To think Wolf Hall / Damian Lewis is the best ever portrayal of Henry VIII?

[Bluelane]

Just that really. You can feel the tension, impulsiveness, and danger every time he’s on screen. You can feel the threat that must have felt by those around him at the time, it feels really accurate. Amazing writing / acting, such a contrast to the pantomime villain we often get.

He's not physically fat and disgusting enough, but otherwise he is perfect.

I have to admit I have not read the books, though I studied England during the Reformation for A Level many moons ago. I'm constantly wondering while watching it at Cromwell's motivation - loyal servant or self promoter? Did he find himself up to his neck too late and there was no way out except forwards? He must have known that people close to Henry ended up dead.

Mark Rylance is mesmerising. For a small man, he exudes utter charisma. He has the most interesting face I've ever seen and when he smiles, it's like the sun coming out. It's been a decade long crush.

As for Henry's/DL's high voice - shudder. Like Voldemort 😁

I'm re-watching series 1 and finding myself almost physically sick at the menace as Cromwell deals with the Barton girl and Margaret Pole and Bishop Fisher. And Thomas More before he signed his death warrant and was threatening Cromwell. Difficult times to live in, adn the dangers so well portrayed.

Oh god I was going to save this for when my paid subscriptions had come to an end, but I need to see this now, thanks to this thread.

I adore DL, especially when he is playing evil arseholes. He was good in Band of Brothers, but he is sooo good in Homeland and even better in Billions although it's cheesy trash and you knew that as soon as he left the show.

He dominates every scene he is in, with his eyes alone 😳.

Never seen anyone to equal Keith Michell in The Six Wives of Henry VIII (the series, not the film). And Wolfe Morris as the utterly repellent Cromwell.

Henry VIII?

How old are you??!!

Sitting behind HenryVIII at Lords gave me a much needed giggle this morning!

When we lived in the US, we knew people who refused to believe DL wasn’t American after he was in Homeland. Such an amazing actor.

Helen McCrory joked on Desert Island Discs after lockdown that she’d only just found out that DL wasn’t American after they’d had to spend so much time together during Covid.

That would be telling

Totally agree, you must be about my great age! When I see Damien Lewis in anything all I can think of is Homeland and his end there.

Would love to see MR in theatre. Have been lucky enough to see Ralph Fiennes, Kenneth Branagh, Joseph Fiennes, Ian McKellern, Derek Jacobi, Clare Foy, Timothy Dalton, John Nettles and a few other big stage actors.

For Mark Rylance fans - there's a short video on Youtube titled 'End of Play Jig'. At the end of a performance of Richard II at the Globe Theatre, the whole cast come onstage to dance, including Mark Rylance who played Richard. You should see him dance - he must have been high as a kite on the adrenalin!

Oh my! Isn't he FABULOUS! 😍

When he was director, they ended all Shakespeare/ his contemporaries’ plays with a jig, whether it was a comedy, tragedy or history — which got complained about quite a lot at the time, from what I remember.

Agree MR is v light on his feet!

Also going off track but Mark Rylance was superb in the otherwise fairly ordinary film "Bridge of Spies". And if you like Damian Lewis then a TV drama called "Warriors" about UN peacekeepers during the Bosnian war is excellent.

Agreed. Even more remarckable when you consider the accompanying music is a Pavane.

I saw MR in Dr Semmelweiss, he is an astonishing actor.

The guy in Horrible Histories in my favourite Henry VIII but Damian Lewis comes a close second.

I had no idea DL was the English guy from the Forsythe Saga when I first watched Homeland years ago. I felt the same about Dominic West in The Wire, I didn’t put two and two together as they were so believable.

Yes think he is great. He does remind me of Miranda Richardson as Elizabeth I in Blackadder - eg when dressed up as a turk and everyone fawning over him . That mix of believing everyone in the court loves him and being able to turn on a dime .

Stumbled across another brilliant MR film recently: The Outfit (2022) 😊

Have only just started watching wolf hall and saw the episode where Anne Boleyn is executed. She looked so lonely and deserted after almost a decade of being the number one person in Henry's life. From glory to disaster.

Mark Rylance is phenomenal. He can convey so much with his eyes without speaking or moving a muscle. I’d love to see him on the stage.

Oh I thought Bridge of Spies was great!

Having ready the books, I'm very much enjoying the series. Of course people will have all kinds of diverse opinions on such pivotal characters and events. I've especially enjoyed seeing some of the locations that I'd know from many many years ago https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/discover/film-tv/visit-the-settings-of-wolf-hall