Exclusive: Pendragon’s Merlin Reveals Secrets of His New King Arthur Series
Posted by Jennifer Asencio | Published
It should run without the program being called The Pendragon Cycle: The Rise of Merlin it may be about a famous witch, but the show is not about the wise old man we all know from the stories of King Arthur. The rise of Merlin tells the story of a different origin: the story of a young man who will one day be Camelot’s mentor. Combining all the drama, romance, and action of the Arthurian legend, the show focuses on Merlin’s efforts to help the Pendragon brothers, Aurelius and Uther, rally the British forces against the 6th century Saxon attack.th a century.
Newcomer Tom Sharp plays the title role, and I got to ask this amazing actor some questions about the show. OFFICIAL FREAKIN A ROBOT. I have analyzed and commented on this show and its themes, and interviewed some of the actors of this show.
Tom Sharp’s Early Career
The first thing I wanted to know about was Tom’s experience leading up to his role as Merlin. What got him into acting? Like many actors, he admits, “I grew up binge-watching movies. As a boy, I burned with joy with loads of VHS tapes on repeat, and a trip to the cinema was special.” But it was more than just watching movies for the Merlin leader. “My family introduced me to a variety of genres and classics at a young age, which made me think… I consider it my ‘unofficial training.’”
Hope and determination were key elements in Tom’s work, too. “Acting was considered a dream where I grew up,” he explained, “and without any connection to the industry, it wasn’t until I was 20 that I thought of taking the leap. Independently, I started directing short films and on stage in a small indie theater, while trying to get my foot in the door for years…
Being Merlin
For Tom, the role of Merlin was a big leap, because he was a relative unknown. “I applied independently to the series without an agent with self-tape,” he told me.
The doubt continued. “After a few weeks of endlessly sending Merlin tapes, the production took me to Budapest at the last minute to get the final test in person. I had a nice dinner later with the producers and directors, but they didn’t give me an answer when I was there, so I took the worst, expecting a NO after I flew back home.Bone Tomahawk again Dragged Across Concrete) telling me I got the job and I needed to get back to Budapest ASAP for what he described as ‘the most challenging five months EVER!’… and he wasn’t wrong.”
Naturally, the actor was very happy not only to get his first role, but also to lead in an ambitious, well-produced project. “Launching a product of this size for the first time, let alone leading, was not easy,” he told me. “When I applied online for the opening casting call, I didn’t know the scale of it and the script was kept under wraps, obviously. Once I knew it was Merlin, and it dawned on me what this was, I dove in. An opportunity of this size for so many actors I know is RARE, and my mantra has always been when something like this finally arrives, if I don’t give up everything.”
Since the films were a family affair, there was a lot of excitement for the budding actor. “The way my parents reacted when I took over was wonderful and meant the world.
Tom Sharp’s Way to Play Merlin
Once there, he had to get to know the character. What did he think of the venerable magician in his younger years? “I really like how young Merlin grows from a naive, rebellious, and curious boy to a wild and focused person after living with the mountain people,” he said of Merlin’s history. “They taught him to ‘see and heal,’ to appreciate the world around him, too [that] ‘the rhythm of life flows through him.’”
He continued, “Merlin’s character is deeply flawed, but he has many admirable qualities.” For example, he could easily rule as the Supreme King unopposed in an oppressive position with his power and immortality, yet he doesn’t want to and is afraid of losing his temper and hurting those he cares about. Constantly questioning his future, he apparently says humbly, let someone else see humbly. I highly recommend Arthurian Legend.
Young Merlin was not all wisdom and counsel. He had many extremes, from stoic to angry to deep love to deep sorrow. What was it like for Tom to play all those emotions? “Episode 6, ‘Gaineda’ was my most important episode and it holds a special place in my heart,” he said of the heartwarming story of Merlin’s love for his bride.
“The perfect hero’s journey, the central story of Merlin, as he goes through all the events and emotions. It’s very sad. When I read the script, I knew that this was the ‘tent pole’ of the series, it was important that I did this episode without the actor and the game being separated. Playing opposite Brett Cooper (Gaineda), Steve Varnom (Cunternin-AnbYn) was Genern-Lylunn joy, which made the job very easy I always watched the film schedule every time when episode 6 came out it was more challenging, more rewarding, and I was more relieved at how it all turned out.
The Mystery of Merlin’s Yellow Eyes
I often wondered about Merlin’s distinctive yellow eyes. In some scenes, they were very bright, and in others, they were very natural. I asked Tom about the use of colored lenses, and found out that there were none.
