A new interview / report from last weekend's Comic Con Portugal round tables and press conference, kindly translated by Andre, reveals that Da Vinci's Demons season 3 is due to finish filming this coming Friday, 19th December. It's the final week of filming! FOX Greece shared a video of Tom, Blake and Elliot making an entrance at the Comic Con Panel, which was never included in the live stream - scroll down the page to see it.
Last Sunday December 7th was the last day of the first Comic Con Portugal and three actors from the show Da Vinci’s Demons made an appearance. Tom Riley, Blake Ritson and Elliot Cowan were present at a round table during the morning and at 12 o’clock started the panel dedicated to the show broadcasted in Portugal by FOX HD. During the last day of Comic Con Portugal there was time for the actors from Da Vinci’s Demons to give out autographs, hug fans and take some pictures, and the actors still attended a press conference by 2 PM, where Magazine.HD was present.
Elliot Cowan was the first actor at the round table where Magazine.HD was able to talk to, essentially about the character he plays in Da Vinci’s Demons, Lorenzo de Médici. Elliot told us that he read some biographies about the real Lorenzo de Médici, travelled to Florence a few times and that he played Leonardo Da Vinci in a small movie. The actor revealed that when he auditioned for the show he was doing “Sinbad”. “The new direction of the show is more real. Lorenzo will disappear in battle”, revealed he actor at his round table. “If Lorenzo were alive he’d be intimidated, but he’d be nice company nonetheless”, said referring to Comic Con Portugal. The actor mentioned the similarities between his character and and the one from the movie “Alexander the Great” also revealed that he started his career at age ten.
The second actor at the round table was Tom Riley, the show’s Leonardo Da Vinci. Tom starts by saying that “the third season will be darker, sadder and more dramatic”. However, in his own words, it will be the “best season”. To Tom, the real Leonardo was a sage and it’s in this fact that he seeks inspiration to play his character. Feeling relaxed and savouring a tangerine, the actor said “I really wouldn’t know what to say to Leonardo Da Vinci if he were alive” nor how to communicate since he doesn’t know Italian.
To Tom, Ray Fearon’s character, Carlo de Médici “is a dangerous man”.
The actor reminds that the show was renewed for a third season with a new showrunner, who replaced David S. Goyer. In his opinion, the new showrunner (John Shiban) “is fantastic” and David Goyer still serves as the show’s executive producer.
The actor confessed that the glider is his favourite invention by Leonardo Da Vinci. We also found out there’s a bromance between Tom Riley and Blake Ritson in real life, recording days are long and the third season will be more chronologically ordered. Lastly, Tom revealed that he reads some reviews about the show.
The last Da Vinci’s Demons round table at Comic Con Portugal was with Blake Rtison, that started by saying that the first shootings for season three of Da Vinci’s Demons end on the 19th of December. Blake revealed that “Riario is darker” and that “he’s a bit of a psycho”. To Blake, “Riario isn’t a villain, he’s just misunderstood”. “The success of the show is due to its audience and story”, said Blake Ritson. The actor revealed if he were to portray another character based on a real person it would be Dante. Blake affirmed that “there are great actors in the UK” also shared that he knows Florence because he “used to go on holidays to Italy when I was a child”.
Blake Rtison affirmed that “Riario is surrounded by bad influences”. The actor loves to play Riario, letting be known that “I didn’t audition for any other roles, besides Riario”. Blake wasn’t interested in playing Leonardo Da Vinci and took the opportunity to praise his fellow actor Tom Riley, by saying that he’s perfect for the role.
During the panel of Da Vinci’s Demons, Tom said that he’d “like to play Riario for a while.” Tom Riley affirmed, on the last day of Comic Con Portugal, what no one’s safe in season three. The actors mimicked some character voices, affirming that they don’t know if Caterina Sforza will appear on the show and Tom also revealed that, at the end of the shoots, he likes to “take a bath to relax”.
The trailer of the next season was also shown, which will premiere in 2015 on FOX HD. At the press conference, Elliot Cowan shared that he’s directing a short and hopes that the show won’t be cancelled. The actors affirmed again that “no one’s safe in this season”, which makes us excited for season three of this great show. Da Vinci was never an enemy for Elliot’s character, since the actor thinks that “Da Vinci and Lorenzo have a codependent relationship.”
The actors reinforce that “Da Vinci doesn’t have control over his actions at the end of the second season”. In season three there will be complications for Riario, Blake Ritson affirms that “he’s not looking for love in this season.” The costume design evolved during the course of the show and to Blake Rtison, “the wardrobe of the show is magnificent.”
Tom Riley feels lucky with such a cast. The actor knows it’s a cliché but reassures that he speaks truthfully. Tom researched about Da Vinci and “wanted to change the idea people had of the artist (a sixty year old man with a long bear and very wise looking)”. And found that he, Leonardo Da Vinci, “when younger he was a troublemaker”.
Apart from Da Vinci’s Demons, Elliot Cowan told us about “Marchlands” and declared that he loved participating in the show. Elliot also loved his character, Mark Ashburn.
The actors revealed that they “would love to work in Portugal” and Tom said if he were to work in our country, he’d have to do it without drinking Port wine like he did in the last twenty four hours. The actors reveled their surprised to see so many people at Comic Con Portugal, moreso Elliot didn’t have any expectations for it, but he loved and was pleasantly surprised with the outcome.
About the relationship between Da Vinci and his mother, Tom Riley said that “it will be a very complicated reunion between him and his mother” and that “the relationship between the two is going to be somewhat complicated”. The relationship between Leonardo Da Vinci and his father will change in the third season. New inventions by Da Vinci will make an appearance as well as other characters.
Blake Ritson states again at the Comic Con Portugal’s press conference we attended that Riario’s “a loveable person with a heart of gold” and that “he’s just misunderstood.” “Are you a time traveler?” asked Tom Riley to Blake Ritson, because he always plays historic roles. Blake replied that he likes “to play different characters.”
We have to wait for the third season to know who or what the Book of Leaves is. “The Book of Leaves can be anything at this point”, stated Tom Riley. Many think it is Leonardo’s mother, others think it’s the Holy Bible and many fans think it’s the artist himself. Truth is, there are many theories about it but we’ll only know when season three is out.
The actors talked about the female cast of the show, revealing that “Lara Pulver is a fun and optimistic person”. Tom Riley talked about Lucrezia, played by Laura Haddock, saying that “she’s been her father’s puppet and starts to realise that what she did was wrong and begins a new journey on her pathway to redemption”. Lastly, Elliot Cowan declared that “Lorenzo won’t cope well with Clarice’s betrayal with Carlo”.
