The new British TV series "The Devil's Wh ore" hits the country's screens later this week, on Channel 4.
The lavish costume drama, partly based on true events, brings the English Civil War (1642-1651) to life through Angelica Fanshawe, a 17-year-old aristocrat who becomes fascinated with "Freeborn" John.
But Tom Goodman-Hill, who stars in the series is, through a freakish coincidence, a direct descendant of "Freeborn" John, the character who he plays....
Devil of a coincidence: How actor in £7m historical epic is a direct descendant of the character he portrays
By Sally Beck
16th November 2008
Daily Mail
When actor Tom Goodman-Hill auditioned for Channel 4’s lavish new Civil War drama The Devil’s Wh ore, he kept one vital fact from the producers: he is a direct descendant of the historical figure he was hoping to portray.
Luckily he landed the role of firebrand activist ‘Freeborn’ John Lilburne, and will now be able to tell his ancestor’s story to millions of viewers.
‘I would have felt silly if I hadn’t got the job,’ says the 40-year-old. ‘But the fact that I knew a lot about him gave me confidence. I came away thinking I’d done enough to get the part.
The Devil's Wh ore: From left to right, Dominic West as Oliver Cromwell, Tom Goodman-Hill as John Lilburne, Michael Fassbender as Rainsborough and John Simm as Sexby
‘Playing one of my relatives made it more exciting but harder because I wanted to do John justice. We always knew his story hadn’t been told properly, and now it has, I’m proud to be part of it.
‘I grew up hearing all about him. Although it’s 16 generations ago, I can trace my father’s family back to John Lilburne’s Uncle Joseph.’
Firebrand activist John Lilburne is an ancestor of the actor who plays him in the new TV series
Born in 1614, John Lilburne earned his nickname for arguing for his ‘freeborn rights’: that men should own their own land and be masters of their destiny.
He was tried for treason against Charles I, freed after Oliver Cromwell’s intervention and joined the Parliamentary Army. However, he was again jailed after criticising Cromwell’s excesses, too.
‘He was tied to the back of an ox cart and flogged in the streets, but refused to renounce his views,’ said Tom. ‘When he spoke at Westminster, 10,000 came to listen to him support the right of all Englishmen to vote.
‘When he was put on trial he would say, “Where’s your proof I’ve written these pamphlets? Anyone could sign the name John Lilburne. I’ll say nothing.” His approach formed the basis for our requirement for concrete proof in legal cases.’
The £7million Channel 4 epic, which starts at 9pm on Wednesday, brings the Civil War to life through the fictional character of the title, a spirited 17-year-old aristocrat who becomes fascinated with ‘Freeborn’ John.
Teen spirit: Andrea Riseborough as the fictional 17-year-old aristocrat Angelica Fanshawe
The producers are braced for criticism that Angelica Fanshawe, played by Andrea Riseborough, was invented to ‘sex up’ the story, but insist her character is legitimate.
‘You’d be deluded to think historical dramas are totally faithful,’ adds Tom, recently seen in the far-from-historically accurate Monty Python musical Spamalot. ‘But we only have detail on documented characters. Hundreds more were never documented.’
dailymail.co.uk
The lavish costume drama, partly based on true events, brings the English Civil War (1642-1651) to life through Angelica Fanshawe, a 17-year-old aristocrat who becomes fascinated with "Freeborn" John.
But Tom Goodman-Hill, who stars in the series is, through a freakish coincidence, a direct descendant of "Freeborn" John, the character who he plays....
Devil of a coincidence: How actor in £7m historical epic is a direct descendant of the character he portrays
By Sally Beck
16th November 2008
Daily Mail
When actor Tom Goodman-Hill auditioned for Channel 4’s lavish new Civil War drama The Devil’s Wh ore, he kept one vital fact from the producers: he is a direct descendant of the historical figure he was hoping to portray.
Luckily he landed the role of firebrand activist ‘Freeborn’ John Lilburne, and will now be able to tell his ancestor’s story to millions of viewers.
‘I would have felt silly if I hadn’t got the job,’ says the 40-year-old. ‘But the fact that I knew a lot about him gave me confidence. I came away thinking I’d done enough to get the part.
The Devil's Wh ore: From left to right, Dominic West as Oliver Cromwell, Tom Goodman-Hill as John Lilburne, Michael Fassbender as Rainsborough and John Simm as Sexby
‘Playing one of my relatives made it more exciting but harder because I wanted to do John justice. We always knew his story hadn’t been told properly, and now it has, I’m proud to be part of it.
‘I grew up hearing all about him. Although it’s 16 generations ago, I can trace my father’s family back to John Lilburne’s Uncle Joseph.’
Firebrand activist John Lilburne is an ancestor of the actor who plays him in the new TV series
Born in 1614, John Lilburne earned his nickname for arguing for his ‘freeborn rights’: that men should own their own land and be masters of their destiny.
He was tried for treason against Charles I, freed after Oliver Cromwell’s intervention and joined the Parliamentary Army. However, he was again jailed after criticising Cromwell’s excesses, too.
‘He was tied to the back of an ox cart and flogged in the streets, but refused to renounce his views,’ said Tom. ‘When he spoke at Westminster, 10,000 came to listen to him support the right of all Englishmen to vote.
‘When he was put on trial he would say, “Where’s your proof I’ve written these pamphlets? Anyone could sign the name John Lilburne. I’ll say nothing.” His approach formed the basis for our requirement for concrete proof in legal cases.’
The £7million Channel 4 epic, which starts at 9pm on Wednesday, brings the Civil War to life through the fictional character of the title, a spirited 17-year-old aristocrat who becomes fascinated with ‘Freeborn’ John.
Teen spirit: Andrea Riseborough as the fictional 17-year-old aristocrat Angelica Fanshawe
The producers are braced for criticism that Angelica Fanshawe, played by Andrea Riseborough, was invented to ‘sex up’ the story, but insist her character is legitimate.
‘You’d be deluded to think historical dramas are totally faithful,’ adds Tom, recently seen in the far-from-historically accurate Monty Python musical Spamalot. ‘But we only have detail on documented characters. Hundreds more were never documented.’
dailymail.co.uk