Tolkien was quite a religious man, and so is George R.R. Martin. They kind of have this epic quality about them when they write the material.

I'd like to act as a fair, easy-going, kind man at some point.

They're always intense. I think everything is quite intense and that's the way it should be on things...

A common misperception of me is... that I am a tough, rough northerner, which I suppose I am really. But I'm pretty mild-mannered most of the time. It's the parts that you play I guess. I don't mind it. I'm not a tough guy. I'd like to act as a fair, easy-going, kind man at some point.

The thought of being in space, and kind of enclosed, I find would be very claustrophobic. I think I would panic in that situation.

I'd been trying for a while to get parts that weren't just the English bad guy, so it was quite refreshing to be playing someone who was a compassionate, decent guy.