Just came across this piece about Ioan's Warriors experience from http://www.omroep.nl/ikon/oorlog/gruffud.htm It's unclear what the original source of the interview is, but I would guess a TV magazine (maybe someone recognises it?). So I've posted in it's entirity... loan Gruffudd gets a bitter taste of real army life Warriors loan Gruffudd as Lt John Feeley Ioan Gruffudd plays Lt John Feeley, a natural leader, calm under pressure, a man seemingly without emotions. "Everyone looks up to him," says Gruffudd, "and he commands respect in a quiet, confident way. He's not one of the loud, brash types, like Loughrey (Damian Lewis). He locks away his feelings, which is probably an asset if you're in the army - but this proves to be his undoing at the end of the film." As soon as he read the script for Warriors, loan Gruffudd (Great Expectations, Hornblower, Love In The 21st Century) was determined to get a part in it. "I didn't think they'd cast me because basically I'm known for period drama; people don't associate me with hard-hitting, contemporary stuff. But I wanted to do this not just for professional reasons, to extend my CV, but also for personal reasons. "I felt very strongly that I was completely ignorant about what we were asking of our soldiers, and that it was important to get the message across in this way," he continues. "We take in so little from the news reports; drama seems a much more effective medium. It brought the horror of war home to me very starkly." "My generation in Britain has never experienced war at first hand, thank God, and it's easy to forget how lucky we are. We can only imagine what's going on. I can only act those scenes; please God I never experience them. But this certainly opened my eyes. It was more real than any job I've ever done. It always felt as if it was more than just a drama." Gruffudd's character, John Feeley, is a professional soldier, who "provides a shoulder for everyone else to cry on, but he never expresses his own emotions". During the course of the campaign, Feeley develops a warm friendship with Almira (Branka Katic) that is about to turn into something more committed when fate intervenes. He is left with a terrible legacy of guilt that almost destroys him. "When this tragedy overtakes him, he's got no way of dealing with it," explains Gruffudd. "He goes back to Northern Ireland and tries to get on with his career in the army but he's haunted by what happened to him, and by the memory of Almira. And eventually it becomes too much for him." Before filming began, Gruffudd spent a day with the rest of the cast at the Royal Green Jackets base in Warminster. "Tom Ward, Damian Lewis and I went to dinner in the officers' mess," he says. "It was hilarious. They had a wine tasting and a debate about whether or not to get Sky Sports in the mess room, then everyone ate dinner and proceeded to get drunk. I wasn't very well, so I went to bed at about 1.00am. Tom and Damian and the officers carried on." But when the production moved out to the Czech Republic, Gruffudd began to get a taste of real army life. "I was very nervous about working with real soldiers, but after a while we all got into their way of life. All the swearing and the ridiculous banter: it's a survival technique, I suppose. I found it incredibly wearing, but you can't just say 'Leave me alone'. You have to be part of it, it keeps you on your toes and at the end of the day, these are people who would kill and die for each other. "There's a lot about army life that appeals to me - the discipline, the physical exercise- but I know that I could never kill anyone. If you sign up for the army, you're signing up for that. I think that's one of the reasons it's so hard for guys who come out of the army - they're going back into a world with very different assumptions."

Thanks for posting that, Stevie. It's a great interview. I do seem to recall it or one similar - nice find about a tough role for Ioan in a great project.

Thanks for bringing this one to us,Stevie. I had not seen it before. Sounds as though some things kind of got through to him,doesn't it? Good for him!

I think I have the scanned version of this article but will have to check it again. I tried to find as much about Warriors on the net as I could and I think I have the article. Will upload it and post. If I find it that is :wink: Edited: I searched for the articles I have and have found the one in question but alas it is not scanned but is in notepad. But since I have some scanned I thought I post one for you. So here it is: http://i39.tinypic.com/28kq5hg.jpg

Thank you, Selma :hug It's no secret this is one of the General's favourite Ioan roles too. Feel free to create a new thread for more of your scans if you have the time :cool:

That's a nice one, Selma. Love the pictures that are included. It does seem that Ioan got a view of just how difficult things were in your country.

Thanks, Selma. Though the film is hard to watch, Lt. John Feeley is one of my favourite Ioan roles, too.

I have an affection for the film myself,Selma,and really appreciate your posting this article. The pictures with it were super too.

I've been watching small sections of this each evening over the last week, except one evening that I went off to the movies to see Public Enemies. Throughout the movie, I kept thinking the woman who played Anna Sage seemed very familiar. Then last night while watching Warriors/Peacekeepers, I realized it was Branka Katic, the woman who played Almira in Warriors. She was quite good and it was fun to spot her in the movie.

Thanks, GG! :hug I'm going to see Public Enemies tonight and will look out for her!

She did very well. I noticed on IMDB, it said she was on Big Love, but I haven't watched that show. Enjoy Depp and Bale. Not much of a role for Bale.

Totally enjoyed Public Enemies last night. I loved that slightly 'unreal' sense they conveyed with the lighting and motion, almost as if they were deliberately making it seem like a film set. Funny you should mention Warriors, because I felt Bale's role was played a little like Ioan's in Warriors (not the content, just the reserve) - such a world of thought in their eyes. Like to see more of Stephen Lang, playing GI Man Winstead - is white hair and blue eyes were striking! Johnny's performance was cleverly unstated too, I thought......

True about Bale's performance. And I can always watch Depp. I've followed his career since 21 Jump Street and knew he'd be big someday. I have good taste that way. :wink: