Why Malcolm McLaren From FX's Pistol Looks So Familiar
The era of rock in the city of Manchester can be traced back to one famous concert in 1976. The band playing in Lesser Free Trade Hall for a tiny 40-person audience unwittingly inspired some of the most famous British bands in the following half-decade. According to Joe Taysom of Far Out Magazine, without that show, there would be no Joy Division, New Order, Magazine, The Fall, or The Smiths. The inspiring band in question? Sex Pistols. And now you can stream the Hulu miniseries, "Pistol," following the rise of the '70s trailblazer.
Joining "American Crime Story" and "Pam & Tommy," Hulu continues to lead the way for streaming services with real-life stories dramatized for viewers to enjoy. "Pistol" follows guitarist Steve Jones (Toby Wallace of "Babyteeth) as he and his band rise to prominence in mid-'70s Britain. The series also stars Anson Boon ("Crawl" and "1917"), Sydney Chandler ("Don't Worry Darling"), Talulah Riley ("Pride & Prejudice" and "Westworld"), and Masie Williams ("Game of Thrones").
However, one of the more influential people responsible for the success and the unique look of the Sex Pistols was their manager Malcolm McLaren (Thomas Brodie-Sangster). And if you have watched the series on Hulu, you probably thought the actor looked familiar. Here is where you have seen him before.
Thomas Brodie-Sangster was Sam in Love Actually
Whether you get in the holiday mood by watching Christmas movies or use them as an excuse to get away from the in-laws, they have become a staple. The season of 2004 brought holiday movie buffs one of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time, "Love Actually."
The film follows several romantic relationships, both budding and diminishing, as the characters navigate a lonely holiday. Everyone from a teenage rocker to the British prime minister searches for love in the movie Roger Ebert called "too long." Thomas Brodie-Sangster appeared at 13, playing Liam Neeson's stepson. He learns from his father figure how to win the affection of his crush by mastering the drums for his school's holiday show.
While an unbelievable opportunity for a young actor, Brodie-Sangster spoke with Entertainment News describing his feelings on set, "I hated, hated, hated being spoken down to in any way or mollycoddled as a child. So, when I'd go on set, everyone would treat me as just another person hired to do a job, and I loved that sense of responsibility." Brodie-Sangster continued to admit that it didn't stunt his development too much as he sought balance, "I could be the professional ... then come home and still surround myself with toys and sit for hours in my room and just play."
He was Jojen Reed in Game of Thrones
You would have to travel pretty far across the globe, removed from civilization, to find someone unaware of HBO's massive hit series, "Game of Thrones." The series spanned eight seasons and was one of the most influential cultural phenomena of the 2010s.
Thomas Brodie-Sangster stars in Season 3 as Jojen Reed, a fellow seer who befriends Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright). He and his sister join Bran and his group as they flee for Castle Black, following the sack of Winterfell. Jojen serves as a guide for Bran, who is discovering his ability. While Jojen can see possible futures, his powers take a physical toll on his body that become evident in Season 4.
Brodie-Sangster sat down with Sky Atlantic to talk about his role and whether or not Jojen Reed is destined for greatness. "Depends on how you see greatness," the actor said. He goes on to explain how most characters in "Game of Thrones" view capturing the iron throne as greatness, but for Jojen Reed, it is sacrificing part of yourself so another can accomplish their mission.
He played Newt in The Maze Runner
The 2010s saw a massive uptick in teenage dystopian future-based films thanks to the box office smash success of "The Hunger Games" in 2012. Following its success, the studios began buying up rights to every young adult novel series they could, with varying payout levels. One of the more middle-of-the-road attempts to recapture the young adult genre's success was 2014's "The Maze Runner."
The series follows Thomas (Dylan O'Brien) after waking up in a walled-in enclosure known as the Glade. Thomas Brodie-Sangster appears in all three films as Newt, the second in command in the Glade and one of the survivors in a group known as the Gladers. He mentors Thomas and helps him become a runner. Ultimately, Newt met his demise in the third film, "The Death Cure," when it was revealed that he wasn't immune to the Flare. Not wanting his friends to see him lose his sanity, he begged Thomas to kill him, who finally relented and shot him.
At the premiere of the second film, "The Scorch Trials," Brodie-Sangster spoke with Cassam Looch of HeyUGuys, "Newt is that person who likes to [look at the] bigger picture and make sure [he is] doing the right things for the right reasons."
Thomas Brodie-Sangster was Benny Watts in The Queen's Gambit
The Netflix cultural phenomenon is the new breed of smash hit. It no longer means viewers need to tune in every week for 20-plus episodes or go in droves to the theater. Netflix perfected the weekend binge with six to 12-episode series, easily watched in a matter of days. Thomas Brodie-Sanger appeared in one of their most critically acclaimed projects, "The Queen's Gambit" (per Rotten Tomatoes).
The series follows Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy), an orphaned introvert who turns to the game of chess. After mastering the strategy, she becomes a prodigy and competes at the game's highest levels. Brodie-Sanger appears as Benny Watts, Harmon's rival-turned-mentor-turned love interest. Watts is intelligent and popular with the eccentric composite look of Indiana Jones and Neo. He is also incredibly arrogant, causing the viewer to both love and hate him.
Sitting down with Abe Friedtanzer of Awards Watch, Brodie gave his thoughts on Benny Watts, "I really like Benny. I think he's beautifully written ... Benny is a cocky, confident, arrogant guy, very self-assured. He knows where he stands, and he knows his morals and his talent as well."