Episode 28: Meet the Actor: Bradley James

cover art in which Merlin wears a headset with microphone and holds up a finger to his lips as if to tell you to be quiet

In today’s episode, MissSnowFox and momo talk about one of the lead actors of Merlin: Bradley James!

The episode runs just a couple of minutes shy of 2h and features plenty of momo fawning over Bradley.

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News:

Merlin anniversary festival
Merlin forever Rewatch
Finish that Fic, Merlin!
The King’s Chambers Fest
Merlin Fanfic Quotes admin needed
Resurrection Fanthology kickstarter

Resources:

Saturne’s comment on episode 18
Diane’s comment on episode 15
Bradley’s worldcup video
Bradley’s video message for the Fast Girls premiere
Bradley’s tiny promo of Damien
Bradley as Varga in Blood Wars
Bradley as Webb and Keegan Sherman, the incestuous twins on Bounty Hunters

5 thoughts on “Episode 28: Meet the Actor: Bradley James

  1. Katie is the best one to meet. Colin is more handsome in person, Bradley less so, imo.
    Jacksonville, Florida houses are downright cheap, even for the US. Most places in Florida (outside Miami, Fort Myers, or Naples) are cheaper which is why people move to Florida even now. A Jacksonville article said that they moved because his dad got a job there.
    Lewis was a series. Police investigators in Oxford. 2006-2015.
    Yes, the Disconnected sex scene was hilariously bad.
    Bradley is sweet with a cute sense of humor. A bit of a jock, though, at times.
    Mark Hamill didn’t have many roles after SW. He wasn’t the pretty boy he’d been in the first SW movie because of a really bad car accident. He was pigeon-holed as the SW hero and had a hard time finding any other roles (he did a couple of movies that didn’t do well). He did voice acting for a long time mostly and it was only more recently that he’s been doing movies again. When he showed up on tv in the early days, it was always as Luke or Luke-like – which was a shame because he’s a good actor.
    That was the same way with Leonard Nimoy who played Spock. He was pigeon-holed as Spock for decades. So I can understand Bradley turning away anything dealing with a King Arthur clone.
    Colin’s role was in the Tempest.
    I go to see the actors in other roles on stage and I will travel overseas to see them. I do talk about their current roles when I try and get their autograph. Rupert is particularly good in musicals, btw. (Also, I go to a lot of plays in NYC and you will get fans that only go to see the actors for their single role on tv or movies, and not for the play).
    Bradley was great in iZombie! I hated Damien (too violent) although he was also great in it. I haven’t seen the other things, only the GIFs.
    Nose issue – it could have been he had problems with sinuses? He was getting colds a lot in Merlin and even in iZombie, his voice was nasally . His teeth change was more for ‘beauty’. I like their imperfections.
    Oh, oh, there are blanks with Rox’s and then you talk over each other for a little bit. Then more blanks. 🙁 And more talking over each other.
    Exeter is in Devon.
    I also see Arthur as only Bradley. He’s the closest I’ve ever seen as King Arthur and I’ve seen a lot of tv/movies.
    My favorite scenes are always with him silly. His comic timing is brilliant (Sweet dreams is amazing). But I do agree with Rox about her first choice. I never expected Arthur to be afraid of Merlin.
    Favorite quote – destiny and chicken (and he sniffs under his arm).

  2. Lewis was a crimi show. He was in just one episode and looked stunning. I haven’t actually watched the episode, just his scenes, but he doesn’t die there which is important. xD

    He’s absolutely perfect in Disconnected and the scene is not badly acted, it’s just terrible as a whole. But also perfect. 😀 It got just one episode and wasn’t picked up for the whole season which might be our blessing because then he got to play Arthur. 🙂 Also, Holliday Grainger (Sophia) and Janet Montgomery (Mithian) had a role in this thing. 🙂

    He definitelly is sleazy in Disconnected, but it’s not all there is to him. His character probably would get explored more in depth if the show got picked up for a whole season.

    I think Bradley is very cautious about meeting the fans because he had some quite unpleasant experience. I remember when we went to see filming in Pierrefonds in June 2012, there were some fans, mostly young and teenage, who were quite creepy, running after him, trying to touch him… Not to mention the shitstorm that happened on twitter when he was dating Georgia King.

    But now that the Merlin craze passed and mostly the loyal, more mature fans remained, he’s actually starting to open up a bit more to the fans again I think. I’m hoping he’ll start doing cons again eventually. Meeting with the “knights” might be a nice incentive for him.

