8 Questions With … Jonas Armstrong

1. What has been your strangest fan encounter?

Jonas Armstrong: I got a portrait sent to me which somebody had done in charcoal, and they must have put some time and effort into that. And that was before I’d done Robin Hood. My mom saved it. I think it’s a bit odd, but if it makes them happy, it makes them happy.

2. You’re at a magazine rack and can pick three magazines. What are they?

Probably NME. GQ I’ve bought in the past, and a little bit of Playboy as well.

3. What’s your favorite sports team?

Manchester United. It was the first game of football that I was taken to as a boy. I was around 7. My uncle from Ireland took me to watch Manchester United. So that is where my loyalty began. I also hate Chelsea.

4. When was the last time you were starstruck?

Probably getting on the plane yesterday, seeing Jennifer Saunders. She’s the comedy queen back [in England]. When I was at school, Absolutely Fabulous was very big. So I got on the plane and introduced myself to Jennifer and went, “Hi … uh … how you doing?” I always know if I’m starstruck because I just can’t say anything.

5. If your TV only carried three shows, which three would you want?

The Sopranos, Nip/Tuck and The Simpsons.

6. When is the last time you felt like crying?

I remember the last time I did almost cry, which was out [filming Robin Hood] in Hungary. Because we knew we were there for quite a while. You would have moments when you did get a bit lonely. You did think about family and everything.

7. What’s your favorite condiment?

HP Sauce. Houses of Parliament Sauce. A brown sauce. You put it on chips, you put it on bacon and eggs, sausages, anything you want. You know the fancy old tomato ketchup bottles — I’m salivating now, thinking about it — but there’s a picture of the Houses of Parliament and it’s with a blue backdrop and it says HP Sauce. And I never knew it was called Houses of Parliament because I couldn’t add two and two together. “What does HP stand for?” And got hit right on the back of my head by one of my mates. “Houses of Parliament, you dick! It’s on the bottle!”

8. Your favorite beer is Guinness, so do you know the year in which Arthur Guinness established his brewery? (Hint: It’s on every can!)

I’m going to go with 1885.

[Sorry, Jonas. It’s 1759. Brilliant!]

Armstrong stars as the title character in BBC America’s Robin Hood, premiering March 3.

About Ryan Berenz 2166 Articles
Member of the Television Critics Association. Charter member of the Ancient and Mystic Society of No Homers. Squire of the Ancient & Benevolent Order of the Lynx, Lodge 49, Long Beach, Calif. Costco Wholesale Gold Star Member since 2011.