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1:09 pm
January 27, 2010
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From what I've read, he was like that when he was younger. He was well-known for his athletic activities, hunting and jousting etc, until his leg injury slowed him down. Then it all went downhill!
1:27 pm
January 9, 2010
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You're right Beth, he was very athletic when he first became king and was finally allowed to partake in such activities (his father kept him on a bit of a tight leash when he was merely the heir to the throne!) I kinda picture him as the ultimate sports fan!
I think JRM does an admiral job of portraying Henry, especially when younger even though it's not necessarily how I picture Henry. I wish they'd made more of an effort at aging him though as the series progressed, I mean I can understand JRM not wanting to put on too much weight, but haven't the producers heard of fat suits and make-up?!
1:49 pm
January 27, 2010
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I know, I was disappointed by that too! Especially in the latest season, it's like “He's got grey hair at his temples, he must be ancient!” At least he's acting older, which is probably the main thing.
12:42 am
February 16, 2009
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Henry did start off his reign as the best looking guy in Europe and a “virtuous prince” who was fun loving and athletic. He loved jousting, because it was practice for war, and he loved hunting, going out very early and not coming back til late. Although I think that the head injury he sustained jousting in 1536 may have caused some brain damage which subsequently caused mood swings etc., I also wonder if sheer frustration for not being able to do the things he loved after his leg injury caused his temper and mood swings.
Anyway, I think JRM is great at showing Henry's arrogance and God complex, as well as his charms!
Debunking the myths about Anne Boleyn
2:01 am
June 7, 2010
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I think JRM has been amazing as Henry – in the first season I loved him and then hated him as he turned so cruel to Anne but the acting was great. In season three he wasn't as compelling but I think it was because of the whole Jane marriage that sucked the life out of him!
9:36 am
February 24, 2010
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JRM has captured Henry'y essence. He is an excellent Henry. I have fallen in and out of love with Henry quite often during the series. Now, I kind of feel sorry for him in season 4. Henry must have suffered great pain at the end of his life, and JRM is portraying that beautifully.
Without a doubt, Henry's mood swings had to have been affected by his pain. “The Tudors” portray Henry as having pain in one leg. But history claims both of his legs were ulcerated. His pain must have been intolerable for a number of years. Sustained pain like he suffered has to change a person's personality. On top of that add the probable brain damage done by his jousting accident in 1536 and we have a very explosive mix.
JRM….Excellent job!
3:13 pm
August 12, 2009
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wreckmasterjay said:I suppose if i was in that much pain I would be grumpy….but that was after he'd slaughtered most of the people who loved him (Anne, Thomas More, Cardinal Fisher etc).
A good point! He really had no one to blame but himself that he couldn't trust the people around him. A lot of those who were close to him ended up dead! I'd certainly be leery of the king wanting to be my buddy after that.
"Don't knock at death's door.
Ring the bell and run. He hates that."
8:18 pm
June 7, 2010
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I think that the casting of him and Natalie Dormer was inspired – he does brilliantly at showing his feelings for her – the acting in regards to the way he looks at her and his eyes and facial expressions is outstanding and truly emotional.
12:52 pm
May 23, 2012
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I loved JRM as Henry. True, I think he was far, far too good looking in the role but I thought his portrayal of Henry was amazing. By the time it showed him as married to Katherine Howard I think he should have been fatter as it would probably have been horrible for her to be with him, rather than him still looking attractive and dashing. But I thought the way he portrayed Henry’s infatuation with Anne and his tempers were just brill.
2:02 pm
January 3, 2012
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Henry was just as he was portayed in the first series, to get a better idea of the way Henry was and what he eventually became, you might be wise to watch the 1970’s series of Henry 8th. It’s a box set and there is one episode solely for each wife so you can see how things came about.
Annette Crosby plays COA.
Semper Fidelis, quod sum quod
4:00 pm
May 16, 2011
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The only issue I have with JRM playing Henry VIII is the physical part. In the first season he looks about 20 to his mid 20’s when he actually should of been about 10 years older than that and then the only thing that really changes about his appearence is his facial hair and then all of a sudden in season 4 he’s a little bit larger. And HVIII was supposed to be taller than alot of people and in ‘The Tudors’ JRM is either barely everyone else’s height or a little shorter. Then there’s the hair color issue. The man who played the Duke of Buckingham in The Tudors was closer to my image of Henry VIII.
JRM’s acting though is another thing, he did extremely well. I loved the chemistry between Dormer and him, the faces they made at each other looked as if they were really in love. So, to me, JRM was great as Henry and the only issue I have about him is the physical part.
P.S. I think JRM did Henry alot of justice, physically speaking.
• Grumble all you like, this is how it’s going to be.
8:35 pm
December 5, 2009
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The ages of the characters in The Tudors was the only one of the inaccuracies which made me chuckle. The actors who played Henry, Charles Brandon, Cromwell, George Boleyn and a number of the other main courtiers were all around the same age.
In reality Charles Brandon was closer in age to Thomas Boleyn than to George Boleyn!
8:57 pm
January 3, 2012
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Louise said
The ages of the characters in The Tudors was the only one of the inaccuracies which made me chuckle. The actors who played Henry, Charles Brandon, Cromwell, George Boleyn and a number of the other main courtiers were all around the same age.
In reality Charles Brandon was closer in age to Thomas Boleyn than to George Boleyn!
Louise, Charles Brandon, almost the same age of Thomas Boleyn well that’s one that’s thrown me, but then it does seem to make sence. In the excepted Picures we have of Charles he does certainly appear to be much older than Henry. Am I right in thinking that Charles Brandon’s father was Henry V11 standard bearer at Bosworth, and was killed in battle. Henry then took Charles Brandon under his wing and brought him up in the Royal court, and that he was a playmate for Henry?
