Richard Gadd is already moving on from the whirlwind of Baby Reindeer. The creator and star has completed his follow-up project, the HBO limited series 'Half Man' , premiering this Friday.
"I haven't taken a moment... I have a feeling I promised myself a holiday. It might all just hit me."
— Richard Gadd, on processing his recent success
Despite winning two Emmys for Baby Reindeer (Lead Actor and Writing), Gadd admits he is still processing the frenzy, having not paused to reflect on his meteoric rise.
'Half Man': A New Story
Title Change: Originally titled Lions, the series has been renamed 'Half Man.'
The Plot: The story follows two brothers who are not related by blood: Ruben (played by Gadd) and Niall (played by Jamie Bell). Set partly in the 1980s UK, the series delves into themes of male repression and violence, aiming to contextualize rather than simply display toxic behavior.
Gadd's Role:
- Gadd initially hesitated to star in the project because the character felt too distant from his own personality.
- He decided to take the role after encouragement from co-star Jamie Bell and HBO.
- He underwent a significant physical transformation, altering his physique, hair, beard, and voice to embody the character.
Critical Reception: Variety critic Aramide Tinubu describes the series as "an excellent but difficult watch."
Gadd's Perspective
On the show's deeper meaning, Gadd explained the need to explore the roots of aggression:
"There's a lot of male repression in this day and age... Instead of just showing male repression, male violence, maybe the interesting thing to do is contextualize it."
And in a final, unexpected hot take, Gadd claimed that "tuna with peanut butter" is delicious.
The episode also features discussion of recent Emmy news by the Awards Circuit Roundtable.