I’ve arrived. Even I have been asked by readers to comment on the New York Moves Magazine article beyond the comments made on MorrighanMuse’s blog last night. Before I do, and I have nothing earthshaking to add to those who gave it a general positive thumbs up, I want to give huge kudos and credit to Morrighan for sticking with the story ( the story of the story as it were) and getting the scoop as well as some post mortem, none of which would have been possible without MM gaining the trust of and developing a relationship with Elle Morris ( and of course, with Ms. Morris’s cooperation) who I hope has a skin as tough as Morrighan’s. Elle Morris has been accused of putting words in Richard Armitage’s mouth, setting him up, editing out his content – she’s been described as a fashion reporter ( not strictly true) for a fashion blog ( not true at all) and she’s been called unprofessional for expressing her own views in the piece. To her I say, shrug it off. No good deed goes unpunished.
I don’t know, maybe there’s some envy or jealousy here because this young woman got to sit down with Richard Armitage and have a glass of wine with him and talk about things-things we don’t know about it. It seemed to me that she engaged him. It certainly appears that he was relaxed with her. And it’s possible they’ll be communicating again in the future if they stick to their plan to have a Thorin cocktail contest. ( I have to rethink mine – I just noticed he wants a tall drink, so my martini style Goldsclager, Stoli grapefruit vodka and tabasco won’t fly. I’m going herbal ’cause it’s trendy and I’m a trendy New Yorker – but Thorin’s Fire is still the name)
As to the format, right after the interview, Elle Morris said it was hardly like an interview at all. And it certainly read to me more like a conversation, though the subject got in enough Desolation of Smaug information to fit the needs of the press junket for the film. I think one reason he may have felt more comfortable talking about world views is that the tone was conversational and she might have been expressing her views as well. Or maybe he was just hot and tired.
I wonder, if Elle were Eli, would I be reading these sorts of negative comments. Not sure. But I’ve found some of them disheartening, especially as they are directed towards an up and coming writer for a magazine that has as a mission, in part, uplifting and celebrating women who make a difference.
Yes, it’s true there are some errors in the short piece and some awkward sentences. Maybe the “Admin” listed on the website will go in and correct them. I would. ( Regulars know I am doing it all the time – will probably do it the minute this is posted). Maybe the hard copy doesn’t have the errors. Anyway, what didn’t we understand about the article?
As for Richard Armitage expressing his personal views – good for him. I don’t like violence on the screen, but I disagree that violence in film and TV have a huge impact on real life violence – still, I can appreciate why the issue is important to him. Is he a constitutional scholar? No. Is the ACA the same as the National Health Service? No – but we understand what he means and what he’s advocating, and really, who in principle thinks people should go without healthcare regardless of what those people may think about the current law? Who doesn’t know that money and greed influence the populace’s point of view? Gun Control? This has been his topic obliquely for a while and yes, it’ll run afoul of all those deer hunters out there who are getting their venison with automatic weapons and dum dums.
All of his fans whose comments I read think it’s great that he spoke out about some more of his personal beliefs, though a few have said he’s been diminished in their eyes because of what those beliefs are. So, there’s $ 100 Warner Brothers won’t see.
Is someone in Richard Armitage’s position constrained by what he could or should say publicly – what opinions he should express? Yes. We all are. We are constrained by common sense as well as social and practical reasons to filter what we say if we want or need to thrive in our chosen spheres. We filter not only what we say in what forum, but how we say things – or we should if we want to succeed. Only the very rich, very powerful or very sick can say whatever they want without consequences – and even they, except the very sick, have to temper their words if they want to stay powerful and rich. I believe that Richard Armitage weighed the situation and decided that what he said or was going to say wouldn’t have a substantially deleterious effect on him personally or professionally, and I think he’s right.
So, let’s take every word he uttered and pick it apart, analyze it, criticize it, criticize him – it’s our right to free speech – and then let’s complain that he doesn’t tell us anything about his personal beliefs.
Meanwhile, I’ve got to drop the mini series angle and start parsing the news for serial killer roles – right up there on my list of don’t see stuff with zombies, vampires, and Nazis.
Armitage Agonistes 
Reblogged this on Me + Richard Armitage and commented:
Yup. THIS. If he said it, it’s fair game in fandom. Everyone can decide for herself, but politics are everywhere and belong everywhere.
