- Interviews
Rufus Sewell: Pale Horse and Beyond
Rufus Sewell stars in Agatha Christie’s The Pale Horse currently screening on Amazon Prime, where he plays an antique dealer who apparently ‘has it all.’ When he discovers that the women he sleeps with have a habit of dying under mysterious circumstances, his life is turned upside down. Then, he finds he’s being targeted by a serial killer, who may or may not be endowed with supernatural powers. Sewell (52), is best known for such movies as Dangerous Beauty (1998), The Legend of Zorro (2005), The Illusionist (2006), Paris, je t’aime (2006), and more recently, last year’s Oscar and Golden Globe-winning film, Judy. On the small screen, he most recently starred in The Man in the High Castle, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
I’d never read any of her books but I’d always enjoyed the Agatha Christie movies growing up, just like anyone else, a kind of Sunday evening staple or a Christmas special. I loved the Albert Finney films and I also loved Peter Ustinov in them.
Well, the fact that it came my way is always a big plus! (laughs) It’s one of many types of roles I’d always wanted to do, and also the fact that it went against what we know of Agatha Christie. It’s from the early ‘60s, which is not really the time frame we usually associate with her. It’s a much spookier story, it’s a bit more like a horror. It reminded me of The Wicker Man, Jacob’s Ladder, and Macbeth. It’s dark and strange.
I don’t particularly believe, but I believe there’s obviously more to the world than we understand, though that doesn’t mean that I believe in witches and angels.
color:black’>How would you describe this time in your career?
More of the same, really. It hasn’t really changed (laughs). But I worry less about that now. People will see a pattern in the roles that I do and ask me why I am attracted to certain roles, but the truth is, certain roles seem to be attracted to me.
Maybe it will change. I’m getting to an age where people will realize I am a bit more useful as an actor than they thought. People for some reason want to regard me as a ‘type’ rather than someone who can adapt to roles. Hopefully in the future maybe someone will watch me and say, ‘Oh. This is someone who can do the opposite of what we’ve seen him in, let’s offer him that!’ But more than likely I’ll just get offered more of the same thing. I don’t really care anymore.
I have decided that I don’t have to prove anything. I don’t think I have to prove anything to myself, because I’ve decided I don’t really worry about the opinions I used to worry about. I can battle to change people’s perceptions of me but I think it’s a losing battle. I know what I am capable of and the people who I respect know what I’m capable of and I have to make peace with the fact that people see me in a particularly limited way and that’s fine.
?
I don’t think so. There are people who are far better looking than me. I am not going to give you a quote on that. I have talked way too much about this stuff in the past.
Enjoy the things you do and don’t worry so much about what they lead to. I try to follow it now.
I’m doing alright (laughs). That’s why I can say I’m not so worried about how people see me anymore. I don’t worry about a career path or what the next job is. I’m actually doing pretty well; I am leading a pretty nice life. That kind of thinking can rob you of happiness if you concentrate on it too much.
Well, the truth is, I am a lot less rock and roll than I used to be. I wouldn’t like to admit this in my 20s but I actually quite like routines. (laughs) I am more of a creature of habit than I would have wanted to admit to myself in my 20s. In reality, all of my rock and roll heroes are quite suburban and it’s quite a relief when you realize that. Rock and rollers tend to want to be in their hotel room with a tin of baked beans, sausages and a cup of Tetley.
I haven’t actually. I am rehearsing in LA. I was really into Elvis when I was very young and that’s why this film is so exciting. I also loved The Beatles and Bowie. It doesn’t mean I listen to them all the time. Often your favorite music, you tend to over listen. I am still very much into Bowie, and I still love Elvis.
I do very much, actually. I was very conscious of my Australian roots when I was growing up. My dad died when I was ten. We were very poor and I think my mum had tried at some stage to take us to Australia, but she could never get the money together, she always struggled. And then I managed to go in my late 20’s to film Dark City. When I first landed in Sydney, which is where my dad came from, it really did feel in a sense like I was coming home. And I have always felt that about Australia and I am very proud of my Aussie roots and it means a lot to me.
"Arial",sans-serif;color:black’>?
It’s the same advice that I would give myself, try to enjoy the things you do when you do them and not treat everything as a giant steppingstone. Because when I look back on the times I was doing my dream jobs, I didn’t allow myself to enjoy them.
I think the pressures are different. I think it’s a very different world now, I can’t imagine what the differences are psychological. I find it very strange that people are under pressure to sell themselves in a different way now, but I think the pressure has just changed. It’s difficult to say if it’s just harder or just different.