Answers with Noah Huntley

Answer 1

What can you tell us about "Dracula Untold?" How is it different from other monster movies?

Dracula is out now. A month ago, I wouldn't have known a great deal about the film we now see in theaters because I hadn't seen it all put together. There are great characters in the film. Clearly, Luke Evans does a great job as Vlad/Dracula, and of course, there is Charles Dance, who wasn't originally part of the cast whilst we were filming in Belfast because of the effects that were needed for his character. There is a clear love story in the film, which isn't in most monster movies.

Answer 2

What was the casting process like for "Dracula Untold"?

The casting process for "Dracula" was extensive. It was January of last year when casting began. I had already auditioned for another character at that point. In June, Universal came back asking me to read for the part of Captain Petru. I got the part and we started rehearsals in Belfast a number of weeks later.

Answer 3

What can you tell us about your character Captain Petru?

My character, Petru is the head of the military guard in a small, oppressed and war-ravaged part of what would be present-day Romania. He is probably the most dependable and trustworthy of Vlad's small number of advisors and friends. He is prepared to fight to the death for whatever, or whomever, he believes in. Dracula is a dark story set against the historical backdrop of Vlad Tepes (The Impale) and his small army who were being tyrannized by the Goliathan Turkish army, headed by Dominic Cooper. Ultimately, I was committed to giving my all to the story.

Answer 4

Luke Evans plays Vlad Tepes, the man who would later be known as Dracula. Do you think Luke does a convincing job at portraying a vampire?

Luke actually is a vampire, I think! He has his own set of uncannily pointy teeth. I think he did a great job setting up the story, as well as portraying the character of Vlad/Dracula.

Answer 5

You're currently filming E! Entertainment's first scripted series "The Royals," opposite Elizabeth Hurley. What's the show about?

E's "The Royals" is about a fictional English royal family set in present day. It is kind of a royal romp that resembles something along the lines of "Dynasty" meets "Downton Abbey". Elizabeth Hurley plays Queen Helena in a show that is an irreverent take on the most ignoble behavior of the English nobility imaginable. Elizabeth gets to be glamorous, powerful and irreverent, and she takes to it like a duck to water!

Answer 6

Tell us about your character in "The Royals"?

My character in "The Royals" is Alistair Lacey. He is a decorated war "hero" who subsequently lives quite a solitary existence. He was Queen Helena's boyfriend before she married into the royal family. Alistair and Helena's passion and care for each other has never quite been extinguished.

Answer 7

Word on the street is "The Royals" has a scandalous plot line. What kind of scandal can Answers users look forward to seeing on the show?

"The Royals" is scandalous. It depicts the behavior of those who come from extreme privilege and are not used to answering to anything or anybody. Age seems to have no importance in a story that concerns duty and goes back for generations. The characters' behavior is always as much political as it is personal.

Answer 8

How committed are you to getting into the characters you portray?

Character is all-important to me. Of course, one needs a great story to be able to portray a character well. So much is added into a movie during editing these days in order to make a story great, but when you have great characters from the start, the job is so much easier. Mark Schwann, our producer on "The Royals", is good at honoring his actors enough that we feel comfortable with what we're given as much as we are with trusting what we're not.

Answer 9

Do you have any techniques that help you channel the characters you are playing?

There are many techniques available for use. I find that having a real-life person that resembles your character or at least has characteristics that you can visualize in them, and then transpose that into your character helps. There is often very little time to do the more extensive layering of characterization, which is the best foundation to work from.

Answer 10

What do you plan to do after you wrap up filming for "The Royals"?

I will return to my home in Los Angeles and stay at least until Thanksgiving. Surfing is definitely planned. But first I will be completing filming on a feature called "Miss you Already" with Toni Colette.