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I choose not to talk politics in Armitageworld, but I think the idea that we shouldn’t talk about them after he gives a lengthy interview about his because politics don’t belong in fandom is incomprehensible to me. Couldn’t you be a fan of his because of his politics?
I don’t get the blaming the messenger for the message that was immediately apparent either, but it’s not the first time I’ve seen it in this fandom. It was done to the reporter who did the interview where he made all the confessions about his early romantic life; that was before twitter, though, so the griping could not be seen in the way it is now.
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This was my maiden first hand experience with this. .I’ve only read about the other after the fact. I know you wrote that you weren’t surprised. I was/am floored by the reaction to the reporter – and it seems to be just a small group – anyway- who are vocal. This goes back to the rumor issue I have – that is, how could anyone who actually read it come to the conclusions they reached? How could anyone who has gotten to “know him,” think he could be manipulated or set up at this stage of his experience? This is the part that astounds me more even than the take on his stated opinions.
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I should clarify, I didn’t witness the earlier piece as it unfolded; I read comment strands about it that had survived. IMO, identity battles, plus the ongoing persistence of the “precious Richard” trope are at work here.
Using one of my typical argumentative moves, I could ask myself, why is my need to believe in the existence of an adult, competent Richard Armitage so great? Is that because it’s reasonable? Or does it have something to do with my inner needs? Probably both.
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I don’t know about you, but if he were an immature schmuck, identity wouldn’t figure in. I wouldn’t get that far.
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You wouldn’t. But I think we have to keep in mind that we’ve disqualified ourselves as “typical” fans by virtue of what we’re doing. This interview notwithstanding, I also have ongoing questions, but they’re not nor have they ever been about the maturity problem — the guy’s been living on his own since he was 17, he’s gotta be at least somewhat self-reliant or it’s hard to explain what he did all those years.
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I also choose not to talk politics in the fandom. I’ve slipped up a couple of times, and I think others have also gotten political at times, but I try to refrain and believe most others do as well.
I hate that anything political ever enters the discourse among the fans. Why? Because most people cannot talk politics without taking things personally and getting off track. For myself, I try never to take something personally even if it’s meant personally. No, I don’t live by that perfectly either, but I would say about 98% of the time. I’m happier that way.
By the way, I still think I’m better drunk. : D
On another note, I think that some of the broad minds I’m witnessing would not be so magnanimous if he had expressed another political viewpoint. Yes, I’m saying it’s easy to be broad minded when there is nothing to challenge it.
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That may be true about how I might react if he espoused a view I disagreed with, but if it were there in black and white, I would take issue with him and what he said, not with the person who elicited the statement.
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I have not read any sites but yours although I did skip over here from Servetus’ site, so I don’t know who is taking issue with the reporter. I also don’t know who is saying she put words in his mouth or any of the other stuff you listed. I have not had time to read other places.
As for my calling Moves a fashion blog, it’s a joke; otherwise, the slip comment doesn’t work. : D
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I am the one who called this “reporter” unprofessional, judging her by traditional journalistic standards I thought she injected her opinions into a story that was not about her and editorialized on topics that should have been left solely for the interviewee to address .I have a background in hard news, this format might not have the same standards where objectivity is concerned and I may been too critical. My other issue regarded quotes. Some readers were confused as to who said what (another reason to limit the reporter’s input to questions). Or they said Richard’s answers were sometimes confusing and should have been edited for clarity. I said the reporter should have asked for clarification immediately.It’s too late after the interview is over. “The assumption is that every word in a quote is word for word what the interviewee said. Many news organizations – The New York Times,Associated Press – do not allow reporters to “clean Up” quotations, even if the speaker employs tortured syntax.” from NYU Journalism Handbook. Apologies for the length. And I couldn’t care less if the reporter is male or female.
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I don’t know if you’re the only one who called the reporter unprofessional. We did find out that the interview was taped, so there’s some indication that he said what she said he said.I know when I read an article, I assume that every word in quotes is verbatim.For what it’s worth, your criticism in your comments on MMs blog were also professional, unlike some of the comments I read attacking her experience, accusing her of setting him up and so forth. But I had no trouble figuring out what he said vs. what she said, unless I am wrong – I assumed what was in quotes was what he said( aside from the empty unclosed quotes) and the rest was her,
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I’ve been trying to think about what to say about this as elliptically as possible.
