In the Apple TV+ miniseries Franklin, Eddie Marsan (Back To Black, Ray Donovan) stars as John Adams alongside Michael Douglas (Romancing The Stone, Fatal Attraction) as Benjamin Franklin. Variety sat down with Marsan to discuss his role as the second president of the United States.
Franklin follows the titular character during his eight years in France when he attempted to convince King Louis XVI to support the revolting United States in the Revolutionary War. As the series is closely based on history, the audience follows Fraklin and Adams as they navigate the difficult balance of the French royal court, attempting to secure support deals as their countrymen battle desperately for independence.
Variety notes that Marsan was particularly excited to star alongside Douglas. “I was a bit starstruck, to be honest with you,” he said. “I said, well who wouldn’t want to do a scene with Michael Douglas?” Humorously, Marsan was looking forward to a scene where Franklin and Adams must share a bed while fleeing from the British. “It made me laugh to have a bed scene with Michael Douglas,” he said.
According to Variety, Marsan said the poignancy of the series struck the American crew through filming. He highlighted one scene where Adam says their new country must have “equality, education and rule of law.” Marsan noted, “That was very emotional for the American crew. I found it very emotional doing that scene. Because I think it’s all on the line [now].
Despite having over 150 credits, Marsan likes to keep a low profile. “I love it, I love being under the radar,” he said. “I’ve never been fashionable. I’m just very lucky in the fact that I get to work on great scripts with great people and play a wide breadth of characters. But because it’s never me, people don’t really bother me. I’m not really that famous. So it’s quite nice.”
The full interview with Marsan can be read here.