James McAvoyhas been waiting years to properly dig into the character of Lord Asriel onHis Dark Materials.
“Not a protagonist, but he’s definitely proactive,” McAvoy clarifies to EW.
“What he’s trying to do is a lot.
James McAvoy in ‘His Dark Materials’ season 3.HBO
You see him in full freedom fighter, rebellion mode.
He always had an air of military man about him.
The marshal part of his leadership is in full flow.”
James McAvoy’s Lord Asriel wages war against Heaven in ‘His Dark Materials’ season 3.Peter Baldwin / HBO
Audiences know Lyra is the one prophesied to bring about great change in the multiverse.
Asriel’s ego is too great for him to see that initially.
He’s convinced he’s destined to defeat what is essentially God and free those in his hold.
McAvoy believes that makes Asriel a bad father.
“He’s almost got a messianic complex,” the actor says.
It’s all about me, right up to the final moment.
So it makes that realization quite sudden and quite jarring for him, but quite profound too.
I think his schemes are actually selfless.
They are “really in a whole new bag,” McAvoy teases.
“It is a hectic book to try and corral into TV.”
