"This is not a catastrophe story," says David Calder, who plays Titanic's famous bearded captain Edward Smith in Julian Fellowes' four-part drama (starting this Sunday on ITV).
Many have seen Smith portrayed before, in James Cameron's 1997 epic film Titanic as an indecisive leader who took too long to make vital decisions during the sinking of the ship in 1912.
However, explaining why he felt able to play the historical figure, Calder says: "Some films are like disaster porn. This is not about the spectacular death of 1500 people, it's about the lives of people in an event that could been avoided."
At the launch of Fellowes' adaptation of the Titanic story to mark the hundredth anniversary of the disaster, some of the 86-strong cast tell The Huffington Post UK why they got involved with the project and what Titanic means to them…
Steve Waddington, who plays Second Officer Lightoller - the man who forces the Captain to get the life boats away once he realises the ship is sinking - says: "I just think it's fantastic, it means something to everyone.
"There's something about it that just captures people's imaginations because I think we all at some point thought to ourselves 'what on earth would I do in that situation?' It's struck a chord and resonated throughout the centuries."
Antonio Magro, who plays engine-room stocker Italian Mario Sandrini, explains: "I grew up watching the film and had an older sister so we watched it a few times and Titanic is such a huge British production I thought it was something to get hold of."
For Lyndsay Marshall, who plays ladies' maid Lady Watson, it was the enduring connection people have to the ill-fated ship that interested her...
"After all this time people have connections to it or have lost family members. My best friend's great-uncle survived the Titanic by climbing up a chimney post - but he would never ever talk about it."
Geraldine Somerville, who plays first class passenger Lady Manton, travelling to America with her husband (Linus Roache) and rebellious daughter (Peredita Weeks), states: "I've always been fascinated by the story of Titanic."
She adds: "It is a great leveller that says to everybody there are things so much greater and bigger than we are that we cannot control and money can not buy."
Below in steerage class, Ruth Bradley plays Mary Maloney, who is on board the ship with her children and husband. She explains: "My mum always told us about Titanic when we were kids and then I was a big fan of the film.
"I suppose I didn't know many actual details I just knew it was a huge tragedy and a huge moment in history, but I suppose doing this with the research, I've seen the people were just like we are… for my character with small children to be stuck there there was just a maternal instinct to survive."
Finally, Maria Doyle Kennedy, who starred in Fellowes' hit period-drama Downton Abbey as John Bates' destructive wife, plays Muriel Batley in Titanic - a second class passenger "perfectly poised" in the middle of the English class system.
She admits: "I really just knew the bare bones of the story. I couldn't believe how many people came forward and said to me 'do you know this, do you know this?' and how much knowledge people had.
"It's mythical isn't it? But it happened and it's a real event and also the catalogue of things that led to the disaster, that led to it being the huge catastrophe that it was, is extraordinary and almost beyond belief."
SLIDESHOW: Titanic's cast in action...
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"This is not a catastrophe story," says David Calder, who plays Titanic's famous bearded captain Edward Smith in Julian Fellowes' four-part drama (starting this Sunday on ITV).
Many have seen Smith...
"This is not a catastrophe story," says David Calder, who plays Titanic's famous bearded captain Edward Smith in Julian Fellowes' four-part drama (starting this Sunday on ITV).
Many have seen Smith...
NEW YORK -- Eleven-year-old John Payne has been a student of the Titanic since kindergarten. He has scrupulously researched the ship, built a model out...
"Doctor Who" has a new companion in Jenna Louise-Coleman. BBC announced the 25-year-old actress will replace Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill on the series and...
"They tell why they got involved" eh? Hmm...actually, they were auditioned, called back, and cast, and did it cos it paid quite a bit and offered lots of publicity (just like this article). Tomorrow they will forget all about how attached they are to it.....thats acting.
Oncewas12: "They tell why they got involved" eh? Hmm...actually, they were
The thing about watching shows or movies like this is that you get attached to a character then they die. but i'll most likely watch it since I loved Downton Abbey.
sillydolphin150: The thing about watching shows or movies like this is
disaster porn is such an overused term. People will always be interested in the Titanic, and let's fa ce it the film was a bit blah, so why not do a tv series.
coracleman: disaster porn is such an overused term. People will always
Another shallow beautifully dressed and shot production. The actors and the production values are what make the work, the script will be the same old class guff the yanks love. Downton Abbey hits an Iceberg is another Julian Fellowes story of upstairs downstairs folk. Titanic sells, we all know the story so it's just amounts to who drowns and who lives and most importantly if we give a damn in the end. After reading a recent poll which 'Titanic' was the best Oscar winning movie of all time, I'm sure this will be a success.... Titanic.... best Oscar Winning film of ever... FFS
garethl: Another shallow beautifully dressed and shot production. The actors and
The news media is the biggest perpetrator of 'disaster porn'.... You only have to look to AOL to see why: "watch footage of this helicopter crashing", "see baby fall onto train tracks" or "Gawp as aeroplane hits tree".
redsquad: The news media is the biggest perpetrator of 'disaster porn'....
WTF is this drivel supposed to be....News ? An Open Question? or just a series of inane quotes from some unknown actors....???? Answers in a news story please..This Is Question Porn
geedoch: WTF is this drivel supposed to be....News ? An Open
You could use that for any drama on the TV. Eastenders - Lets pretend we're from the Eastend. Coronation Street - Lets pretend we're from Manchester. It's all just entertainment, that's all. You should really be taken aback by the Government in this country who are currently dressing up and getting a huge wage bill for playing "Lets Pretend we run this country"
Vila_Restal: You could use that for any drama on the TV.
i agree with you its a shame that after all these years film studios still want to make money from the disaster why do they not let the folks who lost there lives rest in peace.It is a shame filmgoers made the right descion and boycotted the movie hit them were it hurts in there pockets make them think twice and let the bodies rip
They just keep churning out those titanic doco, mini movies, minisodes and countless of pointless analysis .Even if you don't watch them ( which I did only once in 14 years ) , it stares at you.
Lechiffre: They just keep churning out those titanic doco, mini movies,
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Posted: 23/03/2012 10:27 Updated: 23/03/2012 13:10