Richard Armitage

 

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Richard Armitage & King Richard III

 

Information about Richard Armitage as Actor

 

Fan Resources about Richard Armitage

 

 

 


♛ Richard Armitage & King Richard III ♛


 


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24th December, 2017 – What’s Up Hollywood

 
Richard Armitage is interviewed about his latest film “Sleepwalker” by Izumi Hasegawa from “What’s Up Hollywood” – EXCLUSIVE: “Sleepwalker” star Richard Armitage is Living the Dream:
 
Excerpt regarding King Richard III:
 
Q: And let’s talk about another dream. I read a story that you want to play Richard The Third because you share some similarities with him. Has this dream come true?

Yeah, I don’t know necessarily [… whether] I’ll ever play that character in Shakespeare’s context but I may be involved in either a production or a piece of writing about me. His story is fascinating. I recently visited the burial place where they found his remains in Leicester (England) which is my hometown. It’s a really interesting place to visit and it raises a lot of questions about the story that we’ve been told about Richard The Third how it differs from the truth. So, I think revealing the truth of his story is very interesting. But later on, next year I think I’m going to be playing Macbeth on stage in London which is a bit of a dream come true for me and a full circle from when I first went to Tokyo. We just spoke about. It was one of my first jobs so I’m finally getting to take on that role which is going to be very interesting for that part of the bucket list as well.

 


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1st December, 2016 – The Broadway Channel

 
Richard Armitage was interviewed by The Broadway Channel – “Love, Love, Love’s Richard Armitage on Dancing Like a Teenager Backstage, His Royal Bucket List Role & More” (01.12.2016) about his role as Kenneth in the play “Love, Love, Love”.
 
Part relevant for King Richard III, transcribed from the video accompanying the interview article:
 
What role is on your acting bucket list?

Yeah, there is a role on my bucket list. It has been there for a long time, actually. I’d like to play Richard III in some context, whether that’s the Shakespearean version or another version. I was born on the day that he died and I was named after him, so I feel like I have to […] get into his head, or something.

 

 
Video by: The Broadway Channel, 01.12.2016
Produced by: Lisa Spychala
Photographer: Emilio Madrid-Kuser
Shot & Edited: Nick Shakra
Graphics: Tony Mendoza
 


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22nd March, 2015 – Twitter @RCArmitage

 


 


 


 


 


 


 


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2nd April, 2014 – BBC East Midlands Today, interviewed by Geeta Pendse

 
The video of the interview is available on Facebook (no Facebook account necessary to watch the interview).
 
Geeta Pendse: Obviously, your name is Richard, and there is someone very famous that is called Richard, … who was recently discovered in Leicester.

Richard Madeley, I know, that is amazing, isn’t it?

[British readers perhaps will be able to verify the name of the celebrity, Mr. Armitage mentions here in his comment. I just guessed and googled…]
 
Geeta Pendse: Also Richard III. Are you named after Richard III?

I was born on the 22nd of August and that was when he died on the battlefield at Bosworth. That is one of those history questions that I always got right. But my dad was really into Richard III, so he chose that name. I think if I hadn’t been born on the 22nd of August, I might have been called Russell.

 
Geeta Pendse: Do you know, I am born on the 22nd of August and I am not called Richard.

And you are not called Richard.

 
Geeta Pendse: What happened? Maybe it was this whole girl thing.

I don’t know. We could think of another name for you. – Elizabeth.

 
Geeta Pendse: Yeah. And were you aware of this whole story unraveling in Leicester?

I was in New Zealand at the time, so I was receiving the news sort of sporadically. But yeah. I am kind of fascinated and thrilled that they found him and have laid him to rest or whether that’s still up in the air as to where he is going to be laid to rest. But yeah. I still haven’t had chance to visit the site yet, but I will.

 
Geeta Pendse: And do you ever visit Leicester?

I do, especially, I am working in the U.K. at the moment, I am working up in Leeds. I have visited Leicester quite a few times, but mainly to the country side. I haven’t been into the city center for a while.

 
Geeta Pendse: So, if I could bring you one thing from Leicestershire […]

Pork pie and a piece of Stilton.

