Backstage With… David Tennant and Michael Sheen on nerve curves, Good Omens, and Doctor Who | Ents & Arts News

David Tennant has admitted he did not actually know what he was moving into when he signed as much as play the demon Crowley in Good Omens, a collection primarily based on the cult favorite e book by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.

As it is a novel beloved by its followers, there was a specific amount of stress that got here with the half, although Tennant informed Sky Information’ Backstage podcast he hadn’t fairly realised that when he received the gig.

The Physician Who actor stars within the collection alongside Michael Sheen, Jon Hamm and Miranda Richardson.

“My nerve curve was fairly exponential as a result of I wasn’t – in contrast to Michael – I did not actually know the world of, the fandom of the e book, someway it had handed me by,” he stated, in an interview alongside Sheen earlier than the actors’ strike was introduced.

“Then I used to be doing the present and it was thrilling after which I’d hold assembly folks, a few of whom have been within the solid, who would go: ‘This e book I’ve learn yearly of my life, it is a very powerful story to me’.

“After which after all, you begin realising this valuable factor that you simply carry and the accountability and so sure, then it was alarmingly scary that you simply may break some desires.”

Sheen interjects, asking his co-star: “And the way’s your nerve curve now?”

“I am fairly chill,” says Tennant.

“I noticed it the opposite day, it appears to be like marvellous,” Sheen replies.

This sort of mild teasing is typical of the pair, who additionally labored collectively on the comedy Staged, by which they play fictionalised variations of themselves, and share a real friendship.

That is replicated in Good Omens, with Tennant’s demon Crowley the unlikely finest pal of Sheen’s angel Aziraphale.

Sheen says their relationship is on the coronary heart of what he loves about being on the present.

“You may have a personality that you simply take pleasure in enjoying and that you simply actually love, however it’s type of uncommon that you’ve got a dynamic between two characters that simply is the factor that works so properly,” he stated.

“That then makes the entire course of very fulfilling since you do not feel such as you’re having to generate stuff your self on a regular basis, it simply occurs… as we’re in scenes collectively it simply occurs – as a result of it is written so brilliantly as properly, clearly, that is the principle factor.”

“They solely actually exist as a unit,” Tennant provides. “That is after they come to life, and that is actually enjoyable to play.”

Whereas an angel and a demon may sound like opposites, Good Omens appears to be like on the gray areas – the truth that Crowley is extra well-intentioned than you may anticipate from a demon, and vice versa for Aziraphale.

Human behaviour can also be up for inspection – within the first episode of the second collection, Crowley admits he would not must work too arduous to trigger bother as humanity messes issues up properly sufficient.

“There’s plenty of nice issues to rejoice in humankind aren’t there, however we do not get all of it proper, and Crowley likes to take credit score for lots of the issues that we get incorrect,” says Tennant.

“However I feel that is one of many issues about this story. It is form of celebrating – I imply, these are two supernatural beings, however they’re extra human than the people – and it is celebrating the type of range of that, it is searching for frequent floor between us.”

Sheen agrees: “Our best frustration as a species can also be our saving grace, which is that we’re flawed. And it is solely after we prefer to faux that we’re not that we get into bother, I feel it is after we deal in absolutes and black-and-white that we get into bother.

“After we are capable of settle for our flaws and our messiness, then that at all times results in reaching out and being inclusive and connecting.”

Good Omens is not the one fan-favourite property Tennant is concerned with in the mean time. He is the primary actor to return to the position of Physician Who, enjoying the time traveller for 3 episodes and a festive particular later this 12 months earlier than Intercourse Training star Ncuti Gatwa takes over.

Click to subscribe to Backstage wherever you get your podcasts

Tennant returns together with author and government producer Russell T Davies, with expectations excessive for the brand new period of the long-standing sci-fi.

“Oh, it is pretty, pretty,” Tennant says of his return. “And really thrilling for the place that present’s going, Russell T Davies again in and Ncuti Gatwa who’s only a form of power of nature.

“And it’s totally good to have a little bit revisit for myself in amongst all that pleasure and nice future that that present’s received – it simply retains reinventing itself.”

Good Omens collection 2 is out on Prime Video – hear our assessment within the newest episode of Backstage, the movie and TV podcast from Sky Information