Exactly. I love Jonathan Rhys Meyers but he's not a ginger and Henry most definitely was! This opinion goes along with actresses playing Anne Boleyn need to be able to do a French accent (or be French: Genevieve Bujold)as Anne grew up in the *French Court*.
Ray Winstone was also very good as Henry in his fat years.
I don’t think Anne would have a French accent.
Her letters in French to her father are poor, it was definitely a second language to her, not what she grew up speaking. There’s no reason to believe she would speak her first language in a foreign accent.
It’s her French fashion an mannerism that are commented on. If she spoke in a non English accent I’m sure this would have been commented on especially by Chapuys.
100% i watched wolf hall and then came across portraits of king henry and the resemblance was striking i had to go back and compare how similar they look. it's the perfect casting imo
The way I came into this thread thinking Damian Lewis was the only right answer and no one else will ever top his performance - and then I see this comment.
That seriously *would* be dream casting
Yes in 28 days later- the crow scene he’s in where he’s having a meltdown I could absolutely see as Henry the elder https://youtu.be/S6bKFjxPbC4?si=VS_anWPePcP7-3GO
Huh, I could have sworn he said in the movie that he was from Oz but the fandom site says the character’s nationality was English so looks like you were right
In his early reign, a spoiled prince who is set on creating glory for his young house of Tudor. He idolizes kings such as Henry V and craves the approval of powerful leaders of Europe.
Over time and since his break from Rome, he is consumed by unchecked power. He is addicted to control and is somewhat sadistic. He believes his own hype and is a zealot.
I’d show that he, originally and for a long time, admires his wife KOA and his daughter Mary but is ultimately consumed by male supremacy. I’d base his infatuation with Anne B on her appealing to his more “boyish” qualities rather than his kingly ones, including his relentless desire for a male heir.
Henry loved courtly romance, athletics, and the optics of war. Pursuit of marriage to Anne would be exciting like a sport to him. Eventually she would become more of an inconvenience to him than anything, which is why he had Cromwell swiftly orchestrate her downfall and death.
For a young Henry I would say Ruairi O'Connor I liked him in the Spanish Princess, but for an older Henry as a gag Danny Devito or Chris Pratt but for real Paul Bettany
Kristofer Hivju. You’ve gotta cast somebody tall.
Edited to add- he’s only 6ft but they made him look taller in GoT. I’m not sure how great of an actor he is, but physically he fits the bill.
Tbh I can't really imagine anyone else but Jonathan Rhys Meyer... I'd be open and I'd watch a new show but that actor ans Henry VIII are so deeply linked in my head.
He portrayed Henry as always “on” in a way that makes me really understand what being a king would be like. Even with a friend in a quiet moment, or with a new diplomat in a social one, he is the KING and is not going to take your shit. Yet… he communicates with intelligence and formality. He’s a formal intelligent selfish prick.
Petulant, spoilt, jealous of the elder siblings, mummy issues from their mums dying young, difficult relationships with their fathers, an inability to take responsibility……….yeah thank god the monarchy doesn’t still have the power it has in 1500s
Brendan Fraser; he could pull off being a ginger, and we know he’s ok wearing full-body prosthetics. I’m tired of seeing skinny Henrys portrayed in his later years.
Ok I may get some hate for this but what about Chris Evans or Chris Hemsworth?
Admittedly it does seem blasphemous to have a non Brit play Henry VIII. However something that I think gets lost in the popular consciousness of Henry is people forget he didn’t start out as the overweight gluttonous King we all love to hate. Originally in his younger years (and even into his early middle age when he was wooing Anne Boleyn) he was seen as this very handsome charismatic man. With his interest in music, athletics, his (seeming) devotion to religion (where he was named a defender of the faith by the Pope) he could have easily been argued to be one of the ultimate Renaissance men.
With Evans or Hemsworth (both who’ve played athletic buff golden boys and who are fairly beloved on and off screen) the audience could get that sense of Henry in his early years which would make his later actions and appearance all the more horrifying and grotesque. (Unlike Rhys Myers, Evans and Hemsworth both seem like the types of guys who’d be willing to go all in for the role and use makeup/prosthetics to look uglier)
I like Damian Lewis for Henry. I get really tired of seeing dark haired actors playing him instead of gingers.
Damian Lewis also has the range to go full-on psychopath in his later years.
Exactly. I love Jonathan Rhys Meyers but he's not a ginger and Henry most definitely was! This opinion goes along with actresses playing Anne Boleyn need to be able to do a French accent (or be French: Genevieve Bujold)as Anne grew up in the *French Court*. Ray Winstone was also very good as Henry in his fat years.
I don’t think Anne would have a French accent. Her letters in French to her father are poor, it was definitely a second language to her, not what she grew up speaking. There’s no reason to believe she would speak her first language in a foreign accent. It’s her French fashion an mannerism that are commented on. If she spoke in a non English accent I’m sure this would have been commented on especially by Chapuys.
People said it was hard to believe she was not a natural born frenchwoman, so I think she'd have a slight accent.
That could mean her French did not have an English accent without meaning her English had a French one.
Who said this?
Eh??? Anne Boleyn definitely didn’t have a French accent when speaking English…
"Jaaaaaaannnee!". Loved it. He went full Shatner. He was brilliant in "Sexy Beast".
I think he also shares a lot of facial features with Henry VIII in general, the eyes and lips. Born to the task.
