MassLive | Awkward armor and wild animals on 'Those About to Die' @MassLive | Uploaded July 2024 | Updated October 2024, 1 week ago.
From The AP
German director Roland Emmerich is famous for his sci-fi and disaster movies – among them “Independence Day,” “Godzilla” and “White House Down” – giving him the moniker "master of disaster" within the film industry.
But for his first ever television series, the 68-year-old chose subject matter which had always fascinated him: Roman history and sports.
“Those About to Die” is an epic drama set in the corrupt world of gladiatorial competition and chariot races in Ancient Rome, during the Flavian era.
In AD 79, Emperor Vespasian keeps the masses under control by giving them what they want: blood and sport. The series features a large ensemble of characters from all corners of the Roman Empire who intersect in the worlds of sports, politics and ruling dynasties.
The series was inspired by the 1958 non-fiction book “Those About to Die,” written by Daniel P. Mannix and was shot entirely at Cinecittà Studios in Rome.
It stars Anthony Hopkins as the ailing Vespasian, along with Tom Hughes and Jojo Macari as his sons, Titus and Domitian, respectively, who are battling to succeed their father.
“Games of Thrones” star Iwan Rheon plays a master of the underworld, Tenax, who runs the gambling operation for the gladiatorial contests, and told The Associated Press that life in Rome at that time could be nasty, brutish and short.
“At any moment, anything could go wrong. Everyone is in mortal peril the entire time. And the stakes are so massively high for everyone, and they're all trying to screw each other over and get above each other. And I think that's one of the great things about it, is it's absolutely 100 miles an hour,” said the Welsh actor.
Macari (“Sex Education,” “Masters of the Air”) took a deep dive into his character, Domitian, while in the Italian capital.
“We were filming in Rome, and I could go and literally stand in Domitian's bedroom, which still stands on the Palatine Hill. That does most of the work for you really, doesn't it?” he said.
Emmerich said Hopkins was his first choice to play Vespasian, and was amazed when the 86-year-old agreed to two weeks filming in Rome.
Hughes said it was “a real joy” and a “thrill” to be acting opposite Hopkins as his onscreen father.
“You've got to go and turn up in a scene with the best actor that's ever lived. And then I'm going, OK, well, that's obviously not going to fly. You know, there's an imbalance there. And when I did walk out and did meet Anthony, he was just the most generous, kind, fun, open human that really kind of gave myself and Jo (Jojo Macari) a platform to express ourselves as well,” said Hughes.
“Those About to Die” also stars Moe Hashim as Kwame, a lion tracker who is forced to become a gladiator, and Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson as Viggo, a fighter who befriends him. Sara Martins-Court plays Kwame’s mother Cala, who is trying to rescue and his sisters from slavery.
Dimitri Leonidas stars as Rome’s top charioteer, Scorpus, alongside Italian actor Gabriella Pession, who plays his scheming and manipulative (married) lover Antonia.
All 10 episodes of “Those About to Die” are released on Peacock on July 18th.
From The AP
German director Roland Emmerich is famous for his sci-fi and disaster movies – among them “Independence Day,” “Godzilla” and “White House Down” – giving him the moniker "master of disaster" within the film industry.
But for his first ever television series, the 68-year-old chose subject matter which had always fascinated him: Roman history and sports.
“Those About to Die” is an epic drama set in the corrupt world of gladiatorial competition and chariot races in Ancient Rome, during the Flavian era.
In AD 79, Emperor Vespasian keeps the masses under control by giving them what they want: blood and sport. The series features a large ensemble of characters from all corners of the Roman Empire who intersect in the worlds of sports, politics and ruling dynasties.
The series was inspired by the 1958 non-fiction book “Those About to Die,” written by Daniel P. Mannix and was shot entirely at Cinecittà Studios in Rome.
It stars Anthony Hopkins as the ailing Vespasian, along with Tom Hughes and Jojo Macari as his sons, Titus and Domitian, respectively, who are battling to succeed their father.
“Games of Thrones” star Iwan Rheon plays a master of the underworld, Tenax, who runs the gambling operation for the gladiatorial contests, and told The Associated Press that life in Rome at that time could be nasty, brutish and short.
“At any moment, anything could go wrong. Everyone is in mortal peril the entire time. And the stakes are so massively high for everyone, and they're all trying to screw each other over and get above each other. And I think that's one of the great things about it, is it's absolutely 100 miles an hour,” said the Welsh actor.
Macari (“Sex Education,” “Masters of the Air”) took a deep dive into his character, Domitian, while in the Italian capital.
“We were filming in Rome, and I could go and literally stand in Domitian's bedroom, which still stands on the Palatine Hill. That does most of the work for you really, doesn't it?” he said.
Emmerich said Hopkins was his first choice to play Vespasian, and was amazed when the 86-year-old agreed to two weeks filming in Rome.
Hughes said it was “a real joy” and a “thrill” to be acting opposite Hopkins as his onscreen father.
“You've got to go and turn up in a scene with the best actor that's ever lived. And then I'm going, OK, well, that's obviously not going to fly. You know, there's an imbalance there. And when I did walk out and did meet Anthony, he was just the most generous, kind, fun, open human that really kind of gave myself and Jo (Jojo Macari) a platform to express ourselves as well,” said Hughes.
“Those About to Die” also stars Moe Hashim as Kwame, a lion tracker who is forced to become a gladiator, and Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson as Viggo, a fighter who befriends him. Sara Martins-Court plays Kwame’s mother Cala, who is trying to rescue and his sisters from slavery.
Dimitri Leonidas stars as Rome’s top charioteer, Scorpus, alongside Italian actor Gabriella Pession, who plays his scheming and manipulative (married) lover Antonia.
All 10 episodes of “Those About to Die” are released on Peacock on July 18th.
