RichardArmitageArmyUS on Tumblr today, posed the question whether “something was up” with Richard Armitage during his Clickonline interview that accounted for what I’m going to paraphrase as a difference in Richard. I was wondering the same thing when I read the short interview quote and saw the pictures. This was a changed Richard Armitage , maybe just for the day, who knows, but definitely something different. Not necessarily a bad thing – and maybe we’ve been seeing this evolve over the year, at least as far back as The Popcorn Taxi interview.
It seems almost impossible to say about Richard Armitage,”he’s never been sexier,’ but damn, whether in a role or in real life, he’s never been sexier, hotter, more flirtatious or more relaxed than he was in that short glimpse we got, later bolstered by a slightly better coiffed version in the Hobbit DOS trailer promo that showed up this morning.
It remains to be seen when more answers to fan questions are revealed and when we read the entire interview whether there’s anything other than some exhaustion, jet lag or a hangover going on. I would have said maybe he didn’t realize photos would be taken, but he looked pretty much the same for the video, which appeared to be shot in the same hotel room as the one with Stephen Frey. So pictures were a possibility, and anyway, wouldn’t he know ahead of time if photos were on the agenda?
There’s no question in my mind that Richard was flirting with the camera and with the public -with us- when he wrote his answers about cats and dogs. The answers aren’t important; his stated preference isn’t important. What’s notable to me is that he was willing to go along with the gag at all. And I liked that he did – that he took the risk of loosening up and relaxing “with us.”
He knew 2 facts we didn’t know: (1) he knew we would be seeing some of his best work and best looks in the imminent DOS trailer, and (2) he knew what CrystalChandlyre knew when she broke it on Tumblr that Empire Magazine rated him, Richard Armitage, out of 100 men, the 18th sexiest movie star of 2013. (note – movie star – he’s a movie star).
No wonder he was relaxed and unbuttoned. Let’s allow him to enjoy it. He has a grueling work schedule ahead of him.
(And that secret something new he’s probably getting ready for.)
Armitage Agonistes 
*slightly better coiffed* Hm? Ran a hand through it? 😉
Was it just me or did he seem a bit confused at the end of the intro? Like he didn’t know what else to do or say?
I wonder if he still thinks people find his characters sexy not him.
And while I still can’t work up any real enthusiasm for the trailer, I did like it and the glimpses of all the characters. I must be much more exhausted than I thought I am, right?
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That you’re exhausted? Maybe. The full trailer is really good I think. He wasn’t confused at the end -I think maybe he was left with some dead air time.
But honestly, I think he was, as the British say, knackered – whether from jet lag, hard work, tough schedule or partying. These transatlantic flights catch up with you, and he is due back in NY later this week.
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When you look at the old messages, he has already display a playful, teasing, flirting side of him before, and we loved him for that. And he must have know he’s sexy a long time before he even required an army of fans. He must be used to having swooning people at his feet in real life.
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The man’s an actor, and a very good one. He can put on personalities like other people put on clothes. He knows whar ge;s doing.
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True about his ability, but this is not a personality he’s put on before – so what do you make of that?
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when you put someone in a box you’re not only denying them the ability to express themselves fully, but you’re also denying yourself the enjoyment of experiencing who they truly are, in all their different layers and colors. just because he’s an actor doesn’t automatically make every interaction a conspiracy. that’s my personal opinion of course, and everyone is entitled to theirs 😉 to me, Richard *has* personality, he isn’t *a* personality 🙂
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What I’m saying is that this *could* be another part of his personality, buy it *could* also be a personality he chose to put on for the public. The ones he chooses to put on could be his real deal, or could be something he’s invented for the public. There’s no way we would know, is there? But he’s been in the public eye for some time, and he’d have to be pretty media-savvy to get this far. Whatever he shows to people- real or false- he knows he’s doing it. No one is that successful as a media personality for that long without having a good handle on what they’re showing to the public.
As for not putting on a personality before, that actually would tend to indicate it’s an act. But he’s been playful before. He’s been a little sarcastic before. he’s been flirtatious before. He’s shown all sorts of personality traits before, and, again, we can’t know what’s really him, and what’s an act for the cameras. All we know is that this is what he’s chosen to show us, for reasons of his own.
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I just wrote a response and it disappeared! *grrr* it was brilliant, too! 😉 *laughs* my general thought though was: until I’m presented with evidence to the contrary, I’m just going to keep on believing that Richard is a good actor while on set and just likable when off of it 🙂
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I’ve read somewhere that actors score high on the self-monitoring scale. Not surprising really, given that part of their success in the business depends to a certain extent on a talent for impression management.
Given that, I like to believe that there’s a consistency between what he says he is to what others say about him – that he’s shy, quiet and focused on his work.
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I couldn’t agree more 🙂 whether he just rolled out of bed or was finally relaxed enough not to care, I think we all agree that we liked the finished result 😉 he wasn’t making any grand statements about cats and dogs, just answering the question like he would if one of his buddies had asked it. I prefer uninhibited Richard, he’s fun! 🙂
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I’m with you. How did it go on the forum last night? I checked in today.
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people were joining left and right! so at least they’re curious 🙂
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It must fill a need not being met.
