Jonas Armstrong Forum

This one was first posted on March 29, 2011.


The Three-Season Contract

Post Number:#1 Postby Marjatta » March 29th, 2011, 8:38 pm
There has been a lot of discussion over the years -- especially after Jonas announced his departure from RH after three series -- about whether or not he had only signed on for three series in the first place. I was always certain that I had read that fact. Well, I've just found it [again] in print. See the last paragraph.

Jonas takes a bow
Evening Chronicle. Newcastle-upon-Tyne (UK): Oct 7, 2006. pg. 14
(Copyright 2006)

While he naturally has a deadly aim with a bow and arrow, he is slightly different to the traditional man in tights (he has style and wit by the bucketload.)

Many were surprised when the BBC signed up relatively unknown actor Jonas Armstrong to play the iconic hero in their lavish pounds 8m series, and he says he feels some burden on his shoulders to do the part justice.

"Of course there is pressure being a newcomer in a primetime show like this. It's the first lead role I've had," he confides.

"When I got the part I sat down and thought to myself, 'Do I think about the pressure of this part, how I'm going to play it and are people going to like it? Or do I just take it whole heartedly and go with it?' Now I feel really excited about the show going out.

"But it is also very nerve-wracking," the Lancashire lad adds. "My parents came down for the first screening of the show and I could barely speak to them, but I was really happy ( and relieved - when I saw the final product.

"You're always going to be picky about what you see, especially about your own performance, but as a whole, I think the show really works and the supporting cast are great, so I had a smile on my face when I saw the first episode."

Of course, he has a lot to live up to. Many famous actors have played the role of the outlaw who steals from the rich and gives to the poor, including Richard Greene and Errol Flynn. While Jonas, at just 25 years old, is far too young to remember those performances, he admits he did enjoy Hollywood's 1991 take on the story.

"I was only five or six when Robin Of Sherwood was being broadcast, but I can remember the images from the show, and of course I remember the Kevin Costner film really well.

"Lads always play bow and arrows when they are young and pretend they're Robin Hood in the forest, so I was gobsmacked when I got the part."

And it wasn't just the bow and arrows Jonas got to play with on set ( Robin's other weapon of choice is an impressive Saracen sword. Luckily, the slight actor is a dab hand at sword-fighting.

"I've got a certificate for stage combat. I trained when I was at Rada, so I didn't go into it as a novice. I think that paid off.

"If there was anything too risky though, for instance walking across a beam, I had a stunt double that stood in. I got really annoyed they wouldn't let me do that ( it was only eight foot tall," he laughs. "I think it was for insurance reasons."

One thing they did let Jonas do was the horse riding.

"They gave me free rein on the horses. I'm the only one who was allowed to gallop," he grins. "It's a really good buzz when you're stuck on a horse and told to fly around one-handed with a bow in one hand, shouting orders ( that's brilliant and I really enjoyed that."

But don't be fooled, it's not all about the action. At the centre of the story is Robin's romance with Marian.

"They were sweethearts and then Robin went off to fight for King and Country in the Holy Land," Jonas explains. "Obviously Marian was a bit miffed when he decided to go off there for glory rather than staying with her.

"He comes back and thinks he can pick up where he left off and get her to fall back into his arms, but it isn't that easy. That makes it all the better! It's about him trying to woo her."

It is because of Marian we get to see a darker side of Robin's character too. In the first episode, Robin seems amiable and cheeky, but things soon change.

"He so wanted to come back from the war and rekindle himself with society and get his position sorted, but that goes totally out of the window. He has to completely readjust to life in the forest with a bunch of unscrupulous strangers.

"His personality gets darker. This guy is a trained killer, he was in the King's guard, so he's a very able fighter."

Having already signed on for a further two seasons if the programme proves successful, there is no doubt that the show is set to catapult the down to earth, aesthetically pleasing Mr Armstrong (who has previously starred in Teachers and The Ghost Squad) into the public eye.

The comments from the old board:


Re: The Three-Season Contract

Post Number:#2 Postby Rieke » March 29th, 2011, 11:15 pm
Thanks for posting.

I never understood the fuss about him leaving. Sure, I would loved to have seen him as Robin Hood for another 10 years, but I knew from various interviews they had only signed 3-years contracts. Well, so had Lucy, but...
Thanks for posting.


Re: The Three-Season Contract

Post Number:#3 Postby Marjatta » March 30th, 2011, 9:33 am
Yeah, it just puzzled me because there were plenty of fans in the various internet discussions who insisted that the British didn't "do 3-year contracts" and that none had ever been mentioned. Just wanted to get this on record.