Richard Armitage said something I found politically offensive last fall during the Hobbit press blitz. (Perry knows what it is because I discussed it with her.) He said it repeatedly, at least three times that I read or heard it, so it wasn’t an accident and can be fairly attributed to have been his view at that time. I can imagine that he didn’t think about it being a political statement — but I also can imagine that since he abruptly stopped saying it, someone must have told him or he must have discovered how offensive it was. There were people on the web (though not in the core Armitage fandom) who did write about it, but I never wrote about my reaction to it nor did I link to those discussions. This is why: I don’t consider Richard Armitage an informed source or role model for my political views. There are several things I look to him for but politics has never been one of them. I don’t require my role models to have my politics. And the issue in question is one that people in my immediate milieu disagree upon heftily, so what he said, even if was naive, is akin to things I hear regularly.
Art and politics are certainly never detached. Thus, could he express either personally or artistically a political view that would be a dealbreaker for me? Certainly. He would have to be very very far right, however, to the right of my parents, which would be hard for the average person who wasn’t trying to offend people to accomplish. Is he likely to do so? No — based on my history of reading his interviews, in which remarks that hint at the contours of his politics appeared from time to time, I think it unlikely that he could say something so extremely different from my political opinions that I would say, “no, never again.” As you yourself said, this was approximately the political position he could be logically deduced to have had based on his life experiences, his history, his milieu, and things he’s said in the past. To me, this stuff has been there the whole time. So yes, I was already self-selecting based on what I guessed. On the other hand, what I guessed is not especially hard to guess, either. I’d have self-selected away long before this had the indices been different ones.
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Anyway, I choose to laugh about this as that’s what I do most of the time. This is no different.
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There’s a controversy? What? Must be just the US fans. So he’s pro-healthcare and anti-gun, I wouldn’t expect anything else from a Brit, but I’m Canadian where these positions are also the norm. The fact that these are controversial would of course be difficult to wrap his head around, newly living there. Americans don’t realize how utterly bizarre these debates are is to most of us on the outside. That’s not a criticism, it’s just the reality to non-Americans.
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I haven’t read anything that actually attacked or disputed what his opinions were. I have read negative comments about the reporter and that she somehow tripped him up into talking about these things or set him up. I don’t think he was unaware that these topics are controversial – certainly not gun control. And while I don’t think healthcare per se is controversial Obamacare is. He would have known that since he was aware of the government shutdown/
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I wonder what he would have said about “stop and frisk,” actually 🙂
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Don’t get me started on that. I’m still pissed as hell at what was done to my friend Shira Scheindlin..
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see, to me, that’s a litmus “leftie” test issue and one of those places where my appreciation of Bloomburg absolutely breaks down. Where are you on security, when the rubber hits the road? If you are prepared to articulate the argument, I and others should accept a certain amount of personal insecurity or risk in order not to endorse racial profiling — now, that would be a more appreciable left these days (it used to be different) as opposed to what reads to me in this interview like UK center-left-slightly at sea moves to America and has an opinion based on his life experiences.
(Once upon a time people thought that the argument that one innocent person in jail was worse than a dozen guilty people on the streets was a sort of standard legal view … but of course, that’s often read as left now)
but i could go on and on. Where is he on rent control? Prohibition on religious organizations providing homeless people with food if they don’t have city food permits? the city’s new pilot composting program? …..
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My reply was directed at the removal of the judge on bogus grounds and under circumstances that were bogus and unprecedented. I would think if had opinions on those three issues, he wouldn’t share them. Might as well ask him what he thinks of the Patriot Act.
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I’m marginally aware of the Scheindlin thing, but I don’t know enough about it to comment. But aside from “stop and frisk,” I would love to know what he thinks about the Patriot Act, also same-sex marriage, abortion rights, the immigration situation on the border (Mr I probably got a visa because I’m an Equity member — Oh, wait, let’s not neglect to ask him about unions more generally), the farm bill, SNAP, how rising costs in public higher education should be funded, and US foreign policy on Syria. 🙂 To name a few of my most persistent political questions. I’d also really like to know where he was about the coal miner’s strikes and about political issues under the Thatcher government in the 80s. Then we would know how politically interested he really was … 🙂
But i enjoyed this a lot and would love to read more in this vein from other interviewers who talk to him.
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oh, and I failed to mention the NSA, Snowden, Manning, Greenwald, also telephone hacking and the fact that under the UK coalition government the draw on food banks has increased by a factor of three. Also the handful of people who’ve killed themselves or tried in the UK in response to the new “bedroom” taxes. The apparent reappearance of a housing bubble in London. US Fed QE policy ….
