15.) your favorite female interviewer: greendragon
I like the greendragon interviews because we get to see Richard geek out about Tolkien, but also because her style is a nice mix of casual and professional.
greendragon has done several print interviews with Richard Armitage for TheOneRingnet. I especially enjoy when the conversation turns to Richard’s portrayal of Thorin, and his acting process in general. In their first interview for The Hobbit: an unexpected journey, they talked about how Richard incorporated Shakespeare into his characterization of Thorin Oakenshield:
“…the whole idea of the rallying cry of a leader on the battlefield is very much Henry V; the self hating deformity of Richard III was sort of relevant; and also the Macbeth figure when it comes to the gold lust- this man who believes he is doing the right thing and gets corrupted by something which ultimately destroys him…I just felt that those three figures were all going to be pretty useful for me to have in my head.”
In their interview for The Hobbit: the desolation of Smaug, greendragon gets Richard to talk a bit about his acting history, the pros and cons of “learning on the job” vs. organized classical training, and also how much of himself he brings to his roles:
” […]sometimes if it feels like too much ‘acting’, it can really pull you out of character. That was the thing about Thorin; there were times when I really felt like I was acting; and I’d go to Pete and say, ‘can we go again?’, because it just felt like I was ‘doing’ the character. The moments which are the most real and the most moving were the moments where I just wasn’t acting; I was just inhabiting what was literally another being, a whole body of clothing and a whole new face.”
I find all of the interviews from TheOneRing.net team interesting. I think Richard sharing his thoughts about Thorin with people who are already familiar with the history and feel of Middle Earth, allows him to delve in at a deeper level than he would normally feel comfortable doing. greendragon brings out a relaxed honesty with her questions that keep things from getting too heavy, as shown in her first report with Richard when he shared his thoughts about Tauriel:
“The older audience can grunt and snarl about it, but at the end of the day, she’s a great character and she’s female! There are so few female characters- aspirational characters- in this, you know? I’m saddened that he hasn’t created a demonic female orc! I think that would be kind of interesting…”
this song has become a kind of affirmation for me. the lyrics are inspiring and validating at the same time. I want to be as honest as I can be with my words, not only to others, but to myself as well. I don’t want them to hurt, although I know that will sometimes inevitably happen; I want them to be freeing. free from silence, free from stress, free from masks.
Do you ever feel like your interactions online are like a dinner party, where you need to watch what you say and how you say it in order to make a good impression?
No, dressing your poodle up as Legolas isn’t weird at all…
say what you wanna say and let the words fall out Honestly, I wanna see you be brave. ~”Brave” by Sara Bareilles
Lately, I’ve been feeling like the things that I say keep getting misunderstood. I’d like to think that it’s not intentional, that I’m just being overly sensitive; and that is true to an extent.
I can be clumsy, does that make me stupid? huh, does it?! no, it makes you a klutz. get over yourself
*I* need to own this. *I* need to stop tip-toeing around the issues because “I’m new here and I don’t want to cause problems.“
what if they’re sleeping? maybe I should knock softer
When I do confront and it all goes to Hell,
It’s my own expectations that are my biggest downfall. My approach isn’t automatically the rule.
that was funny. laugh!
What are these unwritten rules that keep tripping me up? Well, as I understand them, they seem to be:
– be nice
I can do that *smiles*
– be respectful to your fellow fans
again, no problem!
– be respectful of Richard
this one can be subjective, so I’ll just invest in some blinders
Richard should probably get some too.
– I can respectfully criticize Richard, as long as I tack on a ‘whatever makes him happy‘ disclaimer
as Richard Armitage fans, isn’t that a given, that we want him to be happy?
unless it makes you happy *winks*
– I can state my opinions, as long as I include a ‘in my opinion‘ or ‘everyone has a right to their own opinion.‘
doesn’t the *I think* or *I feel* already cover that?
IMO! IMO!
– don’t accidentally accuse anyone of, well, anything. or imply that they are doing something wrong.
this is getting complicated (the doing it wrong issue can actually be one of my own hot-buttons; I’ve never claimed that I’m not a hypocrite)
So, in summary: I should just approach every conversation as if it has the potential to get me sued,
Richard! that is not PC! *tsk*
cover my ass, and just generally kiss ass
it’s better to say arse; I’ve not figured out why, yet.
and I should be fine!
I’ve not spent a lot of time on blogs before, most of my interactions in other fandoms have taken place on forums.
she doesn’t know our ways; I’ll vouch for her this time
I love the interactions I’ve had with all of you on this blog
you’rrre great!
but when I roam abroad, I should bring along some protection
get your mind out of the gutter, Richard!
to build me up a bit first. the lyrics to this Sara Bareilles song can help in that regard, give it a listen:
Have you ever felt this way too? What kinds of things are holding you back, either in fandom or in real life?
Swearing, perhaps?
fucking door!Open!!you, God damned…bloody bastard!!
Nowhere in Particular RA 