Any ardent television or film viewer will recognize Ralph Ineson.
The 48-year-old has constantly popped up in some of the most popular shows and movies of the last 15 years, from “The Office” to “Game Of Thrones” to “Harry Potter” to “Guardians Of The Galaxy” to “Star Wars” to “Peaky Blinders.”
But it was Ineson’s stunning performance in 2015’s “The Witch” that saw his stock rise exponentially. So much so that later in 2018 he will pop up in The Coen Brothers’ “The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs,” while March is particularly busy for the Yorkshire native, too.
Not only did Ineson star in the recently released “The Hurricane Heist,” but he also features in Steven Spielberg’s “Ready Player One,” which will hit cinemas at the end of the month on March 29.
I recently had the chance to speak to Ralph Ineson, and he talked me through his long and storied career. Especially because after 25 years of acting, he is “having a nice little period at the moment.”
On “The Hurricane Heist”
It is just a great big, fun, in your face romp, and I’ve not had the chance to rock my action movie bad guy as a performance style. It was a part I had wanted to play since I was 11-years-old holding a stick and running around. I was just trying to look hard, but I had a big smile on my face throughout.
On the impact of “The Witch” on his career
I had never had the chance to work as collaboratively on a project before, and Robert Eggers had my voice in his head when he was writing.
I had so much faith in the project, and shooting it and being so collaborative in the middle of rural Ontario, it was just creatively amazing and intense. It was the most special moment of my career.
After it was so successful, what it gave me was the confidence that I didn’t realise I didn’t have as an actor. I had been a lot safer in my early years, both with my roles and the choices I made in scenes.
It gave me the opportunity to jump into different roles and the characters themselves and take risks.
On the over-reaction of fans
I have skirted around the edges of these worlds, and they have very intense fans. From the “Harry Potter” world to “Guardians Of The Galaxy” and “Star Wars.”
Just having a glimpse of the intensity is quite terrifying at times. Fan fiction is the thing that really gets me. But let’s not go there.
On being edited out of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”
I could sit here and pretend that my character was integral to the whole “Star Wars” universe, but he was a bit of a plot device. But they changed the rhythm of the way that the rebels got discovered, so he was cut out. It wouldn’t have bothered the Academy.
On Rian Johnson
From my experience he was just a really lovely guy, he had a happy set, and everyone was coming into work everyday. It was just wonderful. But I can’t claim to have had a close working relationship with him, because I wasn’t on the film for that long.
On Brexit and its repercussions to the British Film Industry
It is a strange one really, because we have the tax breaks and incentives and the best studios and film technicians.
American studios love to come over to the UK. I think Disney have Pinewood booked out for 3 years solid. Every stage.
On one level the British Film Industry is doing quite well, especially when it comes to its relationship with America and American film.
But Brexit is going to harm a different level of film to American blockbusters. It is going to damage the British Film Industry, because a lot of our work in British work is linked to European agencies and European funding.
Brexit is causing some head scratching at the moment. It looks like a sh** show.
Make sure to check out Ineson’s thoughts on “Ready Player One,” “The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs” and “The Office” when they are uploaded to Metro US over the next few days.