Servetus slaps herself …
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Thanks,Perry. I thought I was the only one who questioned the reporter’s professionalism. Maybe I was too hard on her. The bottom line is she gave us new, fresh RA material and that is commendable as well as rare..
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He’d been living mostly in NYC for a year by the time he gave this interview and this has been a year like no other for gun control discussion; it’s in the news every single day. I don’t think he had any difficult wrapping his head around the controversial quality of what he was saying. Particularly living in a city where the mayor funds a PAC to support pro-gun control candidates nationwide, expressly against the views of his own party (one of the things that makes me like Bloomburg).
Oh, and many Americans do realize how bizarre these debates seem to others. Those of us who have lived outside the US and read foreign press and have friends who are not citizens.
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Debates like these are part of the reason why I’m hooked to this fandom. As many fellow Europeans have noticed, Richard’s opinions are totally mainstream here, saying something different would have only placed him on the fringes of our (and his, he’s still British, after all!) political spectrum. What is notable is his decision to voice them, particularly since he’s apparently looking for a job in the US. A publicist’s slip or part of a strategy to shake off the old, more traditional core fandom and build a new image (see “hipster” clothes)? Because, let’s not forget that, this is a storm only in our small teacup: in the media sea is barely a ripple.
On a personal note, I lived and worked in the States (mostly NY) for a year, a decade ago, and it seems to me that the ocean keeps getting wider. Sad.
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I don’t know what you’re getting at about a publicist’s slip. His opinions as stated were not off the wall. They were very New York/LA and many, many other parts of this country. And, they focused on different issues – so people against gun control are not necessarily against Obamacare and vice versa. Except on the far, far right. i don’t think his statements were intended to shake anyone off – but I don’t know, of course.
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I don’t see any evidence for reading this interview as an attempt to find a different audience. His views are standard in much of the entertainment industry and with the people he probably associates with in NYC. To me this interview read as sort of “Hi, NYC, I’m here!”
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Thanks, Perry. You said it best and I’m glad you did. Hopefully the discussion will continue here.
I don’t understand people blaming the writer of the article, or the editor and even the magazine. I don’t understand the snark attached to posts I read online. Is it envy that the journalist actually got to sit and talk to RA over a glass of white wine and got him to open up more than he usually does and actually talk about certain views, I don’t know. Sometimes I think it is.
But if there’s one thing I do know, it is this:
If people are truly unhappy over the article, they should relay that in the comments section located at the bottom of that article. At least it will go to the right people. That’s a start.
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Yes. I tried to put in a comment expressing my own view and had a problem with it. Maybe because it’s Sunday and there was no one to moderate. Thanks MM. So, Juliet Izner next? She may not go near us with a ten foot pole after this.
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I got the same thing. I’ll post my comment on my site, though. I took a screenshot.
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The interview he did during Robin Hood where he talked about losing his virginity made some in the fandom lose their minds and there was some line spun about how he thought he was speaking off the record. He was in his mid-30s at that point and could hardly be considered a babe in the woods. I think sometimes that the person the APMers most want to protect him from is himself.
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I think there’s some truth to what you say – thinking also about the dog/cat interview.
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let’s also remember, for the sake of fidelity to the surviving sources, that he was the one who said he didn’t quite realize what was going on then (in one of those msgs), although I have never been quite sure how to understand what he said. In any case, it made the core fans happy. I don’t think we can say that here, based on the tweets from the Interviewer, some of which MM has posted on her blog.
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it’s really odd because I still haven’t seen an actual criticism of any specific thing he said ( aside from enjoying the shutdown, which either meant something else or was just silly). Someone said he got the decade wrong for the Poll Tax thing – but I haven’t seen controversy on any topic – just THAT he spoke about these topics. Doesn’t mean they’re not out there.
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well, you know, don’t criticize the source.
I could write some up for you from either direction, if you like, and we could poll 🙂
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Here’s one that’s authentic to me: I think the perception that the UK government coalition is working well is bizarre. I read that and said, wow, does he actually read the UK newspapers?
In case you wanted to have a political discussion or something.
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I don’t. I’m ashamed to say that one doesn’t do it for me and I know next to nothing about it. I can talk about rent control – but it’s not on the table.
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yeah, he bought his apartment 🙂 maybe if he ever becomes a landlord we’ll hear about that 🙂
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Richard Armitage as slumlord? ( BTW- readers-rent controlled apartments are not in “slums” anymore. ) It’s just a joke.
