26 LEICESTER MERCURY w w w.thisisleicestershire.co.uk WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2013 LDM-E01-S2 LM03 BIG SCREEN: FILM AND TV STAR HAS SPOKEN OF INTEREST IN TELLING RICHARD’S TALE Fans in clamour for actor to become king

Leicestershire actor Richard by GEMMA PEPLOW to his ideas and show larger audiences that his fans and Armitage has spoken several During the interview, he said: others supported them. times about his interest in “I managed to get home and see “We came up with a petition my parents in Huncote when idea. We want to give him some King Richard III and ideas to we finished filming The Hobbit backing to show to investors, to tell his story on the big in New Zealand. demonstrate people around the “It was just as they were find- world are interested in a film screen or on the stage. ing the Richard III bones in project about King Richard III. that car park. I’m excited to “The interest already is And his own army of fans hear about the findings of wo rl dw i d e. ” from all corners of the world this DNA, I’ve watched with Roswitha said she had been are right behind him. i n t e re s t . INTEREST: King Richard III following the search for the Roswitha Gerhart, who lives “Richard III, now that’s a play. bones of Richard III. in Munich, Germany, has co- I was named after him. My “For some time, fans had been “Richard III strongly arouses launched an online “suppor t f ather’s a historical fanatic discussing Mr Armitage’s in- my sense of fairness and n e t wo rk ”for a film or theatre about his character and I’ve in- terest in King Richard III on j u s t i c e, ”she said. production, and more than herited that enthusiasm, but I blogs and forums, but without “In my view, film is the only 1,100 fans have signed up. know by the time I get the much or any support or in- way to truly show the scale of Richard Armitage, who most chance I’ll be too old and too terest from the industry,”she the subject –the significance of recently played dwarf Thorin tall to play the role. told the Mercury. Richard III’s grand ambitions Oakenshield in The Hobbit, “I’d somehow like to realise “Another blogger and I got to- and the disastrous defeats. was named after the last Plant- that part of history.” gether and we were brain- “I know how hard it is to find agenet king, and has spoken Roswitha, who has been a fan storming about how to do backing for ambitious projects about his story in many public- of the actor since seeing him in something to support the idea –especially when they concern ations –including the Leicester BBC drama Spooks, said she and Mr Armitage’s interest in h i s t o r y. ” M e rc u r y ’s More magazine last and other fans wanted to do King Richard III. http://kingrichardarmitage. month. something to show support. “We wanted to call attention rgcwp.com STARRING ROLE: Richard Armitage is interested in the story Had your photograph Travel ALL INCLUSIVE MAJORCA taken rerecently?cently? Selected departures May to October flying from Eastdlands Midlands 8daysfrom £299 per person

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