STACK #139 May 2016

DVD & BD FEATURE

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Down Under for the Supanova pop culture expo, British actor and self-confessed sci-fi fan Burn Gorman talks to Scott Hocking. BURN FOR YOU

TV OR FILM?

A prolific presence on the small screen, Burn Gorman says he prefers the medium of television for the opportunities it affords an actor. “I’m always grateful for the work and for whatever comes my way, but I love being part of a collaborative process over six months,” he says. “You’re not just popping in for a couple of days – you have a chance to develop the character and the themes of the thing. “The last couple of years I’ve been doing a show called TURN: Washington’s Spies , and it’s essentially the true story of the formation of the exceedingly thorough – in that they never get caught – spy ring which turned the tide on the Revolutionary War. As someone who has an interest in history, particularly early American history, I loved doing the job.”

up – for another arsehole, I’m afraid,” he laughs. Although his character doesn’t appear in the novels, Gorman made a memorable contribution to the series, not least his jaw-dropping death scene. “If you’re going to be killed on Game of Thrones , as many people are, to have a sword through your head from Jon Snow is a good way to go,” he notes. A self-confessed sci-fi fan, Gorman says that working with Guillermo del Toro on Pacific Rim – in which he plays introverted kaiju scientist Hermann Gottlieb – is about as good as it gets. “He’s so collaborative, yet has an extremely strong vision of what he wants and how he wants it to look,” Gorman says of the visionary director, and cites one particular example of del Toro’s meticulous attention to detail. “There were a few scenes in Pacific Rim involving the destruction of Hong Kong, and I remember going on set and in the Hong Kong restaurants there were these incredibly detailed menus offering kaiju entrails, and how they would be cooked and served. Bear in mind nobody ever sees these menus, they’re just there, but all the detail that has gone into them is what I love about him. He’s a genius.” With sequel Pacific Rim: Maelstrom currently in pre-production, is there a chance we’ll see Gottlieb again? “I haven’t heard anything at this point,” says Gorman. “Obviously it would be great to be involved, but if that journey is over, then I shall look forward to seeing it without me in it.”

Commander at Craster’s Keep. “I’m a big fan of the books, so I got in contact with [the producers] and said if there’s anything I can do, please think of me. And a little part came

D on't let his intense appearance fool you. For someone who frequently plays despicable characters on screen, Burn Gorman is a really nice guy in person. “I’ve kind of gotten typecast as jerks and arseholes, but you’ve got to take the work when you can get it,” the softly spoken actor says. While his name might not be immediately familiar, his face certainly is. Fans of Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood know him as Owen Harper, the team’s arrogant medic, who manages to die twice over the course of two seasons. “Owen was a complete jerk, let’s be honest,” says Gorman. “Unfortunately people often thought that I was like the character. In the two series I did do, we kind of chipped away at him and saw the real guy. I have a great fondness for the show and the character.” Game of Thrones fans will recognise him as Karl Tanner, the snarling steward of the Night’s Watch who instigates the mutiny against the Lord

DVD & BD

Pacific Rim

If you’re going to be killed on Game of Thrones , as many people are, to have a sword through your head from Jon Snow is a good way to go

Torchwood

MAY 2016

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