‘We are at war’: Actor Tom Hollander reveals he won’t open fan mail over fears he is Russian target as he takes to the stage in ‘anti-Putin’ play
Actor Tom Hollander has revealed he refuses to open fan mail as he fears he may be a target of Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
The White Lotus star, 55, made the revelation to BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg when discussing his West End play Patriots in which he stars as an enemy of the Russian president.
Tom said he fears his involvement in the ‘anti-Putin’ play may lead to him being targeted by Putin or his supporters, who have previously attacked critics of the Eastern European regime.
Tom said: ‘What has happened is now that we are at war, I am more cautious about opening any post that comes from Russia’.
‘We are quite visibly doing a play that is broadly speaking Anti-Putin’.
Concerned: Actor Tom Hollander, 55, has revealed he refuses to open fan mail as he fears he may be a target of Vladimir Putin’s Russia
Honest: The White Lotus star made the revelation when discussing his West End play Patriots in which he stars as an enemy of the Russian president (pictured)
Going on to say: ‘We are not doing a sweet Checkhov play. we are doing something about living figures who are in embattled with the West. So it’s just a reason for not opening everything that comes in the post’.
He went on describe the play, penned by The Crown’s Peter Morgan, as a ‘morality tale’.
Adding: ‘They were all patriots, Putin is sincere, he is a moralist.
‘Berezovsky in his own way is a moralist, so is (Alexander) Litvinenko. All these characters who we learn about, they’re all fighting over the soul of Russia and they all felt they were doing the right thing and therein lies the tragedy.’
In the production Tom plays oligarch Boris Berezovsky who famously fell out with president Putin before dying under mysterious circumstances in London in 2013.
The play’s offical synopsis reads: ‘With the dawning of a new Russia, there are winners and losers, and today’s patriot can fast become tomorrow’s traitor’.
‘As a new generation of oligarchs fights to seize control, Patriots follows billionaire businessman Boris Berezovsky from the president’s inner circle to public enemy number one’.
Showtime: Tom (centre) spoke with BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg (left) alongside co-star Will Keen (right)
Actor: In the production Tom plays oligarch Boris Berezovsky who famously fell out with president Putin before dying under mysterious circumstances in London in 2013 (Tom pictured in character)
Danger: Former spy Alexander Litvinenko was killed by radioactive polonium in November 2006, reportledy at the behest of Russian authorities – with his story also made into a TV drama (David Tennant pictured in the role)
It comes after Tom’s latest ITV drama was axed after just one season it’s been revealed.
The Ipcress File, based on the famous 1962 Len Deighton novel, also starred Peaky Blinders’ Joe Cole and Lucy Boynton, aired late last year.
And according to TVZone, despite the channel wanted to commission a second series, the cast’s busy schedules has forced producers to pull the plug.
The Cold War spy thriller followed Harry Palmer (played by Cole), a working-class British sergeant, who becomes a spy to avoid military jail after a series of dodgy dealings.
A spokesperson for the broadcaster said: ‘Sadly, we haven’t been able to progress a second series of The Ipcress File.’
The original 1965 film saw Palmer played by Sir Michael Caine, which catapulted his career to new heights.
No more:It comes after Tom’s latest ITV drama was axed after just one season it’s been revealed (L-R) Lucy Boynton, Joe Cole, Tom Hollander
Gutted: And according to TVZone , despite the channel wanted to commission a second series, the cast’s busy schedules has forced producers to pull the plug
The espionage film and its following sequels were a deliberately downbeat alternative to the hugely successful James Bond films of the period.
Palmer is a contrast to Bond’s privileged private school upbringing and lives and works in a ‘gloomy’ London, where he resides in a Notting Hill bedsit.
Deighton went on to write several Harry Palmer thrillers – although the spy was never named in the books – giving producers scope for further series.
It comes amid reports that fellow ITV show This Morning could face the axe if it emerges that show bosses ‘covered up’ Phillip Schofield’s affair with a younger, male colleague.
The presenter, 61, quit ITV with immediate effect after admitted to cheating on wife Stephanie with the man, while he admitted deceiving his ITV employees and colleagues about his affair.
Phillip has now resigned from ITV and will not host what was his last remaining TV appointment, the British Soap Awards, and has been dropped by his agents at YMU.
And while Phillip’s 40-year career lays in tatters, it is now said that This Morning also faces the chop as senior bosses at the programme come under pressure to reveal what they knew about Phil’s affair with the young runner.
Patriots is at The Noel Coward Theatre in London until August 19
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