Michael Vartan

Q: Were you familiar with the story of King Arthur and the Lancelot character before you took this role?
A: Not very. I'd seen a couple of movies about it, but I didn't know how twisted these people were. Thank God it's a legend! I had the basic idea that Lancelot was a very chivalrous, brave soldier.

Q: Is it every boy's fantasy to walk into Camelot for real?
A: Maybe not Camelot specifically, but it's every young kid's fantasy to be a sheriff, a knight or another icon, riding a horse and slaying dragons. So getting to play Lancelot, and getting to ride a horse and carry a big sword, was pretty cool. Although we didn't have dragons, I did get to slay a bunch of Saxons.

Q: Did you have any training on horses?
A: Not enough, apparently! Acting is tough enough to begin with but even more so when you're on a horse, and the horse has to stay on his mark, and there's no one there to hold him. It's not a good thing when, as an actor, the only thing going through your head while you're shooting is 'I hope I don't fall off this horse.' But Uli, the director, was very kind. I think he got the sense that I wasn't the greatest horseman. So he got me on my feet as soon as possible after every scene.

Q: How was shooting in Prague?
A: Sometimes you could walk home after dinner, after the crowds had dissipated, and really get a sense of the ancient feel of the city. I got to Prague about two weeks before we started shooting and saw the churches and the castle. It imbibes you with a sense that this really could be Camelot. This could be King Arthur's courtyard. It's such a beautiful city.

Q: How was working with the other cast members?
A: When I first met Anjelica Huston, I believed she had magical powers. And in the story she plays my mother, and the high priestess, who has these magical powers. Anjelica's a very charismatic and powerful person. Some people have that presence - she could basically be on film without moving an inch for 20 minutes and be interesting.

Edward Atterton

Q: What was your reaction when you were offered the role of Arthur?
A: I was thrilled because, along with playing James Bond, every school boy in England has at some point dreamed of being King Arthur.

Q: How is the Arthur you imagined the same or different from the one you are playing?
A: I think I imagined a more Victorian Arthur, traditionally romantic, with a strawberry blond bob and a beard. And I imagined Excalibur with a big large emerald and ruby in the handle. I have longer hair in this piece, and Excalibur certainly has no jewels in it. It's a solid piece of iron. Uli, the director, wanted to show a darker, grittier world, a sort of wild existence which represented the Dark Ages. There is no chivalry or refinement here.

Q: What does this story say about the power behind the throne? Traditionally Arthur holds the reins, but in Mists, the women appear to be in control.
A: I think Bradley did something very clever in the novel -- she divided the physical and spiritual worlds. Arthur and Lancelot are still very much physical warriors in battle, but behind them are women exercising spiritual power.

Q: How does Arthur deal with Paganism vs. Christianity in this particular story?
A: Arthur's great skill in this piece is how he marries the worlds. Arthur's father was very much from the Pagan world, and the Christian influences in the story come through Arthur's wife, Gwenhwyfar. She tries to get him to renounce Paganism, but he is committed to not letting either belief dominate. As long as he doesn't commit himself either way, he believes the kingdom will survive.

Q: Talk about the relationship between Gwenhwyfar and Arthur.
A: Gwenhwyfar is very much the beginning of the end for Camelot. She is unable to have a child, and this failure is a huge strain on the relationship between her and Arthur. It's the first step toward Arthur's sort of collapse. She blames his Pagan roots and sees this as God's punishment. Gwenhwyfar is a powerful force against Arthur, yet she loves him and he loves her. They have a very complicated relationship.

Q: What about the discovery that Mordred is actually his son?
A: That realization really seals his fate. Arthur keeps hoping he will have a child with Gwenhwyfar. But then this young warrior, Mordred, comes along. I think he's my nephew -- my sister Morgaine's child -- and I love my sister more than anyone else. I think that Mordred will be able to follow in my footsteps. But then I realize that he is actually my son. Arthur unknowingly slept with his half-sister and is not told about it until much later on. So this person he thought might provide security for the future of Camelot is actually the one person he must destroy.

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