Podcasts may have the disadvantage of being for the ears only, but what a pleasure they can be! Red Production Company published their podcast episode of Richard and Shaun Dooley in conversation with a young interviewer yesterday, and it was such a pleasure listening to these two industry veterans talk. Oh, but *ooops* – maybe the word “veteran” wouldn’t appeal to Richard. The podcast reveals that aging is definitely a fact of life that he has his problems with. Don’t worry, RA, so do a lot of us! Let me just say that a) you seem to have good genes and/or the years have been kind to you and b) your audience ages with you, so your appeal matures with us! But that’s a spoiler. Listen to the podcast first:
I have to admit that I always enjoy it a lot when celebs disclose little bits and pieces of their private life or their childhood. It makes them more relatable, knowing that they went through the same experiences like everyone else. And there is the added amusement of imagining 4-year-old Richard tap dancing. Not so amusing is hearing that he was bullied – presumably for being into dancing as a boy. Yep, growing up in the 70s and 80s was tough, and it took strength to be “different”. (Watching my children grow up, I have the impression things have moved on a little bit. But maybe that is also due to the middle-class bubble my kids grew up in.) All the more kudos to Rich for persevering. He mentions again that he gets even more motivated when he is told that he *can’t* do something. The challenge of conquering an obstacle?
But my-oh-my, did Richard just reveal the nickname that he refused to mention in another interview many years ago? Concorde. That is indeed cruel – and I can see how it would hurt having yourself compared to the droop-nosed aircraft. But, well, Richard, look at it this way: Concorde was the undisputed most gorgeous and handsomest aircraft ever, truly unique. Super-sonic in every way. And her droop nose was raised high when she flew. Concorde soared! And so do you! Nuff said.
Also interesting: Richard was in the scouts! Nice.
The podcast mainly discussed Dooley’s and Armitage’s paths into acting, and I found it interesting how Richard insisted that he always believed that he would be a theatre actor. Reason: His face had “no place in film”. That’s something we have heard before, and I am still struggling with understanding that properly. Whether you are acting on stage or on film and telly, and completely ignoring the fact that Richard totally misinterprets his own physical attractiveness, there would always be the need for so-called character actors. Not that he really fits that description. Even without my rose-tinted fan glasses on, I can see that the man is not “conventionally unattractive”. He may not be “conventionally handsome” – but that is *exactly* his advantage imo. He has a very distinct look. No candy-sweet, smiley, smooth beauty, but a darker, more intriguing handsomeness. It’s a face you look at twice.
As he had said elsewhere, if he hadn’t become an actor he would have been interested in a career as an architect. And set design is an area in his industry that he is fascinated with. Interesting glimpses in his interests. Combined with his love for literature and music, it looks as if he is attracted to all art forms – visual arts, words, and sound. It makes me wonder what his flat looks like and whether he takes an interest in the aesthetics of his environment.
I also loved that he endorsed drama school and said that he would love to go back to drama school to impart *his* knowledge of the industry. Paging LAMDA!!! Here is your chance to bring back your alumni and have him teach young, aspiring actors!
So, a nice podcast with Richard. I really enjoy this format because they always go deeper than the usual interviews – possibly even radio interviews. Is it because there is no camera there that distracts and intimidates the speakers? I’m sure it also helped that his co-star Shaun Dooley was there with him, as it was clear the two had a great rapport, worked closely together on TS and enjoyed chatting. Dooley came across as a very down-to-earth, easy-going chap, and their discussion of the way TV acting and prep differs from theatre was fascinating to listen to – even though I have no intention of getting into acting 😉
Update: So much for me assuming there were no cameras…
Guylty Pleasure 
Love your post! ❤️ Thank you for deciphering the ‘Concord’ word! I listened to the podcast once while working and didn’t get that word. Your illustration is gReAt! Fly high, Richard!