“I wasn’t wearing contact lenses,” he said. “They changed the color of my eyes to gold digitally, which I am very grateful for. You connect with the actors on the screen through their eyes. The problem with colored lenses is that the pupil is focused and will not dilate if there is a different emotion or light, which cuts off the audience a lot. We tested it before filming and it looked wrong. With digital it was the best decision to reproduce the natural eye and open only my natural eyes. connecting with the audience.”
Transferring the Burden of Immortality
Every good actor puts something of himself into his part, and Tom Sharp is no exception. I asked him about his role in the character, and he told me, “I was always looking for clues in the script and asking questions.” For example, in Episode 3, ‘The Fatherless Child,’ Merlin narrates, ‘They say Merlin is Mad’ and ‘the future and the past are known by him.’ I didn’t want to just play him crazy, I wanted to know ‘what kind of crazy?’ After all the events and tragedies he’s been through – being kidnapped as a child, the killing of his loved ones, killing 500 men, his fixed views and the way he stares into the fire like a soldier returning from war… to me his ‘crazy’ is PTSD. That was a big piece of the puzzle and it gave me a foundation to build on and make this mysterious image relatable to the audience.”
Tom explains, “Besides, he is burdened by immortality, an incredible loneliness as he will surpass everyone, including loved ones, so he keeps everyone at a distance. loved ones, he is soft too, because his voice, his immortality and power play, he has all the time in the world so his voice is smooth, he does not need to bark.”
Life Without Sword and Sorcery for All Boys
Some acting is hard work, while others are really fun. With all the situations the actors had to endure, compared to doing cool things like sword fighting and reenacting medieval battles, I asked what they enjoyed and what was difficult to do.
“I grew up watching epics like them A brave heart, The Gladiator, Last of the Mohicans, The Lord of the Ringsand to get to play this kind of music is every boy’s dream.” He explains: “Joining a war or running with a wolf or giving a speech to the army with explosives and real consequences, while there is an explosion in the area.”
It wasn’t all paradise, he admitted. “Filming was either hot or cold, but it was all worth it.” Rise of the Merlin fans appreciate both his resilience in these circumstances and the strong optimism that drives him forward.
With this in mind, I asked him what scenes he enjoyed from the show, both on set and off. “There were a lot of scenes that I liked, especially the second half of episode 6; however, the last scene of Episode 7, ‘The Last True Bard,’ is easily my favorite. Without spoiling anyone who hasn’t watched it, it was an out-of-body moment for me because it was amazing. All I could think about was my journey here with my family, which was so rewarding to look back on with them, no matter what the future holds for me, I can look back and say, ‘I did that!’”
As the main character of the show, Merlin should be in every setting the series offers, from the otherworldly Ynis Avallach to the mysterious hills of Fain Hawk, the majestic set of Goddeu, and the epic final battle. I wondered where he liked to film the most. “Budapest is beautiful and I encourage everyone to visit it,” he suggested. “But I have to say that a lot of the places in Italy were amazing. One of my favorite shots is going through Gran Sasso, Italy with Alex Laurence Philips, where Pelleas looks back and sees Merlin riding alone talking to himself as the sunlight comes in. That, paired with Kyle McCuiston’s amazing soundtrack, is great.”
The looming mountain and lonely green plains provided an ethereal setting for Merlin to speak with the ghost Pelleas could not see.
The Brotherhood of Merlin
Cast and crew posting on social media spoke proudly of the planned reunion even after production ended. I asked Tom about “Merlin’s brotherhood” and if he made any new commitments on set.
“Definitely,” he confirmed, adding, “We’re all in touch every day. It was an incredible challenge, and we were all together. The cast had a rigorous training camp before filming, including horse riding and fighting in the hot Hungarian sun. It was tough, but we were all committed from Day One and supported each other.”
A Bright and Bright Future by Tom Sharp
Now that the recording is over, I asked Tom what’s next. “It’s still early, but I’m open to anything,” he told me. But he’s in it for the love of the show: “Whether it’s Merlin again or something completely new, whether it’s another big production or an indie arthouse production, I’m ready.”
While putting this interview together, I decided to finally replace my lost copies of Stephen Lawhead’s novels The Pendragon Cycle: The Rise of Merlin. The second novel is called Merlinand golden eyes staring at me from their cover. I asked Tom what it was like to be the new face of the book and the show, and this was big news.
“I didn’t know about these books; they just surprised me,” he admitted. “Having my face on the cover of a book was never on my bucket list, but it’s welcome and an honor. It’s a great addition to the family bookshelf.”
