BBC Merlin: Bradley James Interview by SFX at San Diego Comic Con 2011
ORIGINAL INTERVIEW
BRADLEY
...You know, Arthur’s story starts when Merlin’s story ends, really.
INTERVIEWER
Yeah.
BRADLEY
Almost. They sort of, you know, they interlap toward the beginning of Arthur’s story and the end of Merlin’s, you know, Merlin disappears. And…I don’t think our show would ever…facilitate that happening, for obvious reasons. So, I think what I would like to see is, when it comes to an end, it would suggest that Arthur is in a place where…if Merlin’s not around, it’s okay, cause now he’s learned what he’s needed to learn, and he’s able to run this new, beautiful kingdom that he’ll have created. I think that’s where I’d like to see it get to. Erm, and then Arthur’s story starts - presumably in the minds of the audience - but that’s what I’ll be looking for.
INTERVIEWER
Does season four take you towards that end? Or is there still lots more to tell? Does it…?
BRADLEY
Erm, I think, well, in terms of Arthur’s journey. Arthur’s journey…if you were to look at it, say, the five years that-- in people’s minds, Arthur’s journey has to be the most gradual, because it’s very much, you know, when we first met him, he was Arthur. He was a bit of a prat, and he had a long way to go before he became this, you know, legendary king that everyone is aware of, and by the time we finish it, he’ll be there. He’ll be at that place as a person where he’ll be able to take on the role of King Arthur. It almost makes his journey a little bit predictable, because you see it’s that gradual rise, and I think where the sort of shocking developments come is with the other characters. So you start to see the more futuristic tellings of the various characters, I think, this year, and it really hints towards…the direction we’re going. It had to. As I say, that development of the characters is what the audience, I think, very much wanted, and it’s always been the case with Arthur, and I think it now is with all the other characters as well.
INTERVIEWER
Is Uther in it less now that it appears the roles have changed?
BRADLEY
Well, he certainly, erm…his role is certainly diminished. Because he’s…only capable of so much.
INTERVIEWER
Yeah.
BRADLEY
And you know therefore a lot of it is going to fall on Arthur’s shoulders, and the show will reflect that. And Anthony’s been, I think, enjoying a bit of time off every now and then, ‘cause you see him every now and then on set, he comes in, and then disappears for a bit, and comes back again to do stuff. So, Uther’s role very much is, er…been taken on by Arthur, but he’s still there with us, and it’s dependant o, how the series goes to see how long, you know, what that develops into.
INTERVIEWER
Is this season - images that we’ve seen here on the posters outside look very battle strewn - Are you doing as much fighting as you’ve done in the past?
BRADLEY
Do you know what? I’m actually-I don’t feel as though I have. I still am doing quite a bit, but I don’t feel as though there’s been as much. Maybe it’s ‘cause I’m thinking of the other three years as cumulative and I’m [...], but I have some knights now who can do some fighting for me as well. Usually, when they-when we’re filming a fight, there is…whoever we’re fighting against and then me and lots of, extras or stunt people. So, you can’t really go for close-ups on the extras or stunt people too often.
[Interviewer chuckles]
BRADLEY
Now they have the other knights to go to, which means I don’t have to do as much fighting (chuckles) when we’re on set. But it’s a big part of Arthur’s character. It’s how he leads, you know, he leads by example, if anything, and so it’s still very much a part of what he’s going to be getting into this year.
Read through VERBATIM:
BRADLEY
...You know, Arthur’s story starts when Merlin’s story ends, really.
INTERVIEWER
Yeah.
BRADLEY
Almost. They sort of, you know, they interlap towards, erm, you know, toward the beginning of Arthur’s story and the end of Merlin’s, you know, Merlin disappears. Erm, and…I don’t think our, you know, our show would ever…facilitate that-that happening, for obvious reasons. So, erm, I think what I would like to see is, when it comes to an end, it would suggest that, er, Arthur is in a place where…if he, you know, if Merlin’s not around, it’s-it’s okay, cause he’s-now he’s learned what he’s needed to learn, and erm, he’s able to, you know, run his-this--this new, beautiful kingdom that he’s-- that he’ll have created. I think that’s where I’d like to see it get to. Erm, and then Arthur’s story starts - presumably in the minds of the audience, but that’s-that’s what I’ll be looking for.
INTERVIEWER
Does season four take you towards that-that end? Or is there still lots more to tell? Does it…?
