Mark Rylance names his favourite film and Shakespeare role he found ‘most challenging’

Mark Rylance has named his favourite film as well as the Shakespeare character he “doesn’t feel ready to play”.

The actor participated in an interview, published on Sunday (18 June), where he was asked questions by his fans as well as famous figures.

The actor is currently rehearsing for West End play Dr Semmelweis, which tells the story of Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweis, who saved thousands of lives by reducing postpartum infection in maternity wards in 19th-century Vienna.

He co-created the production alongside Tom Morris (War Horse), and it had a successful run at Bristol Old Vic in 2022.

In a new interview with The Guardian, Rylance was asked questions about his personal preferences relating to stage and screen.

Film critic Mark Kermode asked the Don’t Look Up actor to name his favourite film, and he opted for Akira Kuroswa’s Dersu Uzala.

“I want to say Terence Malick’s A Hidden Life, because it was such a wonderful film, but the one that keeps coming into my mind is Dersu Uzala, the Kurosawa film,” he said, adding: “I love all his films but Dersu Uzala has really stayed with me.”

Released in 1975, the film charts the growth of respect and deep friendship between two men of profoundly different backgrounds over the course of several years.

Speaking of Malick, with whom Rylance collaborated on forthcoming film The Way of the Wind, he called the experience “inspiring” and “a real gamechanger”.

“He’s constantly trying to let accidents happen, just belly-flopping into the mystery of things,” Rylance said.

The actor was asked by arts student Harry Egerton if there was any role he has “deliberately refrained” from playing, and the actor said he”still doesn’t feel ready” to play Shakespeare’s King Lear.

“I don’t know if I ever will,” the actor said, revealing he’d prefer to play the Earl of Gloucester.

“I kind of love Gloucester, to be honest. If you told me I could do anyone in that play, I’d want to play Gloucester.”

As for “the most challenging part” he’s ever played, Rylance said that was the Shakespeare character Romeo from Romeo and Juliet.

“Romeo is a very challenging part to play, He’s so impetuous. Maybe it was partly because I was playing Hamlet at the same time and Hamlet would have little time for Romeo.

Rylance said he has “great respect for people who play Romeo”.