Bodyguard’s Richard Madden is worried his heartthrob status could ‘undermine’ his acting credibility: ‘I’m trying hard to be good at it’

Bodyguard’s Richard Madden says he’s delighted with the show’s success but sometimes worries his heartthrob status could “undermine” his credibility as an actor.

Speaking to the Standard at the GQ Man Of The Year Awards, the Scottish actor, 32, discussed the series, in which he plays bodyguard David Budd, who protects Julia Montague, Keeley Hawes’s Home Secretary.

Madden said: “Working for a show like this on the BBC is not like Hollywood — you are working long days and putting your heart and soul into it with a team of grafters. When you put that much effort into it, it’s just nice not to get two stars! The viewing figures have been incredible.”

In a separate interview, he told Mr Porter that while he doesn’t mind being objectified, he would rather be known for his acting ability than his sex appeal.

Madden said: “I worry about it affecting my job. If people go, ‘Oh, you know, he’s that hunky thing’, then it undermines that actually I’m an actor, and I’m trying hard to be good at it.”

Madden has played numerous heroic and romantic roles including Rob Stark in Game of Thrones, Prince Kit in Cinderella and even Romeo on stage, but still feels the pressure to look a certain way.

“I’ve done loads of jobs where I’ve been asked, or told, I need to lose weight – or I need to be in the gym every day. And that sucks, because it actually gets in the way of the job, a bit,” he said.

“And also because it’s just unrealistic. Not everyone walks around with six-packs – unless you’re on Love Island.”

After playing a series of good guys on stage and on screen, Madden is happy to play a more morally ambiguous character in Bodyguard.

“It’s such a grey zone,” he said. “I’ve played loads of princes and Romeos and kings, so it’s great to play something where it’s like: is he a good guy or a bad guy? Where does his heart lie?”

The BBC drama, penned by Line of Duty’s Jed Mercurio, is officially the biggest new drama on British TV in over a decade.

At least 10.4 million tuned into the launch episode in the first week it was broadcast, on live TV and on iPlayer. Last week’s episode trounced ITV’s lavish new period drama, Vanity Fair.

The ceremony saw Jeff Goldblum win the icon award. He told the crowd: “I had practised, idiotically, another half of a speech... I thought I was being given the fashion icon of the year award. The rest of my speech was about clothing!”

Other winners included designer Donatella Versace, international man of the year Chadwick Boseman, actor Daniel Kaluuya and breakthrough actor Tom Bateman. Johnny Marr took home the lifetime achievement award, while Elisabeth Moss won best TV actor.

The fashion icon gong went to Naomi Campbell, and Rose McGowan was named inspiration of the year.

Presenters included Chris Hemsworth, Zendaya, Rita Ora, Kate Beckinsale, Kylie Minogue, Tom Hiddleston and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.

Jacqui Smith — the UK’s first female Home Secretary from 2007-2009, under Labour — joked that Bodyguard’s Julia Montague should do “less shagging and more case work”, adding: “So far they haven’t trailed her through M&S’s underwear department”.

Read the rest of Madden’s interview at mrporter.com.