prostitutes and all that kind of thing. You were considered like, really the arse-end of society if you were writing, acting and performing in those theatres.
2) What’s the most famous person thing you’ve ever done?
Mark: The most famous person thing I’ve ever done? I don’t entirely understand, I’m guessing you’re asking what’s the most access I’ve had as a famous person or something like that?
UNILAD: That’s probably the grammatically better-put way of asking it, yeah.
Mark: [laughs] Okay, so I’m a Gooner, I’m an Arsenal fan. I was born in Islington, I’ve followed them all my life. I’m not rabid, but I am very keen – I have a season ticket and everything.
I was invited to the director’s box to watch Arsenal vs Tottenham a couple of seasons ago, so I got to stand in the tunnel when the players arrived and got to kind of shake their hands and see both teams as they went past me into the changing rooms, so I got to do that.
Then, I got to go up and have a lunch in the director’s box in the restaurant up there and then go and sit in the director’s box. I don’t know if you know, as someone who’s used to sitting in the stadium, these are heated seats in the director’s box. It was a chilly day, I had a blanket over my legs and I watched us beat Tottenham, which was a great feeling.
Mark Strong Fever PitchPhaedra Cinema
The funny thing about that story is, on the way up in the lift after seeing all the players together to go have something to eat, when the doors opened all I could see was Robert Pires just standing there. I’m a huge fan of his, so when I walked in I just started chatting to him – god knows what I was saying, just garbling about the game and what it’d feel like if we win and stuff like that.
My wife, who was with me, kept tugging away at my arm in the lift. She just kept tugging away and I’m trying to elbow her off like: ‘F*ck off, I’m trying to talk to Robert Pires.’ Then, she tugs again, so I turn round like: ‘What?’ She points over my soldier and it’s Arsène Wenger literally squashed into the corner of the lift, and me with my back to him, and I didn’t even realise he was in there.
I felt so bad. A great man, squashed into the corner, as I indulged my love of Robert Pires. So, I apologised and he was very gracious about it. But yeah, I guess that whole episode is probably the most famous person thing I’ve ever had the privilege of being able to do.
It was fun, but I felt like such a dick that he was literally standing right behind me. But, like I say, he was very gracious.
Mark Strong PA Images
3) If you weren’t an actor, what do you think you’d be doing with your life?
Mark: What would I be doing, or what would I hope to be doing?
UNILAD: What would you like to be doing if being an actor wasn’t a possibility for you?
Mark: Hmm, I don’t know. Like I say, I was born in Islington, grew up in London. Moving away gave me access to a better education than I probably would have had, had I stayed in London where we were living.
But my parents broke up and my mother moved away, and I think the lifestyle of an only child with a single parent who moves around a lot probably led me to be in acting. I do wonder if they stayed put, stayed married, I’d probably be working in London, driving a van or something. I probably wouldn’t have had the same opportunities, I’ve been very lucky.
But what I would have loved to have done is be a musician. That’s the thing I covet most of all. Guys being able to sort of layer sound together, write tunes, perform live, you know that’s kind of where I might have headed.
Mark Strong Is Desperate To See Arsenal Win The Champions League20th Century Studios
Even when I was a kid, I was a huge fan – my first musical consciousness was northern soul, then it was David Bowie and Talking Heads. I was just such a huge fan, I think I would have gone that way.
When I was 14, I started a band at school. It was a punk band, because we were all told at the age, it was sort of 1976/1977, there was three chords (I think it was in a music magazine). ‘Here’s three chords, now go out and form a band.’ I took it literally, got some mates together: ‘You’re gonna play drums, you’re gonna play guitar, we’ll get a mic.’
At school, I was in charge of the amp and speakers, so I could get a room and we could all plug our instruments in and we could just play. Our band was called… well, we had loads of different names. My favourite was Toxoid.
UNILAD: Toxoid?
Mark: Toxoid! [Laughs] As in toxic, Toxoid. We also called ourselves Private Party because we thought it’d be funny to have a poster with Private Party written on it, but nobody turned up. I don’t think we really thought that one through properly. But yeah, music would have been the way to go I think.
UNILAD: Do you have any particular songs curated from your band?
