There are some movies that followers always remember, and for a lot of, A Knight’s Story is one among them. Launched in 2001, the medieval action-comedy redefined the style with Queen sing-alongs, jousting set items, and an unforgettable forged led by Heath Ledger. Nonetheless, for Paul Bettany, who performed Geoffrey Chaucer in probably the greatest motion pictures of the 2000s, the expertise of creating the usually misunderstood movie is extra difficult. Over the weekend, he admitted that he hasn’t revisited the movie in many years, and the reason being heartbreaking.
At L.A. Comedian Con (through Leisure Weekly), the place he appeared alongside his WandaVision (streaming now with a Disney+ subscription) and Avengers co-star Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany answered fan questions on his profession. When somebody introduced up A Knight’s Story—one among many flicks to watch in case you like Bettany—he revealed why he’s prevented rewatching it. The Wimbledon actor defined:
It was a extremely very long time in the past. It was like one other lifetime in the past. And folks do come up generally, individuals come as much as me on the road and quote issues at me, and I actually cannot bear in mind. I can not bear in mind any of it.
He added that whereas he did watch it again when it was first launched, he hasn’t seen it since. The avoidance of the film comes right down to how a lot he misses his good friend, the late Heath Ledger. The Imaginative and prescient performer continued:
I noticed [the film] when it first got here out. I’ve by no means seen it once more since. There are many causes for that, and simply one among them is that I miss Heath an excessive amount of.
Ledger tragically handed away in 2008 on the age of 28. In A Knight’s Story, the late star performs William Thatcher, a peasant who reinvents himself as a knight. The flick gave him an opportunity to showcase the charisma that may later make him a family identify. Bettany’s Chaucer, in the meantime, supplied comedian aid and one of many movie’s most memorable introductions.
The Iron Man voice performer has spoken earlier than about his fondness for Ledger. In a 2021 interview with Vulture, the Uncle Frank actor described him as having “a light-weight that shined off him” and known as him “a really playful, joyous spirit.” That very same power clearly left an impression, one which makes rewatching their time collectively on display too bittersweet.
It’s straightforward to see A Knight’s Story as a enjoyable style mashup that also holds up for followers at this time. However the Solo: A Star Wars Story star’s feedback remind us that for the individuals who made it, these movies aren’t simply cult classics. They’re reminiscences tied to people who find themselves now not right here.
Ledger’s presence nonetheless looms giant, from his Oscar-winning efficiency in one of many greatest Batman motion pictures ever, The Darkish Knight, to early roles like 10 Issues I Hate About You, the place he famously beat out 253 different actors. For Paul Bettany, although, that legacy is private, turning a easy rewatch into an emotional problem.
Possibly that’s a part of why the film continues to resonate so strongly. Beneath the motion and glam-rock soundtrack, A Knight’s Story is known as a story about ambition and chosen household, that are concepts that linger lengthy after the credit roll. For the English actor, these reminiscences are nonetheless vivid, and it’s straightforward to grasp why he hasn’t revisited the movie in years – even when it stays a fan favourite.
As for Paul Bettany’s performing future in upcoming MCU motion pictures, he additionally touched on the Imaginative and prescient TV collection Imaginative and prescient Quest and the potential of a Home of M adaptation throughout the panel. Keep tuned for updates on each fronts.