PAGE 15 Metro Life - Amazon S3 · 2018-08-05 · Four’. Before that though he charmed the world...
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Metro Life ‘Dirty Harry’ star Clint Eastwood was elected mayor of Carmel, California on this day in 1986. The salary - just $200 a month PAGE 15 April 8 Just be Fantastic W elsh actor Ioan Gruffudd is best known for playing iconic comic book hero Mr Fantastic alongside Jessica Alba and Chris Evans in the ‘Fantastic Four’. Before that though he charmed the world as Horatio Hornblower in the TV series ‘Hornblower’. Last weekend he was also busy charming the crowds at the second annual Middle East Film and Comic Con. The trip to Dubai (via Hollywood) was a long one for Gruffudd who began acting, as a young boy, in the Welsh Valleys. “It really is incredible to think that I started out as an 11-year-old on a Welsh language soap opera and a few years ago I was playing an American icon in Mr Fantastic,” he tells 7DAYS. If you too dream of stardom, Gruffudd would have you starting early and treating every acting gig, no matter how small, as a vital learning experience. An open mind has been key to his success. “What is amazing to me is that all the work I did back home in Wales gave me such a great foundation and experience that helped catapult me forward to the career I have today,” he recalls. “I wouldn’t say I was a great actor back then on ‘Pobol Y Cwm’ but I learned so much from my fellow actors and it spurred me on to go to London to study and train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.” His time at RADA was tough and not enjoyable but he feels it gave him the method acting skills needed to progress. To many fans Gruffudd will always be Horatio Hornblower, the Royal Navy officer protagonist from the UK TV show centred around the Napoleonic Wars. Like ‘Downton Abbey’ today, the show gained popularity across the Atlantic and helped him land another nautical themed part. This time he would have been forgiven for feeling out of his depth, as top director James Cameron was at the helm. “Working on ‘Titanic’ was a baptism of fire!” says Gruffudd, who played the sailor who refuses to give up the search for survivors at the end of the movie. “I had only done a day’s work on a movie before then so as you can imagine it was an eye-popping experience.” “Being young and full of confidence and knowing that Cameron wanted me to play this part it just made me feel on top of the world. “Acting is all about confidence and when you’re young you think you can conquer the world, so if I were to part any advice to a young actor who is toying with making the leap to Hollywood, I’d say ‘don’t hesitate. Come when you’re young and most confident and don’t look back!’” Despite playing Mr Fantastic, Gruffudd admits he would give anything to follow in the footsteps of Evans. After playing Johnny Storm and alter ego Human Torch in 2007, Evans then took on the role of Captain America. “I would kill to play another comic book hero but I’m afraid that nobody would buy me in a different role to Mr Fantastic. I know my buddy Chris went on to play Captain America but I can’t see lightning striking twice for me. If I ever got the chance though, I’d love to play the villain of the piece,” says Gruffudd. He’s not all career minded. His most recent project is ‘Forever’, which also stars ‘True Blood’ actress Deborah Ann Woll and is produced as part of the charity organisation ‘Art of Elysium’. He explains: “The Art of Elysium encourages actors, artists and musicians to voluntarily dedicate their time to children who are battling serious illnesses.” [email protected] BEND TO IT: Ioan Gruffudd may have been seriously stretchy as Mr Fantastic but he has proved pretty flexible in his career as well SUPER ROLES TO FIT THE STARS Of course the Comic Con celebs dream of having superhero powers. But who would they love to play? SEAN ASTIN - The Goonies, Lord of the Rings (Right) The Hulk! Or Shazam. No, wait. Underdog. ALAN TUDYK - Dodgeball (left) Green Arrow, I could maybe pull that off. He is a smart alec as well, he is not really a stand up or just guy. He has always got a wry comment to make which I like. Or Aquaman. TARA PLATT - Naruto, Tales of Symphonia I am going to cheat because I have already played Wonder Woman. WARWICK DAVIS - Willow, Star Wars, Harry Potter There’s a couple. Iron Man - is he a superhero? I like the idea of being in all of that gadgetry and being able to fly around and stuff. Although I did come up with a superhero myself - Captain Shortass. His power is that he kind of arrives too late for everything. Food, fashion, movies and more... Follow your dreams, says boy from the Valleys who became a Hollywood hero Were you snapped in your costume at Comic Con? Check out our gallery www.7daysindubai.com
Transcript of PAGE 15 Metro Life - Amazon S3 · 2018-08-05 · Four’. Before that though he charmed the world...