Mark: I do, I can remember we certainly recorded a couple. One was called Obese, one was called Pity the Native, which had a sort of reggae flavour to it.
We had a guy who we sort of thought was going to be our manager, so we cut these two tracks at a very cheap recording studio. He gave us the cassette tapes of what we’d done, and he wrote on the front ‘Obeast!’ and ‘Peter the Native’ instead of Pity the Native. We kind of knew we were doomed if our manager couldn’t get the names of the tracks right.
UNILAD: Punk bands singing reggae-flavoured songs probably isn’t something you’d hear nowadays.
Mark: Well, I don’t know – there was a huge companionship between punk and reggae back in those days. I think they were both culturally trying to tear down boredom, really. I was listening to Don Letts on Radio 6, and he was talking about this. He said there was a real conference between the two because they were both sort of revolutionary. Revolutionary songs and music, they did sort of share a similar DNA.
4) You have one wish and it has to be selfish, what do you wish for? No world peace.
Mark: Sorry about this, but it’s got to be Arsenal to win the Champions League.
[Laughs] That’s what I really wish for. I was there in 2006 when we played Barcelona, and we were down to 10 men but still went 1-0 up, and I think the Arsenal team, at that point, was better than the Barcelona team, and we could have won that.
Fever Pitch 1997Phaedra Cinema
It always hurts – in the last 20 minutes they scored two goals. It was in Paris, bit rainy and a bit chilly when I came out of the stadium – I felt a bit miserable. So, I kind of thought there and then, that’s what I’d like to happen. It’s gone a bit backwards since then, but we’ll be back.
UNILAD: There’s still hope! Things can happen, things can change.
Mark: There is still hope, well put, thanks Cameron.
5) Whose career are you secretly jealous of?
Mark: I don’t even think it’s secretly; I’m openly jealous of Viggo Mortensen, do you know him?
UNILAD: Yes, of course! He’s fantastic.
Mark: He’s a really fascinating guy. I did a movie with him in Prague called Good. When I arrived, he gave me a CD of some music he’d made – but it wasn’t songs and tunes, it was him sort of noodling on the piano, random songs he’d made, sort of atmospheric thing, along with a little book of photographs from the period.
I thought he was really cool. He also had a flag of his Argentinian team, San Lorenzo de Almagro. He’s a very ardent fan. The combination of all those things – the music, the little things he gave me when I arrived, his love of football – I really thought he was cool.
Viggo Mortensen Green BookUniversal Pictures
More than that, it’s the choices he’s made, the films he makes. Captain Fantastic, I thought was brilliant and a really lovely choice. Green Book, which he did just recently, was amazing. Then there was the Russian thing, oh I can’t remember what it’s called. He could have went the way of the big studios, had he wanted to, but always kept it much more interesting. Every film he makes I always look forward to.
UNILAD: Is there any part of you that would like to be Aragorn?
Mark: Ironically, that’s the thing he liked least, I think. He’s aware it gave him international fame, but he constantly made a decision to not pursue those kinds of parts in those kinds of movies. Obviously, if something like that comes your way, you do it. There are certain parts and certain projects you can’t say no to.
Of course, I would have loved to be in it. But it’s what he’s done since then I find so interesting. He’s not gone for the sort of mainstream money and fame, he’s actually gone for interesting things.
UNILAD: Absolutely. I mean, A History of Violence is spectacular. Then there’s The Road – god, so bleak.
Mark: [Laughs] Yeah The Road is really bleak. A History of Violence is extraordinary, isn’t it? A very odd film. Then there’s that Russian one I’m trying to think of, where he has the naked fight in the sauna.
The Road Viggo MortensenDimension Films
UNILAD: Eastern Promises!
Mark: That’s it. What a varied amount of different stuff he’s played. He’s what they call an actor’s actor – he’s certainly my kind of actor.
6) What’s your strongest held opinion?
Mark: I think it’s about how we’re all equal: how I cannot stand arrogance and people who are unkind to one another and don’t value each other, and don’t really see that every human being on the planet has as much value as the next.
I think that’s why Nelson Mandela is such a big hero. Having been locked up, for the length of time he was, to then not come out and take revenge but see the bigger picture and make himself a true statesman by trying to preach peace and understanding, I think that’s incredibly important in life.
