Disney+ Rematch star admits he thought 'ridiculous' character trait was too much

Daily Mirror

21-05-2025

Christian Cooke stars in Disney+'s new chess drama Rematch as real-life grandmaster Garry Kasparov
Rematch lead Christian Cooke underwent extensive physical and mental training for his role as chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov in the enthralling new series now streaming on Disney+.
Despite this, he confessed to initially resisting a distinctive trait of Kasparov's, which audiences will notice recurring throughout the captivating six-part run.
‌
First aired in France last year, the series has finally arrived for UK viewers eager to witness the tense and true tale of Russian genius Kasparov challenging IBM's supercomputer Deep Blue in 1997 chess bouts.
‌
Kasparov's commitment to fitness is consistently depicted in the drama, with scenes showing him breaking from chess strategising to perform push-ups in his hotel room - a frequent sight each episode.
The star revealed in a chat with Express Online: "I kind of fought back against it initially", reports the Express.
"I initially thought it was a bit ridiculous, right? I'm not afraid to say that."
However, after discussions with Rematch's co-creator Yan England, Cooke acknowledged the physicality was aptly chosen for his character and began to see the reasoning behind it.
Cooke elaborated: "But, the thing is, Garry was very fit and he was the first chess grandmaster to really approach it like an athlete.
‌
"He was very fit, he ran a lot, he did a lot of push-ups. Approaching a match, he was very strict about his diet and his training. And so, now there is this accepted thing of 'healthy body, healthy mind'.
"I don't know if chess players were really putting much thought behind that in the '90s and before that as well, but he'd been doing that in the '80s, since before he was world champion."
Kasparov's legacy isn't just about his iconic matches against the machine. The series introduces viewers to a host of chess legends Kasparov defeated, including the Russian prodigy Anatoly Karpov (portrayed by Szabolcs Ruszina).
‌
Cooke highlights how the series' flashbacks capture Kasparov's belief in the importance of physical fitness alongside mental agility, especially during gruelling tournaments.
‌
"His match with Karpov, when he won the world championship, it went on for five months," Cooke recounts.
"It's psychological and you have to be really fit to endure that. If you're sat at a computer and you work for10 hoursa day, writing or whatever, you're knackered. And it's that times 100, I think.
"So, I said to Yan, 'Look, I'm going to trust you with this, but it feels a bit ridiculous to me'. But I do think it works.
‌
"It's sort of his little quirk, so that's one of those leaps of faith you take. I'm going to do this and hope I don't get egg on my face."
The team behind Rematch can breathe a sigh of relief, as the show has garnered glowing reviews from both fans and critics alike.
With its UK streaming debut, even more viewers are set to be captivated by the enthralling drama based on fascinating real events.