Jonathan Rhys Meyers - Page 2

C: How similar is that royal power to the power of celebrity and wealth today?
Jonathan Rhys Meyers: Celebrity and wealth can be taken away. Being royalty can’t. These people were living gods. I mean, you can be celebrated, yes, but you had to earn it.

C: It’s not given from birth, unless you’re a famous person’s kid, but there is a similar awe of celebrities, no? Once you’re a celebrity, it’s like you’re not human anymore.
Jonathan Rhys Meyers: Of course that exists. Listen, I couldn’t possibly imagine Michael Jackson going to the toilet until I was like ten years old. Because he was just, like, from another planet. But it doesn’t take that much to be famous today. If someone goes to a nightclub, or wears a dress, or drives a car, or dates somebody, or puts their life 24 hours a day on television in a reality show, they’re celebrated and people are in awe of them. It’s kind of weird, don’t you agree?

C: Completely.
Jonathan Rhys Meyers: But I don’t mind being in awe of the Beatles because they were great. Being in awe of great men, there’s no shame in that. Or great women.

C: Are you comfortable being viewed differently because you’re a celebrity?
Jonathan Rhys Meyers: I don’t even think about it, I can’t think about it. You end up fucking your own head.

C: What are you like when walking around set in character as Henry VIII? 
Jonathan Rhys Meyers: I’m quite predatory.

C: In what sense?
Jonathan Rhys Meyers:  In every way. You’re living in a world of political intrigue; you’re constantly in a state of red alert. It’s like being at DEFCON 4 or whatever they call it. Constantly.

C: Will the second season be as lusty as the first?
Jonathan Rhys Meyers: Yeah, of course; people didn’t just sleep with each other. There’s a lust for power, and sex is power. People didn’t have TV.

C: [Laughs.] With all that power play, what’s it like doing the sex scenes?
Jonathan Rhys Meyers: When you’re having sex with somebody you’re totally in that person at that time. It’s strange when there are tons of people looking at you, but I don’t get ashamed and I don’t get embarrassed. I go to the gym, so I’m comfortable with my body. This is the job that I do and if I want to be comfortable doing the job that I do, I have to take care of myself.

C: What’s the most uncomfortable sex scene you’ve shot?
Jonathan Rhys Meyers: The rape scene [in I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead (2003)]. There’s just something about masculine rape that is very degrading. All rape is degrading. That was quite harrowing. I didn’t expect to feel quite as uncomfortable after that as I did. I thought I’d just ride it out. There was something deeply uncomfortable about that.

C: I take it the romps with Scarlett were much less scarring.
Jonathan Rhys Meyers: There wasn’t anything uncomfortable about the sex scenes in Match Point, except Woody [Allen] is really uncomfortable shooting sex scenes. I think he likes talking about it in his films rather than showing it. Woody said, “You guys do what you do.” Scarlett and I are both grown people and we have been in bed with someone before. They were very lustful, but they didn’t seem lustful while we were shooting them.





Home » CELEBRITIES » Cover Story » Jonathan Rhys Meyers » Jonathan Rhys Meyers