BRADLEY
Erm, I think, erm, well, in terms of Arthur’s journey. Arthur’s journey…if you were to look at it, say, the five years that-- in people’s minds, Arthur’s journey has to be the most gradual. Erm, because it’s-it’s very much, you know, when we first met him, he was-he was Arthur. He was a bit of a prat. Erm, and he had a long way to go before he became this, you know, legendary king that everyone is aware of, and-and, you know, by the time we finish it, he’ll be there. He’ll be at that place as a person where he’ll be able to take-take on, you know, the role of-of King Arthur. It almost-it almost makes his journey a little bit predictable, because you see it’s such, you know, it’s that gradual rise, erm, and I think where the-where the sort of shocking developments come is where-with the other characters. You know, so you start to see the-the more, erm, you know, more futuristic tellings of the various characters, I think, this year. Erm, and-and it really hints towards…what, you know, the direction we’re going. It had to. As I say, that development of the characters is what the audience, I think, very much wanted, and it’s always been the case with Arthur, and I think it now is with-- with all the other characters as well.
INTERVIEWER
Is Uther in it less now that it appears the roles have changed?
BRADLEY
Well, he certainly, erm…his-his role is certainly diminished. Because he’s…only capable of so much.
INTERVIEWER
Yeah.
BRADLEY
Erm, and you know therefore a lot of it is going to fall on Arthur’s shoulders, and the show will reflect that. Erm, so, er, and, you know, Anthony’s been, I think, enjoying a bit of time off every, you know, every now and then, ‘cause you kno--you know, you see him every now and then on set, he comes in, and then disappears for a bit, and comes back again to do stuff. So, erm, you know, Uther’s role very much is, er…been taken on by Arthur, but erm, you know, he still-he’s still there with us, and it’s-it’s, you know, it’s-it’s dependant on, er...you know, how the series goes to see how long, you know, what that develops into.
INTERVIEWER
Is this season - images that we’ve seen here on the posters outside look very, er, battle strewn - Are you doing as much fighting as you’ve done in the past?
BRADLEY
Erm, do you know what? I’m actually-I-I don’t feel as though I have. I still am doing quite a bit, but I-I don’t feel as though, erm…there’s been as much. Maybe it’s ‘cause I’m thinking of the other three years as-as cumulative and I’m [...], but erm, I have-I have some knights now who can do some fighting for me as well. Er, usually, when they-when we’re filming a fight, erm, there is…whoever we’re fighting against and then me and lots of, er, extras or stunt people. So, you can’t really go for close-ups on the-on the, er, extras or stunt people too often.
[Interviewer chuckles]
BRADLEY
Now they have the other knights to go to, which, er, means I don’t have to do as much fighting (chuckles) when we’re on set. Erm, but, I mean, you know, it’s a-it’s a big part of Arthur’s character. Erm, it’s-it’s how he leads, you know, he leads by example, if anything, and er, so it’s - it’s still very much a part of what he’s-what he’s going to be getting into this year.
BRADLEY
...You know, Arthur’s story starts when Merlin’s story ends, really.
INTERVIEWER
Yeah.
BRADLEY
Almost. They sort of, you know, they interlap toward the beginning of Arthur’s story and the end of Merlin’s, you know, Merlin disappears. And…I don’t think our show would ever…facilitate that happening, for obvious reasons. So, I think what I would like to see is, when it comes to an end, it would suggest that Arthur is in a place where…if Merlin’s not around, it’s okay, cause now he’s learned what he’s needed to learn, and he’s able to run this new, beautiful kingdom that he’ll have created. I think that’s where I’d like to see it get to. Erm, and then Arthur’s story starts - presumably in the minds of the audience - but that’s what I’ll be looking for.
INTERVIEWER
Does season four take you towards that end? Or is there still lots more to tell? Does it…?
BRADLEY
Erm, I think, well, in terms of Arthur’s journey. Arthur’s journey…if you were to look at it, say, the five years that-- in people’s minds, Arthur’s journey has to be the most gradual, because it’s very much, you know, when we first met him, he was Arthur. He was a bit of a prat, and he had a long way to go before he became this, you know, legendary king that everyone is aware of, and by the time we finish it, he’ll be there. He’ll be at that place as a person where he’ll be able to take on the role of King Arthur. It almost makes his journey a little bit predictable, because you see it’s that gradual rise, and I think where the sort of shocking developments come is with the other characters. So you start to see the more futuristic tellings of the various characters, I think, this year, and it really hints towards…the direction we’re going. It had to. As I say, that development of the characters is what the audience, I think, very much wanted, and it’s always been the case with Arthur, and I think it now is with all the other characters as well.
INTERVIEWER
Is Uther in it less now that it appears the roles have changed?
BRADLEY
Well, he certainly, erm…his role is certainly diminished. Because he’s…only capable of so much.
INTERVIEWER
Yeah.
BRADLEY
And you know therefore a lot of it is going to fall on Arthur’s shoulders, and the show will reflect that. And Anthony’s been, I think, enjoying a bit of time off every now and then, ‘cause you see him every now and then on set, he comes in, and then disappears for a bit, and comes back again to do stuff. So, Uther’s role very much is, er…been taken on by Arthur, but he’s still there with us, and it’s dependant o, how the series goes to see how long, you know, what that develops into.
