A new chapter
BEING married has influenced the way actor Theo James picks his roles. The 34-year-old, who got hitched to The Following actress ruth Kearney last year, tells Philippine Daily Inquirer: “When you are starting out, you are a young actor and you are kind of hustling, you are probably willing to sacrifice a lot or most things. Whereas when you get older and a bit longer in the tooth, you realise that work is important, but life is more important or just as important.” The british actor’s most recent project is Sanditon, an eight-episode series that builds on an unfinished novel of the same name by Jane austen. (austen wrote 11 chapters of the novel before her death in 1817.) It begins with one charlotte heywood (rose Williams) who travels to the sleepy town of sanditon.
There, she meets the cold, brooding sidney Parker (James) of the enterprising Parker family, who aims to transform the fishing village into a seaside resort. James reflects on austen’s female-driven storylines and his awareness of women’s issues: “Not only do I have sisters, but my mum raised five kids. she worked her entire life. she began essentially as an occupational therapist, then worked her way up to commissioning for one of the largest councils in britain. she is a very strong female presence in my life. I was aware of women’s rights, their abilities and strengths and how the balance is always not tipped in women’s favour.” – Kenneth Chaw
Sanditon is available on BBC Player.