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I know he said it. I think he spun a line of carefully crafted bullshit because of the freakout.
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I agree. And I wonder if this interview is a sign that he wouldn’t do the same thing now? Hope so.
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I am taken by the idea that if he expressed opinions completely different from mine if I would feel the same way about him. I’m feeling a bit of sympathy for those fans who have different opinions from his.
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I find it interesting that those who are upset about the article aren’t really saying *why*. have his views disappointed them, that he thinks the opposite from them? are they upset that he veered off the actor track and mentioned “real life” subjects? for whatever reason, they seem to be lashing out at the interviewer instead of him. do they not want to disagree with him and so are scapegoating her?
I don’t wholly agree with his views but taken within the context of all of his words, it’s clear that he’s aware that they aren’t cut and dry issues or things he necessarily has vast experience with. the only complaint I had with the interview was the writer saying that the shut-down could be “enjoyed”. I’m assuming that was sarcasm, but it wasn’t the most tactful thing to say. I very much enjoyed his positive view of the atmosphere of NYC and how conversations there could be lively and debatable though; his description of England in that regard must be how some fans want his conversations to be 😉
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That’s some of what I was noticing – that by and large, there wasn’t flak about the gun control, the healthcare, the violence in films. So it seems that it was over the fact that he spoke on topics he hasn’t addressed in that way, I enjoyed his take on New York also.
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“shutdown enjoyed” — I don’t know what he meant, but I will say that there was a vibe of that at least in my social feed at probably day 2 or 3, among many of my friends who are federal employees, who thought it was nice to have an extra day or two “off.” The mood evaporated pretty quickly, but whether joking, bitter, or earnest (no idea) that feeling was in the air in some quarters, at least briefly. She interviewed him on day … four?
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“shutdown enjoyed” – there was a sense of the absurd about the situation in the beginning and it was also the subject of many jokes and satirical statements. Since it didn’t affect him directly ( unless he had to go to ICE), I can’t see how he would have enjoyed the actual shutdown. I don’t know what he meant, who used the phrase first. I just don’t know.
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the interviewer used the “enjoyed” description, he just repeated it to answer her question.
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I should clarify: that is *my* interpretation of reading between the lines 😉
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That isn’t clear to me from how it’s written. It could be, but I’m not sure. They could have been talking before she put the recorder on.
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that’s what’s difficult about picking this apart because we don’t know the “whole” conversation. the term “enjoying” seems very odd, it made it seem like he was going to pop some popcorn and settle in to watch the theatrics; even if that were so, it seems out of character for him to actually say so. that’s why I think either she suggested it first, or it was more in reference to a different point in the overall conversation.
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Right. We don’t know, but it certainly was a very odd way to discuss or raise the issue,whoever said it first. The thing is, from what she wrote in the rest of the piece, it doesn’t seem like she would have enjoyed it either.
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Wasn’t this the interview where the interviewer tweeted ahead of time that she’d ask him to have the Queen take over the US again?
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just checked, it was her. “In what bad taste would it be to ask Richard Armitage to put in a good word with the Queen to take the colonies back? #becauseiwoulddoit”. So it sounds like joking about frustration — from the perspective of that tweet, anyway.
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Very good article. I have to ask, if you don’t mind, what did RA say during the last press tour that was politically related? If you don’t want to say (I totally understand) I was just curious because I honestly can’t remember him saying anything political.
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I think it just occurred to me what you are referring to–was it in relation to his analysis of Tolkein at all? If so I’m pretty sure I know what you mean and how you could find it offensive
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Yup, pretty sure you know what I’m talking about. I don’t need to air that here. If I ever talk about it will be on my blog. My point was just that it is possible to have a significant political disagreement with him and still be broadminded about it.
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yes and I completely agree. Richard’s political views are interesting to consider, as they might be at a cocktail party, but no one should think that we all need to be of one mind with Richard on politics. Being a fan of Richard’s is not an endorsement of his political views. Now, if I were about to vote for him in a major election, then I might say yes, I am endorsing his political views!
