BBC Wolf Hall star's emotional three-word verdict on Thomas Cromwell actor Mark Rylance
Damian Lewis looked up to fellow actor Mark Rylance in school before he was cast alongside him in BBC's Wolf Hall.
The Emmy-nominated miniseries first aired in 2015 and follows the life of Thomas Cromwell, who becomes the trusted advisor to King Henry VIII.
Based on the books by Hilary Mantel, the series masterfully depicts Cromwell’s rise to power, his pivotal role in the English Reformation, and his eventual downfall.
Lewis, 53, and Rylance, 64, both reprised their roles as King Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell in Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, which concluded on Sunday (December 15).
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Lewis said Rylance was one of his acting idols (Image: Getty)Back in 2012, Lewis admitted Rylance's "brilliance" blew him away when he watched him perform in school.
When asked about his acting idols at The Hollywood Reporter Drama Actors Interview, he said: "There's a British actor working at the moment called Mark Rylance who's a generation ahead of me.
"I used to see him as a student at school and just be cowed by his brilliance and his imagination."
Three years later, Lewis admitted that Rylance played a huge part in him accepting the role of Henry VIII.
“Mark was a big deciding factor in me taking the job. I’ve been a fan of his for many years. He’s a trailblazer in theatre, has been for 20 years," he said in a Times interview.
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He summed up his co-star in three words, declaring: "Mark is … extraordinary. As a man and an actor. As an actor, all he wants is an ensemble. He wants collaboration. As an actor, he couldn’t be more generous."
Speaking in an interview with The Wall Street Journal in 2015, Lewis attested to the brilliance of Mark Rylance once again.
"I don’t know who the greatest actor is—it’s kind of a ridiculous notion—but if you haven’t seen Mark onstage, I’m here to tell you he’s extraordinary," Lewis said. "He’s kind of cornered the market in redefining characters that we think we know."
Meanwhile, Rylance was delighted at reuniting with Lewis on the set of Wolf Hall, telling the BBC: "It’s very nice to be playing with Damian Lewis again, and his very subtle and mysterious Henry VIII."
BBC Wolf Hall star's emotional three-word verdict on Thomas Cromwell actor Mark Rylance
BBC Wolf Hall star's emotional three-word verdict on Thomas Cromwell actor Mark Rylance
BBC Wolf Hall star's emotional three-word verdict on Thomas Cromwell actor Mark Rylance
BBC Wolf Hall star's emotional three-word verdict on Thomas Cromwell actor Mark Rylance
BBC Wolf Hall star's emotional three-word verdict on Thomas Cromwell actor Mark Rylance
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