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[Editor’s note: The following contains some spoilers for Manhunt.]
big picture
- The Apple TV+ series “Manhunt” depicts the aftermath of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination and the search for John Wilkes Booth through the eyes of Secretary of War Edwin Stanton.
- The series reveals layers of intrigue, cat-and-mouse, and the story of the Black Americans involved in the trial.
- Tobias Menzies found the compelling story, deep character curation, and exploration of the relationship with Lincoln interesting.
Apple TV+ 7-part limited series manhunt Exploring the aftermath of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination (Hamish Linklater) and The Hunt for John Wilkes Booth (Anthony Boyle). Told through the eyes of Secretary of War Edwin Stanton (tobias menzies), a lesser-known figure in American history, the story unfolds as a personal and political story about what can happen when people feel threatened by change. One of the really interesting things about this series is that even when you think you know the story of this famous presidential assassination, you realize there were so many layers to the conspiracy that led to it that you weren’t aware of. That’s it. In a cat-and-mouse game to capture Booth, a black American woman who played a key role in the trial that brought it all to light.
In this interview with Collider, Menzies explains why he made his discovery. manhunt Very convincing, how Stanton approached finding out who he was, how Stanton saw Lincoln during their time together, and working with Linklater when he played the role. What it was like, the stories of black Americans woven into it, and what was lost when Lincoln died and was assassinated. He also said that it was fun making the movie together. Julia Louis-Dreyfusand a combination of what he tends to look for in a project.
Manhunt (2024)
The aftermath of the assassination of the first American president and the fight to preserve and protect the ideals that formed the basis of Lincoln’s Reconstruction plan.
- release date
- March 15, 2024
- cast
- Tobias Menzies, Anthony Boyle, Lovie Simone, Matt Walsh, Brandon Flynn, Betty Gabriel, Will Harrison, Hamish Linklater, Damien O’Hare, Patton Oswalt, Lili Taylor
- season
- 1
- creator
- monica beletsky
Collider: I thought it was really interesting to be so forced into a story where we already knew the outcome. That really says something about the quality of the writing, the acting talent, and how it all comes together. What was most appealing to you? Was it of any historical significance? Was it about your particular character? What was the first thing that really made you feel like you had to be a part of this?
Tobias Menzies: Probably just a story. I was very interested in the details that I didn’t know about. I knew that Lincoln was killed by an actor in the theater, but I don’t think I knew much more than that. There’s the vividness, complexity, and pure natural drama of what actually happened. The assassination, its timing within days of the end of the Civil War, and all the political and personal connections and relationships that were woven into it. It was a very compelling read, and I was very interested in participating.
‘Manhunt’ review: Engaging conspiracy drama is another win for Apple TV+
Tobias Menzies, Anthony Boyle and Hamish Linklater star in the miniseries about the hunt for Lincoln’s killer.
A character like Edwin Stanton, whom you play, is a real historical figure, but he’s not someone the average person knows much about, if they’ve ever heard his name. How did you connect with him? What helped you find him and understand who he is?
Menzies: In a sense, it’s an act of curation. You read about him not only to find out who the real man is, but also to build something that can become the centerpiece of a work in this television genre.It was a combination of that and (show creator) Monica. [Beletsky]This is written by . There’s obviously an interesting physical element to it because he’s an asthmatic, which ties into his physical stiffness. It’s lined up with this fierce moral compass that drives him. He had personal and political ties to Lincoln., he is trying to save it in some way, on both fronts. All these ingredients are incorporated. He was a man of few words at times, and there was something Western about the structure of the hunt, one man hunting another. It also borrows iconography from movies. Therefore, it felt like a fairly rich area.
Manhunt’s Tobias Menzies feels the flashbacks give the dynamic between Lincoln and Stanton a real feel
There’s a very interesting dynamic between your character and Abraham Lincoln, and you get to see it bit by bit throughout the season. What was it like exploring that relationship and dynamic and finding that with your co-star Hamish Linklater? How did you see the relationship they had with each other?
