The King’s Man: Ralph Fiennes Opens Up On His Role Of ‘Orlando Oxford’ In The Film

Ralph Fiennes is one of the finest and versatile actors in the international film industry. This academy award winner is known for getting under the character’s skin and making it his own. He is back on the big screen with 20th Century Studios, The King’s Man. Playing the lead role in the movie as Orlando Oxford – The Duke of Oxford, he talks about his character and how well he relates with it.

Fiennes describes The Duke of Oxford as “unapologetically aristocratic” and “devoted to his boy”. “Oxford is a pacifist and the audience will understand why within the first five minutes. The context is the approach of the First World War, and the key relationship in the film, I would argue, is between Oxford and his son, who wants to prove himself in war as a courageous young man. And Oxford’s deep reluctance to see him go to war.”

Fiennes adds that he is familiar with the kind of character he plays, he said, “I feel like I’ve met people like the Duke of Oxford. A certain kind of Englishman who isn’t around anymore, with quietly held chivalric principles. But I also like that Matthew Vaughn (writer and director of the movie) doesn’t—in this era where we’re all sensitive about class and background—shy away from my character’s aristocracy. In terms of someone who is bred and brought up in a certain way, and embodies principles of courage and honour and kindness and service of others; the aristocratic mode of behaviour. So, Oxford is a decent man. Very decent.”