I also love what he said at the end: you exist in the world, and if you exist there is a place in the industry for you. I see your face in most of the books I read, Richard, it’s people from the industry who are blind and deaf.
Ans he is the most beautiful/gorgeous man I’ve ever seen.
❤️
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Hehe, yes, I had to give Concorde a new, better meaning. (I hope I didn’t mishear that.)
His concluding words are very nice, true. Have just updated the post with the little video clip from Red that they shared online.)
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Thank you for your post! I love the casual conversation! Him being bullied – there had been a hint somewhere earlier – and his confidence to find his place on the other hand is a very positive perspective for anyone with similar doubts and (imagined) flaws! What a gift to hear him talk, to simply listen to him!
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A real gift, indeed!
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I had heard him mention the bullying thing before – and I confess I somehow had doubts back then. Stupid and unfair of me. Now it makes perfect sense to me.
As usual, I felt like screaming at the screen when he makes that throw-away comment about “lack of confidence” – but, no, I don’t doubt it, I get it. And yet, as you said – he has proven that he had the confidence to find his place in the industry. That last sentence was indeed very uplifting – not just for aspiring actors.
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I haven’t had chance to listen yet, but from something Richard said years ago he considers the pinnacle of male handsomeness to be someone like Brad Pitt.
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No offense to any Pitt-Girls, but I cannot see what all the fuss is about. (Full disclosure—anybody who knows me is aware I have a deep and abiding dislike for the man)
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I agree! He does nothing for me. Blegh!
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Oh dear. Not really my cup of tea at all. I never really understood why Brad Pitt was hailed as the model of maleness…
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Hear, hear.
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New information about the scouts, there is great competition to do the gang shows in this area, so well done.
I thought he sounded a bit hoarse. I bought a discounted theatre ticket today for Uncle Vanya on TodayTix offer open till Sunday
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Good idea, have a great time Yve!
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“Gang shows” – that’s what he said!!! I couldn’t make it out.
Hooray for the UV ticket!!
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I had to google Gang Shows because I had never heard that term before. How cool!
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“Gang shows” – I never knew the term. I asked Mr Guylty (who was an enthusiastic scout in his day) and he initially didn’t know the term either.
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I think actual remarks from people who knew him from school before he went to a performing arts school are valuable.
Two girls horse riding out one morning (paraphrased by me) Did you see Robin Hood yesterday on the TV , that guy who plays Guy of Gisborne, we went to school with him, he’s lovely , don’t remember him into football but remember him doing exta music.
They obviously fancied G of G.
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Oh, I love that story. You are absolutely right – it’s nice to hear such stories from people who actually *knew* him then. Sure, it’s also subjective. But it’s just nice to hear about another facet.
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I joked on Twitter about the 6’2 bloke not being sporty. I realized much like girls getting quietly bullied by other girls for not conforming, he gets slammed for some bogus idea of what boys do. Tom Holland went through the same thing.
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Oops, I think I have made some derogatory remarks about RA’s ball-catching skills, too. Kinda looks as if he is not into any of those “boys’ sports”. I should know better. My daughter is big into playing football, and very proud of the fact that her varsity team was recently renamed from “Ladies’ Soccer Team” to “Women’s Soccer Team”.
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I like the rename for the soccer team. I related hard to those remarks and my one regret, and forgive me for saying it, I wished I punched out more bullies and taken the suspension. I used to teach and I remembered kids treating suspensions like a holiday. Suddenly it seemed less scary as a consequence.
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yeah the remark about how difficult it s to age on screen is probably the peril of being always cast as the ‘handsome’ guy…its interesting to me because my first thought was “Thats’ the lot of us women” because we’re constantly made to feel that we’re not allowed to age- or if we do it has to be very slowly and nothing obvious.
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Perhaps Siobhan Finneran has the right idea whenever I see her now I go she looks so young!
Starting off playing roles like Downton Abbey and Sparkhouse she was obviously made up to look ‘ old’
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SF looks really great, I have to say. I also really liked her look in TS.