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I think people are reading too much into the pictures and the brief video. The interviewer plays a lot into a press junket segment such as this and probably got him to loosen up and just chill. To me it looked like he was simply having fun and being himself – just not as buttoned up as we’ve seen him since last year. I don’t think anything is up or that he was un-groomed at all. This is probably another facet of RA that we havent really seen a lot of (hence the discombobulation) but so far, I love it 🙂
And to him I say, bring it on, you beautiful sexy beast you! 😉
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RA has always been the consummate professional. That’s not what we saw in those photos, at least in his appearance. Not that I didn’t love those photos, but you don’t turn up for a gig like that – a promotional appearance which is either paid, or in your contract – looking like you just strolled in from an all-night bar-crawl. I look forward to seeing the rest of his responses. (He’s always been a good sport about silly questions so that didn’t surprise me. But I confess his appearance – in that context – did.)
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Glad to hear from you again. I don’t know why I had the feeling that the reporter showed up at RA’s hotel room, but now that you point it out,and I realize that Stephen Frey’s video was in the same hotel room, or appeared to be, and also there was some talk about them being at Claridge’s, that puts a slightly different spin on things.
I’m anxious for the full interview myself. All I know is he was asked about the watch he wears.
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I don’t know why people think he’s such a “buttoned up” person – read his early messages to his fans. That’s the irreverent and real Richard Armitage and I love him for it. I’m looking forward to the new interview and all the interviews for DOS.
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yes, that’s the Richard I still see “between the lines” too, so this playful relaxed attitude doesn’t surprise me 🙂
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Personally I have felt that he has someone special in his life, under the radar, since his return to NZ via Australia for the last bits of filming. He was bouncing off the wall like tigger, you know the way men do when they are really in love and it is required, and they want to shout it from the rooftops. In his case he can’t if he wants any privacy for a while. And yes, it could have just been the excitement of returning for filming, but secretly seemed more to me. Yes I think he has also gotten a well deserved dose of confidence and a boost to his career with the general audience approval of The Hobbit, and I think he is definitely, and confidently tinkering with his image with the help of stylists, but this is all a part of watching him grow as a professional and a person. Which is really lovely. Life is a journey after all.
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I agree, we all grow as people (if we’re lucky 😉 ) so the slight changes in attitude are just a part of getting older and feeling more confident in his career 🙂 he’s said before that people used to see him as aloof and that surprised him, because that wasn’t who he was on the inside at all.
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Requited, not required. Darn auto spell check. BTW, my comment is not meant to be invasive into his personal life, it’s just that I happen to think there are possibly two things going on here at once, personal and professional confidence boosters/ growth experiences. Just my opinion.
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Welcome Es. I haven’t been “watching” as long as others, but I do think there’s been growth- as there should be. We all hope to improve in all aspects of our work over time, become more confident and relaxed in how we do it, gain experience,and it should be not different for an actor.
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Movie Star. Yes, we ALL do know that, don’t we? Richard Armitage, Movie Star. Sounds nice on the tongue.
About the change –
When I see the occasional comment in a profile story, or in talk show interviews, of friends/colleagues/family members who are quoted on how they’ve known Famous-So-and-So for X amount of years and that they are still the same person and haven’t been changed by “the business”, etc., I just have to pull the hand brake.
Aside from the natural growth that happens (should happen) outside of being a working actor, it just doesn’t seem possible that someone could avoid a little jading or toughening by such a life. So much crammed in a short period of time, people coming at you from every direction, and everyone is a critic (even us), so some protective walling or veneering has to happen.
And some of that might look like over-confidence (I’ll say “stronger” confidence here) which is not what we have always typically seen of Richard in the past. To be sure, he has never showed an actual “lack” of confidence. But his body language, and often what he has said in interviews, presented a familiar humbleness and he was frequently self-deprecating.
But there does seem to be a settling in that has happened overall now. Some self-comfort. Richard is more relaxed, but still not completely. It appears to me he is more okay in his own skin.
But, like Meecie said – he is an actor, so what’s to keep him from creating a public “character” for just such interviews?
Or, as Perry has inferred, he could also be just be preparing for his next role.
Either way, something is different. And I agree – it’s not a bad thing.
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I thought I was the only one who felt that “something is different.” Maybe because I’ve been watching his AUJ press interviews way too much that I’ve gotten used to the image of RA as this slightly shy, clean-cut cardigan-wearing, Tolkien trivia-spouting dork.
“To be sure, he has never showed an actual “lack” of confidence. But his body language, and often what he has said in interviews, presented a familiar humbleness and he was frequently self-deprecating.”
I agree. In that very short clip, I seem to detect a little bit of a confident “swagger “(I don’t know what else to call it) that I haven’t seen before.
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I had the opposite feeling… an air of “what am I doing here and why”. Just look at the very last seconds… But it could be a problem of mine 😉
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Yeah, I could be wrong too. Maybe I’m just starting to get used to the “new” look – the hair, stubble and casual attire. 🙂
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and maybe this could be the secret of RA: giving different feelings to different people 😉
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He was probably tired, with a jet lag and slightly embarrassed as usual when doing prom announcements. He’s a skilled actor but he can’t help to be at discomfort when doing these things: he must act as himself and he loves acting because he “wants” to be someone other. That’s all. I think he still doesn’t think to be worthwhile as himself, but only through his characters. Is this one a character “per se”? It could be, but I doubt it.
My judgment on those 18 secs of video? Pure porn. Give me that man every time, you can take the polished, styled Armitage for yourselves 😛
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