Guyday Friday: Behind the scenes with RA

A GIF of our lovely archer in action.

Richard, looking so attractively stubbled and disheveled as he focuses intently on the task of hitting the target during Hood Academy, the behind-the-scenes documentary featured on the Robin Hood Series 1 DVD set.

 

A lot of you have seen the above video before, but if you missed it or  are in the mood for some more behind-the-scenes RA, here it is again–one of my first slideshow vids, so it’s very simple but chockfull of RA goodness.

The ever-articulate Richard Armitage and his ever-expressive hands from an interview for Series 2 of RH.

Richard in his Guy gear during an on-set interview featured on the DVD set for Series 3.

Richard during a break from shooting of Series 2. Oh, those leather-clad thighs . . .

Now, THAT’S a litotes!: TAE Word for the Day

Richard Armitage is really not a bad actor. RA isn’t an unattractive fellow. Guy is not an undesirable male.

All of the above are examples of litotes.

Litotes (LAHY-tuh-tees, li-TUH-tees, lahy-TOE-tees) (noun): understatement, especially that in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of its contrary, as in “not bad at all.”  Origin: 1650-1660. From the Greek meaning “plainness, simplicity.”

It is, perhaps, not strictly speaking a litotes, but I find myself also thinking of a quote from, I believe, someone commenting at one of Vicki Frost’s Spooks blog posts: “Richard Armitage is OK eye candy.” OK? Just OK??

For RA, with his Entire Body of Temptation, with those mesmerizing eyes, that amazing smile, that stunning bone structure–is Grade A Number One First Class Eye Candy. And sooooo much more.  A fine, dedicated, detailed actor and an intelligent, charismatic, kind, lovely human being. To say he’s not a bad-looking guy or not a bad actor would be, well– nothing less than litotes, n’est-ce pas?

Guyday Friday: An Episode that Broke My Heart

Of course, the final ep tore me up–that goes without saying–but it was the Guy and Meg episode in series 3 that also had me blubbering like a baby.

Guy, sarcastic and stoic, resigned to his fate after his sister has condemned him to death and sent him to the dungeon.  This boisterous young woman who seems singularly unimpressed with the great “I Am,” who won’t stop talking and leave her fellow prisoner in peace.

And yet, there’s something about her that appeals to Guy’s softer side–the one he doesn’t want to admit he has.

And there’s something about him that appeals to Meg.

When she finally breaks through that wall he has built around himself, when he finally admits to his past sins and failures, she doesn’t condemn him. Meg reaches out to him.  No hidden agenda, no pulling his strings.

She would do that for him.

He pleads for her life to be spared, every inch the chivalrous knight. She tries to protect him and receives a mortal wound as a consequence. A blossoming friendship cut short far too soon.  It’s a beautiful, moving episode featuring an amazing performance by Richard ably assisted by the incandescent Holliday Grainger, RA’s “stepdaughter” in Sparkhouse.

Guyday Friday: Totally Gratuitous

Gratuitous because I woke up this morning feeling like I’d been worked over with a Louisville Slugger. Very little sleep, lots of tossing and turning and pummeling of pillows. Of course, if I had done a Lucas North and stretched out on the floor, that’s very likely where I would still be.  Then again, if I was on the floor with Lucas—oh, never mind. I’m in pain. You must overlook me.

Suffice it to say I need a little something to brighten things up.  Guy. Sexy, swaggering, smouldering, beautiful Sir Guy. *thud*  Enjoy the GIFs and fanart.

Guyday Friday: Epic!!

Richard in the final series of Robin Hood gave a virtuoso performance, one of operatic grandeur. He ran the gamut of emotions from the depths of despair and self-loathing to a heady, sleek self-confidence; from a man bent on murder and revenge to one heroically arguing for the life of a girl even as his own existence is about to be snuffed out.  He was half-mad, furious, humiliated, smug, scheming, stoic, remorseful, chivalrous, heartbreaking and even funny. He was beautiful. He was–epic.