21 October 2024
Aidan Turner could relate to the "ruthless" themes of 'Rivals'.
Aidan Turner related to the 'ruthless' nature of Rivals
The 41-year-old star plays TV presenter Declan O'Hara in the Disney+ reworking of Jilly Cooper's novel of the same name and noticed parallels between the "cut-throat" themes of the story and his rise to acting success.
Aidan told Metro.co.uk: "It's in every profession at a certain level too. It does get a bit ruthless. I do remember in my 20s it was pretty cut-throat – even from friends.
"It was those horrible moments that I'm sure the characters in the show experience, where you really, really want to be happy for your friend – and thankfully all that's gone now – but I do remember those moments when you'd be up for the same castings (and it was cut-throat).
"It's similar in this world: there are a lot of transactional dynamics with these relationships, everyone's after something and wants something, so everyone's kind of on the make anyway. There's a certain ruthlessness in this show that mirrors (the experience of rising up the ranks)."
Aidan's character Declan is at the centre of the rivalry between TV executives Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) and Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) in the show and even revealed took inspiration from his father in terms of his alter ego's mannerisms.
The 'Poldark' star said: "I sprinkled a bit of my own father in there the way he talks, his tone and the way he holds himself.
"He also rocked a 'tache in the 80s and 90s. I've been dying to play him for years."
Aidan's co-star Nafessa Williams also used her relatives as inspiration for her role as career-driven producer Cameron Cook.
She said: "I had very vivid memories of how they looked and how they dressed, and just how they carried themselves. So I did that."
English (US) ·