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But, IMO, being a fan includes admiration of the person’s character. There is one excellent actor whose talent I’ve always admired who came out recently with some — to me — crude and unacceptable right wing vitriol. I may chose to skip his movies in the future because of it, but that’s a personal decision and I won’t get on a soapbox about it. Another actor recently exhibited some especially cruel behavior and I’m definitely going to be boycotting his films (small loss). On the other hand, I keep watching Russell Crowe despite his hurling telephones at hapless hotel clerks, so I guess my high-minded moral stance is a little wobbly. 🙂
At any rate, if Armitage expressed views I found truly offensive I’d probably hang up my fangirl panties; but again, that’s a personal choice that I wouldn’t encourage in others. Nor would I suggest that he keep his views to himself.
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LOL – Throughout this discussion, since last night, I’ve been thinking of Russel Crowe, a favorite of mine ( though I’m just a casual fan who sees his movies and nothing more) despite his now and then outbursts and awful academy award appearance.
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I can imagine political opinions that would be dealbreakers, but is a disagreement over gun control or the ACA a sign of bad character? I think if we thought he’d have been inclined to say something totally impossible or behave in cruel or self-centered ways, we’d have seen evidence of that already. Of course, he may develop that yet, and then in that case people are of course free to go.
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No, Armitage’s views seem to me to be in the mainstream. I lived 10 years as a virtual socialist in the heart of Appalachia, so I’m used to cheerfully accommodating all kinds of ideas and beliefs. 🙂 I’m talking here about extreme attitudes and behavior that, from what we know, I don’t think he exhibits, e.g., racism, overweening arrogance, cruelty to “underlings”, etc.
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You are absolutely correct that an actor’s character can impact your enjoyment of their work. And further, there is no question that some beliefs or opinions a person holds could be morally repugnant, but it takes quite a bit to get to that point, imo (when discussing mainstream political discourse). If RA, for instance, had said he has no problem with underage prostitution in Thailand I would have been deeply morally offended.
If you don’t mind sharing who was the actor that went on a right wing diatribe? I hadn’t heard about this one yet!
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I have followed the comments with much interest. I fail to see that what Ra said has caused so much discussion. I am a Brit and we are used to being critical of governments and their policies. Full marks to Ra for having views and may we continue to hear from the real Ra and not just some bland politically correct rhetoric.
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Now wait just a durn minute! (This is MUCH more important than political views or character): I just saw the list of sexiest Brits on the “People” magazine website and guess who’s not on it? What’s Hiddlebatch got that Armitage doesn’t, huh? huh?? Now THAT will get me on the soapbox, lol!
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I have to go see.
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That is truly depressing.
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Oh we’d all like to talk more to him about his views now. I’ve always wanted to talk to him myself about everything not just about his work. I want to know the real Richard but a lot of fans don’t. They want the Richard they see on the screen or the kind and generous one that signs autographs and lets you take pictures. They really don’t want to “know” the man behind all of that. This is what we saw a small part of in this interview and that is why the reporter is being jumped all over by some. Again some want to find blame for somebody else rather than just accepting that this is Richard. I saw nothing unappealing here but those who did it seems want to blame anyone else they can for him speaking his mind. He is a grown man for heaven’s sake and he can speak for himself and did. It doesn’t matter if you agree or not with him but accept that it was him talking not the reporter. She didn’t hold the microphone up to him and force him to say those things. Quite honestly I’m glad that he felt comfortable enough to actually say something other than the usual interview stuff we’ve heard already. Thank you Richard, it was refreshing. As our neighbor to the north said none of this is new to non-Americans or to many of us Americans here in fact.
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First, Perry, I am glad you decided to both comment extensively and openly on the Article, as well as reference Morrighan Muse’s Blog post and her tenacious on-the-spot follow-up to report it.
Second, I’ll try not to comment much specifically on the article beyond that which I have said on MM’s blog and other blog posts, except to say that my overall praise its content is still about 99.98% positive, with the off-percentage being on minor construction and the not-so-minor clarity issues which have been discussed well here and elsewhere. Additionally, in regards to the latter, I-really-don’t-care-anymore-whose-fault-or-responsibility-they-are now since it’s done and published.
But, this I will say here, now – if Richard’s political views expressed had been so extremely different to my own [insert-L-word-here] views, then exactly to what degree they were, and how expressed, would probably have been a factor in how I might have reacted or would have been smarting still. For instance, if his views were to follow that of let’s just say “extremist right wing” I would indeed have a problem, and for this reason – because they would appear to contradict that of what I have glimpsed through the little slivers of his past views expressed in other interviews through the years.
Although I personally – just me personally – feel I have seen a more of-the-people-minded [insert another L word here] point of view in what I have observed of him to express in such interviews, so the subject matter in this one did not surprise me so much as just that of him saying them openly, honestly and without filter, of which I was over-joyed.
