A Very Royal Scandal’s Ruth Wilson and Michael Sheen on bringing an “extraordinary” interview to life

As I delve into the captivating narrative of A Very Royal Scandal, I find myself utterly enthralled by the masterful performance of Michael Sheen as Prince Andrew. His portrayal of a self-entitled, yet vulnerable royal figure is nothing short of mesmerizing. The question that lingers in my mind is: can an audience truly empathize with such a controversial character?

This interview was originally published in TopMob magazine.

Michael Sheen paused slightly, admitting he had trouble telling the difference between what was captured on film and real life, and added, ‘And also, my personal feelings about it.’

The actor is discussing the crucial interview scene in A Very Royal Scandal, a three-part Amazon Prime Video production that dramatizes Emily Maitlis’s 2019 Newsnight interview with Prince Andrew. In this production, John Sheen portrays the prince and Ruth Wilson plays Maitlis.

According to Sheen, it was something truly remarkable. He believes they might have watched that particular interview more times than anyone else globally. Wilson concurs, stating he repeatedly recited those words to himself at home.

On the 14th of November, I had the opportunity to participate in an unprecedented interview with a 59-year-old prince, who graciously offered his full cooperation, though some might argue it was unwise. This interview was recorded at the prestigious Buckingham Palace and was later aired on BBC Two, specifically at 9pm on Saturday night. The world was left astounded by this broadcast, and as a result of my role in facilitating this conversation, I gained renown on an international scale.

In addition, this incident significantly marked the end of Andrew’s public presence. When Maitlis echoed Virginia Giuffre’s allegation that she was coerced into having sexual encounters with the duke in London when she was 17, under the guidance of Jeffrey Epstein, an American convicted pedophile, and Ghislaine Maxwell, a British heiress who was Andrew’s longtime friend, Andrew countered by stating that it couldn’t have happened because he was attending a children’s party at a Pizza Express in Woking instead.

Additionally, he contradicted Giuffre’s claim about his profuse sweating by stating that due to his service in the Falklands War, he had difficulty sweating.

Wilson’s expression when Sheen’s character Andrew speaks shows a subtle yet palpable hint of hidden disdain. Just like Sheen and Maitlis have distinct physical appearances, Wilson and the journalist she portrays in this instance also bear noticeable differences. However, it seems as if Wilson has fully immersed herself into her role, much like Maitlis does in real life as a journalist. “I had numerous discussions with Emily,” says Wilson, who is well-known for her role as Mrs. Coulter in His Dark Materials, about her preparation for the character.

I dropped by her home for an evening meal, and I encountered her at The News Agents’ office, where she co-hosts a podcast with Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall. Emily is both intelligent and charismatic. She subsists on Percy Pigs and wine gums, which she was munching on at the office while her hair was being set in rollers.

You might think she’s as cold and calculating as a barrister when cross-examining Andrew, but that’s far from the truth, according to Wilson. ‘She’s quite accident-prone, she’d be the first to admit,’ he shares, chuckling. ‘There’s ink all over her, on her clothes, even on her mouth because she likes to chew her pens. And just look at one of her handbags – the lining is a mess from all that pen ink. I was tempted to write ‘Ruth was here’ on it!

“On set, I used a bag that contained her clothes. It felt like backstage during a school play as she handed me a military jacket she wore at an interview. The scent of Emily lingered on the jacket, reminding me of her presence.

Andrew didn’t have a scent for Sheen, and that’s a fact the 55-year-old actor confirms. ‘Oh no,’ he says. ‘I had absolutely no assistance. Typically, you’re trying to acquire specific items like props or clothing that suit the character, but it was quite challenging to obtain them because of the connection.’

Following closely on the heels of the Netflix movie exploring similar themes, “Scoop” features Gillian Anderson as Emily Maitlis and Rufus Sewell as Prince Andrew in its cast.

Wilson mentions that he chose not to watch it, as he admired Gillian’s talent so much that he didn’t want to feel overwhelmed by her performance. As for Sheen, he confessed that he quickly watched the production and felt intimidated by Rufus. However, he was also relieved because it differed significantly from their own work.

The primary figure in this production is Sam McAlister, portrayed by Billie Piper on Newsnight. In our narrative, the principal characters are Andrew and Emily, delving deeper into the consequences rather than the event itself. How did this interview influence their lives, and what were the subsequent outcomes?

