Atkinson: Never say never to Mr Bean
ROWAN Atkinson has teased that Mr Bean could make a return to the big screen.
The 63-year- old comedian will “never say never” when it comes to bringing back his slapstick comedy character, whom he previously played in 1997’s ‘Bean’ and 2007’s ‘ Mr Bean’s Holiday’ and a beloved TV series.
Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz at the UK premiere of ‘Johnny English Strikes Again’ at the Curzon Hotel in Mayfair, London, he said: “You must never say never, it’s unlikely but you never know.”
Atkinson fi nds it easy to channel Mr Bean, just as he found it easy enough to reprise his role as blundering spy Johnny English in the third instalment in the franchise.
He said: “I always fi nd that I can slip back into characters that I’ve played a lot. I slipped back in to Mr Bean quite easily. I have slipped back into Johnny English easily; he’s a fun character to play. Someone who is not as good as he thinks he is, that is the essence of Johnny English. We enjoy watching him fail. To succeed his expectations. To fulfi l his expectations, so it was fun.”
As for which of his comedy characters Atkinson relates to the most, he admits that although he empathises with his sitcom character Blackadder he thinks Johnny Eng l i sh is his favourite to portray. He said: “I enjoyed playing Blackadder. I enjoy his sort of world weariness; he fi nds the world quite a difficult thing to deal with. He’s always disappointed by the world and that’s quite a funny attitude. “Whether it’s my attitude? No, it sounds a bit negative to say that. I think the most enjoyable character to play is Johnny English, just because he has got the cars, suits and the exotic locations.”