I would have a similar negative reaction if…IF…he were to ever, say, go by way of Mel Gibson or – even more so of late – that of Alec Baldwin, where racist and/or hate remarks might have been uttered in fits of rage and ridiculousness. I would certainly judge him then also – for both moral reasons and for past misrepresentations of a true nature. As if.
I have always enjoyed Richard’s work as an actor, but I truly became a fan of the “man” as well through his interviews and his representations of himself and his intellect. So, if I were to find that he was not the man that he has represented, including that of a truthful one, then there is where I would have a problem.
Right now, the man and actor that Richard Armitage has shown me, which is mainly that of a good person, is the man I most admire and even more so now since the NY Moves interview.
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Yup!
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First, thanks for the reblog. I agree that i have the sense from what I know already, he is probably not likely to have views that are so abhorrent to me that it would make a difference. I did swear off Mel Gibson and a few others whose conduct became offense to me.
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I agree.
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Thanks Micra.
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Thanks to you 😉 Your post is very balanced and I really liked how you put the things.
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🙂
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Reblogged this on crystalchandlyre.
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There’s a discussion on the article over at TORn as well.
http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2013/11/17/82588-richard-armitage-talks-with-moves-magazine/
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Thank you for this. 🙂
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Thanks Katharine. I took a look.
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As a non American I have no title to discuss some topics touched in NY Moves article. I will only say I was glad to finally read a RA interview without prosaic questions with necessarily banal answers (even if the poor man usually tries to be original in his replies). I was really happy to see RA has a brain and has no fear to use it. That he is not afraid to talk and raise controversy among fans. Some remarks of his hit me deeply, as the one related to inner “violence” he can detect in his nephew playing with sword. Having worked with little children myself I can understand how he feels. He’s a man that observes things, evaluate them and get his own conclusions. You can disagree with him, but he’s not afraid to state them, neither he skates over a topic to disappoint or lose approval.
I have to say I now consider him on a different level.
I hope we’ll have the opportunity to read other interesting interviews like this one in the future. There are so many matters to talk of without asking about circus… 😉
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You raised an interesting point and an observation that has so far gone un-commented on. He mentioned his nephew and something he observed about him ( playing Thorin, no doubt) he also mentioned his nephew in the EW article, when he said the boy received a hamster ( or was it a gerbil). Small points, not particularly revealing, but may also be part of a change in his press persona.
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It could be. The little pet is called Tauriel so you can bet The Hobbit plays a big part in that little boy life. I think he’s very proud of his uncle, no doubt he likes to play Thorin with his sword! It’s possible RA is trying to change something in how he is perceived by people. One reason more to await the next interviews with new interest. TH DOS press junket will of course focus on the new movie, but it can be interesting to look for some changes between the new and the past year one. In the meantime this week greendragon’s phone interview for TORn should be published. If I remember correctly she did a good interview last year.
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Please let me know when. It may be while i am “away”
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Of course, asa they will put the link – and I’m awake! silly time zones 😉
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Oh, this is good to know about Green Dragon, thank you, Micra!
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😉
I hope it will receive better comments on TORn that the NY Moves one…
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Whoops, missed this. I just acknowledged the same. 🙂
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He’s mentioned his nephew several times already, though, including mentioning his first name to press. A lot of fans were up in arms about that.
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So far Micra, from what I have read so far, you are the only one to mention his concern about his Nephew playing with a sword. His comments hit me deeply as well. Clearly his other comments overshadowed that one bit. I know I was distracted, but in the best of ways. Anyway, it was nice to hear you voice it. 🙂
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Thank you Crystal! 🙂
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We all know that when you have children your entire outlook on life changes. I do not have kids and neither does Richard but it is obvious that he does see things differently because he has a nephew and knows that it matters what this child does just as if he were his too. We who do not have kids may still note such things and be concerned especially here and certainly after the events we’ve seen in the U.S. this year involving children and weapons. It was a hamster by the way. His nephew is 7 now so this is a very important age as well in growth and behavior. I’m sure he does want to represent himself well in front of his nephew and that thought is possibly why he does feel the way he does about violence in movies and such.
What will be interesting now is how the interviews go because with this one he has opened a door and interviewers may choose to ask questions not related to the movie when they interview him because he has made these remarks. It will be up to him as to whether he wants to continue opening up or not. This wasn’t planned I’m sure.
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