Matthew MacFayden capped off his time on Succession by winning the second Emmy of his career for the same character. (Photo by Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Matthew Macfayden He already has another award for decorating his house. Because after winning the Golden Globe, BAFTA And SAGamong other awards in recent years, Now he's adding his second Emmy for his work in Succession. An award that brings the symbolic full circle of his time in the successful series and serves as the final recognition of a great achievement that we will never forget.
However, there is a greater meaning behind this award. Because it not only caps his time on the HBO series, but also reflects the twists and turns that come with life as an actor who was afraid of being pigeonholed because of his only film success.
And 18 years ago, the British actor couldn't even imagine that he would forever leave his mark on television history as one of the cornerstones of one of the best series in history. We will now forever recognize him as Tom Wambsgans, Shiv's (Sarah Snook) husband who made a name for himself Succession with one of the most symbolic results on television.
Matthew Macdayden stood out in every season of this series. For being funny, silly, and ultimately with a narrative arc full of vulnerability and drama that took his talent to a higher level, he starred in scenes with Sarah Snook that were so emotionally charged that they resonated with fans . What this actor did in season four was a masterclass in character construction.
This was the evening of the 75th Television Academy Awards Matthew Macdayden He thanked his comrades, from “his movie wife” Sarah Snook to his “other woman,” Nicholas Braun, and made a joking reference to the romantic relationship they shared in the story. “Thank you to my real wife Keeley, my love and my best friend, for being here,” he said of the actress and star of the hit NetflixBodyguard.
However, in 2005 everything was completely different. He was 31 years old and was the romantic lead pride and prejudice, the adaptation of Jane Austen's novel, in which he played the main protagonist of historical stories, Mr. Darcy. This demanding, vulnerable but introverted bachelor who formed an unbreakable bond with Elizabeth Bennet Keira Knightley. An actress who was 11 years younger at the time.
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The biggest problem he faced Matthew Macdayden It was the comparisons. Eventually, lovers of the genre had Mr. Darcy's image engraved on the figure Colin Firth after playing the legendary knight in the 1995 miniseries. But this Brit was lucky, because director Joe Wright created his own version of the story, emphasizing intimacy as a weapon of narrative seduction and establishing the connection between characters through gestures, looks and sharp dialogue, establishing the film as one of the best adaptations of Jane Austen's works.
Personally, I prefer it over the miniseries. What's more, many of us remain convinced that the hand-touch sequence between Elizabeth and Darcy is one of the most electrifying romantic moments in cinema. A moment of romantic electricity that requires no physical exaggeration to trigger a whirlwind of inner emotions.
But Matthew Macdayden I didn't see it that way. In other words, I panicked. He came from the theater, television series and supporting characters in films when he agreed to become one of the culture's most emblematic romantic heroes.
“I felt pressure. Maybe it was self-imposed because I believed, 'It's a big movie, so don't make a mistake,'” he told Vanity Fair in 2022. The film was a box office success, grossing $121 million worldwide when it had only cost $28 million, while critics ultimately welcomed it with open arms (although there was some initial rejection from some experts due to comparisons with of the series, which held a special place in memory as a faithful and effective adaptation). However, too Matthew Macdayden He found it difficult to see the positive side.
“I haven't been feeling very well, Mr. Darcy,” he said. “I felt a bit like a middle-aged father.” And so, despite the film's success and the recognition it brought to the industry, He decided to distance himself from any job offer that might pigeonhole him as a romantic hero.. It was his peak at the time, but he decided to turn his back on it.
“I ended up getting a lot of things that were similar to Pride and Prejudice,” he revealed of the offers the industry sent him following the film's success, following a common business tactic when it comes to making the film to suppress the occasional success of a film actor or actress in a particular genre if it is well received by the audience. “And I thought, 'I shouldn't do that.' I should try to do something different.'”
Keira Knightley, director Joe Wright and Matthew Macfayden promote Pride and Prejudice. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage)
And he did. He completely moved away from historical cinema and romantic stories, opting for independent dramas, supporting roles and even uncredited roles, as was the case with “Grindhouse” in 2007. He experienced blockbusters, but was always in the shadow of the protagonists, as was the case with “Robin Hood” with Russell Crowe, where he played the Sheriff of Nottingham. He recently returned to period cinema in Anna Karenina (2012), where he reunited with Joe Wright and Keira Knightley, but always steered away from romantic roles.
He did it all, but none of his works between 2005 and 2018 could surpass the memory of his Mr. Darcy. until it arrived Succession. That is, he spent more than a decade running away from characters that could have kept him on a certain popular pedestal, away from historical cinema and romantic heroes, and pushing his talent out of other productions, even if that meant he had to do this from a supporting role. And then Jesse Armstrong served him a well-rounded character on a platter. This Tom Wambsgans, who ultimately left the whole world speechless and with whom he won two Emmy awards.
Saying no and turning down offers is a risk in Hollywood. Actors never know how or when the next project will come, but Matthew Macdayden When it came to expanding his career, he bet on his personal desires and ended up winning big.
This article was written exclusively for Yahoo en Español by Cine54.
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