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  • OUR FIRST GUEST TONIGHT.

  • HE'S AN AWARD-WINNING ACTOR YOU KNOW FROM "THE QUEEN," "MASTERS

  • OF SEX," "FROST/NIXON" AND SO MUCH MORE.

  • THE ALWAYS BRILLIANT MICHAEL SHEEN!

  • IS ON THE SHOW, THERE HE IS.

  • HOW NICE TO SEE YOU, MICHAEL.

  • NOW I KNOW THAT YOU ARE QUITE A NEWS JUNKIE, YOU ENJOY WATCHING

  • SOME POLITICAL BROADCASTING.

  • IT'S BEEN A CRAZY WEEK HERE IN AMERICA.

  • HAVE YOU BEEN KEEPING TRACK OF IT?

  • >> WELL, I MEAN I WOKE UP YESTERDAY LIKE MOST PEOPLE

  • THINKING THAT THE MAJOR EVENT OF YESTERDAY WOULD BE THAT THE

  • DEMOCRATS HAD TAKEN THE SENATE.

  • I MEAN ON A REGULAR NEWS DAY THAT IS LIFE CHANGING.

  • >> James: THE BIGGEST STORY IN THE WEEK.

  • >> STORY OF THE YEAR, ISN'T IT?

  • AND NEXT TO THE ELECTION, OBVIOUSLY.

  • AND THEN TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY.

  • IT JUST-- IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE.

  • IT WAS SO SHOCKING.

  • IT WAS SO SHOCKING TO WATCH THAT.

  • TO SEE, I MEAN TO NAZIS IN THE CAPITOL, NOT LIKENING PEOPLE TO

  • NAZIS, THEY WERE ACTUALLY NAZISK PEOPLE WAVING THE CONFEDERATE

  • FLAG, WANDERING AROUND SEEMINGLY UNCHECKED THROUGH, YOU KNOW, ONE

  • OF THE NATION'S MOST SACK RECEIPT-- SACRED BUILDINGS OF

  • DEMOCRACY.

  • IT WAS EXTRAORDINARY.

  • ABSOLUTELY EXTRAORDINARY.

  • I AM STILL IN SHOCK AS I'M SURE MOST PEOPLE ARE AND ASKING A LOT

  • OF QUESTIONS.

  • >> James: IT DOES FEEL A BIT LIKE YOU'RE GOING, THAT WAS

  • YESTERDAY?

  • WHAT?

  • YEAH, IT'S BEEN QUITE AN EXTRAORDINARY SORT OF 48 HOURS.

  • NOW WHERE ARE WE TALKING TO YOU FROM?

  • WE CHATTED A FEW TIMES AND I'M FAMILIAR NOW, I WATCH YOUR OTHER

  • SHOW ON THE BBC, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT.

  • SO I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH YOUR SORT OF COUNTRY HOUSE FIREPLACE.

  • ARE YOU NOT IN WALES, WHERE ARE YOU RIGHT NOW?

  • >> NO, I'M ON ROUTE TO NEW YORK TO FILM ON PRODIGAL SON.

  • BUT I'M NOT ALLOWED INTO NEW YORK UNLESS WE QUARANTINE FIRST.

  • AND WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO QUARANTINE IN THE U.K. BECAUSE

  • THINGS ARE SO BAD THERE.

  • AND WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO COME INTO AMERICA AND QUARANTINE

  • THERE, SO WE ARE AT THE MOMENT, ME AND MY FAMILY, ARE IN, I KNOW

  • WILL YOU FEEL REALLY BAD FOR ME, BUT WE'RE QUARANTINING FOR TWO

  • WEEKS IN ST. LUCIA, THAT IS WHERE WE HAVE BEEN PUT.

  • I WOULD HAVE FOUGHT AGAINST IT, JAMES, BUT THEY PUT US HIRE AND

  • THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE TO PUT UP WITH.

  • >> James: SO YOU HAVE TO STAY THERE FOR TWO WEEKS AND THEN YOU

  • CAN ENTER THE COUNTRY AND START SHOOTING THE SHOW.

  • >> EXACTLY.

