This Blog is for all newspaper, scripts, photos, posters, fan art screencaps, magazine, and Internet articles relating to the British television show, "Merlin" and its cast. We also feature any non-Merlin projects that they have done. If you wish to see more, then visit our popular websites below! http://www.facebook.com/officialmerlinmania http://twitter.com/FandomMania007 Http://www.google.com/+MerlinMania
Showing posts with label (C) Sir Leon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label (C) Sir Leon. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Friday, March 14, 2014
December 24, 2012 - Hyable - top 50 Merlin Moments #40-31
A Month of ‘Merlin’: The 50 things we love most about ‘Merlin’
December 24, 2012 •40. The dragons
We always love dragons no matter what story they appear in, but the ones in Merlinhold a special place in our hearts. They’re fearsome creatures, but both Kilgharrah and Aithusa feel like real, relatable characters you can’t help but root for.
39. Arthur/tree
We’re not going to lie, we have a bit of trouble trying to decide what’s more adorable about this scene: Merlin whistling to get Arthur’s attention, or Arthur lovingly stroking a random tree in the forest. Either way, how can you NOT love Simpleton Arthur from the epic series 4 finale?38. Ornate goblets: the true bane of Camelot
It seems like whenever there’s a fancy goblet involved, trouble isn’t too far behind. See “The Poisoned Chalice,” “The Labyrinth of Gedref” and “The Fires of Idrishola.” Clearly Merlin has been very inspired by The Holy Grail (although nevertechnically using it, only the Cup of Life), but this might be a little overkill.37. Excalibur
Almost as famous as Arthur himself is his sword, Excalibur. So what good Merlin fan wouldn’t love it every time we get to see this famous sword and the iconic images that go with it?36. Girl power
There’s no denying the fact that Merlin is set in a man’s world. While the show is ahead of the medieval times in a lot of ways, there are certain things that womenjust don’t do in Camelot… except they totally do it anyway. Yes, Guinevere’s story has primarily been one of romance, but she’s still had a chance to prove her worth, both as a fighter and a capable ruler. And Morgana may be evil, but she’s damn badass, and we may even secretly a little bit have been rooting for a woman to take the throne of Camelot… don’t tell Arthur.
35. “DRRRAAAGOOOOONNNN!”
The first time Merlin took on the cloak of the Dragonlord and faced Kilgharrah we had no idea what to expect – certainly not the deep, guttural cry of “DRRRRAAAAAGGGGOOOONNNN!” that we got. But we love it – and may or may not occasionally shout it out randomly to scare our friends.
34. Merlin’s scarves (he accessorizes)
One of the biggest questions at the start of each episode of Merlin is: what colour scarf will our favorite warlock have on today? Blue or red? While he is most famous for the blue shirt/red scarf combo, he does change it up. He has even done the occasional blue on blue – gasp!33. Sir Leon’s unexplained immortality
Fans of Merlin like to gripe about continuity in the plot, and Sir Leon’s mortality is no exception to that! Sure it’s annoying that Leon has died at least three times during the course of the series and yet there is no explanation, but really, what would the knights of Camelot be without him? We’ll let the gaping plot hole slide just this once!32. Merlin’s magic – yep, still a secret
The fact that Merlin has managed to do magic (complete with strange words, hand gestures and glowing eyes) for years with none of his friends except Lancelot realising is quite extraordinary. Or maybe there’s something in the Camelot water…31. Queen Guinevere’s wardrobe
Ever since Gwen became Queen, we have been seriously coveting her amazing gowns. That blue number she wore that one time? Hello, next Halloween costume!
Thursday, March 13, 2014
December 24, 2012 - Hyable - Top 50 Moments in Merlin #41-50
A Month of ‘Merlin’: The 50 things we love most about ‘Merlin’
December 24, 2012 •The 50 best things about Merlin. Where to end? Where to begin? We’ve given it our best shot – this article is a collaborative piece between Hypable staff members andTalks of Camelot podcast hosts Selina Wilken, Pamela Gocobachi, Jessica Chapman and Patricia Spence.
