Anna Chancellor- Actor of the Week

Anna Chancellor

Forever Duckface, Anna Chancellor is probably best known as the woman Hugh Grant's character almost marries in Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Anna Chancellor and Hugh Grant in Four Weddings and a Funeral

Henrietta could not have been played by anyone else. Anna Chancellor is at her best in Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Charles: Perhaps we should've got married.
Henrietta: No! I'd have had to marry your friends, and I'm not sure I could take Fiona.
Charles: Fiona loves you.
Henrietta: Fiona calls me Duckface.
Charles: Well, I never heard that. 

Anna Chancellor as Miss Bingley in P&P

As the catty and desperate Miss Bingley in Pride and Prejudice 1995, Anna Chancellor is just what Jane Austen would have wanted. There is some wonderful irony in the fact that Jane Austen is her eight times great-aunt. She was born to play Miss Bingley.

Miss Bingley: I believe I can guess your thoughts at this moment.
Mr. Darcy: I should imagine not.
Miss Bingley: You are thinking how insupportable it would be to spend many evenings in such tedious company.
Mr. Darcy: No, indeed, my mind was more agreeably engaged. I've been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow.
Miss Bingley: And may one dare ask whose the eyes that inspire these reflections?
Mr. Darcy: Miss Elizabeth Bennet's.
Miss Bingley: Miss Elizabeth Bennet. I am all astonishment.

Anna Chancellor with Amanda Bynes and Kelly Preston in What a Girl Wants

As if it isn't bad enough to lose Colin Firth in Pride and Prejudice, she loses him again in What a Girl Wants. One might think there was some typecasting going on here!

Glynnis Payne: I know my daddy was naughty, but what about me?

Anna Chancellor as Questular Rontok in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

As Vice President of the Galaxy Questular Rontok in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, she tries unsuccessfully to hide her  love for Zaphod Beeblebrox. Poor Anna, she can't even land a guy with two heads and three arms!


 Questular Rontok: [about Trillian] She's lying. She's skinny, and she's pretty, and she's lying!

Anna Chancellor as Juliet Shaw with Peter Firth as Harry Pearce in Spooks

As ruthless right-wing Juliet Shaw in Spooks (MI5) we get to see Anna as a real ball buster. Juliet versus Ros is something to behold.

Fortysomething with Hugh Laurie, Anna Chancellor and Benedict Cumberbatch

One of the reasons I still love writing this blog after 2 years (other than the fact that I have some of the best readers & commenters on the internet) is that together we discover some unknown gems of film or television.

Fortysomething is a 6 episode TV series from 2003 starring Anna Chancellor as the sexy wife of Hugh Laurie, a slightly befuddled medical doctor. Sort the opposite of Dr. House if you can imagine. Benedict Cumberbatch plays the eldest of 3 rather horny male offspring in this hilariously dysfunctional abode.

If you want to give it a whirl, the first episode is on YouTube here. I am afraid I will be watching this all weekend now!!!

Anna Chancellor as Lix Storm in The Hour

The Hour is a behind the scenes drama about a Cold-War era investigative news program in England. I am dying to see this one, so someone who has already watched it, please tell us all how you liked it! Anna Chancellor, Ben Whishaw, Romola Garai, Domenic Cooper, Tim Piggot-Smith, Juliet Stevenson...I am drooling at the thought!

Well, I certainly do appreciate the talent of Anna Chancellor in her many varied roles. I also liked her in the girly film Crush and in the recently released Hysteria. She is always fun to watch. Which are your faves of hers?

Matthew Macfadyen- Actor of the Week

Matthew Macfadyen

Matthew Macfadyen has been fun to watch as a period actor over the last decade. He has played bad boys, awkward geeks, milquetoasts and leading men. He is certainly not afraid to stretch his acting chops. So...lets see what he has been in, and lets do it chronologically.

Matthew Macfadyen as Sir Felix Carbury

In the Andrew Davies adaptation of Anthony Trollope's masterpiece The Way We Live Now, Macfadyen plays the bad boy Sir Felix Carbury. He is marvelous in this role as he rides a roller-coaster of emotion. I hated and loved his character at the same time. And I must say, he does look wonderful in those boots!

Matthew Macfadyen in Spooks or MI5

I know MI5 isn't period, but Matthew's character of Tom Quinn was so instrumental in his career, I had to mention it. I am not normally a spy show kind of girl, but this show is so well done and with such great actors (Peter Firth, Rupert Penry-Jones, Richard Armitage, Hermione Norris, Keeley Hawes and many more)!

Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy

As a Mr. Darcy for a whole new generation, Matthew Macfadyen managed to get a shy awkward spin on Mr. Darcy that made us unable to stay angry with him for his proposal speech in the rain. So cute! Pride and Prejudice- the muddy hems version is what I call this one.

Matthew Macfadyen as John Birt in Frost/Nixon

As John Birt in Frost/Nixon (well known in the UK as the Director General of the BBC in the 1990s) Matthew Macfadyen shows that he is not afraid of doing some character work and looking...well...a little less handsome than usual. He also bares his bottom in this film. I may have to rent this one again!

Matthew Macfadyen as Arthur Clennam in Little Dorrit

As nice guy Arthur Clennam in Little Dorrit he really gets to show us what a great actor he is. Lots of screen time in this, one of my favourite period miniseries ever! I love him in this one.

Matthew Macfadyen as the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood

As the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood 2010 he was almost unrecognizable. I liked this film, although it's not really my preferred historical period. Personally, I'm more into the Georgian to the Edwardian period. I wish I was more into the 13th century and then I would watch more of Richard Armitage as Guy of Gisborne in BBCs Robin Hood. If anything could get me to watch Robin Hood, it's RA! Sorry Matthew.

Matthew Macfadyen as Philip in Pillars of the Earth

Matthew plays a monk in Pillars of the Earth, Prior Philip of Kingsbridge, where a cathedral is being built in the 12th century. This dramatization of Ken Follett's historical novel set in the era of King Stephen is quite good and Macfadyen's portrayal of the earnest and naive Philip is notable.

Matthew Macfadyen as the middle aged Logan Mountstuart

In Any Human Heart, Matthew Macfadyen plays the middle aged version of Logan Mountstuart. There is no lack of drama in this alternately heart breaking and uplifting miniseries. Macfadyen does a marvelous job of playing the main character drifting through the 20th century.

Matthew Madfadyen as Athos in The Three Musketeers

The Three Musketeers unfortunately bombed at the movie theater. I think it was trying to be too many things. Very difficult to update this classic with all kinds of special effects and not to lose the heart of the story. Oh, well.

I look forward to Matthew's performance as Oblonsky in Anna Karenina later this year opposite Keira Knightley again and directed by Joe Wright.

Well, here's to more wonderful roles for this talented actor. Looking at these photos, you can see the variety of roles he has played in the past and I'm sure he has many more to come. I'd love to see him do more films with his wife Keeley Hawes as well. I thought they were great together in Death at a Funeral.

Richard Armitage- Actor of the Week

Richard Armitage as Mr. John Thornton from North & South

Richard Armitage. Two words which can set the entire period drama community swooning. OK, yours truly is swooning...anyone else here with me? This man's voice is like melted butter. Yum!

Richard Armitage and Mr. Thornton are to the new millennium what Colin Firth and Mr. Darcy were to the 1990s. Be still my beating heart! If for some reason you haven't seen the amazing adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's classic Victorian novel North and South from 2004 you are in for a real treat. If you love it already, maybe you are due to watch it again (or at least watch the brilliant final scene on YouTube!). By the way, this is not the American Civil War saga from the 1980s. The reference is to the industrial North and the agricultural South of England.

Richard Armitage as Harry Kennedy from The Vicar of Dibley

When Dawn French as the Vicar of Dibley had to find herself a love interest for the Christmas/New Years special of 2006/2007 she knew who to ask for. And he is such a good sport that he jumped at it.  Wouldn't you love this adorable accountant to move in down the street? If you have never seen The Vicar of Dibley, make sure you watch some older episodes before you watch the one above.

Richard Armitage as Guy of Gisborne in Robin Hood

If you like your men a little darker and scruffier than the smiling accountant above, perhaps Guy of Gisborne from the recent BBC Robin Hood series is more your style...

Richard Armitage as Lucas North from Spooks

If dark and dangerous is more your style, then the cool spy Lucas North from the wonderful television series Spooks (known as MI5 in North America) may fit the bill. Armitage had to lose weight and learn Russian for this role. His tattooed bod is quite something, but of course it is the acting we are interested in, right? And the acting is brilliant.

Richard Armitage as baddie Heinz Kruger from Captain America

Hollywood thinks of him as a baddie apparently as seen here in Captain America where he plays the thoroughly evil Heinz Kruger.

Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbit

And as Dwarf leader Thorin Oakenshield (he is a 6'2" Dwarf by the way) he is not exactly looking his usual hunky self. But if it raises his profile in Hollywood, then maybe we get to see more of him!

"You don't need Henry to explain..."

