‘The Green Knight’ actor Dev Patel is still in the Arthurian times, as he can still imagine sitting with the Round Table. To be fair, he did feel the same way on his first red carpet, and still feels the same to this day. In an interview, the actor stated that just like the Arthurian legend, he was surrounded by these incredible legends in the sphere of acting.
In the movie, Patel plays the role of young Gawain, who was the nephew of King Arthur. As it is widely known throughout Great Britain, the movie is based on the poem ‘Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’- one of the best-known stories from Arthurian times.
‘The Green Knight’ Puts Dev Patel’s Acting Chops To The Forefront
Dev Patel mentions that throughout the shooting of the movie, he could feel and totally relate to the knight who was really ambitious- just like he is. In the original poem, a mysterious knight decked in Green approached the King at his Round Table on Christmas and asked one of the knights to take a swing at him.
A year hence, the knight would have to stand still while the knight would take a swing at him. Gawain accepts the challenge and lands a blow that decapitates the knight. But to the surprise of all, the Knight gently picks his head up and rides away- asking for Gawain to meet him near his territory a year later.
What Dev Patel finds quite interesting is that the Gawain in ‘The Green Knight’ isn’t exactly the same as it was written 700 years ago. Rather, this is a more humane Gawain, who spends his time in brothels and has a vicious attitude. What the director must have tried- was to show the differences between the Gawain of old– one who was chaste and honorable- and the Gawain of today- flawed with a zeal to prove his mettle.
Although Dev Patel is quite unnerved with the daunting task of playing the titular character in ‘The Green Knight’, the actor from Slumdog knows an opportunity when he chances upon one.