50. The unicorn
Because it wouldn’t be Merlin like we know and love it if there wasn’t an episode revolving around saving a great frickin’ unicorn. Merlin has a lot of scary villains, too, but every once in a while we get something as pure and innocent as this, which reminds us of the beauty and innocence of this story.49. Arthur doing romantic things for Gwen – with Merlin’s help
Mmm, chicken. But you know what, Arthur? As romantic as this gesture is, you best leave this stuff to Merlin. Oh wait, you did.
48. Inappropriate Arthur/Morgana flirting
You gotta love it when shocking developments in later seasons aren’t accounted for whenever a show first airs. In the case of Merlin, this meant a season of (in retrospect) very inappropriate Arthur/Morgana flirting worthy of Game of Thrones – and even more inappropriately, Uther was encouraging it!
47. “Clotpole” and other epic insults
One of the things we have always loved about Merlin are the snarky insults Merlin hurls at Arthur. Merlin is continually coming up with new, creative insults, but the one that will live down in infamy is when in a fit of exasperation Merlin calls his prince a “clotpole.” There’s also “dollop head,” “prat,” and many more!46. Merlin and Arthur ‘getting caught in a net’
Lost fans, this one is for you. Those writers know what they’re doing. We love these little moments between Merlin and Arthur, and clearly, the people involved with making the show love them, too!45. “You’re the Voice”
We’re fairly certain John Farnham never intended for his ’80s power ballad about having the courage to stand up and change the world to become THE anthem for Merlin fans everywhere but that is exactly what it has become. You can blame Colin and Bradley for that one, Mr. Farnham!
44. Merlin helping Arthur pull the sword from the stone
So what if this veers slightly from the legend? Not only was this one of Merlin‘s most epic moments of all time, but we’re also just suckers for a good bromance moment – and Merlin making Arthur believe he’s got it in him to be the great king we know he will be was just too precious for us not to include.43. Slow-mo sword fighting
Merlin wouldn’t be Merlin without its sword fights… but what’s even better is the slow-motion sword fights! We will gladly take any chance we get to see the knights show off their mad skills. Especially in later seasons, the post-production has kind of gone mad with this one, but we love it.42. Morgause’s creepy whispering
Remember Morgause? She was awesome, even if she did steal Morgana away from Gwen. And yes, we admit that her overly intense “sister” whispers got old really fast while series 3 was airing, but you’ve got to admit that looking back on it now, you kind of miss it, don’t you?
41. The gratuitous shirtlessness
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
December 22, 2012 - Hyable - Rupert Young, Alexander Vlahos, Santiago Cabrera Film & TV Projects
Rupert Young
“House of Glass” by Worship (2011)
Rupert Young is another actor who we wish we could see more of, but he has made a number of guest appearances on prominent shows like Shameless andPrimeval. But a must watch for Sir Leon fans is the music video for the British band Worship’s song “House of Glass.” You get to see him up close and involved in a bit of romance, which is sadly not something he ever got to do on Merlin (though we’ll never give up on Leon/Gwen).
Santiago Cabrera
Heroes (2008)
Santiago Cabrera is one of the most active Merlin cast members, and we could have picked a lot of different roles to include on this list. But we went with Heroes, because if you like knights and magic, chances are you’ll like superheroes and badass special abilities. In the first (and best) season of Heroes, Santiago Cabrera played Isaac the painter, and it is a very different role from Lancelot, let us tell you. But he is brilliant, and there is so much mystery surrounding the character, you’ll find yourself glued to the screen!
Alexander Vlahos
The Indian Doctor (2010)
Thursday, February 13, 2014
October 17, 2012 - ShadowLocked - Season 5, Episode 2 - Arthur's Bane Review
| REVIEWS - TV |
Arthur's Bane Part 2
[Spoilers follow]
The action picks up pretty much where we left off. Arthur and Merlin have been captured by a beardy Scottish chap and Mordred, and are traversing the frozen plains on the way to Ismere.