 
Geeta Pendse: You are on. We will do that.

Deal.

 


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9th March, 2014 – The Anglophile Channel, U.S.A.

 

“Favourite British Artist of the Year 2013”.

 
In combination with giving Richard Armitage his well deserved price trophy, Marlise Boland interviewed him and asked the for us central question what Richard Armitage intends to do about King Richard III:
 
Marlise Boland: Is it true you were named after Richard III?

RA: It is true. Yes. I was born on the 22nd of August …

Marlise Boland: The day of his demise.

RA: Right. At the Battle of Bosworth.

Marlise Boland: So you do have affinity to that historical character.
Do you want to play him on stage or do you want to have a film project made out of his story?

RA: He is never really far from my head when it comes to assembling some kind of visual documentation of his life. […] I think he deserves a cinematic outing, that story.
I think it is an extraordinary tale. I think the Wars of the Roses is extraordinary. The last […] English monarch to die on the battlefield – in combat – and actually, a noble death.
A misinterpreted character, I think. But that is the reason to go exploring, because we don’t really know. […]
I don’t know whether I’ll get to play him in a movie, but I’ll certainly have a crack at him on stage.

Marlise Boland: Would you write the script? Have you written a script?

RA: I am not much of a writer. I am good at adapting other people’s writing.
But, yea. The assembling of ideas and gathering people together on a table is something that is my longterm goal over the next 30 years.
I’ll probably be acting less and producing more.

 
 

(The interview “Richard Armitage Interview Part 3: Richard the Third! with Marlis Boland (09.03.2014)” with Richard Armitage was released in three parts on YouTube. Here in the third part the question about King Richard III starts at about 3:10.)
 
The Anglophile Channel, U.S.A. (future website)
 


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1st May, 2013 – Popcorn Taxi, Syndney, Australia

 

Does he still plan to play Richard III on film?
RA: “Many, many plans but they are all in my mind at the moment. There is a possibility but it is a matter of when and how. Maybe I’ll be too old to do it.’’ (Collective groan of disbelief from the Armitage Army in the front rows.)

(Quoted after the transcript by Groovergreen on fedoralady’s blog TheArmitageEffect)
Strangely the question, like another already previously mentioned elsewhere, is completely missing in the pronounced full transcript of the Q&A session on TheOneRing.net, while no gap is indicated.
But already two fans independently reported to have heard this question and his answer at this event, so it is sufficiently confirmed to have been part of the evening in Sydney on May 1st, 2013.
 


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7th April, 2013 – MagicFM, Rick Astley

 
Transcript on RichardArmitageCentral.co.uk and audio compilation on RichardArmitageNet.com of the full interview.
The Richard III-excerpt is quoted after the transcript by RichardArmitageCentral:
 
Rick: Now, I also gather that you’re doing a film about Richard III.

Um… I wish. No, I’m not doing a film about Richard III, but it’s something which is, it’s an interest, it’s a passion of mine and obviously they’ve recently discovered his burial place and they’ve done a facial reconstruction. Um … it’s an on-going project that may or may not come to fruition, but it doesn’t, you know, bend my, sway my interest in it.

Rick: He was found in your hometown, wasn’t he?

He was, and I’m actually named after him because I was born on the 22nd of August, which is the day that he died on Bosworth Field, so my father was interested in him, so I always grew up a little bit angry at my dad for naming me after a hunchback monster. But then he explained to me that he was just a, perhaps, a misinterpreted king so that’s something that’s become a passion of mine as well.

 


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10th / 13th March, 2013 – BBC Radio Leicester

 
Interview by Emily Anderson (prerecorded).
Transcript of the ‘full’ interview on 13th of March, 2013 on a separate page.
 
 
Transcript and audio-file of the interview version 10.03.2013 on BBC Radio Leicester (RichardArmitageNet.com)
 
Audio file for the interview version of 13.03.2013 (RichardAarmitageNet.com)
 
 


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6th March, 2013 – Richard Armitage on Twitter (@TheHobbitMovie)

 


 


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7th February, 2013 – BBC Radio Leicester

 
Philippa Langley mentions Richard Armitage in an interview with Ben Jackson:
 

He [Richard Armitage] is pitching it [the Richard III movie project] in LA as we speak.