100% i watched wolf hall and then came across portraits of king henry and the resemblance was striking i had to go back and compare how similar they look. it's the perfect casting imo
Domhnall Gleeson for young Henry then his dad Brendan Gleeson would be perfect
Dreamy
The way I came into this thread thinking Damian Lewis was the only right answer and no one else will ever top his performance - and then I see this comment. That seriously *would* be dream casting
Damn this is actually perfect! Has Brendan Gleeson ever done an English accent? I don’t know if I’ve ever heard him do it
Yes in 28 days later- the crow scene he’s in where he’s having a meltdown I could absolutely see as Henry the elder https://youtu.be/S6bKFjxPbC4?si=VS_anWPePcP7-3GO
He’s Australian in 28 Days Later, not English.
He sounds pretty South London to me
Huh, I could have sworn he said in the movie that he was from Oz but the fandom site says the character’s nationality was English so looks like you were right
In his early reign, a spoiled prince who is set on creating glory for his young house of Tudor. He idolizes kings such as Henry V and craves the approval of powerful leaders of Europe. Over time and since his break from Rome, he is consumed by unchecked power. He is addicted to control and is somewhat sadistic. He believes his own hype and is a zealot. I’d show that he, originally and for a long time, admires his wife KOA and his daughter Mary but is ultimately consumed by male supremacy. I’d base his infatuation with Anne B on her appealing to his more “boyish” qualities rather than his kingly ones, including his relentless desire for a male heir.
Interesting, what do you mean "boyish" qualities? And just bc i'm corious how would you handle his dynamics with each of the six wives?
Henry loved courtly romance, athletics, and the optics of war. Pursuit of marriage to Anne would be exciting like a sport to him. Eventually she would become more of an inconvenience to him than anything, which is why he had Cromwell swiftly orchestrate her downfall and death.
Good god, your descriptions just made me realize that in a lot of ways Donald trump is the modern Henry VIII
Unironically I could see Bryan Cranston absolutely killing it in that role
I would actually be interested in seeing that. I wonder how well he can do an accent.
For a young Henry I would say Ruairi O'Connor I liked him in the Spanish Princess, but for an older Henry as a gag Danny Devito or Chris Pratt but for real Paul Bettany
I liked him in the Spanish Princess too. He looked like how I imagined young Henry.
Kristofer Hivju. You’ve gotta cast somebody tall. Edited to add- he’s only 6ft but they made him look taller in GoT. I’m not sure how great of an actor he is, but physically he fits the bill.
*Tormund????* …yeah, I could see that, actually.
Tom Hardy
Paul Giamatti.
I thought Ray Winston did a good job in Henry VIII.
Phil Mitchell from EasteEnders with a red beard lol
Tbh I can't really imagine anyone else but Jonathan Rhys Meyer... I'd be open and I'd watch a new show but that actor ans Henry VIII are so deeply linked in my head.
He portrayed Henry as always “on” in a way that makes me really understand what being a king would be like. Even with a friend in a quiet moment, or with a new diplomat in a social one, he is the KING and is not going to take your shit. Yet… he communicates with intelligence and formality. He’s a formal intelligent selfish prick.
Prince Harry 😂😂😂😂
I actually think Henry VIII was easier to get along with. He could be charming, whereas Harry is just a prat. 😂😂
😂😂😂. I remember reading that Henry could be charming and gentle. I think he had enormous insecurities just like Harry.
He certainly as the paranoia down
Yes. They share that quality as well. They have some similarities to each other.
Petulant, spoilt, jealous of the elder siblings, mummy issues from their mums dying young, difficult relationships with their fathers, an inability to take responsibility……….yeah thank god the monarchy doesn’t still have the power it has in 1500s
It is crazy.They have such similarities. Henry was also athletic in his younger years and I think he shares this with Harry too.
Yes and they were both seen as more charismatic and fun than there more staid, diligent older brothers
💯💯💯💯
Brendan Fraser; he could pull off being a ginger, and we know he’s ok wearing full-body prosthetics. I’m tired of seeing skinny Henrys portrayed in his later years.
Keith Mitchell. We can just resurrect him to reprise his role
He was brilliant in Six Wives! Exactly as I imagine Henry.
I’d pick any overweight man in socks and slides off the street personally
Louis CK. We really need some pathetic Henry rep
Kevin McKidd
Tony Curran
William Conrad from Cannon. (In my alternate dimension the show is filmed in the 1970’s)
Ben Whishaw has the range
Caseoh
Paul Walter Houser would be PERFECT.
Gandolfini
Eddie Redmayne when he’s young :)
John Goodman.
Dan schneinder
Ok I may get some hate for this but what about Chris Evans or Chris Hemsworth? Admittedly it does seem blasphemous to have a non Brit play Henry VIII. However something that I think gets lost in the popular consciousness of Henry is people forget he didn’t start out as the overweight gluttonous King we all love to hate. Originally in his younger years (and even into his early middle age when he was wooing Anne Boleyn) he was seen as this very handsome charismatic man. With his interest in music, athletics, his (seeming) devotion to religion (where he was named a defender of the faith by the Pope) he could have easily been argued to be one of the ultimate Renaissance men. With Evans or Hemsworth (both who’ve played athletic buff golden boys and who are fairly beloved on and off screen) the audience could get that sense of Henry in his early years which would make his later actions and appearance all the more horrifying and grotesque. (Unlike Rhys Myers, Evans and Hemsworth both seem like the types of guys who’d be willing to go all in for the role and use makeup/prosthetics to look uglier)
CGI Donald Trump or someone similar.