Menzies: It was really easy. We were lucky enough to have Hamish Linklater play Lincoln. He’s a great actor and a great human being, so in a way we got a lot for free in terms of working with him. The key elements of this program are Through these flashbacks, we feel the depth and warmth of the relationship.. It was an ideological thing. Because together they were a deep impetus for emancipation and for an unfinished political task. They had not surrendered their land rights and voting rights when Lincoln was killed, so in a sense they were cut short. And there were personal friendships as well. Stanton didn’t think much of Lincoln when they first met. He was just a lawyer from Springfield. However, he came to understand his political genius and ability to bring together different factions and unite people.One of the books I read is: rival team, this is a book about the cabinet that Lincoln put together during the Civil War. Although they were very different political personalities and often disliked each other politically, Stanton was able to bring them together to great effect, and Stanton came to understand the power of this.
Tobias Menzies gets his long-awaited chance to take to the big screen in Manhunt
‘Menzies’ Edwin Stanton plays cat and mouse with John Wilkes Booth in Apple TV+’s new thriller miniseries.
When you’re doing a project like this, and you’re playing an actual historical figure, and you’re doing a scene opposite someone who plays Abraham Lincoln, it’s two actors doing a scene together. Is it just that, or does it feel unrealistic to do it with two people? Do you have moments like that when you’re in it?
Menzies: You’re parking the meta aspect of it. You can’t play the scene if you’re too busy thinking about who you are. You just need to be one person and this is your friend and you’re just talking about what you’re talking about. You need to flesh it out into something doable and don’t worry about other aspects.
Mary Sims’ story plays a key role in ‘Manhunt’
One of my favorite characters in the series is Mary Sims (Lovie Simone). I really wanted to support her. What was it like acting out the scenes between the characters and preparing for the courtroom?
Menzies: The show is largely an African-American story. Monica is keen to articulate this through this work, and at the heart of it is Mary Sims. There was a very natural excitement about those scenes. You can really feel the wheels of history in the scene where he goes to her camp to ask her to take the stand. There’s a poignancy to this because as an audience member we know that a lot was lost with Lincoln’s death, and it took a very long time to get those rights back until the beginning of the civil rights movement. It’s from. Naturally, there is a degree of great poignancy surrounding that character.
How famous was John Wilkes Booth before “Manhunt”?
And just how famous was Booth before he fired the shot that would change his memory forever?
Acting is one of those professions where you can look at a certain actor and fall in love with them. Then you might become an actor and end up sharing scenes with the same actors you used to watch. What is a memorable moment for you? Is there anyone you were a fan of who you later shared scenes with on set?
Menzies: I can think of quite a few examples. A few years ago, I worked with Julia Louis-Dreyfus. I made a movie (you hurt me) with her, and obviously, seinfeld is in everyone’s blood, and there are many other great works. So, I was really happy to be able to work with such a person. One of the really fun parts of this job is that I get to work with my heroes from time to time.
Tobias Menzies combines logic and intuition to pursue projects
Do you know what you’ll work on next? How do you approach the roles you play? Is that a direct connection to you, especially since you have such an interesting collection of characters?
Menzies: That’s great. It’s a bit of a mix of the writing, who’s writing it, and whether or not the story resonates. It’s partly logical, partly intuition, a little mixed. I like variety. I’m currently doing a play in New York (hunting) at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn. I think what attracts me is the diversity.
What’s so fun about doing theater and getting the live reaction from the audience? It feels like a completely different experience than when you’re included in a movie or TV series.
Menzies: The muscles are the same, but the bones are probably different. As I said, this is a live experience, so you’ll get immediate feedback. There’s potential for energy to be generated in that room every night, but that’s something you don’t really get in the dissipative experience of shooting, and when you’re shooting little by little, the energy gets dispersed. There are various challenges. If the theater is good, it can be very exciting.
manhunt Available to stream on Apple TV+. Check out the trailer:
Watch on Apple TV+
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