 

People have said he [Richard Armitage] is too tall, but he has just played a dwarf.

 


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3rd February, 2013 – BBC Radio Leicester

 
Mr. Armitage had intended to join in on the BBC Radio Leicester Show shortly after 5 p.m. on Sunday 03.02.2013, but could not make it, as his flight was delayed.
So here the recording of his apology, sent to BBC Leicester via mail, kindly shared by Servetus:
 

 


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29th December, 2012 – Khaosod (Thailand daily newspaper)

 
Ali from RichardArmitageNet.com kindly alerted us to Richard Armitage mentioning “Richard III” as his intended ‘next project’ in the Thailand daily newspaper Khaosod. Here is the automatically translated passage (Google translator):

Khaosod-Thai daily newspaper (RIII remark translated 29.12.12)

Khaosod-Thai daily newspaper (RIII remark translated 29.12.12)

Kaosod-Thai daily newspaper (RIII remark translated 29.12.12) RANet 20130107 Thai2
 


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23rd December, 2012 – AsiaOne.com

 
Who’s Richard Armitage? – by Esther Ng, The New Paper
Plans of Richard Armitage about King Richard III:

What’s new?
 
Armitage hopes investors will come forward to fund the filming of Richard III, a project that he has been working to get off the ground for a few years.
 
Armitage intends to play the 15th century English king who was believed to have murdered his nephews in a bid to grab the throne. Richard III was the last English king to be killed in battle on English soil.
 
Incidentally, Armitage was named Richard as he was born on the anniversary of Richard III’s death on Aug 22.

 


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15th December, 2012 – Richard Armitage in Leicester Mercury

 

“I managed to get home […] when we finished filming in New Zealand,” he [Richard Armitage] says. “It was just as they were finding the Richard III bones in that car park. I’m excited to hear about the findings of this DNA, I’ve watched with interest.
 
“Richard III, now that’s a play,” he says. “I was named after him. My father’s a historical fanatic about his character and I’ve inherited that enthusiasm, but I know by the time I get the chance I’ll be too old and too tall to play the role. I’d somehow like to realise that part of history.”

(Full article at RichardArmitageNet.com.
Part 1Part 2Part 3 (with quote))
 


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12th December, 2012 – George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight

 
Video-Interview – Richard Armitage mentioning King Richard III again as inspiration for his role as Thorin Oakenshield. Especially the self awareness of having a potential of being corrupted, seems to have found its way from Shakespeare’s depiction into the interpretation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s king of the dwarves Thorin Oakenshield. (Topic starting at about [6:30] and Richard III is mentioned at about [7:00] in the video interview.)

 


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12th December, 2012 – TheOneRing.net

 
Richard Armitage talks to TheOneRing.net – mentioning King Richard III in the Shakespeare version as method to prepare for his role Thorin Oakenshield in “The Hobbit”. What characteristics did he take from the king?

[…]I ended up using Henry V, Richard III and Macbeth as soliloquies that I could use to get some vocal production going. […] the self hating deformity of Richard III was sort of relevant […].

 


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28th November, 2012 – Premiere-event for “The Hobbit” by Sir Peter Jackson in Wellington, New Zealand on TVNZ

 
On the red carpet, Mr. Armitage was interviewed by many reporters, but the key question for us came from a fan in the crowd, who was following the red carpet event in Wellington.
Unfortunately, in the material broadcasted by TVNZ in the One News Hobbit Special, which was presented by Wendy Petrie, I can’t make out the question of the fan, though from the voice it is a woman. The reporter next to her unfortunately does not lend his microphone to her, but Mr. Armitage’s answer is recorded very well:
 

I would love to play King Richard. I may be a little bit too old and a little bit too tall, – but I played a dwarf.

 
TVNZ One News does not enable an embed code, so here comes the link to the full Hobbit Special, which takes about an hour (and has embedded advertisements).
The interview with Richard Armitage starts at about 23:30 and the quote is at 24:20.
 


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22nd July, 2011 – The Telegraph.co.uk interview by Jasper Rees:

 

One day he’d like to have a go at ultimate baddie Richard III.

