Esquire Middle East sits down with the stars of Matthew Vaughn’s latest film The King’s Man, the prequel to the 2014 smash Kingsman: The Secret Service, in cinemas now across the Middle East.
Read the full conversation below:
What was the biggest joy of getting into this world getting to these characters and filming this, Gemma?
GA: Yeah, I mean, gosh, it was all in the script. I loved Polly, immediately, I thought she had some great one liners and things to do. I was really happy that Matthew asked me to play her. Just being part of this world was a joy. It’s crazy.
The Kingsman franchise is beloved, and it’s very particular kind of thing, but I was really happy to be involved in this particular film, because of the historical background, the fact that it’s period film as well. There’s an elegance to it. As you can tell, I was really happy to be involved, and I loved every minute.
Absolutely. And Djimon, we’ve gotten to a point where if I go to see a blockbuster film, and you’re not in it, something feels off. How much are you enjoying this stage of your career?
DH: Oh, I feel amazing. To be asked, to be wanted and to be part of some of those franchise iconic franchises, and this is one of them. The way Matthew Vaughn films his films has a particular signature to it. I saw the first Kingsman and thought, wow, I was delighted the way he did that, I was quite surprised, because I’ve only met Matthew as a producer at first. Back, we were talking about doing something together and it took almost two decades.
It’s unbelievable to think that I’ve been in the film industry for a little over 15 years now [laughs]. The idea of coming on board was quite gratifying. And working with Matthew comes with a different approach to the work itself, I didn’t realize how demanding he was to his actors and all that. I was quite pleased to come on board.
One of the joys of these films, especially for Esquire readers, is the Savile Row fashion. Which was the costume you most wanted to sneak into a bag and take home with you?
GA: I loved my Galahad look at the end, though that’s a bit of a spoiler. I loved the Louise Brooks pencil skirt, very nipped in. But I loved all my costumes, but that one in particular was really cool, a very strong look.
DH: I think my favorite costume has to to be the one on the poster. The coat provided me with so much warmth, which was important, given the fact that I’m an African in Europe. There’s level of weather we don’t have in Africa and suddenly that was a very comfortable. Every day I put that on I was I was in character.
The nature of the film, the elegance of the costumes, makes it so that the minute you put on the costume you’re literally in that time, literally in that period, especially with the colours and everything. It keeps you a bit ‘uppity’ all the time.. The costumes keep you in the mindset of the role.
What did you each focus on most when digging into this time period to prepare?
GA: For me a woman, this was before women were getting the vote. It was about around that time that the suffragettes were happening, and so it was a time where women were still very repressed and didn’t have a voice. For me to play someone that in this household of men has such a strong voice, meant that she was a really quite exceptional person at that time, had the ear of these really important people and the fact that she could break the fact, that she’s able to have such a strong say in the household, is just a credit to the people who employ her as well, because I think at that time, it was very, very different for women, to how it is now. So it was nice to play someone that was so strong and empowered at that time.
DH: I would say similarly, you know, this was a challenging time for anybody of African descent, to be in in the West, and to suddenly being the right hand to the Duke of Oxford shows, you he was able to know how important he is to the organization and he was able to finess himself in that sort of world.
The King’s Man is in cinemas now across the Middle East