From here, the episode continues with the three-stranded storyline used to good effect in Part 1. Gwen is back at the palace listening to serving girl Sefa plead for her life, whilst Gaius sits around dispensing the odd bit of wisdom. Gwaine is still being tended by the alien. But wait! It is NOT an alien. Phew. It is in fact an ancient being, a euchdag, who happens to be exactly what Morgana is looking for – the key to knowledge. Apparently his/her (it’s impossible to tell) oversized cranium stores all sorts of useful information about past, present and things to come.
Sticking for the time being with team...Arlin? Merthur?, the duo quickly escape and carry on with their rescue mission to Ismere on their own terms, not before exchanging some meaningful looks with Mordred. He’s hard to figure out, that one. Most of us know the legend, but Merlin’s Mordred seems to be an entirely different kettle of fish. In all, it’s a good start by relative newcomer Alexander Vlahos. With a pursed lip and piercing eye, Vlahos hints at greater depths than he’s had the opportunity to display thus far, and it doesn’t hurt that he’s kind of pale and mysterious looking. Whatever Mordred’s endgame, I have no doubt that his character will divide the audience and keep them guessing to the very end.
A successful rescue is, of course, inevitable and provides us with yet another opportunity to see a shirtless Sir Percival swinging a hammer, heaving a rock, wielding his sword… Not that I’m complaining, but the writers really are going to have to give Tom Hopper a bit more to do than fulfil the ladies’ eye candy role. (Aside: For the gentlemen, let’s just say that I think certain historical liberties were taken with Gwen’s plunging neckline.) Also inevitable is Merlin coming face to face with the euchdag, who imparts a quick bit of suitably cryptic wisdom, then disappears. I have to admit that I found the resolution of this particular story strand a bit of an anti-climax. Is the euchdag gone from our screens for good? If so, that was an awful lot of effort to introduce yet another supernatural creature to give our hero a message that could quite easily have come from John Hurt or even wise old Gaius (it would certainly have given him a bit more to do).
Anyway, moving on, the most emotional wallop of the evening came from two sides. Ruadan’s response to his daughter’s imminent execution gave Liam Cunningham the opportunity to show both sides of the sorcerer, ruthless ally and loving father; and his storming of the castle was a nice juxtaposition to Arthur and Merlin’s own rescue attempt. I had a feeling after last week’s episode that Sefa wouldn’t meet her maker this week (and you did too. Go on, admit it), particularly given the writers’ attempts to demonstrate, albeit tenuously, a connection between her and Merlin.
Second, the confrontation between Arthur and Morgana, and the role that Mordred played in bringing the scene to a head, was a real step forward for Merlin. It was a stonking performance from Katie McGrath. I must say, I haven’t always been the biggest fan of her portrayal of Morgana in the past, but she really hit it out of the park in this episode, and the climax of the scene, when all hope seemed lost for Arthur, I really didn’t see coming. As well as keeping the King of Camelot’s heart beating, this story twist (that I refuse to spoil) also set up a very interesting premise for the episodes to come. All I will say is, shuffle along Gwaine, because there’s a new seat at the Round Table.
Another positive observation is that the bickering between Merlin and Arthur is kept to a minimum in this second hour. However, despite that, it seems fairly evident that future conflict between the two is going to stem from Merlin’s distrust of Mordred and his inability to explain why to Arthur.
In all, I have high hopes for this season. I am looking forward to a darker tone, new characters who extend beyond one-dimensional stereotypes, and a singular take on the mythology we all know and love. And yet the burning question remains – is this the series when Merlin reveals his secret to Arthur? Will TV’s favourite bromance finally take that next step? The anticipation is almost too much!
See also:
Review: Merlin S5E1: Arthur's Bane Part 1
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Thursday, February 6, 2014
May 30, 2013 - lA Times Hero Complex - Rupert Young AKA Sir Leon interview on series finale
‘Merlin’ finale: Rupert Young talks Camelot, knighthood and more
May 30, 2013 | 12:51 p.m.
After five seasons of swords, sorcery and dragons, “Merlin” is casting its final spell. The show’s finale, “The Diamond of the Day, Part 2,” airs Friday at 10 p.m. PT, bringing the fantasy adventure series to a close in the U.S.
