Paul Bettany in Creation

For Paul Bettany, playing the part of Charles Darwin as he set about “killing God” was both exhilarating and terrifying. “To make matters worse, I had the missus along too”

As many an actor working in the higher echelons of Hollywood will tell you, taking on the role of a much-loved figure – whether it be historical, hysterical or comic book – is something of a poisoned chalice.

Sure, there’s a readymade audience, ready to love, cherish and adore you for bringing their hero to the big screen, but they’re probably even more ready to berate, batter and bruise you should you get it wrong. In any way, shape or form.

For Paul Bettany, taking on the role of Charles Darwin as, 150 years ago, he unleashed On The Origin Of Species upon the world, the pressure of getting it right had an extra-added layer of stress. Known as creationists. Darwin was throwing a grenade in amongst the pigeons. And there are still those who can’t cope with the big gaping hole he created.

“There was always a sense, going in, that you had very little chance of winning over the Darwin non-believers,” smiles the 38-year old actor. “The best we could do was make people realise that Darwin was a human being who struggled with his findings. He knew the devastation, the pain, that he was going to cause for some people. Not least, his wife…”

Who, in the cheekily-titled Creation, just happens to be played by Bettany’s real-life wife, Jennifer Connelly, the two having met whilst shooting A Beautiful Mind (2001). Connelly plays Emma Darwin, a devout Christian, both parents struggling with the death of their eldest child, Annie, and neither none too keen to bang heads over the issue of God’s existence.

PAUL BYRNE: So, you know you’re going to hell for this film, right?

PAUL BETTANY: Absolutely. It was all part of my contract. Hell was on the list of promotional hotspots that I had to visit. Straight after Belgium.

It seems pretty incredible that, 150 years after On The Origin Of Species was finally published, Darwin’s theory of evolution is still controversial…

I think Darwin himself would be a little surprised by that, yeah, but the world doesn’t always change quickly. Or people’s thinking doesn’t always change quickly, I should say. I don’t think we set out to upset anyone here, or to cause controversy. This is really about showing just how much of a dilemma Darwin faced as a young man, realising that his findings were basically going to kill God. Not the sort of thing anyone is going to take lightly, especially when your wife is a regular church-goer…

What we’ve got here, essentially, is a bible basher and a bible kicker trying to find a way to live together, given not only the loss of their beloved Annie, but also their complete clash of beliefs…

There is that wonderful contrast of a man dealing with something incredible personal whilst also trying to come to terms with the fact that his years and years of research are going to change the world. And he did. The human aspect of that is what I find fascinating here. Of course, Darwin’s work is incredible, but people seem to forget that there’s a human being involved in these big moments in history.

Darwin knew, of course, that life wasn’t all science – how else could you explain the broken heart he had over the death of his eldest child?

Absolutely. It’s that acknowledgement of human emotion that will hopefully help some people understand the man that little bit more, and realise that he indeed did have a heart. Holding on to those incredible findings for so many years, largely because he didn’t want to upset his wife, that says a lot about the man too.

I’m a firm believer in the idea of natural selection too, but then, I see you marrying Jennifer Connelly. Even though you’ve got hair that verges dangerously close to ginger…

I don’t think everything can be explained by science, as we prove in the movie. There are some strange twists that just can’t be explained. Except by hypnosis. Never, ever click your fingers when you’re around my wife.

Based on the book Annie’s Box: Darwin, His Daughter, And Human Evolution, by Darwin’s great-great-grandson, Randal Keynes, it was screenwriter John Collee who suggested you for the lead role. He had, of course, adapted Master & Commander before that, in which you played the Darwin-like Dr. Stephen Maturin – any reluctance on your part?

Not at all. I liked the fact that the thread would continue here, as Maturin was plainly supposed to be Darwin. He’s one of those characters that you feel a deep obligation to get right, to do justice to, and, having already tackled him in Master & Commander, I felt I was ready to go a little deeper with him.

With Jennifer playing Emma, was there any fear of the Couple Curse that seems to derail so many films? Affleck and Lopez in Gigli; Beatty and Bening in Town & Country; Cruise and Kidman in Far & Away, and Eyes Wide Shut?

I didn’t feel at all nervous about such a curse, partly because we’d met on a movie set, and that didn’t cause any kind of box-office disaster. Jennifer’s incredible, and to have her around, playing my on-screen wife, meant we could cut to the chase very quickly. We know each other so well, we’re able to use a lot of shorthand when it comes to getting a scene right.

Finally, are you expecting any trouble – any dirty looks – from your local parish priest, once Creation is out there?

I’m ready for him. I’ve got my well-worn copy of On The Origin Of Species with me 24-hours-a-day, ready to whip it out and do battle with his bible at a second’s notice. The cool thing is, I’ve got a hardback, so, I think I might just have the upper hand. The bible’s gone all soft, right?

(by movies.ie)