Semper Fidelis, quod sum quod
9:02 pm
December 5, 2009
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Thomas Boleyn was born about 1477 and Brandon in about 1483. They were about six or seven years apart. George was at least twenty years younger than Brandon and about thirteen years younger than Henry.
3:07 am
May 16, 2011
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I absolutely have no objection to Henry Cavill playing Charles Brandon, but I still hate all the age issues and inaccuracies. I know it’s a TV show and obviously they’ll make a few inaccuracies but c’mon? I don’t mind them getting Henry’s hair color wrong or whatever, those little things don’t really bother me but they do alot of them that tend to get under my skin.
• Grumble all you like, this is how it’s going to be.
4:57 am
April 9, 2011
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Havin now watched the Katherine howard episodes, I must say the lack of aging and weight issues in the portrayal of Henry makes it very difficult to understand why Katherine was interested in Culpepper when she had a handsome husband who was moody. If JRM was made to look at least old I could have had more sympathy for Katherine and understood her motives. As it is portrayed she just comes acorss as a selfish sex obsessed woman.
11:29 am
January 3, 2012
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Bill1978 said
Havin now watched the Katherine howard episodes, I must say the lack of aging and weight issues in the portrayal of Henry makes it very difficult to understand why Katherine was interested in Culpepper when she had a handsome husband who was moody. If JRM was made to look at least old I could have had more sympathy for Katherine and understood her motives. As it is portrayed she just comes acorss as a selfish sex obsessed woman.
K.H in my opinion is a little bit of enigma. Certainly how she was portrayed in the Tudors is certainly not how I think she was in real life..
I think that she perhaps had a high sex drive, but then don’t all teenagers? but this struting, flouncing pouting, petulant child that she was portrayed as just doesn’t cut it with me. Henry got very fat and stinky after his jousting accident, but even before then he was starting to get a little more rounded. AOC in the Tudors series I rather think sums him up when I think it’s Cromwell she’s talking to says that he stinks. I found that quite funny and somehow I can sort of picture AOC saying that in real life to one of her ladies. AOC wasn’t exactly subtle in fact I think she was probably as subtle as a helicopter on a tennis court, but fair play to her for using her head and getting out with it still attached to her shoulders.
K.H in the Tudors just didn’t make me feel sorry for her, in fact I felt like I wanted to put her over my knee and give her a good hiding. The scene at the end with her practising putting her head on the block in the nude was farcical. I rather think that the producers put it in to try and boost up just how pathetic K.H was and perhaps to show just how tyranical Lard Arse had become, to kill a young girl just because he could..
The K.H I’ve come to understand, was basically a silly little fool, but had a good heart, and maybe if the Duchess had payed a little more attention to her she wouldn’t have been influenced by those who were trusted by the Duchess to look after her.. In short a teenager who tried to fly before she could walk…
Semper Fidelis, quod sum quod
5:50 pm
January 3, 2012
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Lard Arse’s freindships were very fickle, perhaps the only real and true freinds he had were Charles Brandon, who came close once or twice to losing his head, and Thomas More, who lost his head because of his foolish pride, but then I’m not knocking Thomas for that, he had his beliefs and too go against them would have destroyed him anyway.
I also feel that despite all that happened between COA and himself he still had a lot of respect and admiration for her, although he choose to hide it. Again since I’ve joined this forum I’ve come to meet a very different COA than I first thought. A woman of great strength, courage and determination. I’m not certain whether I would like her much, but I would have a lot of respect for her.
I kind of get the impression that basically Lard Arse was a very lonely person, who perhaps allowed people to manipulate him because at least that way he wouldn’t be on his own. I wonder where that all stems from? I know he didn’t have really what I would call a father/son relationship with Henry V11 being the spare he wasn’t really meant to be King. When Arthur died Henry V11 became very protective of Henry which must have been very frustrating for him.. I know that he forbayed Lard boy to joust but instead settled for the more gentle sport of riding at the ring, which I suppose in Lard Arse’s eyes was boring but at least it was better than nothing. When Henry V11 died he was rubbing his hands together and thought good that’s got him out the way now I can do what I want without him breathing down my neck. In short he wasn’t ready to rule and I don’t think he ever was. He was surrounded by yes men, but not one of them liked Lard Arse really, they just hung around him because it all added pretige especially if they were looking for good and financial marriages. Got to feel sorry for him in some ways..but really he was his own worst enemy, and brought a lot of his problems down on himself..
Semper Fidelis, quod sum quod
4:29 am
February 24, 2012
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I think Lard Arse (love that) let people think they were manipulating him. That way, if something worked out, he would take credit for it but if it didn’t work out he had someone to blame. He didn’t want to take responsibility unless it was to make himself look good. The charges against Anne and the men were trumped up and he must have known that, but because he wanted to be rid of Anne, it didn’t matter. He could always blame Cromwell or someone else. It really wasn’t his fault that he’d sinned for so many years married to his brother’s widow….it was the Pope’s fault for giving him the dispensation in the first place. 
I agree with you Boleyn. He really was his own worst enemy. He seemed to be quite a bright person, but he did the stupidest things thinking it would get him what he wanted, when he truly didn’t know what he wanted. “The grass is always greener” suits him perfectly.
10:17 am
May 3, 2012
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I agree, Natalie Dormer and JRM were brilliant, I found the whole series absorbing. I hope the BBC goes on to produce another series and then onto the Eizabethan age, stuarts, Victorians, whatever, I love it all, but especially the Tudors.
joeyramone said
I think that the casting of him and Natalie Dormer was inspired – he does brilliantly at showing his feelings for her – the acting in regards to the way he looks at her and his eyes and facial expressions is outstanding and truly emotional.