A modern retelling of the legend of King Arthur, “Merlin” has become a Syfy channel staple, introducing American viewers to boy wizard Merlin (played by Colin Morgan), tasked with protecting his friend and young king, Arthur Pendragon (Bradley James). Katie McGrath plays nemesis Morgana, a witch, and Angel Coulby plays Queen Gwen. The show wrapped up last Christmas in the U.K., where it was massively popular, rivaling “Doctor Who” in ratings.
In “Diamond Part 2,” Morgana’s army battles Merlin, Arthur and his Knights of Camelot. One of Arthur’s longest-serving and most trusted knights is Sir Leon, played by Rupert Young. Hero Complex chatted with Young about the magic of “Merlin,” the show’s ending and what’s next.
HC: You’ve been part of “Merlin” since almost the beginning.
RY: It was four years, I think. Santiago [Cabrera, who plays Lancelot,] joined a bit before me in the first series, but he’s hardly ever in it, so I think ultimately, I’m the longest serving.
HC: Did you have any idea when you came on board how popular the series would become?
RY: I remember watching a bit of the first series. I was working in London, so I couldn’t watch all of it. And then I had an audition, so I tried to watch as many as I could. I knew the fact that it had gone to second series that it was a popular show, but I had no idea it would go as big as this. It’s huge! To be sold to 180 countries, and to be huge worldwide. I was in L.A. in February, and some people were like, “Oh! You were in ‘Merlin!’” Someone from Brazil who’d been in London for a day was like, “Oh, I love ‘Merlin.’” You know, everywhere you go, people know the show. I had no idea that it was going to be like that, and I think the producers and the writers were so clever at making the show get better every year. The first year was quite good, and the second year was definitely better, mostly because I joined [laughs]. And then it just got better and better, and by the fourth series the format changed, and they shot it on a different kind of lens and different camera, and suddenly you could get it on Blu-ray and HD. Everything about it, the effects looked better, the stunts got better. But still, you never think it’s going to be as huge as it is.
HC: Four years is a long time to commit to a show.
RY: It is. It’s a weird thing of when I first joined, I was quite lucky; I was only meant to be in one scene. So I’d sort of go and do it, and I did a bit, and then I’d leave, and then I’d come back and do a bit more, and then I’d leave. It was a bit sporadic. And then the following year, I did a bit more, and then the following year I became a kind of full-time regular, so I was booked for the whole series the past two years. You get kind of tired in the middle of it because you’re working long days, but it’s just exciting. It’s good tired. You’re sword-fighting, you’re riding horses, you’re living out your childhood fantasy of being a knight and killing baddies, and so the few days you go, “Oh, I can’t bear to go into another fight rehearsal,” you suddenly take stock and go, “Actually, you know what? We’re quite lucky.” So I never got bored really. I got tired, but never got bored. Naturally you want to do other projects, but I was able to do that in the break. And when you’re in a hit show, you want to keep making it. When you’re doing something you know that people love, it makes it a lot easier than when you’re making something that you go, “I hope people like this and watch it.” The pressure’s off a bit.
HC: Is it a physically demanding role?
RY: It is. It can be. The fights got bigger and bigger and more impressive, and you got a little bit exhausted with the fighting. And definitely when you’d be away for a while, and you came back for the beginning of season, you realized how unfit you’d become when you’re not fighting every day. But you know, it was good. I was always having to keep up with Tom [Hopper, who plays Sir Percival], who, you know, is huge and is one of the fittest people you’ve ever met. It was physically exhausting but in a good way. It wasn’t like I had to go and run on the treadmill for an hour. It was fun exercise.
Rupert Young plays Sir Leon, left, and Tom Hopper plays Sir Percival, Knights of the Round Table in “Merlin.” (BBC / Syfy)
HC: “Merlin” had lots of guest stars, and the group of knights kept growing. When new people came on set, did you show them the ropes?