Additionally, there are startling disclosures. Interestingly, some of Andrew’s most incriminating statements were appended to the interview at his team’s behest. Sheen expresses amazement, stating, “I find that astonishing! I thought the Pizza Express and the not sweating incidents were the most damaging – and yet, those are the parts he wanted included!

The drama “A Very Royal Scandal,” penned by BAFTA-winning writer Jeremy Brock and helmed by director Julian Jarrold, delves into the impact of the scandal not only on the royal family but also on its indirect victims, such as Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, daughters of Andrew.

Instead of merely touching upon the topic like Scoop did, it delves into broader, philosophical queries concerning the monarchy. According to Wilson, who holds an MBE (Sheen gave up his OBE in 2017 for the freedom to discuss the royal family), “It’s about a larger narrative of privilege.” Despite seeing merit in the royal family, he believes it should be scrutinized.

Both shows share a pivotal moment from that renowned interview, despite their distinct objectives. According to Wilson, the majority of the shooting took place during a single intense day.

“It was fantastic and exciting. Everyone left feeling exhilarated after experiencing it.” Sheen analogizes it to portraying David Frost in Frost/Nixon: “You’re essentially re-enacting interviews, and when we moved on to film the real scenes, you could sense everyone watching you, thinking, ‘Is this effective or not?’

The portrayal works exceptionally well. Known for breathing life into real-life figures such as Tony Blair and Brian Clough, Sheen manages it yet again. His Andrew character is arrogant and deaf to criticism, a royal figure who may be a monster but also a man suddenly facing the loss of everything he believes is his by right.

Sheen poses a question: “Is it bearable for an audience to empathize with characters committing objectionable or immoral actions by seeing the world through their perspective?” He then adds that while some people may sympathize with Prince Andrew, most likely many do not.

When I query whether he possesses some degree of compassion or understanding towards Andrew, Sheen, who had been relaxed earlier, subtly tenses up. “Compassion encompasses a hint of pardon or absolution, of justifying someone,” he explains.

Empathy involves recognizing someone’s actions in their context, thereby gaining an understanding of why they might have acted or chosen that way. This is distinct from the act of pardoning those choices.

Due to her deep involvement with Sheen’s acting, it seems possible that Wilson may have a more intricate perspective on Andrew compared to her thoughts right after the Newsnight interview. “I might,” she admits. “Working alongside Michael, and observing the series, I realized, ‘Wow, they’ve achieved such an exceptional portrayal of this complex individual and the environment he was raised in.’ It could be that it’s influencing me to reconsider my thoughts.

As for Sheen, there’s a significant enigma at the core, since we’re unsure of what transpired or didn’t. Our strong feelings about it notwithstanding, we remain clueless. There has been no trial, and thus, no verdict in this regard.

It seems that Sheen needed to decide whether the man was guilty or innocent, since he couldn’t remain uncertain. He felt it was necessary to find out about this person and his actions. However, Sheen is unsure if his decision was correct, which is why he chooses not to express an opinion on the matter.

In a turn of events that proved disastrous for Andrew, the interview brought about widespread mockery in the public eye and, essentially, his withdrawal from the royal family. However, during the event itself, he seemed to believe things had gone smoothly.

According to Wilson, when we choose someone to portray the antagonist, we anticipate specific behaviors from them. Emily appeared somewhat taken aback because he did not match her expectations. In the end, he seemed content with how things turned out during the interview.

In simple terms, Virginia Giuffre’s legal dispute with Prince Andrew ended without a trial in February 2022. While it wasn’t verified, reports suggested the settlement could be worth up to £12 million. Some sources claimed part of this sum was provided by Queen Elizabeth.

The miniseries, A Very Royal Scandal, invites us to ponder whether the outcome – either an acknowledgement of wrongdoing or an attempt by the royal family to suppress the story before the Jubilee year – brought about irreversible harm in November 2019.

Wilson exclaims, “The gravity of the circumstance left me awestruck, as it held such significant implications for both parties.” In this case, Emily had a limited time frame – just an hour – and her objective was clear: to secure him. As we now understand, she successfully accomplished her mission.

2024-09-16 18:35

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