Hes someone Ive lived with all my life, he says.
From a distance, of course.
Hes a very vibrant, funny, intelligent man, says Pryce.
Jonathan Pryce at the world premier forThe CrownSeason 5.Netflix
Its very educative learning about him and enormous fun playing him.
However, Pryce reports that playing opposite Dominic Wests Charles was simply delicious.
Why are you being so horrible to me?
And I loved it, he laughs.
Historically, Philip was known for his long list of shocking verbal gaffes.
I think we could have got a few more gaffes in there.
That would have livened it up a bit, Pryce says.
And I think he saw elements of himself in his grandchildren.
He also notes Philips own lack of a father when he was younger.
I think he wanted to make it right for William, he says.
The great thespian grows wistful for a moment.
I give good grandfather, is what I do these days, he chuckles.
Grandfatherly or not, his career isnt remotely slowing.
Hes just received twoEmmy Award nominations, in fact.
And once I feel that, any sense of being patronized, then I will stop.
But at the moment, no, Im having a great time.
And I mean, you hear people my age saying theres a great freedom to being older.
Im still as ambitious as ever, and Im as ambitious to get things right as ever.
However, he confesses to having mellowed somewhat over the years.
Im a lot more relaxed about it now.
I get upset less, I get angry less, which my family will be very happy to hear.
But Politics can absolutely still rile Pryce.
That result made him very happy, he says.
It took a lot to measure up to such titans of the stage and screen.
But Pryce was unable to return home.
Then, another telegram arrived informing him that his father had died of his injuries.
Two years later, Pryce channeled his grief into a production ofHamlet, directed by his friend Eyre.
It was aHamletfor the ages.
The one-two punch ofComediansandHamletcatapulted his career.
He was courted for movies and even bigger roles on stage.
All the while, he kept in mind something the legendary acting teacher Lee Strasberg had shared with him.
Another time, Pryce went to Strasbergs office and had a sandwich lunch.
And there was a silence.
And he said, You do it.
And he bit his sandwich, and he chewed and he chewed.
He looked up and he said, Its your job.
That was it, Pryce says.
Thats the best bit of advice he could ever have given me… Thats it, he says.
Yeah, shes incredible, Im looking forward to seeing her, he says.
I have a different approach.
Theres enjoyment he says in playing a character who is known to have a secret, it is fun.
I know that at some point theyre all going to be after him for his secrets.
And thats interesting to watch, he says.
Pryce also reveals that theres a little bit of dancing involved inThe Thursday Murder Club.
Why dont we do something, Helen and I?
So, it was a bit of jiving.
Then he moves a little to an imaginary beat.
Perhaps hes thinking of this most recent dance, or of the many others hes yet to enjoy.
Either way, theres nothing twilight about it.
