Aidan Turner has revealed that the moustache he grows for his role in the hit Disney+ series Rivals significantly changes his voice. The 42-year-old actor, best known for playing Ross Poldark, insists that using a fake moustache would not have the same effect, both physically and emotionally.
The Moustache's Impact on Performance
Turner portrays Declan O'Hara, a former journalist turned TV presenter, in the series set in 1986. He bases the character partly on his own father, who sported a similar moustache throughout the 1980s and 1990s. The actor explained that the facial hair makes him feel older and connects him to his father. 'I see my dad when I feel the touch on my face,' he said. 'It makes me sit different, walk different, and even changes the tone of my voice because I'm aware of how it looks.'
Turner dismissed the possibility of using a prosthetic moustache, calling them 'horrible' and noting that they restrict smiling. 'You can't smile with a fake one,' he added.
Behind the Scenes with Jilly Cooper
Speaking on The Rivals podcast, Turner shared a lighthearted anecdote about author Jilly Cooper, on whose novels the series is based. During a tour of the set, Cooper observed the trailers and asked, 'So who's bonking who?' Turner recalled, 'She couldn't work out how we weren't all having sex with each other, given the proximity of all these beds and sofas.' He described Cooper as 'brilliant, funny, irreverent, and just fun and filthy.'
Rivals Season 2 continues on Disney+ with new episodes every Friday.
