Pop star Ed Sheeran talks about his upcoming role on Kurt Sutter’s new series The Bastard Executioner…
Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter’s new series The Bastard Executioner is already one of the most highly anticipated shows of the fall, but he only added to the curiosity by casting pop star Ed Sheeran in a role that will take place during the 10 episode first season.
Sheeran was a huge fan of Sutter’s last show Sons of Anarchy and actually met the writer/director through Twitter and ended up contributing a song to the final season soundtrack.
Following that interaction, Sheeran expressed interest in appearing in Sutter’s new show after watching fellow rock star Marilyn Manson turn in a solid performance playing an Neo-Nazi shot caller during the final season of Sons of Anarchy.
“I was having dinner at (Kurt Sutter’s) house and I was talking about Marilyn Manson being in Sons of Anarchy, and just saying, if you ever have another show, can you stick me in it? Just like a bit part? And here I am,” Sheeran said recently.
It’s not easy to find ‘nice guy’ roles in any of Sutter’s most prominent work between Sons of Anarchy and The Shield and that’s exactly what Sheeran was looking to avoid when he took the part on The Bastard Executioner.
Sheeran is well known as a smiley pop star who always looks quite happy no matter where he is or what he’s doing. He asked Sutter to portray him in the exact opposite kind of role for The Bastard Executioner and from the sound of things he got his wish.
“I find that I have reputation of being a smiley approachable guy, so I wanted the opposite,” Sheeran said. “I said to Kurt, make sure that I’m not typecast at all. Write me as a complete dickhead in it. I feel like I need that.”
Sheeran says Sutter came through in a major way because his character is apparently nothing like the ginger with a grin that usually plasters any photos taken of him in public.
“My grandmother, the other day – she’s 91 and Irish and really sweet – was like, “Ah, I’d love to watch it.” And I said, “I don’t think you’re going to want to watch this, grams.” I do so much in my own lane. I feel like that satisfies my fan base,” Sheeran said.
“It’s nice to step out every now and then to challenge yourself. It doesn’t necessarily mean everyone who likes me for my music is going to like this. It means that I’m doing something different and interesting, rather than doing some rom-com, which is what I think people would expect me to do.”
There’s no word on when or where Sheeran will appear during the season, but he’s encouraging all of his fans to check out the show from beginning to end and then everybody will understand the character he’s playing on the show.
The Bastard Executioner two-hour season premiere will debut on Tuesday, September 15.
H/T: EW
