Kenneth Branagh on Doing His Own Stunts as a KGB Operative in ‘Mayday,’ Bonding With Ryan Reynolds Over Soccer: ‘We Can Be Pretty Nerdish’
Kenneth Branagh has revealed he insisted on doing his own stunt work for his role as a former KGB operative in "Mayday," an upcoming Apple TV Cold War action-comedy in which he stars alongside Ryan Reynolds. Speaking at the Variety Lounge during the Edinburgh International Film Festival, Branagh explained he asked directors how a "man of a certain age" unused to the action genre could get involved, and was told simply to arrive early for training to make his body more flexible for the choreography.
Branagh, who plays a "Top Gun"-loving exile helping Reynolds' crashed US Air Force pilot escape the Soviet Union in 1987, said the stunt team told him they had "never had an actor for this long" in preparation. Away from filming in Canada, the pair reportedly bonded over football, with Branagh a lifelong Tottenham Hotspur fan and Reynolds co-owner of Wrexham. Branagh was in Edinburgh to receive the festival's inaugural outstanding contribution to cinema award and for a 30th-anniversary screening of his full-length 1996 "Hamlet," recalling that its star, Kate Winslet, had auditioned for him aged 17 for "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" but was deemed too young. "Mayday" is released on Apple TV on 4 September.
- Branagh trained early to do his own KGB-operative stunts in "Mayday"
- He and Ryan Reynolds bonded over their shared love of football
- Branagh was in Edinburgh receiving a lifetime achievement award
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Kenneth Branagh is a veteran British actor and director, known for stage and screen work including his own "Hamlet" adaptations and roles in franchises such as "Harry Potter" and "Tenet." He is currently promoting "Mayday," a new Cold War-set action-comedy for Apple TV in which he co-stars with Ryan Reynolds, the Hollywood actor and co-owner of Welsh football club Wrexham.
"Mayday" is set in 1987 and follows a US Air Force pilot, played by Reynolds, trying to escape the Soviet Union with the help of a former Soviet intelligence officer played by Branagh. The film is due for release on Apple TV on 4 September, and both actors have been giving interviews about their experience making it, including their approach to the film's action sequences.
The comments reported here were made at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, where Branagh was also being honoured for his broader contribution to cinema and marking the 30th anniversary of his 1996 film version of "Hamlet." The festival is an annual event that brings together film industry figures for premieres, awards and public discussions of their work.