  • >> James: I WILL SAY I KNOW THAT PART OF ME, AND PART OF ME

  • IS THINKING OH, ST. LUCIA SOUND ICREDIBLE.

  • BUT I KNOW WHAT TRAVELING ANYWHERE WITH A 15 MONTH OLD

  • BABY FEELS LIKE.

  • AND IT IS NEVER A HOLIDAY.

  • IT IS NEVER, EVER A HOLIDAY.

  • >> IT IS SORT OF LIKE BEING OFFERED A BEAUTIFUL BANQUET MEAL

  • AND THEN YOU ARE JUST NOT ALLOWED TO GO AND EAT IT.

  • IF IS BEAUTIFUL T IS AN AMAZING PLACE, IT IS GORGEOUS, BUT WE'RE

  • NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE OUR LITTLE AREA.

  • WE CAN'T GO OUT AND DO STUFF, WE HAVE TO STAY HERE.

  • AND IT'S LOVELY BUT WE CAN'T.

  • AND PEOPLE ARE HAVING HOLIDAYS AROUND US BUT WE ARE JUST

  • SPENDING, SHE IS NOW 15 MONTHS OLD, LIKE A FORCE OF NATURE.

  • AND LITERALLY EVERY TEN SECONDS SHE IS EITHER TRYING TO KILL

  • HERSELF OR DESTROY WHATEVER IS AROUND HER.

  • AND SO YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE.

  • ARE YOU JUST CONSTANTLY TRYING TO STOP HER FROM DOING TOO MUCH

  • DAMAGE.

  • AND THAT'S WHAT ST. WHILST ALSO BEING BIT INBY

  • MOSQUITOES CONSTANTLY.

  • I'M COVERED IN THEM.

  • BUT I RECOGNIZE THAT NO ONE IS GOING TO FEEL SYMPATHY.

  • >> James: NO, BUT THEN YOU'VE GOT, AT THE END OF THIS TWO

  • WEEKS QUARANTINE YOU'VE GOT THE JOY OF FLYING WITH A 15 MONTH

  • OLD BABY.

  • WHICH IN ITSELF IS A HORRIFIC EXPERIENCE.

  • >> YOU BECOME LIKE SPIEDY SENSES.

  • AS SOON AS SHE MAKES A NOISE ON THE PLANE, YOU ARE SO AWARE OF

  • WHAT EVERYONE ELSE ON THE PLANE DOES, ANY LOOK, ANY SORT OF

  • SLIGHTLY ANNOYED KIND OF MOVEMENT.

  • OH MY GOD.

  • THE TENSION, THE STRESS OF IT IS HORRENDOUS.

  • >> James: IT IS.

  • IT IS AWFUL.

  • BUT YOU ARE ALSO TRAVELING WITH ANOTHER INCREDIBLE BEING.

  • NOT YOUR WIFE, NOT YOUR CHILD, THIS BEARD WHICH HAS TAKEN ON

  • ITS OWN WHOLE THING T RECENTLY WON BEARD OF THE YEAR BY THE

  • BEARD LIBERATION FRONT WHICH I CAN ONLY IMAGINE IS THE

  • HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER.

  • HOW FAR ARE WE GOING TO GO WITH THIS, MIKE SNL WHERE ARE WE

  • GOING TO GO?

  • >> I SEE MY BEARD AS A PIONEER.

  • WE WANT TO SEE HOW FAR WE CAN GO.

  • I MEAN I'VE GOT NO PLANS ON SHAVING IT OFF.

  • ALSO I'M TERRIFIED OF WHEN I DO, BECAUSE DAUGHTER HAS NEVER SEEN

  • ME WITHOUT A BEARD.

  • SHE MAY REJECT ME AS A FATHER.

  • SO I AM GOING TO KEEP IT GOING AS LONG AS I POSSIBLY CAN.

  • ANNA, MY PARTNER SAID BUT THE BEARD LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE GOT A

  • FACE ON A FACE.

  • WHICH IS THE BEST DESCRIPTION I'VE HEARD OF IT SO FAR.

