Jared Harris Interview For ‘Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows’

Filmmaker Guy Ritchie returns to direct ‘Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows,’ the follow-up to the smash hit ‘Sherlock Holmes.’ The sequel also reunites Robert Downey Jr as the world’s most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, and Jude Law as his formidable colleague, Dr. Watson. Jared Harris (TV’s ‘Mad Men,’ ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button‘) joins the cast as the notorious Professor Moriarty. Also joining the film, in her first English-speaking role, is Swedish actress Noomi Rapace, who gained international attention in the Swedish film ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.’ Stephen Fry (‘Alice in Wonderland,’ ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire‘) plays Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock’s older brother. ‘Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows’ is set for release December 16th 2011.

Professor Moriarty is only in a few of the Sherlock Holmes books, what is it like when you get a role like this, people have such a perceived conception of him, how do you make him your own?

Jared Harris: At first, the career part of your brain goes, “Wow! This is a fantastic opportunity.” Then the guy who actually has to deliver, that part of your brain goes, “Are you crazy?! How are you gonna do this?” But you know, you have to leap at the opportunity and just hope you land somewhere. Actually, the stuff I looked at in the books, the representation of him in those two stories, I didn’t find a lot in there that was useful. I tried some things, there’s a thing where Conan Doyle describes him as having this strange head movement, he shakes his head from side to side. I tried that but it just seemed mannered and ridiculous. I just didn’t think that Robert’s Sherlock Holmes would let that pass, it just seemed like it was going to get in the way. Then with the physicality, he was 6 ft 3, and he was kind of stooped and hung-over, I didn’t think that would work really. I also wanted to see the Professor, which we’d never seen, because I thought that his job at the University is a legitimate job but it’s a cover story. And it’s successful enough that it has got him into all different areas of society – including being friends with the British Prime Minister and all these kinds of things. I hadn’t seen that, so I thought it would be interesting to see this evolution of this person. Who when you finally see that sort of traditional Moriarty outline with the hat and coat, it’s almost like the donning of that persona, you finally get that revealed. The Professor is kind of a disguise he has, that was interesting. In a way he’s similar to Holmes because Sherlock Holmes dons all these disguises, and has a slightly similar….not personality, but they are cut from a similar clothe, they are very very different though at the same time.

The other actors have told me how Guy Ritchie was very collaborative, how was that for you in shaping Moriarty?

Jared Harris: There’s no insecurity about him, there’s no angst. Guy is extremely frank, he encourages you to bring your ideas and throw them on the table. And he’ll reject them outright, expect you to be tough enough not to go and sulk about it (laughs). And then with some of them he’ll go, “Yeah, I really like that.” He really challenges you to crystallise your ideas, which is fantastic because it makes you feel like you’re welcome to contribute. Then Robert Downey Jr is the same way, also the producers; Joel Silver, Lionel Wigram, Susan Downey, they all understand that that’s how these guys worked the first time, so it was really encouraged for us to do it again.

How was working opposite Robert Downey Jr’s Sherlock Holmes, playing his arch nemesis and intellectual equal? You both have a great fight scene as well.

Jared Harris: Robert was fantastic. You have to be on your toes. He wants you to be at your best, and he’ll get the best out of you. It’s like athletes, if you’re a professional athlete, you not really gonna find out what type of ability you have if you play amateur teams, you have to play with the best to discover what you’ve got. Robert is right up there. I like a bit of fisticuffs, I’m half Irish (laughs). I loved the fights…stage fighting, swordplay, I love all that stuff. That’s the little kid in you, you get back into play-acting and play-fighting. It was great fun.

What do you think it is about this character of Sherlock Holmes and the universe that Conan Doyle has built that has endured for so long, with so many adaptations?

Jared Harris: I think first of all they’re puzzles, they’re mysteries – that’s always fun to unravel. I think Sherlock Holmes makes you feel smarter, as you watch or read the story and he unravels it, you’re kind of trying to figure out the answer yourself. You almost get most of it, or part of it. But then when Sherlock explains it to you you’re lie, “Ooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, yeah, yeah, I understand that.” (Laughs) You feel smarter because you get it. I dunno, it’s a great character. I think what Robert’s done is that he’s brought all the darkness that was there to the Conan Doyle character, and he’s brought it to the surface, including the relationship with Watson. What he’s done with that relationship is that they’ve raised the stakes, Holmes can’t do it without Watson. There’s something about Watson sort of helping him navigate his own darkness that keeps him focused. If you separated them, Holmes wouldn’t be able to function properly,