Agamemnon plays computer games on his laptop, whiling away the time before he is called to step back into a technology-free era and slip into the role of the power-hungry king. Before long, he is perched on a rooftop on the Helen of Troy set at Fort Ricasoli, brandishing a sword and bellowing his lines in true stately style.

It is twilight, but the glint in the trademark green eyes of actor Rufus Sewell pierces the semi-darkness like a dagger and the expression on his face is deep and dramatic as the role requires.

Effortlessly swaying through the ages, it looks like he is enjoying himself. The sword fighting may be hard work, but Rufus (A Knight's Tale) does not even try to convince anyone that he is a martyr, knowing full well that nobody would buy it.

After all, there is no actual work in acting "except the hanging around". Quoting Michael Caine, he says: "The acting is free. It's the waiting around that you get paid for" - useful words that stop him complaining when he has to resort to computer games in his trailer.

"Anyway, no one wants to listen to actors moan because, when they do, it is usually to people who have woken up three hours before them and go to bed three hours later, have much less money and have no one asking them what they would like to drink."

So, Rufus tries not to... until he is, again, left twiddling his thumbs between takes.

"It's the only part that feels like work," he confides. Otherwise, he is playing at war, with the props, costumes, weaponry and extras to render anyone's boyhood fantasy a reality, not to mention the talent to enthral audiences.

Rufus appears to have a down-to-earth and humorous approach to his 'job'. Obliterating any prima donna traits and traces of self-importance, he nevertheless strives to achieve his goals, which he constantly shifts further and further away, always seeking a challenge.

Comfortable poking fun at himself, he strips off any romantic notions surrounding actors and acting, although that is not to say he does not take his job seriously.

Starring in the USA Cable TV mini-series, Helen of Troy, which is being shot in Malta, the 34-year-old readily admits to having only read the pocket 'Iliad', with its "big and easy print".

Nor does he wax lyrical about Malta. Diplomatically, after a lengthy pause, Rufus says it is... "better by night" (not because you cannot see anything, but because "the towns are dry and dusty, which in some ways is quite beautiful and in others very urban").

In between filming, Rufus leaves his mythological character behind and steps down into the real world to talk about his five-month-old son William, who is in Malta at the moment.

When he is not acting, Rufus still tries to be creative and is into photography and music - "anything but country and western and 1980s rock".

"I stopped being in bands when I became an actor because I didn't want to be an actor/musician. It's sad! A bit desperate too," he states, almost under his breath.

"Established actors, who then release singles, embarrass me slightly. I'm embarrassed for them and want them to stop it, whether they are talented, or not." The crux of the matter is that people always want what they don't have!

Rufus is currently attempting to write a script: "I've started many and am beginning to get excited about the idea. Dialogue seems to come easily to me".

But, as regards "actual strands of storyline that hold it together", that is another story!

Nevertheless, he is optimistic that they would somehow gel and, in the meantime, keeps tapping away.

Would he star in it himself if it were to materialise? "Well if you cannot write yourself a great part..."

Having said that, "sometimes, by the time you've finished a project like that, you're too old for it anyway".

About the appeal of Helen of Troy, Rufus believes that "audiences like historical drama. The fact that it is set in the distant past renders it, in a way, more accessible because they can relax into watching the story and do not always want to be confronted with their own world.

"What renders a story universal and eternal is the fact that it is about lust... about the quest for power... about men and women and what they want to do to each other.

"It is about a woman who drives men to do some crazy stuff, which is just as topical now as it was in the past. If you go to St Julian's at 2 a.m., there are plenty of mini Helens everywhere."

The reason the story of Helen of Troy is still being told is because it is about "basic humanity - greed, lust and what drives us - which is the same as when we were living in caves. It is about wanting to possess and not wanting to share".

Rufus is known to move effortlessly between stage and screen, comedy and drama. He has the dual ability to either portray the deranged villain, or the romantic leading man. But, he feels that he is most in his element in comedy and has his heart set on a comic role.

However, having been seen as "the baddie" of late, he feels it may not be easy for him to be cast as the funny guy.

"As soon as you establish yourself in one role, it can be hard work to pull away from it. The past few parts I have played were bad guys, so I can't do another. Apart from being boring, it would start to feel like a business. The fun part is doing something I have never done before."

Rufus knows that "the trick is not to fall too much in love with money and comfort. A few years ago, it was romantic, Victorian dramas that I had to turn down. The first time I accepted the role of the bad guy, it was because I was breaking an old mould. Now, I have to do it again."

So, if audiences next see Rufus in a bad-guy role, they can be sure he has earned himself a packet.

"If I were driven by money, I'd get lazy and play the same role again and again. If I am ever stereotyped, it would be my fault alone."

His film work has been equally varied and acclaimed: from the junkie in Twenty-One to the sweet bus driver in A Man of No Importance, the volatile artist in Carrington and the lustful son in Cold Comfort Farm, the star-crossed suitor in Dangerous Beauty and the bitter, acidic, alcoholic in Martha Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence.