    The thing about not talking about Merlin with Merlin actors too much is a really good idea I’d say. I mean, I wouldn’t avoid the topic entirely, but it’s nice to at least ask about something else. I didn’t get to talk to Colin yet, but when I left him a present with a note at stage door, I wrote mostly about the play and about his more recent projects. Because I know they want to get out of the Merlin shadow and I think they deserve to hear that we appreciate their performance beyond their most famous role.

    The gay episode of iZombie was amazing. I didn’t manage to watch all his iZombie episodes though because nope, I’m not doing that to myself.

    I haven’t watched Damien either because I’m not a big fan of the genre, but pretty gifs are pretty. 😀

    Underworld Blood Wars was filmed in Czech Republic and I’m still bitter about not getting to see Bradley. 😀 I kinda enjoyed the movie because it was so bad it ended up being really funny. I mean, I laughed for at least 10 minutes straight during the final action scene. 😀 And Varga was badass and I liked the plot twist concerning his loyalty and how Bradley acted it out.

    I still need to watch Bounty Hunters. I couldn’t find the episodes anywhere so I gave up, but I really want to watch it. I’ve seen just a few scenes with him and they were absolutely hilarious. He should definitely do more comedy. It suits him.

    I don’t think I’ll be able to watch Medici though. It seems its not all sunshine and rainbow for his character. But he does look utterly handsome in all those gifs. And he’s so pretty when he’s sad.

    There were speculations that he had the nose surgery not just because of looks, but also because there was some medical reason. Not sure where those rumours came from though.

    I think the only “problem” I have with his new nose is that I’m so used to his natural nose that I can’t get used to the new one. It just throws me off even years later and it probably always will because of how much I rewatch Merlin.

    I really do like that his acting is quite civil. It looks real. Especially in scenes with Colin it just doesn’t feel like they’re acting.

    I also really like that he’s not afraid to look ugly in his scenes. When he’s angry, he really looks angry. When he’s crying, it’s not just a tragic lonely man-tear but full on ugly crying. And of course, the fight scenes. He doesn’t need the cool face. He’s just cool. 😀

    As for the accent, I’m not native so I don’t really notice much of it, but I find Colin’s slip-ups totally endearing. (And I looooooove Colin’s natural accent, so…)

    For me, Arthur is definitely my most favourite of Bradley’s roles. But lets be honest, he didn’t get another role that would give him a chance to fully show how amazing an actor he is.

    The rat stew scene is a complete treasure. It gives such intense Dom!Arthur vibes. There’s not even any soundtrack in the background. It’s just Arthur domming Merlin and both of them enjoying it so much. 😀

    Apart from all the awesome scenes that got mentioned, I really loved Bradley’s performance in 5×03. First when he’s talking to Uther in spirit world and you can see his heart breaking as Uther talks. Then the moment when Merlin asks whether he looked back. How he’s reluctant to admit that he did. And then of course when he’s sending Uther’s ghost back to the spirit world.

    And then on more positive note, he tops it off with the “fisting” scene. Honestly, how did he manage to keep a straight face while filming this scene?

    From other funny ones, I love the George scenes – from Arthur waking up with the confused “who are you?” to the “two whole days in a tavern” scene. And the disgusted face he makes when Uther flirts with Lady Catrina is just perfect. Not to mention the speech he gives Merlin when he catches him spying on her. 🙂

    Anyway, thanks for reminding me how much I love Bradley, even if he doesn’t own my heart like Colin does. 😀

  3. About having the guts to go and meet at a stage door (maybe it’s different for me being a wheelchair user as it’s kind of bad form not to acknowledge the extra effort we have to put in to book accessible tickets & get to places) but it’s cool if the person stops . Obviously you talk about what you’ve JUST seen & THEN you might say, depending on their reaction “I first saw you in ________________ and seeing you now in this made me think about _______________”.

    MOST ACTORS, if they can’t do a stage door signing or whatever will have the manners to send a tweet, a message with the front of house staff, or something, to say “Sorry, I can’t stop to see you today, I’m busy, but thanks for coming, hope you enjoyed the show.”

    It’s about respect on both sides.

    Books signings or conventions or whatever are different of course because that’s what the famous person is there FOR, to meet fans; though politeness on both sides is still nice/hoped for.

    Never met any of the Merlin cast. but I would like to think they’d respond well if you as a far were respectful & your timing was appropriate.

  4. While traveling down the rabbit hole of “Did Bradley James have a nose job?” I stumbled upon your podcast and I really enjoyed it!! The only reason it dawned on me is because I revisited Damien and I was like “Wait a minute! Is his nose different?” Lol

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