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.