RY: A little bit…. What I love about the industry and especially “Merlin” is I remember sort of meeting all of them for the first time. And the first time it was Eoin [Macken], he was Sir Gwaine. We were having lunch somewhere, and he was so quiet and hardly said anything, and I was like, “This guy’s a bit weird, and he seems really moody and grumpy.” And then you realize that he was just having a bad day or getting into character or something, and then you get to know him, and he’s so different. And Tom was just so excitable and really had just such an intelligence. Maybe I did show them the ropes a bit, but they were all very good people, and we got to know each other relatively quickly. We all just clicked very well. When the other guys joined was when our Knights of the Round Table really started. So I’d come in and have some storylines, and that would be great, but it was when we became our unit, that’s when we went, “Actually, this isgreat.” I remember one of the first days we were all together, riding into this castle with chain mail and cloaks and all of that, just looking ’round and going, “This is really cool.” And there was a school party of 8-year-old French children looking up in awe, and we were like, “It’s pretty cool, isn’t it? Look at us.” That was when we kind of bonded.
HC: What set Sir Leon apart from the other knights?
RY: I always wanted to be a bit edgier, but one characteristic I always saw was that I was like the chief knight. I always felt that Leon was kind of the annoying guy you’d have at school who did everything by the book. He was like a prefect and would do everything the way a knights’ manual would tell them how to do it and would get gold stars and would be the first to put his hand up to help out wherever, whatever was needed doing, like, “Let me do it, please!” … Gwain and Lancelot were more, “I’m just going to do whatever I want to do and throw caution to the wind!” But Leon was always a stickler for rules, who would probably be really annoyed if he didn’t win Knight of the Year award every year.
Rupert Young (standing) plays Sir Leon, one of the Knights of the Round Table in “Merlin.” (BBC / Syfy)
HC: Who is the best monarch for Camelot? Morgana? Arthur? Gwen? Uther?
RY: I have to say I quite like Uther, even though I think story-wise, it probably made more sense that Arthur was doing it. Uther was a bit of a tyrant. Who doesn’t love a tyrant in charge? I think that Gwen probably would be quite a good queen. I think Arthur was very good as well, but I think he was quite battle-happy. But that’s a very hard question. I think Camelot would probably be best run by … I’d say Arthur. That would make everyone happy. In case Bradley reads it, he’d be annoyed if I said Gwen. So let’s go for Arthur.
HC: How did it feel wrapping up the final season?
RY: It was a really weird thing because we had spent a lot of time with each other. That always happens at the end of filming at the end of every [season]. About a month before it ends, everyone is exhausted, because we always get a week off in the middle. And the week off, everyone comes back more exhausted than they did before. So a month before, everyone is feeling ready to finish, and then suddenly you get to a couple of weeks before, and people are like, “This is it. We’re not going to see these people.” Normally you finish, and you have a few months off, and then before you know it, you’re back. And it suddenly kicked in, and it was really sad. But we all went out, and we were such a close group — and not just the actors, but the crew and everyone. It was just brilliant. We celebrated a lot, and they threw a party for us, and we had a wrap party in London. We’ve been so lucky that we’ve all kept in touch. I still see pretty much all of them. It’s a really close family that we’ve got. So it was really sad, but we all knew that it was probably good to end the show on a high, and that we’ve made friends that, whether we like it or not, we will keep as friends for a long time. And France, the end of France was really sad and really exciting, just being in the castle and having a big party there was just incredible. It was a good end. It was a good celebration of what we’ve been through.
HC: What’s next for you?
RY: I did a guest part in a show called “The White Queen,” which is a BBC and Starz co-production, based on aPhilippa Gregory novel. I think it’s coming out in London in the summer and coming to Starz in the U.S. in October. And then just trying to decide what I want to do next, not that it’s always down to me, but just looking for the next good job. When you’ve done a big show like “Merlin,” you want to keep up and try and make sure you do good things. What’s been amazing with the fans and the followers we get for “Merlin,” they’re all so interested to see what we’re doing next. So it’s kind of making sure you do things that they would want to watch so they don’t have to sit through rubbish.
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