After taking on the role as Robb Stark in HBO’s uber-popular HBO Game of Thrones, Richard Madden has found new success as the star of the Netflix series Bodyguard.
“With Game of Thrones launching again, you’re back in people’s psyche again as Robb Stark,” Madden said during the Bodyguard presentation at Deadline’s The Contenders Emmys on the Paramount lot. “As an actor, you kind of get pigeonholed or just known for one role because it has been a very successful thing.”
Speaking on the success of the critically acclaimed Bodyguard, the Golden Globe-winning actor added, “I did something like this which I didn’t expect to do so well, and it’s lovely to be recognized as something totally different from furs and swords.”
Created by Jed Mercurio, the show tells the story of David Budd (Madden), a heroic but volatile war veteran now working as a specialist protection officer for the Royalty and Specialist Branch (RasP) of London’s Metropolitan Police Service. When he is assigned to protect the ambitious and powerful Home Secretary Julia Montague (Hawes), Budd finds himself torn between his duty and his beliefs.
When asked about what drew him to the role, Madden said, “What really blew me away was this moral gray zone that all of the characters live in and that that can change regularly with the reasons of why they do things and if they are good or bad.”
He continued, “With David Budd in particular, this man is suffering serve PTSD, in denial about it, has a really strong character and wants to do the right thing.”
Although the series has yet to be renewed for a second season, Madden remains optimistic.
“One thing in particularity that me and Jed discussed straight after the show came was that let’s not rush this. … I think, with the nature of the story, to have this gap where you let David grow a bit, I think it’s going to be really useful.”
