Many were
surprised when the BBC signed up relatively unknown actor Jonas
Armstrong, who was brought up in Lytham St Annes, to play the iconic
hero in their lavish £8 million series.
The former
Arnold schoolboy admits he feels some burden to do the part justice.
"Of course
there is pressure being a newcomer in a primetime show like this. It's
the first lead role I've had," he confides.
"When I
got the part I sat down and thought to myself, 'Do I think about the
pressure of this part, how I'm going to play it and are people going to
like it? Or do I just take it wholeheartedly and go with it?' Now I
feel really excited about the show going out.
"But it is also very
nerve-wracking. My parents came down for the first screening of the
show and I could barely speak to them, but I was really happy - and
relieved - when I saw the final product."
It was
only a decade ago that Jonas was learning his craft in school
productions at Arnold School in Blackpool.
His
parents said they were over the moon he had landed the role. His Mum
admits her son did not think he had any hope of getting it when he
auditioned, particularly as he was up against actors such as Shameless
star James McAvoy.
Jonas has
appeared in Channel 4's Teachers and The Ghost Squad, and had a role in
Rutherford & Son at Manchester's Royal Exchange last year.
He was
born in Ireland, but the family moved to St Annes when he was six.
His mum
maintains he has a "great affinity" with the area: "He loves coming
back home for Christmas."
When he
does he likes catching up with friends at the pub and has been known to
play at St Annes Tennis Club.
It also
helps that Robin Hood - leader of the famous band of merry men - was
one of his heroes as a child.
Of course,
he has a lot to live up to. Many famous actors have played the role of
the outlaw who steals from the rich and gives to the poor, including
Richard Greene and Errol Flynn. While Jonas, at 25, is too young to
remember those performances, he says he did enjoy Hollywood's 1991 take
on the story.
"I think
every boy is a fan of Robin Hood. I was only five or six when Robin Of
Sherwood was being broadcast, but I can remember the images from the
show, and of course I remember the Kevin Costner film really well.
"Lads
always play bow and arrows when they are young and pretend they're
Robin Hood in the forest, so I was gobsmacked when I got the part."
And it wasn't just the bow and
arrows Jonas got to play with - Robin's other weapon of choice is an
impressive Saracen sword. Luckily, the actor is a dab hand at
sword-fighting.
"I've got
a certificate for stage combat. I trained when I was at Rada, so I
didn't go into it as a novice. I think that paid off.
"If there
was anything too risky though, for instance walking across a beam, I
had a stunt double that stood in. I got really annoyed they wouldn't
let me do that - it was only eight foot tall," he laughs. "I think it
was for insurance reasons."
One thing
they did let Jonas do was the horse-riding.
"They gave
me free rein on the horses. I'm the only one who was allowed to gallop.
It's a really good buzz when you're stuck on a horse and told to fly
around one-handed with a bow in one hand, shouting orders - that's
brilliant and I
really
enjoyed that."
But don't
be fooled, it's not all about the action. At the centre of the story is
Robin's romance with Marian.
"They were
sweethearts and then Robin went off to fight for king and country in
the Holy Land," Jonas explains. "Obviously Marian was a bit miffed when
he decided to go off there for glory rather than staying with her.
"He comes
back and thinks he can pick up where he left off and get her to fall
back into his arms, but it isn't that easy. That makes it all the
better! It's about him trying to woo her – I think it is a
love story."
Because of Marian, we get to
see a darker side of Robin's character. In the first episode, Robin
seems amiable and cheeky, but things change.
"He so
wanted to come back from the war and rekindle himself with society and
get his position sorted, but that goes totally out of the window. He
has to completely readjust to life in the forest with a bunch of
unscrupulous strangers. His personality does adjust, because it has to.
"His
personality gets darker. This guy is a trained killer - he was in the
king's guard, part of his personal protection, so he's a very able
fighter. He has got a temper and while he can usually control himself,
he can also lose it.
"As the
series goes on you do see snippets of that coming out, especially in
episode eight. I can't say exactly why, but it's to do with Gisbourne
and Marian. He goes to a dark place then. He is capable of having a
menacing side."
And that
is not the only flaw in Robin's character, Jonas reveals. "He's quite
arrogant, rather vain, and can be self-centred. But overall the rounded
Robin is essentially a very decent, good-spirited person."
Fans of
previous films and series of Robin Hood may be surprised by the
costumes in this latest offering. The green tights have been banished -
instead, the outlaws wear clothes with a modern twist.
"Some of
the characters have Diesel boots and combats, and I've got a hoodie,"
Jonas laughs. "The costumes are really cool."
Having
already signed on for a further two seasons if the programme proves
successful, there is no doubt the show is set to catapult Jonas into
the public eye. His unkempt good looks are bound to get a few hearts
racing, but is he ready for his life to change?
"You know
when you accept a role like this that they are going to really push it,
and you have to realise your face is going to be known. Until it starts
to happen, I won't know how I'll react."
And what
about the almost guaranteed attention from the female of the species?
"If that
happens, I'll see what it is like then.
''But as a
red-blooded male, I won't be complaining!"