  • >> James: NOW YOU HAVE HAD AN INCREDIBLY BUSY QUARANTINE.

  • YOU HAVE YOUR SHOW ON THE BBC, THAT ARE YOU DOING INCREDIBLY

  • WELL.

  • AND YOU PERFORM THE PLAY FAITH HEALER AT THE OLD VIC, A PLAY

  • I'M INCREDIBLY FOND OF.

  • AND WITHOUT AN AUDIENCE, WHAT WAS IT LIKE DOING THAT PLAY IN

  • AN EMPTY OLD VIC.

  • >> IT WAS A VERY STRANGE EXPERIENCE.

  • I MEAN I FEEL, I MEAN OBVIOUSLY I FEEL INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE THAT

  • DURING THE QUARANTINE I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THINGS WHICH THE

  • VAST MAJORITY IN OUR PROFESSION HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO.

  • SO ON THE ONE HAND I FELT INCREDIBLE LUCKY AND GRATEFUL TO

  • BE ABLE TO DO IT.

  • I HAVEN'T DONE A PLAY FOR YEARS, NOT SINCE 2011, SO NEARLY TEN

  • YEARS I HAVEN'T BEEN ON STAGE.

  • BUT JUST TO BE ON A STAGE WAS AMAZING DURING THIS PERIOD OF

  • TIME WHEN ALL THE THEATERS WERE CLOSED, THEATERS WERE SHUTTING

  • DOWN FOR GOOD IN BIT AN.

  • WE HAD LOST A LOT OF THEATERS, SO TO BE ON A STAGE IS ALWAYS

  • AMAZING.

  • AND BUT IS IT WAS SORT OF WEIRDLY LIKE THE WORST OF BOTH

  • WORLDS.

  • I WAS DOING A PLAY IN THE THEATER.

  • AND ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS THEATERS IN THE WORLD BUT THERE

  • WAS NO AUDIENCE, YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE ON STAGE.

  • THAT IS THE THING THAT MAKES BEING ON STAGE SO AMAZING IS

  • HAVING THAT LIVE AUDIENCE.

  • IT WAS A TOTALLY EMPTY THEATER WHICH IS A VERY KIND OF GHOSTLY,

  • HAUNTED KIND OF FEEL BUT IT WAS BEING FILMED.

  • THAT IS HOW PEOPLE WATCH IT.

  • THEY WERE ABLE TO WATCH IT ONLINE AND WATCH IT LIVE, SO IT

  • WAS BEING FILMED LIVE.

  • SO THE WORST BIT OF FILMING IS HAVING TO DO IT LIVE, AS YOU

  • KNOW.

  • LIKE NOT HAVING A SECOND TAKE.

  • IT WAS TERRIFYING.

  • I DIDN'T HAVE AN AUDIENCE ON STAGE AND I WAS FILMING BUT

  • THERE WAS NO SECOND TAKE.

  • IF I MESSED IT UP, THAT WAS IT.

  • IT WAS A VERY STRANGE EXPERIENCE.

  • BUT IT IS SCUCH AN AMAZING PLAY, IT DID LEND ITSELF TO THOSE

  • CIRCUMSTANCES.

  • >> NOW 2020 IS BEHIND US WHAT IS MICHAEL SHEEN, LET'S GET TO THE

  • BARE BONES OF WHAT EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW.

  • LET'S OPEN IT UP.

  • WHAT DOES MICHAEL SHEEN WANT IN THIS NEW YEAR?

  • WHAT IS HIS GOAL?

  • WHAT IS HIS PASSION?

  • >> IT'S MORE BEARD, REALLY.

  • >> James: REALLY?

  • >> REALLY, YEAH.

  • I MEAN I WANT TO GO, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE IS FAMILIAR WITH

  • THE POET WALT WHITMAN.

  • YOU CAN GOOGLE HIM, DON'T KNOW IF WE ARE ALLOWED TO SAY THAT,

  • BHU YOU CAN LOOK HIM UP.

  • HE HAD A GLORIOUS BEARD.

  • AND A CAPE, I BELIEVE.

  • AND SORT OF A STICK.

