Taron Egerton knew he just had to play 'fascinating' and 'disturbing' new TV role

Wales Online

5 hours ago

Taron Egerton knew he just had to play 'fascinating' and 'disturbing' new TV role
Taron Egerton stars as an arson investigator in the new Apple TV+ series, Smoke, which is inspired by the true crime story of a serial arsonist who set fire to businesses in Southern California
The Welsh actor is said to have taken on a role in the new series Smoke without prior knowledge of the true crime it's based on.
(Image: Getty Images )
Welsh actor Taron Egerton is said to have taken on a role in the new series Smoke without prior knowledge of the true crime it's based on. The Apple TV+ nine-part series draws from the 2021 podcast Firebug by Truth Media, which delves into the story of a serial arsonist who targeted businesses in Southern California during the '80s and '90s.
In the series, Egerton plays Dave, an arson investigator who teams up with detective Michelle Calderone, played by Jurnee Smollett to apprehend two elusive serial arsonists he's been pursuing for months.
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Before filming began, the actor admitted to the Radio Times that he was unaware of the "disturbing" real events that inspired Dennis Lehane's series and hadn't listened to Firebug before he agreed to the role. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter .
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The actor who grew up in Aberystwyth had said that he had found many aspects of the case not only disturbing but also perplexing due to the bizarre nature of the arsonist's actions. Taron saw it as a significant challenge to combine these peculiarities into a single, believable character.
He shared: "I think that's really true of the show. It's a real juggle, sort of trying to figure out who Dave is and who the other characters in the show are as well, because no one is very easily squeezed into a box."
Taron was enthused about the project right from the start, eager to work with his Blackbird showrunner Lehane again and delve into the complexities of what he described as a "fascinating" character marked by a flawed sense of heroism.
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He explained to the Radio Times: "I was actually pretty sure I was gonna do it before I read the script because [Dennis and I] started talking about it when we were still shooting Blackbird
"So it's been a long time in the works. But when he did finally send me the first couple of scripts, god, I was so excited."
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Taking on the role of Dave seemed like uncharted territory for the actor. He said: "It's a fascinating role, he's so unlike anything that I've ever been asked to play before, and actually, in a lot of ways, really unlike anything that I've seen on TV before.
"He's not split personality, but he has somehow compartmentalised who he is in a way that's really strange, and if you have an insight into what's going on behind closed doors, it's really quite disturbing.
"Dave is somebody who would style himself as a hero and as just a regular Joe who's trying to save the day.
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"On the surface of things, that doesn't seem that unnerving, but anyone in real life who would describe themself as a hero is probably someone I'd think was a little bit weird. And Dave is definitely more than a little bit weird."
Taron hinted that as the series unfolds, Dave gains more insight into his identity and purpose, yet he cautioned that it's sometimes a disconcerting journey for the audience.
If you are keen to watch the Hollywood star's new show, Smoke, you can sign up to Apple TV+ here for £8.99 per month.
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