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So many different countries have got their version of what Merlin is: the Scottish say he Scottish, the Welsh say he's Welsh, the French say he's French.
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The fans are so supportive. It's amazing when you work on something for so long and find that your fans match your passion - and in many cases exceed it. That's really gratifying.
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My sights have always been on acting, on the creative process, never the lifestyle. Growing up in Northern Ireland when I did, everything was against you if you wanted to do something like that. But I was determined.
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I read 'The Crystal Cave' book by Mary Stewart, and I thought it was a really, really interesting part of the legend, in which Merlin could enter into the cave with these crystals and see reflections of the future in them and learn how to use that and harness those powers for himself.
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There's no social media or Googling yourself. You only have to do it once to learn never to do it again.
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You can't take on the qualities of a character that you'd never be cast in - and no one would ever cast you in.
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For me, one of my favorites, director-wise, is Tim Burton. I also really admire the work of actors like Sean Penn. He is probably my favorite actor because of his dedication and commitment to roles, and the ability to morph and change himself when he needs to. It's about dedication and commitment and a passion.
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I've read a lot of Terry Pratchett's stuff, probably from when I was, like, 14.
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Anybody who's into Arthurian legends will appreciate that they are being re-told. The Arthurian legends have been developed and re-told over the years.
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I never choose a genre over quality. I never think, 'I want to do that,' and sacrifice the fact it might not be very good.
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I'm a big fan of live music and going to gigs, but I'll leave it to the professionals.
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I think there are pros and cons to social networking, but on a social, personal level, it's just not for me.
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I'm still too hungry for whatever comes next.
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It doesn't have to happen for anybody at all, this acting game, so you have to count your blessings. If I am lucky that the right things have come along at the right time, I'm just going to ride that wave.
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Allan Cubitt has written exceptional material, and I feel very privileged to be working with him and the very talented cast.
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I guess there's always a search for happiness.
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As an actor, you need to be versatile. You need to challenge yourself.
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The enormous responsibility and protectiveness a man has to feel towards his family when they are threatened was a revelation to me. I have now experienced manhood.
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For me, it's all I've wanted to do. I did local plays and productions, local theater groups and anything that involved it. And then, I went and studied it, attended drama school and got my first lucky break in the theater in London, and just went from there.
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Who wouldn't want to be wizard, at least for a day, as long as you didn't have the dilemmas and the situations that Merlin was thrown into. I'd be happy if you could actually use the powers to have a bit of fun and do something good for the world and maybe for yourself, whereas Merlin's kind of limited in that he has to look after Arthur.
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Nowadays, kids know how a programme like Merlin is made and how it works. But the show just seems to grow in popularity the more it goes on.
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If I had auditioned for 'Merlin' on magic alone, I don't think I'd have got it. Like any kid, I probably had a magic kit, but it's not something I ever pursued. I've never watched a magic show like David Copperfield or used him to base my character on, but I really like David Blaine and Darren Brown. They are doing wonders.
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It's weird to be recognised anywhere. The cost of living your dream, acting, is being recognised.
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Any Arthurian enthusiast who has watched 'Merlin' has probably concluded that it's not accurate whatsoever - but, it's not meant to be. It's not meant to be a true telling. It's in a fantasy setting, it's really concentrating on the fantasy element.