Rufus works for the moment and refuses to get "too involved in the way a film could turn out. Otherwise, you could get damaged. It's easy for your hopes to get caught up in what awards you could achieve. It is best to forget about that and concentrate on getting your satisfaction from the work".

The actor, who was nominated for an Olivier Award and received the Broadway Theater World Award, "might" be soon seen in the "fantastic" Chekhov play, The Three Sisters, although he has no idea whether, as has been reported, he could be taking Ewan McGregor's place.

"They don't even know which role I'm playing, so I don't know how they can say that."

About other upcoming projects, he prefers to remain vague and stops at merely mentioning "a film" he might be doing in January.

"I can't tell you about it unless I do it. What if it doesn't happen and someone else ends up doing it? That does happen, you know.

"For every one job I do, there are 25 I am rejected for... However, I decided a long time ago that I'd rather get my hopes up every time and have to face the disappointment, rather than never be excited about wanting something. I'd rather be up and down all the time."

Underlying the light-hearted approach to his job, Rufus does harbour a streak of ambition. He aims "to do something great one day. At the moment, I don't think I've reached my potential. Most parts I've played, despite being good, have been a compromise in comparison to parts I want to play. I haven't yet started getting into the roles I really want - roles that demand more dimensions. I want to be stretched a lot more."

Pleased that he is not playing the part of the "wholesome hero" in Helen of Troy, Rufus's Agamemnon is, nevertheless, "not your clear-cut villainous king".

The actor has given his character his own slant: "As an ambitious person, Agamemnon wants to be a good king, and to be a good king he needs to acquire wealth and power. And that is what he does. A good king is unstoppable in his quest for power for the benefit of his subjects, while a weak king is not," he reasons.

Although "you cannot play a part unless you understand it", Rufus does not over-analyse his characters. Nor does he meditate on and warm up to his role in between takes.

Instead, he takes the opportunity to take a nap... Either that, or more computer games.

Maltese actors impress in mini-series
The Times of Malta August 15, 2002

Fiona Galea Debono

As many as 80 of the 100 speaking parts in the USA Cable TV mini-series
Helen of Troy, currently being shot in Malta, are being played by Maltese.

Locals are also playing major roles and have been described as "sensational"
actors by producer Ted Kurdyla.

"Besides being good-looking, the Maltese offer a good cross-section for casting,"
he said, speaking of the advantages of filming in Malta.

"Usually, in other countries, few speaking parts can be cast."

The local actors are working with the likes of Rufus Sewell (A Knight's Tale),
starring as Agamemnon; Matthew Marsden (Black Hawk Down) as Paris;
Stellan Skarsgard (Good Will Hunting) as Theseus; and Sienna Guillory (The
Time Machine) as Helen - the face that launched a thousand ships.

The production involves 6,500 extras (in terms of man days). They have had
to contend with sweltering heat, which nobody seems to be too fazed by,
as well as howling "demon" winds when filming a supposedly "windless"
scene on the cliffs of Mellieha, where Agamemnon and his men are
about to sail for their siege of Troy.

The two-part, four-hour mini-series stars a predominantly British cast, says
executive producer Adam Shapiro, who describes the actors as "superb,
professional and talented..."

Filming of Helen of Troy, which rides the wave of the surging interest in history,
started on July 22 and continues until the end of September.

The production is being shot in its entirety in Malta, which is doubling as Sparta, Athens, Troy and Mycenae, using a number of locations, including the Mizieb
woods, Rdum id-Delli between Mellieha and Manikata, Fort Campbell in Selmun,
Villa Bologna in Attard and Comino.

Vittoriosa Gardens, with its olive trees and limestone walls, is the ideal
Sparta; "magnificent" Ghajn Tuffieha is the site of the Greek invasion, with Troy
being digitally imposed on the escarpment; and San Anton is Athens.

"Malta is able to offer different locations, which could go 2,000 years back in time,
and could be reached in the space of 30 minutes.

"It is also one of the two places in the world where the water sequences can be
shot in the safety of a man-made enclosure (the Rinella water tanks), with the
horizon as the background, so that it doesn't look like a tank," Kurdyla points out.

Although it depicts ancient Greece, he maintains that Helen of Troy is to be a "travelogue" for Malta.

"The vistas are magnificent, particularly Comino's Blue Lagoon - the scene
where the two shipwrecked lovers experience the only happy moment in their
lives. Audiences are going to ask: 'where is that? I want to go there'."

Of course, finding an area that looks 2,000 years old because it is undeveloped
has a price - inaccessibility. However, even that problem was surmounted.

The forts and the limestone walls are perfect, according to Kurdyla, and the lack
of vast fields of greenery is compensated for by the public gardens.

"Malta is unique in that it can double as so many places in the world. Different
towns have a different look and feel, which can be adapted to suit different ages. Depending on the time of the year, Malta could be anywhere in the Mediterranean."

Malta is on Kurdyla's agenda for other productions. However, he would like to
see similar incentives to the ones that are offered in other countries such as
Canada, Luxembourg and the Czech Republic.

"Malta has 10 times more to offer than Luxembourg, yet it is the latter that offers
tax incentives.

