EXCLUSIVE | 'Young Wallander' actor Alan Emrys says Netflix series is nothing like 'your parents' Wallander'
When MEA WorldWide (MEAWW) sat down for a candid chat with actor Alan Emrys, we were brimming with questions about the first season of Netflix's new detective series 'Young Wallander'. Emrys plays the role of Gustav Munck, a handsome billionaire philanthropist. The first thing he tells us about this new rendition is "This is not your parents' Wallander."
Kurt Wallander is an iconic detective. It is perhaps one of the rare adaptations from books that readers and viewers don't endlessly complain about. Netflix's 'Young Wallander' is yet another addition to the long list of already existing television shows and movies based on the troubled Swedish detective. Created by the late Swedish crime writer Henning Mankell, he's the protagonist of many a popular mystery crime novels set in and around the town of Ystad, which is south-east of the city of Malmö, in the southern province of Scania.
Previously the character had been incorporated in both British and Swedish television, played by actors Rolf Lassgård, Krister Henriksson and Sir Kenneth Branagh. And as popular as each of these portrayals are, Netflix's 'Young Wallander' brings something new to the table — it shows us the young Wallander, played by Adam Pålsson, a rookie 20-something beat cop who, following a violent attack, is suddenly confronted with the brute reality of the real world.
Emrys calls it "the perfect modern world rendition of Kurt Wallander".
Our Wallander is a young and edgy adaptation of Henning Mankell’s iconic detective. "Kurt investigates his gripping first case. It focuses on the formative experiences — professional and personal — faced by Kurt as a recently graduated police officer in his early twenties," he teases about the upcoming first season.
Emrys compares the Scandinavian detective to a pop culture icon. "The popularity of Wallander could arguably be compared to the popularity of Bond in some circles. Albeit Bond has a bit more theatrics — both titles — Kurt Wallander and James Bond carry with them a level of danger and excitement."
Created by Ben Harris, written by Anoo Bhagavan, Jessica Ruston and Ben Schiffer, 'Young Wallander' is refreshing to see with a younger version of the popular detective. "Pålsson has stepped into some monumentally large shoes and done so beautifully."
When Emrys first read the script, he says he couldn't have been more grateful. His first thoughts were quite literally "thank you!". "It was a dream to read. So rich with subtext and nuance. It almost felt gifted to us as actors by our brilliant screenwriter Ben Harris. I felt safe with the words on the page, I had been given a clear image of the character, while at the same time given the freedom to craft Gustav as I saw fit. Actors dream of good scripts, so I had to pinch myself once or twice to make sure it was real," he tells us.
At first glance, Gustav looks like a vicious man hiding behind a strong wall of money and power. There are layers to him that Emrys put a lot of thought into. He breaks down the character for us: "One of the first 'hard rules' of acting I learnt was never to judge your character. So I wouldn't describe Gustav that way. Gustav is balancing a vast amount of vulnerability with an insurmountable amount of responsibility and hereditary expectance. He is trying to marry tradition and the future in a way that will transform the world we live in. He is aware of the wolves nipping at his feet and he knows he has more enemies than friends in the world."
Gustav and our protagonist aren't exactly on the same page — hardly a surprise. Regardless of that, however, he points out that the two share traits. "This [all the balls that Gustav is juggling] combined with the consistent nuisance intrusion of Kurt, a man who in another world Gustav may have grown to admire, has made Gustav raise his defenses further. Gustav, much like Kurt, is on the precipice of discovering the man he is to become."
As Kurt is sprung into the brutalities of the real world, he must race against time and hope to find justice. "Just as in Henning Mankell's Wallander novels, 'Young Wallander' provides a social commentary on the current political discourse in Swedish society. It is about activism, fighting for equality and diversity in a world that deals with homophobia, racism and sexism."
As an actor, 'Young Wallander' is Emrys' first big gig — calling himself the "new kid on the block". "I'd say it's less of a pipeline for me and more treading water in the ocean looking for the next wave to catch to the next destination," he says. But hopes and plans are aplenty.
"To throw a dream out into the universe, I'd love to work with Jon Favreau. Geeking out and creating a phenomenal film is a nerd dream of mine. Who knows, maybe he’ll read this and think, 'This kid... I like him, bring him in' haha," he chuckles. We hope they do, for Emrys has a strong screen presence.
All six episodes of 'Young Wallander' are currently streaming on Netflix.