  • AND HE-- I'M GOING FOR THE WIZARD LOOK.

  • 2021 THE YEAR OF THE WIZARD.

  • THAT IS WHAT I AM HOPING FOR.

  • >> James: NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR BRILLIANT SHOW, PRODIGAL

  • SON, THE SECRETARY SEASON IS JUST AIRING NOW.

  • FOR ANYONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW, TELL THEM WHAT IT IS ABOUT AND

  • WHO YOU PLAY 679.

  • >> IT IS ABOUT A YOUNG MAN, WHEN I SAY YOUNG, OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT

  • TALKING ABOUT MYSELF.

  • BUT A YOUNG MAN WHO IS AN FBI PROFILER, A BRILLIANT PROFILER.

  • NOW WORKING FOR THE NYPD.

  • AND HE IS SO BRILLIANT AT PROFILING PARTICULARLY SERIAL

  • KILLERS BECAUSE HIS FATHER IS ONE OF THE MOST NOTORIOUS SERIAL

  • KILLERS IN AMERICA.

  • I PLAY HIS FATHER KNOWN AS THE SURGEON SERIAL KILLER.

  • CHARMING, AFFABLE, LIKABLE, FUNNY CHARACTER.

  • BUT UNDERNEATH IT ALL YOU KNOW THAT HE IS ABSOLUTELY DEADLY.

  • AND IT IS ABOUT AT THE HEART OF IT IT OF THAT RELATIONSHIP

  • BETWEEN THE YOUNG MAN WHO WANTS TO RIGHT THE WRONGS OF HIS

  • FATHER AND USE WHAT HE LEARNED FROM HIS FATHER, BUT TERRIFIED

  • THAT HE IS LIKE HIS FATHER.

  • AND IT IS ABOUT THAT WEIRD RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO OF

  • THEM WHERE THE FATHER TRIES TO HELP HIM SOLVE THE KRAIMS ALONG

  • WITH HIM BECAUSE HE WANTS TO HAVE THAT BOND.

  • SO THAT IS THE KIND OF-- .

  • >> James: IT HAS BEEN A MASSIVE SUCCESS.

  • THE SHOW AIRS IN BRITAIN DURING LOCKDOWN.

  • WHAT IS THE RESPONSE?

  • HOW DO BRITISH FANS COMPARE TO AMERICAN FANS?

  • >> WELL, DURING LOCKDOWN YOU KNOW, I WAS ONLY REALLY GOING

  • OUT TO DO SHOPPING, TO GET THE FOOD SHOPPING FOR US AND FOR MY

  • MOM AND DAD WHO WERE SHIELDING.

  • ME AND MY SISTER DID IT IN TURNS TO DO THE WEEKLY FOOD SHOPPING.

  • PRODIGAL STON SARTED, IT I WAS IN A FEW THINGS THAT WERE THAT,

  • QUIZ, ABOUT WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONARE SCANDAL CAME OUT

  • DURING LOCKDOWN, STAGE, THE THING I FILMED IN MY KITCHEN AND

  • PRODIGAL SON.

  • SO WHEN PRODIGAL SON CAME OUT I REALLY NOTICED THAT IT WAS DOING

  • WELL IN BRITAIN.

  • BECAUSE WHEN I WENT TO THE SUPERMARKET TO DO THE SHOP EVERY

  • WEEK IN WALES, I WOULD HAVE LITTLE OLD LADIES WITH MASKS ON

  • PEERING AROUND THE AISLE AND OH, YOU ARE BAD.

  • AND THEY WOULD COME UP TO ME AND SAY THIS SORT OF THING.

  • AND IT WAS HAPPENING SO OFTEN, MUCH MORE THAN FOR ANY OTHER

  • SHOW, SO I REALIZED THAT PRODIGAL SON WAS DOING REALLY

  • WELL, CERTAINLY IN WALES, IN THE BILT OF WALES THAT I COME FROM

  • AT LEAST.

  • >> James: WELL, THE SHOW IS BRILLIANT AND YOU ARE AS ALWAYS

  • FANTASTIC IN IT.

OUR FIRST GUEST TONIGHT.

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