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Which is funny, though – because he doesn’t even think he *is* handsome…
And yes, totally something that women identify with because we are still living in a world where the way you look seems to matter (to some).
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yeah…he’s quite contradictory in that!
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Ha! And what happened to “I know what I am selling”???? 😉
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Thank you so much for posting this interview; I really enjoyed listening to it because RA appeared more open, maybe a bit more relaxed and I think in part that is due to having Shaun Dooley in the interview too.
It’s always good to glean a bit more info from RA about his early lfe but I can’t help feeling he is still a bit selective in what he recalls/divulges (that is not meant as a criticism, it’s my perception). I thought he was a bit older than 23 when he went to drama school. I also understood (read somewhere) that the reason he was sent to do tap lessons at a young age was to correct his pigeon feet, so I was a bit surprised when he said he did not know why??
I thought RA sounded a bit more natural in his midlands accent than his usual interview voice. I thought he sounded quite softly spoken in comparison to Shaun Dooley (I love his Barnsley accent). Shaun Dooley’s story about how he got into acting was really quite inspiring. Interestingly, I think I read somewhere that Shaun Dooley is married to an agent!
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It was really nice listening to this interview – not least because it was not just asking individual questions, but it also occasionally developed into conversation. More of those, please!
I agree – RA is definitely selective about the little facts and stories from his life. Hence we always hear the same bits over and over again. “Started in musical theatre… blabla… smile as if you are enjoying it… blabla… back to drama school”. The thing with the tap lessons occurred to me, too – I remembered the pigeon toes, too.
I think Shaun Dooley’s wife is a casting director, though.
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RA seems to have been younger and younger each time he mentions the ‘smile as if you are enjoying it’ comment, last time it was nine, now four, previously he referred to his time musical theatre, Cats era. Perhaps he just means that the remark was always in his the back of his head, as he alluded.
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Yep, the first time I heard it, he used this example to explain why he left musical theatre…
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I love this conversational interview, and kudos to the interviewer for not restricting it to merely a question and answer session. For all that he does tend to fall back on some of his usual anecdotes, I felt that Richard revealed quite a bit more in this podcast, and given that growing up he was bullied and called names (I just want to hug him when he talks about that) and his (resultant?) lack of confidence, it says much about his strength of character that he hasn’t let it determine his life’s course, he has risen above it with talent, hard work and courage.
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Yep, the usual anecdotes – hehe, maybe he keeps a “list of things I am willing to disclose” for such occasions 😉. But yeah, it’s in the way he says it, the context he puts it in, and this context was possibly a bit more revealing than just stating his way into theatre.
I feel the same about the way he has overcome (or not) his lack of self-confidence and persevered nonetheless. That is actually something to aspire to.
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It was a really interesting and revealing interview – to hear him describe his lack of confidence but also his stubborn refusal to be pushed down and deterred, which shows his strength of character.
And didn’t our boy sound beautifully northern? Shaun Dooley’s influence maybe or perhaps he was still in Adam persona.
So weird his perception of his looks. How he can tear himself away from the mirror each day beggars belief.
It would be great if he shared his experience and advice with drama students – and it is something I can see him doing. (I’m ashamed to say that one of my first thoughts was ‘Hmm, as a 55-year old woman, I wonder if I could get away with smuggling myself into the drama school to hear him speak.) He would have so much to impart and I think he once said that he learned from Kevin Spacey doing something similar.
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Maybe it’s me being a non-native speaker, but the Northern inflections really didn’t stand out to me. Possibly because Dooley sounded so much more Northern. (Loved listening to him.)
I agree, I can also see RA like a great ‘teacher’. Maybe not in the conventional sense, as someone who teaches a whole course. But he would be great in a ‘master class’ like they do it in music conservatories. And he’d have a lot of knowledge to impart, I am sure.
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