RUFUS Sewell was reluctant to play Prince Andrew in ‘Scoop’ at first.
The 56-year-old actor portrays the Duke of York in the new Netflix film about the royal’s calamitous 2019 ‘Newsnight’ interview with Emily Maitlis regarding his connection to the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein but was hesitant about the project as he lacks “mimicry” abilities.
Speaking at the Next on Netflix event in London on Thursday, Rufus explained: “I actually didn’t say yes until I’d worked on my own for a while.
“I had an instinct about (Prince Andrew) and felt that there was something that I could bring to him, but I’m not someone who has a natural gift of mimicry.
“I have a good ear. I’ve always been good with accents. But there are certain really great actors who just have that preternatural ability to just do it. I can’t. I have to come up with a different way. So I said yes, because of an instinct.”
Rufus confessed that he became “obsessed” with watching footage of Prince Andrew as he looked to perfect his depiction of the royal.
He said: “I just obsessed with watching the interview and watching him.
“I watched a lot of footage of him when he was younger and at his best because one of the temptations is to avoid anything that seems to show him in a good light. It’s quite a responsibility.”
Gillian Anderson plays former BBC journalist Maitlis in the film – which will be released next month – and explained how she experienced similar doubts to Sewell before agreeing to take the part.
The ‘X-Files’ star said: “The opportunity to play her was a privilege and was daunting. She is a formidable character and journalist, and an incredibly impressive woman.
“So when first asked to play her I said, ‘Absolutely not, it’s too hard, she’s too amazing and everyone knows her too well and I will undoubtedly fail.’”
Scoop drops on Netflix on April 5th.
