I think I've developed a weird crush on Mark Rylance in Wolf Hall *

[KatParr]

As Thomas Cromwell. Those tortured brown eyes! He's the embodiment of suppressed emotion. But. The weird skull cap and hat combo. Would love to be enveloped in his fur-trimmed cloak however.

Hilary Mantel has done a blinder with the character of Cromwell and Mark Rylance plays him so beautifully.

• Disclaimer, I'm probably ovulating, which accounts for weird crush.

oh yes it does.
I often pop.into the National Gallery to stare at Holbein's portrait of him.

He liked loads of mine on FB too last week, I thought he was stalking me! Ah tis a shame as only a weird fan account 😔

It may not necessarily just be the Rylance/Cromwell combo. His performance in Bones And All (warning, not for the squeamish) haunts me. And despite being, well, I wont ruin it, let’s just say he’s a bit anti-social in a lot of ways, I was still thinking ‘phwoargh Mark Rylance could git it.’

Thinking woman's crumpet.

Is it because he's the voice of Flop and anyone that can control Bing bloody Bunny, is a saint.

Hey, join the queue, I saw him first!
Seriously, I don't know what it is, but he does have it! Definitely crush material.

I'm there. I think it's something about the line he tows between integrity and danger, and the voice....and the eyes.

Haha I thought it was just me. Glad I’m in good company!

I just googled the portrait. You can see how he captured Hilary's imagination.

I saw him on stage in Jerusalem. Mesmerising. Absolutely amazing I would watch anything he's in.

Had no idea he was Bing! Bing creeped me out.

Hands off, he’s mine.

I dreamt about him the other night, I fear it’s becoming a bit of an obsession. Currently rewatching series 1 and going to bed with the books on Audible playing in my ear buds.

I can’t blame ovulation or perimenopause unfortunately, I’m nearly the same age as MR (and therefore a far better fantasy partner for him / Cromwell).

I'm not surprised. He's mesmerising and absolutely adorable 💙

@Cynic17 It's the voice - but also the ability to say so much without uttering a single word.

I agree with you . My crush is Michael Kitchen ( Foyle's War ) He could have played a good Cromwell - Apparently he (MK) made Anthony Horowitz cut the script because he said I don't need to actually say that - just a look.

Oh my… all sorts of feelings. Lovely then, lovely now and a sublime actor.

Enabler 😆 I always struggled to describe the connection between them but this is it!

He lives down the road from me. I stood behind him in the queue for the (posh) butcher once.

#LifeChanging

Oh really? I wonder if he radiates intense charisma while buying 2 pounds of mince and 6 sausages.

Had no idea he was Bing! Bing creeped me out

@ADHDHDHDHD

He isn't Bing, he's Flop

I fell a little bit in love with Cromwell when I read the books, and fan-girled a bit when I saw Holbein's portrait of him in NY.
And yes, all the women in the series seem to like and trust him.

This is so true. The only person I’ve ever seen him allow to get any attention was Johnny Flynn, who he seems to adore.

That said, his performance in Jerusalem was so good it kind of makes up for any prior stage sins. And I say this as someone who walked out of his bloody OP Twelfth Night because I found it so irritating.

Didnt he tutor Danny Dyer?

I thought you were saying this as a joke, but it's actually true! And Danny Dyer is also a decendant of Thomas Cromwell 🤯

No not a joke!

Yes Danny Dyer did WDYTYA and found out about his fancy heritage but it was also on there or another programme about him about how close and supported he was by Rylance.

He’s mesmerising. It’s the menace too. The Holbein makes me think he had strong forearms and hands. Lovely.

And a revelation is how bloody amazing Danny Dyer is in Rivals. Rylance tutoring paying off.

I agree, was a privilege to see it.