MetroLife ‘Dirty Harry’ star Clint
Eastwood was elected mayor
of Carmel, California on this
day in 1986. The salary -
just $200 a month
PAGE 15
April 8
Just be FantasticW
elsh actor Ioan Gruffudd is bestknown for playing iconic comic bookhero Mr Fantastic alongside JessicaAlba and Chris Evans in the ‘Fantastic
Four’. Before that though he charmed the world as Horatio Hornblower in the TV series ‘Hornblower’. Last weekend he was also busy charming thecrowds at the second annual Middle East Filmand Comic Con. The trip to Dubai (via Hollywood) was a longone for Gruffudd who began acting, as a youngboy, in the Welsh Valleys. “It really is incredible to think that I startedout as an 11-year-old on a Welshlanguage soap opera and a few yearsago I was playing an American icon inMr Fantastic,” he tells 7DAYS. If you too dream of stardom, Gruffuddwould have you starting early andtreating every acting gig, no matter howsmall, as a vital learning experience. Anopen mind has been key to his success. “What is amazing to me is that allthe work I did back home inWales gave me such a greatfoundation and experiencethat helped catapult meforward to the career I
have today,” he recalls. “I wouldn’t say I was agreat actor back then on ‘Pobol Y Cwm’ but Ilearned so much from my fellow actors and itspurred me on to go to London to study andtrain at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.” His time at RADA was tough and not enjoyablebut he feels it gave him the method acting skillsneeded to progress. To many fans Gruffudd will always be HoratioHornblower, the Royal Navy officer protagonistfrom the UK TV show centred around theNapoleonic Wars. Like ‘Downton Abbey’ today,the show gained popularity across the Atlanticand helped him land another nautical themed
part. This time he would have been forgivenfor feeling out of his depth, as top directorJames Cameron was at the helm. “Working on ‘Titanic’ was a baptism offire!” says Gruffudd, who played the sailorwho refuses to give up the search forsurvivors at the end of the movie. “I hadonly done a day’s work on a movie before
then so as you can imagine it was aneye-popping experience.”
“Being young and full ofconfidence and knowing thatCameron wanted me to playthis part it just made me feelon top of the world.
“Acting is all about confidence and when you’reyoung you think you can conquer the world, soif I were to part any advice to a young actor whois toying with making the leap to Hollywood, I’dsay ‘don’t hesitate. Come when you’re youngand most confident and don’t look back!’” Despite playing Mr Fantastic, Gruffudd admitshe would give anything to follow in thefootsteps of Evans. After playing Johnny Stormand alter ego Human Torch in 2007, Evans thentook on the role of Captain America.“I would kill to play another comic book herobut I’m afraid that nobody would buy me in a
different role to Mr Fantastic. I know my buddyChris went on to play Captain America but Ican’t see lightning striking twice for me. If I evergot the chance though, I’d love to play thevillain of the piece,” says Gruffudd. He’s not all career minded. His most recentproject is ‘Forever’, which also stars ‘True Blood’actress Deborah Ann Woll and is produced aspart of the charity organisation ‘Art of Elysium’.He explains: “The Art of Elysium encouragesactors, artists and musicians to voluntarilydedicate their time to children who are battlingserious illnesses.” [email protected]
BEND TO IT:Ioan Gruffudd may havebeen seriously stretchyas Mr Fantastic but he
has proved pretty flexiblein his career as well
SUPER ROLES TO FIT THE STARSOf course the Comic Con celebs dream ofhaving superhero powers. But who wouldthey love to play?
SEAN ASTIN -The Goonies,Lord of theRings (Right)The Hulk! OrShazam. No, wait.Underdog.
ALAN TUDYK -Dodgeball (left)Green Arrow, I could maybe pull that off. He isa smart alec as well, he is not really a stand upor just guy. He has always got a wry commentto make which I like. Or Aquaman.
TARA PLATT - Naruto, Tales of SymphoniaI am going to cheat because I have alreadyplayed Wonder Woman.
WARWICKDAVIS -Willow, StarWars, HarryPotter There’sa couple. IronMan - is he asuperhero? Ilike the idea ofbeing in all ofthat gadgetry
and being able to fly around and stuff.Although I did come up with a superheromyself - Captain Shortass. His power is that hekind of arrives too late for everything.
Food, fashion, movies and more...
Follow your dreams, says boy from theValleys who became a Hollywood hero
Were you snapped in your costume at Comic Con? Check out our gallery www.7daysindubai.com