I leave you with a loving glance from John Thornton minus cravat for a change. Mmmmmmm.....Is my bias showing? (Favourite actor!!!)


P.S. Any other roles you particularly liked him in?

Spooks(MI5) and Period Drama -A Spooky Link?

Spies always have secrets

The British spy show Spooks (known in North America as MI5) is a very modern, edgy and absolutely gripping television show.  It doesn't seem at first to have anything to do with Period Drama.  However, these spies who run around with guns fighting terrorism and keeping Britain safe from high level criminal activity all have a secret.  They have all (or almost all) been previously seen in some of my favorite Period Dramas. I hear you scoffing in disbelief at this absurd assertion.  Spies in crinolines and top hats? Pshaw!

Richard Armitage as spy Lucas North  in a black T-shirt

Richard Armitage as Mr. Thornton, in black suit and cravat

The sexiest spy of them all, Lucas North (actor Richard Armitage) not surprisingly stars as the sexy Mr. Thornton in the adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's  North and South.  It doesn't seem to matter whether this man is in a T-shirt and jeans, or a Victorian black suit, he can rock it. He also played Guy of Gisborne in the Robin Hood TV series.

Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Quinn, Spook

Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy, gentleman

Fans will also recognize Tom Quinn (actor Matthew Macfadyen) as the very attractive Mr. Darcy from the recent film adaptation of  Pride and Prejudice.  He also played Arthur Clenham in Dickens' Little Dorrit and Sir Felix Carbury in The Way We Live Now (I loved him in this one!).  Actually, he was also in Wuthering Heights, Robin Hood, The Pillars of the Earth, and will soon be seen in Any Human Heart and The Three Musketeers. This man is king of the Period Drama!

Hermione Norris as Ros Myers, scary kick ass spy

Hermione Norris as Victoria St. John, scary Edwardian lady

Ros Myers can run with a gun in tight leather jacket and jeans and then take down a terrorist without even breaking a sweat.  Played by actress Hermione Norris, she is one woman you really don't want to mess with.  Perhaps the casting agents saw her first as Victoria St. John in Berkeley Square, the Edwardian miniseries about three nannys, their employers and their little charges.  Norris plays the scariest of these employers who eventually shows her softer side, but just barely. (Thanks for the photo of Norris in Berkeley Square to Enchanted Serenity of Period Films and Fine Eyes/Nursery Rhymes Gallery).

Rupert Penry Jones as cutie spy Adam Carter in Spooks

Rupert Penry Jones as Captain Wentworth in Persuasion

Rupert Penry Jones plays the serious but adorable Adam Carter in Spooks.  He has a weakness for pretty girls, which gets him into trouble, but we can forgive that face. As Captain Wentworth in the ITV adaptation of Persuasion he puts his seriously cute face to work as one of Jane Austen's best beloved male leads.  He has done a few other Period Dramas (Jane Eyre, Casanova and The Four Feathers) but after perusing his IMDb page, I want to seek out a bit part he had in AbFab as "Boy at Party" The End, 1995.  Anyone seen him with Edina and Patsy?

Keeley Hawes as funny but sharp spy Zoe Reynolds

Keeley Hawes as Lady Agnes Holland in BBC's new Upstairs, Downstairs

Keeley Hawes played the adorable and often funny Zoe Reynolds for three seasons of Spooks.  She was wonderful as the flighty but affectionate Cynthia Kirkpatrick in Wives and Daughters, one of my favorites. She was also in Under the Greenwood Tree, Tipping the Velvet, Our Mutual Friend and is now starring as Lady Agnes Holland in the new BBC Upstairs Downstairs which will be airing this spring on PBS/Masterpiece.

Peter Firth as spy boss Harry Pearce

Peter Firth looking pretty goofy as Henry Tilney in Northanger Abbey

Head spy Harry Pearse (actor Peter Firth-no relation to Colin!) when he was much younger and apparently had a bad 1980's perm, starred in a particularly campy adaptation of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey 1986. He will also appear in "South Riding", an adaptation by Andrew Davies of Winifred Holtby's novel on PBS/Masterpiece later this year.


I will leave you with a You Tube video of Peter Firth's hilarious portrayal of Henry Tilney, blond perm and all, singing no less (accompanied by flute and harp)!

Click here to see Peter Firth (aka Spooks boss Harry Pearse) sing in Northanger Abbey on You Tube!

P.S. I know I left many actors out so feel free to comment below if  you can remember any others from Spooks who have done Period Drama. Even now I am kicking myself for not including Gemma Jones/Connie James who was the best Mrs. Dashwood imaginable in Sense and Sensibility.  Any others?????