Welsh actor Michael Sheen has revealed that he finds it “very hard" to accept non-Welsh actors playing characters that are meant to be Welsh. The 54-year-old, who was born in Newport, was speaking ahead of the release of his new BBC series Best Interests.
“You know, seeing people playing Welsh characters who are not Welsh, I find, it’s very hard for me to accept that,” Michael said. “Not particularly on a point of principle, but just knowing that that’s not the case.”
He added in an interview with The Guardian: “That’s a very different end of the spectrum, but a part like Richard III is such a great character to play, it would be sad to think that that character, you know, is no longer available or appropriate for actors to play who don’t have disabilities, but that’s because I’m just not used to it yet, I suppose. Because I fully accept that I’m not going to be playing Othello any time soon.”
Read more: Michael Sheen to direct new BBC drama The Way and it's being filmed in his home town
Michael, who is also set to star in the second season of Good Omens later this year, continued: “Again, it’s not particularly a point of principle, but personally, I haven’t seen many actors who have come from quite privileged backgrounds being particularly compelling as people from working-class backgrounds. If you haven’t experienced something, you know, the extreme example is, well, if you haven’t murdered someone, can you play a murderer?” Do you agree with Michael? Let us know in the comments.
Elsewhere in the interview, Michael shared how he thought that the Prince of Wales royal title was “ridiculous”. He explained: “It’s just silly. I see no reason why the title should continue. Certainly not with someone who’s not Welsh. That’s not the majority view, so whatever the majority of people want, I’m sure it will continue.”
For his services to acting, Michael was awarded an OBE in 2009 in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list. He returned the title in 2017 after conducting extensive research into Wales’ relationship with England and the monarchy.
Best Interests begins on BBC One on Monday, June 12 at 9pm. For more showbiz and television stories get our newsletter here.
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