INTERVIEWER
Is this season - images that we’ve seen here on the posters outside look very battle strewn - Are you doing as much fighting as you’ve done in the past?
BRADLEY
Do you know what? I’m actually-I don’t feel as though I have. I still am doing quite a bit, but I don’t feel as though there’s been as much. Maybe it’s ‘cause I’m thinking of the other three years as cumulative and I’m [...], but I have some knights now who can do some fighting for me as well. Usually, when they-when we’re filming a fight, there is…whoever we’re fighting against and then me and lots of, extras or stunt people. So, you can’t really go for close-ups on the extras or stunt people too often.
[Interviewer chuckles]
BRADLEY
Now they have the other knights to go to, which means I don’t have to do as much fighting (chuckles) when we’re on set. But it’s a big part of Arthur’s character. It’s how he leads, you know, he leads by example, if anything, and so it’s still very much a part of what he’s going to be getting into this year.
Read through VERBATIM:
BRADLEY
...You know, Arthur’s story starts when Merlin’s story ends, really.
INTERVIEWER
Yeah.
BRADLEY
Almost. They sort of, you know, they interlap towards, erm, you know, toward the beginning of Arthur’s story and the end of Merlin’s, you know, Merlin disappears. Erm, and…I don’t think our, you know, our show would ever…facilitate that-that happening, for obvious reasons. So, erm, I think what I would like to see is, when it comes to an end, it would suggest that, er, Arthur is in a place where…if he, you know, if Merlin’s not around, it’s-it’s okay, cause he’s-now he’s learned what he’s needed to learn, and erm, he’s able to, you know, run his-this--this new, beautiful kingdom that he’s-- that he’ll have created. I think that’s where I’d like to see it get to. Erm, and then Arthur’s story starts - presumably in the minds of the audience, but that’s-that’s what I’ll be looking for.
INTERVIEWER
Does season four take you towards that-that end? Or is there still lots more to tell? Does it…?
BRADLEY
Erm, I think, erm, well, in terms of Arthur’s journey. Arthur’s journey…if you were to look at it, say, the five years that-- in people’s minds, Arthur’s journey has to be the most gradual. Erm, because it’s-it’s very much, you know, when we first met him, he was-he was Arthur. He was a bit of a prat. Erm, and he had a long way to go before he became this, you know, legendary king that everyone is aware of, and-and, you know, by the time we finish it, he’ll be there. He’ll be at that place as a person where he’ll be able to take-take on, you know, the role of-of King Arthur. It almost-it almost makes his journey a little bit predictable, because you see it’s such, you know, it’s that gradual rise, erm, and I think where the-where the sort of shocking developments come is where-with the other characters. You know, so you start to see the-the more, erm, you know, more futuristic tellings of the various characters, I think, this year. Erm, and-and it really hints towards…what, you know, the direction we’re going. It had to. As I say, that development of the characters is what the audience, I think, very much wanted, and it’s always been the case with Arthur, and I think it now is with-- with all the other characters as well.
INTERVIEWER
Is Uther in it less now that it appears the roles have changed?
BRADLEY
Well, he certainly, erm…his-his role is certainly diminished. Because he’s…only capable of so much.
INTERVIEWER
Yeah.
BRADLEY
Erm, and you know therefore a lot of it is going to fall on Arthur’s shoulders, and the show will reflect that. Erm, so, er, and, you know, Anthony’s been, I think, enjoying a bit of time off every, you know, every now and then, ‘cause you kno--you know, you see him every now and then on set, he comes in, and then disappears for a bit, and comes back again to do stuff. So, erm, you know, Uther’s role very much is, er…been taken on by Arthur, but erm, you know, he still-he’s still there with us, and it’s-it’s, you know, it’s-it’s dependant on, er...you know, how the series goes to see how long, you know, what that develops into.
INTERVIEWER
Is this season - images that we’ve seen here on the posters outside look very, er, battle strewn - Are you doing as much fighting as you’ve done in the past?
BRADLEY
Erm, do you know what? I’m actually-I-I don’t feel as though I have. I still am doing quite a bit, but I-I don’t feel as though, erm…there’s been as much. Maybe it’s ‘cause I’m thinking of the other three years as-as cumulative and I’m [...], but erm, I have-I have some knights now who can do some fighting for me as well. Er, usually, when they-when we’re filming a fight, erm, there is…whoever we’re fighting against and then me and lots of, er, extras or stunt people. So, you can’t really go for close-ups on the-on the, er, extras or stunt people too often.
[Interviewer chuckles]
BRADLEY
Now they have the other knights to go to, which, er, means I don’t have to do as much fighting (chuckles) when we’re on set. Erm, but, I mean, you know, it’s a-it’s a big part of Arthur’s character. Erm, it’s-it’s how he leads, you know, he leads by example, if anything, and er, so it’s - it’s still very much a part of what he’s-what he’s going to be getting into this year.