The star of the new Ben-Hur on getting the role made iconic by Charlton Heston nearly 60 years ago.
Den of Geek: Were you nervous at all about taking on such an iconic key in of role?
It felt very much like its own thing.
And I felt like the character itself sort of spoke to me in such a way.
As an actor you are always looking for those great parts.
I think Judah Ben-Hur is one of the great parts.
It became something very, very personal and beautiful to me.
And I felt very honored that the studio and Timur felt the same way.
I never got to meet Charlton.
But I know Fraser Heston, his son.
Hes coming with me to the premiere on Tuesday.
And I know Jack, his grandson, and his wife Marilyn.
They put together this beautiful package and did this incredible artwork for it.
It was a really lovely thing.
I feel like I had to approach this from a place of love.
I loved that movie and it was very important to me growing up.
I remember how I used to say, Oh, boy.
This is why we make movies, exactly this.
The art of it.
If theres a reason to tell it, then tell it.
And, by God, do the best that you’ve got the option to.
I looked through everything.
I read Lew Wallaces novel.
And its set 2,000 years ago and yet the subject matter has never felt more relevant.
Were still doing everything that these guys the same mistakes are being made.
Religious wars, political wars, how we treat each other.
This is a common thread and a common theme.
We really developed that.
It was an amazing sort of experience because I just realized how relatable all of this was today.
2,000 years ago, 20 years ago, 200 years ago, humans dont change, really.
We still find fear and anger and animosity, all of it.
These are all things that just are human nature.
So it was trying to make that very relatable.
It was trying to modernize our take on this and trying to make the characters very much present.
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Oh, a lot.
Im sort of a cinephile.
So what were doing, were sort, in a way, bringing this story to a modern audience.
That might get people going and rediscovering the 59 version and the 25 version.
This is a whole new world.
And I dont think well be the last.
I feel like theres going to be probably multipleBen-Hurs in the future, so good for that.
It certainly has that aspect to it.
And, by the way, Im not a religious person, per se.
Im not in any way religiously inclined.
I believe in a spiritual, sort of greater love.
Funnily enough, when I read this, I didnt feel it was a religious or faith-based movie.
I thought, thats not a religious thing.
Thats just a good message there.
The faith element for me in this is what you just said.
I think you’re free to take from it what you want.
But I feel like the message itself isnt religiously discriminate, maybe is the way to say it.
If everybody knows one thing aboutBen-Hur, they know the chariot scene.
How did you prepare for that?
How much of that is you and Toby and real horses?
Every time you see us with the horses thats us.
There was no CGI used unless it was actually hurting a horse or something we couldnt do.
We trained tirelessly for that.
I cant even tell you how much training we did for that stuff.
Even people who havent actually seen the 59 version still know, Oh, thats that movie with chariots.
So we sort of knew we were up against that.
Its spooky as hell, but then very quickly you fall in love with it.
Your brain isnt asking a million questions or questioning what you did in the last scene or whatever.
You are literally just focusing on the race.
It becomes like a meditation.
It was sort of amazing.
Parts of the film were shot in Italy at the legendary Cinecitta studio.
Theres a little family history there for you.
My grandfather madeThe Biblethere.
I think it was in 65 or 66.
The great thing about Cinecitta is the history.
You just feel it everywhere.
You feel all these titans of the industry had all walked there before you.
And I felt very honored I was there.
And my grandad had been there.
Do you have a favorite of your grandfathers films?
I have sentimentally a favorite one and one thats just sort of one of the great ones.
Id sayTreasure of the Sierra Madreis probably the sentimental one.
I got to meet my great grandfather as well as my grandfather through that movie when I was young.
When you finish the press tour for this, what do you go back to work on?
Its sort of an incredible story and Emilia Clarke plays the informant.
Its a fun one.
Ben-Huris out in theaters today (August 19).
