Aidan Turner has revealed that the moustache he grows for his role in the Disney+ series Rivals alters his voice. The actor, best known for playing Ross Poldark in Poldark, portrays Declan O'Hara, a former journalist and TV presenter, in the show set in 1986.
Turner, 42, explained that his character is loosely based on his own father, who also sported a similar moustache during the 1980s and 1990s. He said the facial hair makes him feel older and influences his performance. 'It just does something different, kind of makes my mouth move differently, makes the tone of my voice change,' he said.
The actor ruled out using a fake moustache, describing them as 'horrible' and restrictive. He noted that real facial hair affects his posture and movement, helping him embody the character more authentically.
Speaking on The Rivals podcast, Turner also shared a story about author Jilly Cooper, on whose novels the series is based. During a set visit, Cooper reportedly asked, 'So who's bonking who?' seemingly surprised that the cast weren't all romantically involved given the proximity of their trailers.
Rivals Season 2 continues on Disney+ with new episodes every Friday.
