Seven Kings Must Die star on Uhtred age difference: 'Jokes are fair game'
Actor Alexander Dreymon is playing someone almost double his age.
Alexander Dreymon has addressed the huge age difference between himself and his Seven Kings Must Die character Uhtred of Bebbanburg, as the film lands on Netflix today.
The actor, 40, has previously played the role across five seasons of historical drama The Last Kingdom, with the timeline of the show spanning numerous decades of early British history.
As a result, several of The Last Kingdom cast members have been tasked with playing considerably older people, prompting some fans to suggest the series should have copied The Crown's approach to recasting roles.
By the time we reach Seven Kings Must Die, which is intended to be the final entry in the saga, Uhtred would be nearing his 80th birthday – although Dreymon's appearance has changed little from the beginning.
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Dreymon told RadioTimes.com: "In reality, Uhtred is so old at that time, [but] how do we portray that accurately? Do we go into old makeup? Do we go into that physicality? But at the same time, then what does that do in terms of battles?"
Given how difficult it would be to portray Uhtred as an old man without recasting or using expensive visual effects, the team behind The Last Kingdom has always kept the matter of his age on the back-burner.
Read more:
- Seven Kings Must Die star Alexander Dreymon calls return "bittersweet"
- Yellowstone star addresses Kevin Costner exit rumours: "Nothing is forever"
"For the aging part, I always suspend my disbelief a little bit and I'm hoping that the fans will go along with that," continued Dreymon. "And I think so far, everybody is on board with it. Jokes on it are fair game."
However, the actor did go on to say that some fight choreography was "adapted" to reflect the late stage in Uhtred's life, adding: "[He] really gets his butt kicked in one scene… so we weave that narrative in a little bit."
While the role of Uhtred has been life changing for Dreymon, he says he is ready to bid farewell to The Last Kingdom with this instalment and has confirmed he has no current plans to return to the character.
Seven Kings Must Die is available to stream on Netflix from Friday 14th April 2023. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