Mark Strong PA Images
In my daily life, I just try and make sure that I’m as egalitarian as I can possibly be. We’re all equal – some people have had good fortune, some people have made money and had success, but it doesn’t entitle you to anything. Really, you’re just the same as the next guy.
7) What’s something you’ve never admitted publicly but you’ll tell me now.
Mark: [Laughs] I’ve thought about this Cameron and I’m going to disappoint you I’m afraid. The logic of that question is, if I’ve never admitted it publicly, why on Earth would I tell you?
UNILAD: Well, I like to think I’m very nice and you might feel a connection to tell me such things.
Mark: I probably would if we were having a drink together somewhere in a pub. But you are the conduit to the world, so as a good journalist whatever I tell you has to be passed on. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be doing your job.
UNILAD: That’s true.
Mark Strong Shazam!Warner Bros.
Mark: I remember as a kid I used to have a diary that had a lock on it. Did you ever have one of those? You had a physical, leather-bound, paper diary and it had a little flap with a lock and a key.
UNILAD: I think I may have had one when I was a bit younger.
Mark: Yeah! So when I was a kid, the idea was your private thoughts were so private that you locked them up in your diary and you had your key. It does fascinate me that in this day and age, it’s the exact opposite. Things come totally full circle and you’re supposed to reveal a part of yourself.
But I still believe in mystery, especially as an actor I think if you know too much about me maybe you’re not going to be able to believe me playing roles. Keeping your counsel and not admitting everything by showing everyone your personal life probably isn’t a bad thing.
UNILAD: I fully respect that, but let me ask you this: have you ever mentioned that diary in public before?
Mark: Hmm, have I ever mentioned it? No, I don’t think so. There you go! [Laughs]
Mark StrongPA Images
8) You’re stuck living the same day over and over, what day would it be and why?
Mark: It might be a Monday or a Friday, they’re the days I played football. I play with a bunch of guys, who I’ve been playing with for a few years now, we play six or seven-a-side. When I’m away filming, I really miss a game.
If my day began with going to play a game of football with other guys who don’t have a proper job, who can play football at 10.00, that’d be a very good day. After that, I’d go off and train with a guy. Nothing heavy, bearing in mind I just ran around for 90 minutes.
I kind of like a day where I’ve done some physical exercise, because that makes me feel better in my head. Then, if I can watch a fantastic movie in the evening, that’d be my perfect day.
UNILAD: Do you get to play a lot of football?
Mark: Yeah! I mean, not right now obviously. But I normally play every Friday and Monday morning with the same bunch of guys I’ve been playing with for years, and it’s a real source of joy. It’s been a constant in my life.
Sony Pictures Releasing
UNILAD: Have you had to resort to playing FIFA to get that football fix?
Mark: [Laughs] You know, I’m not a big gamer. Maybe it’s my age, but the game’s kind of slightly passed me by. My boys play a lot, I watch them play. But I’ve never really had the thumbs for it.
9) Have you ever been left convinced – or at least persuaded – by a fake news story about yourself?
Mark: Well no, because that would make me really stupid, wouldn’t it?
UNILAD: [Laughs]
Mark: [Laughs] It’s a simple answer. If I was convinced by a fake news story, where would my head be at? I can’t think of anything that’s been out there or has been a mistake or wrong.
Mark Strong 1917Entertainment One
10) If you had to remove one colour from the world forever, which would it be and why?
Mark: That’s a really mad question. I think I’d remove the colour taupe. That kind of midway combination between brown and grey. Brown and grey aren’t really great colours in themselves, and the idea that mixing them together gives an even more insipid colour of taupe, I think it doesn’t necessarily need to be around.
It’s a bit like mauve, like a pale purple. Purple is such a brilliant colour, I feel sorry for mauve, I don’t feel like it’s entirely necessary. Two insipid colours we don’t need.
Krakenory with Mark Strong is available to view on The Kraken Rum’s YouTube now. Kick-Ass is also available to watch on Netflix (because there’s never a bad time to watch it).
If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via story@unilad.com
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发表于 2020-4-25 00:18:38
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