"In many countries, I could walk away with an 18 per cent return on my investment, which is not insignificant if you calculate spending around $10 million on an
average production...

"That money is spent in the space of five months. Who else drops that kind of
money and leaves? And that does not even include hotel accommodation, the
buying of gifts and going to restaurants."

The production company is using the services of 250 Maltese companies, Kurdyla
adds.

The fact that Malta is an island could be considered a drawback in that everything
has to be flown in from Rome and, if equipment needs to be repaired, things could
get complicated.

Having said that, about 75 per cent of the required equipment was found.

"We managed to utilise companies that had what we needed without even knowing
it."

Another slight hitch is that when filming in July and August - the height of
the tourist season - weekend evenings are alight with fireworks, which are
not ideal for shooting scenes like funerals.

For Kurdyla, however, there is always a plus side - in this case, invitations
by staff members to their village festas.

"We cannot afford to offend anyone," he says, only too keen on enjoying the
festivities.

"When we have time off, Malta is a wonderful place to relax. The people
are warm and welcoming."

The Malta Film Commission, and its attempt to create one-stop shopping, is
probably the main reason Helen of Troy is being filmed in Malta.

"They were responsible for answering our questions truthfully, letting us know
where the strengths are and where the manpower lies."

Fort Ricasoli, where shooting is currently under way, was also the "dangling
carrot". It is here that Troy has been recreated, complete with the looming
gateway through which the notorious Trojan horse, still in meticulous design
stage, enters.

Maltese construction workers on the set include 100 carpenters, with as many
as 80 plasterers at the peak. They have been working round the clock, building
replicas of Sparta and Troy in the space of six weeks - a procedure that would
normally require six months.

"Maltese are the most talented workmen... the best talent we have ever come
across," said production designer Jim Allen, who is currently inundated with
sketches of 'a Trojan horse with a difference'.

The idea is to drift away from the traditional, rough-hewn, static, wooden horse,
which is being fashioned from the remnants of the Trojan camp, including shields
and armour. Only parts of the "snarling, ominous, stylised beast" are being
constructed and the rest is the work of computer-generated imagery.

"We did not just take the Roman sets (from Julius Caesar) and call them Greek," stresses Shapiro, explaining that the Roman arches have been squared off.

"The general perception is that the only Homer Americans know is Homer
Simpson and that they cannot tell the difference between ancient Greek and
Roman architecture," but Shapiro is out to prove the contrary and defend his compatriots, rectifying the "uncultured, ignorant" image they may have.

Shapiro is the former USA Network senior vice-president of long-form
programming, and producer of Andre, as well as a number of other children's
films.

New sets were designed and the façades of the Julius Caesar structures,
depicting ancient Rome, were altered, meaning that once Helen of Troy is
complete, Malta is to have at its disposal both Roman and Greek backdrops
- a plus for production companies, intending to shoot a period film on the i
sland.

"It is such a great feeling to come on set and see that what you could only
visualise a mere 18 months ago has materialised," says Shapiro.

The mini-series, originally penned by Ronni Kern, was altered by director J
ohn Kent Harrison. Characters have been motivated and motivations simplified, relationships between them have been intensified and others brought to the
foreground, the executive producer points out.

Although attention is being paid to historical detail, Helen of Troy, which is premiering in the US in April, is not only targetting a discerning, intellectual audience. The production is not masterpiece theatre, but a "rousing, spirited
love story, set against the tapestry of the ancient world," says Shapiro.

The script has strayed from the original and focuses on the love story, rather
than the meddling and conspiring of the gods with each other and the mere
mortals.

Helen of Troy traces the story of how a savage war was raged over the beauty
of one woman, who risked everything to be with her lover, the young warrior
Paris of Troy. She was the most beautiful woman in the world and her husband
and his allies quickly realised that her beauty could cause a devastating war.
Spurred on by the villainous Agamemnon, they vowed that no one would ever
sleep with Helen, not even her husband.

Unfortunately, Paris, a young Trojan warrior, knew nothing of the vow. The minute
he and Helen saw each other, they fell in love and risked everything to be together, sparking ancient history's greatest war.

After countless people lose their lives, history's most infamous trick - the Trojan
horse - brings the incredible story to an end.

Thanks Nadine!

August 3, 2002

Rufus is in beautiful Malta for 10 weeks, filming "Helen of Troy."
Amy and Billy are with him.

click here for the complete article
http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=109615

Rufus Sewell wants comic role
The Times of Malta August 28, 2002

Maltese actors impress in mini-series
The Times of Malta August 15, 2002

TV mini-series Helen of Troy to be shot in Malta

click here for the complete article http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=109615

Rufus Sewell wants comic role The Times of Malta August 28, 2002

Maltese actors impress in mini-series The Times of Malta August 15, 2002

TV mini-series Helen of Troy to be shot in Malta

click here for the complete article
http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=109615

Rufus Sewell wants comic role
The Times of Malta August 28, 2002

Maltese actors impress in mini-series
The Times of Malta August 15, 2002