Mark Strong’s fine baritone floats across the airwaves from Seoul, where he, along with co-stars Taron Egerton and Colin Firth, walked the red carpet for the première of Twentieth Century Fox’s Kingsman: The Golden Circle.
While the first part, Kingsman: The Secret Service — South Korea’s biggest film in 2015 led to bumper sales of double-breasted suits like those worn onscreen — had its share of wry British humour, lisping villain and new-age weaponry, the sequel has an international drug cartel, casks of aged whiskey and singer Elton John in a feather headdress. The film is situated on both sides of the pond and in Cambodia, and also has on board Hollywood stars Julianne Moore, Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges and Pedro Pascal.
The non-state espionage agency is still headquartered at a teak-and-green baize Savile Row tailor shop, but the script sees changes in the roles of Egerton and Firth; only Strong’s character, Merlin, advances at a steady clip.
Strong, who built his career in British theatre, television and a wide genre of films in which he has played characters with a menacing crackle, speaks on working with director Matthew Vaughn and why Kingsmen often deploy their manners as much as they do the weaponised umbrella. Excerpts:
What was different about playing Merlin this time?
What’s wonderful about playing a character a second time is that you’ve already been introduced to him. What is interesting is how you choose to develop that character; you just need to find out what makes him tick.
What attracts you to negative roles? Were you surprised that Merlin wasn’t one of them?
The bad guys are interesting because the stuff that you exhibit is not your everyday existence — I don’t kill people in the street, obviously. So, in playing the villain, you get to be somebody you are not, but playing the good guy is playing yourself. And that is less interesting to me as an actor. Nevertheless, it’s great to be a good guy because people tend to fall in love with the character, as they have certainly done with Merlin.
What about spy films attracts you?
There are a lot of spy-oriented films being made. They lend themselves to drama, comedy, intrigue, betrayal, trust, danger, physical action — things we associate with spying. I’m sure, in real life, spying is boring — there’s probably a lot of sitting around and plenty of paperwork. But, the world seems to think that spying is exciting and that’s how movies get made.
As a teenager, you sang in a punk band. How did it feel to sing in the film?
(Laughs) That is my voice in ‘Country Roads’ and I wouldn’t particularly class myself as a singer. I did perform in punk bands but it was more about shouting and snarling than about any beautiful music. I enjoyed singing in The Golden Circle — I’ve never sung in a movie before.
You’ve worked with directors Guy Ritchie, Matthew Vaughn and Ridley Scott in multiple films. How is it working with the same people?
Well, there are many cons, but the pros are that it means somebody values what you bring to the table, you don’t have to renegotiate the terms of your engagement because you know each other, you don’t have to do what I call the ‘dance’ — you don’t have to learn any steps like you do with a new director. On set, that makes it easier. The more you work with somebody, the less likely you are to keep working with them, because this is an industry that fractures after every movie. I have loved working with Guy and Ridley, and certainly with Matthew.
How do you cultivate ‘the exotic suavity and cool insinuation’ that Ridley Scott spoke of?
That specific reference was to a part I played in Body of Lies . I suppose it does affect other parts that I play, but I don’t consciously create that. It so happens that my natural persona lends itself to those kind of roles — those that require a certain amount of dignity, charm, good and bad, and a patch of suavity, as pointed out.
How different is Kingsman from Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (TTSS)?
TTSS is based on the true recollections of John Le Carre, who was a spy himself. Kingsman is a totally invented universe; anything is possible — it’s a crazy, frightening, psychedelic world in which all these characters can function. As different as chalk and cheese.
You’ve worked in both TV and films. Which one would you prefer?
When I started out 30 years ago, it was impossible for a newcomer to get into movies or television. I did 10 years of theatre before I even got in front of the camera, and, in those days, there was a definite schism between television and film — the latter being the big brother. So, everyone hankered after films, but there weren’t too many being made. I got into films about 15 years ago, but since then television has improved. There are film directors like David Fincher and Steven Soderbergh and actors like Nicole Kidman taking on television.
Taron Egerton, left, and Mark Strong star in Twentieth Century Fox's "Kingsman: The Golden Circle."
Colin Firth and you have played characters from Jane Austen novels. Are you planning to revisit Austen, this being the bicentenary year of her death?
I’m probably going to go to a school and talk about Emma , the novel that I did an adaptation of. Firth and I have worked together more than a couple of times. The first film was Fever Pitch about Arsenal Football Club. So, you had these two actors who had just played Austen characters in a very-non Austen film.
Isn’t Arsenal your favourite?
It is. When you are born in Islington, North London, the home of Arsenal, you grow up with it all around you.