 


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8th July, 2009 – Interview with Richard Armitage on VulpesLibris by Moira:

 
VL: Now, you were born on August the 22nd and your given name is Richard. I believe those two facts are not completely disconnected – and that there are plans afoot for a bit of Richard III rehabilitation. Can you tell us a little more about it?

I was named Richard being born on the anniversary of Richard III’s demise at Bosworth; one of my father’s favourite novels is The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman, and I read this many years ago. In recent years it has lead to a tentative interest and line of research into the rehabilitation of this story. As an actor, it’s a project I would love to achieve. I believe it is a great story, a socio-political thriller, a love story and a dynastic tragedy. My challenge is to convince commercial producers to see beyond ‘history lesson’, but I strongly suspect that this will be a long way off, probably outside of my ability to play the role, but I wouldn’t rule out playing another role, I may even be producing by the time someone wakes up and realizes the potential for this project.

VL: Casting a quick eye down your CV, I have to say there’s a bit of a lack of jolly, cheery characters. […] so, are you drawn to darker characters because they’re more interesting to play […]?

[…] I always look for good within bad and vice versa. That’s what appeals to me about Richard III. The villain, the hunchback, child murdering, usurping monster – I want to try and find the man who loved Anne Neville, passionately, from childhood until death, who was inconsolable at the loss of his only son and who put in place the ‘even handed’ judicial system, which we enjoy today; and then have him ‘slaughter’ the Princes in the Tower. It’s all about contradictions.

 


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26th October, 2008 – “Sunday People” (Full article on RichardArmitageOnline.com)

 
Who would you invite to a fantasy dinner party?

Richard III, definitely. I’m studying him at the moment and there are so many questions I’d like to ask him.

 


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18th October, 2008 – “The Times”, p 33 f. (Full article on RichardArmitageOnline.com)

 

He [Richard Armitage] is currently working on a long gestating biopic of Richard III that will, apparently, redress the imablanced portrait created by Shakespeare and also involve an “ugly” makeover.

 


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3rd December, 2007 – Christmas Message by Richard Armitage to his fans on RichardArmitageOnline.com:

 

[…] Richard III is still very much in development, I am weighed down with history books in my determination to uncover as much fact as possible before we embark on telling his story, which will ultimately be a fiction!

 


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3rd October, 2007 – GMTV interview with Lorraine Kelly:

 

I am taking some baby steps at the moment towards producing the story of Richard III. I am trying to resurrect his character […]. It’s only been portrayed in literature, really. It’s never actually been filmed, the true story, and we are used to Shakespeare’s story. So at the moment that’s where my attention is. So hopefully that will come off the ground. […] He was one of our best kings.

 
 


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January 23, 2022

Royal Family: The deadly sickness that killed Henry VIII’s brother and thousands of others before vanishing without a trace (by Bea Isaacson, MyLondon.news)


January 8, 2022

Can new evidence clear the name of Richard III? (by Chris Lloyd, Darlington & Stockton Times)


December 29, 2021

Did Richard III actually save the boy king he’s accused of killing? (by Lydia Starbuck, Royal Central)


April 23, 2021

Steve Coogan movie The Lost King begins filming (by Comedy.co.uk, British Comedy Guide)


January 31, 2021

Barnard Castle boars date back to King Richard III (by Andrew White, The Northern Echo)


January 12, 2021

Alternate history: what if Richard III had won at Bosworth? – Professor Emeritus Michael Hicks interviewed by Jonny Wilkes (by Jonny Wilkes, Professor Emeritus Michael Hicks, BBC History Revealed)


September 11, 2020

Steve Coogan and Stephen Frears to collaborate on The Lost King (Film-News.co.uk)


April 9, 2020

Steve Coogan confirms Richard III movie ‘next year’ (by BBC East Midlands, BBC.com)


November 1, 2019

Richard III and the Battle of Bosworth – By Mike Ingram (HeritageDaily)


October 8, 2019

Painted as a villain – how the Tudors regarded Richard III (by Christina J. Faraday, APOLLO.The International Art Magazine)


 

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