Sean Bean on being killed off, resurrecting Ned Stark in Game of Thrones and new BBC drama Broken

Sean Bean has died on screen an eye-watering 25 times. He has been flung from a satellite dish in Goldeneye, bombarded with arrows in The Lord of the Rings and beheaded in Game of Thrones.

He has perished so many times that his appearance in a drama is invariably a walking spoiler alert. His screen deaths have led to the creation of a website – dontkillseanbean.com – while a compilation of his most memorable demises has clocked up over two million viewers on YouTube.

So the actor says he was delighted to be offered his latest role as Father Michael Kerrigan, a compassionate priest who most definitely isn’t under threat of a cruel and unusual death. Rather, he cares for a fractured, impoverished community in Broken, BBC1’s potent new six-part drama.

open image in gallery

Chatting to The Independent in the Queen Vic meeting room at BBC New Broadcasting House – could the venue be any more W1A? – the 58-year-old actor is far gentler than the fierce warrior roles with which has been most strongly identified.

Sporting a patterned green scarf over a purple shirt, he is wearing his hair and stubble long. Sweet and softly spoken, Bean is very far from mean.‎

The actor, who apparently receives lots of fan mail intended for Rowan Atkinson’s creation, Mr Bean, begins by laughing about how Broken is a welcome change from his usual habit of coming to a sticky end on screen: “Father Michael is always dealing with someone else’s problems.

“In a lot of films, I’m always causing the problems and getting killed. This is the other way round. It’s not disappointing – it’s quite refreshing!”

In addition, Bean possesses a perhaps unexpected sense of lightness. For instance, ‎he says that he has won over the audience that he feared might be his harshest critics: the priesthood.

open image in gallery

He jokes: “The priests I have spoken to have been very keen on Broken. I was on the cover of a recent issue of Jesuits’ Week. So they must be quite pleased with what I’ve done!"”

They are not the only people who will be impressed by Bean’s performance. He is tremendously moving as Father Michael, a character still haunted by his deeply troubled past.

Previously so often used to portray war-weary fighters, Bean’s craggy features here are invested with a rare humanity and vulnerability. In an echo of what US President Bill Clinton used to say, the actor’s face seems to proclaim: “I can feel your pain.”

That is certainly one reason why McGovern was so eager to cast the actor as Father Michael. The writer previously worked with Bean on an acclaimed episode of Accused, for which the actor won an International Emmy Award for his performance as a cross-dressing teacher.

McGovern asserts that: “Sean Bean is a great actor. Who was the movie mogul who said the Grand Canyon was a crock of sh*t compared to Steve McQueen’s face? It’s the same with Sean Bean.”

open image in gallery

The writer proceeds to reveal that Bean was initially concerned that Father Michael might be seen as too inactive: “I went to see Sean in the process of getting him onboard. He was worried that the character was passive. I said it’s not passivity. To hear a confession is not passive – you take the concern of the penitent. They go out lighter; you go out heavier.”

The actor, who was also starred in Sharpe, Troy, Patriot Games and The Martian, was quickly convinced. He says he is delighted to be reunited with the highly-regarded writer of Cracker, Hillsborough and The Street: “Jimmy and I have a great history together. I’m going from playing a transvestite to a Catholic priest. I don’t quite know what that says.”

Bean thinks that this drama – and its title – will resonate:‎ “It’s about this priest trying to draw people in. It’s about a community that is broken.

"But it’s also about the state of the nation. This is what’s happening in cities across the country. So Broken is a fitting title for those communities – and also from my character.”

The actor passionately believes it is vital we tell the stories of those marginalised people who otherwise have no voice in society. “Broken is a bit more representative of our country than Downton Abbey. That’s a good show, but it only represents one part of society in the past. This deals with the vast majority of people today. It is very important to get that across. It’s brave of Jimmy to present that.

open image in gallery

“It is crucial to show that because it’s happening right now. In many communities, people can’t get jobs anymore. That started with the rise of cruelty in society and Mrs Thatcher destroying the mining, shipping and steel industries. Now that legacy is apparent in widespread unemployment and drug taking. There is no sense of community any longer. I think that’s what Broken deals with.”

The drama also emphasises the restrictions that Father Michael is operating under. “He feels very frustrated,” Bean confirms. “His hands are tied. His community is largely jobless and poverty stricken, but he can’t do very much about it. There is a frustration within him. He doubts what he’s doing at times and thinks, ‘Is this making any sense?’ He questions himself – which is a good thing.

“In Broken, Jimmy is saying, ‘If I were a priest, this is what I’d do.’ He’s very radical in what he suggests the Catholic Church might do to make it a much more approachable place for the community rather than something strict and inaccessible.”

Bean says he was helped a great deal every day on set by Father Dennis, a real life priest acting as an adviser: “I have found the people associated with the Church very helpful.

“They provide a real anchor for the community. Without trying to push things down people's throats, they're counsellors, an ear to listen to people's problems. More than anything else, they want to help.”

McGovern, 67, chimes in that it was his intention to bring centre-stage a section of society that is usually confined to the wings: “In England, there’s a code of conduct, and if you don’t understand it, you don’t fit in. There’s a big debate about accessibility and diversity, but people ignore the fact that working-class people, black or white, just do not fit in.”

The writer, who has always demonstrated great compassion in his work, continues that his scripts merely reflect his own background: “I came from a big working-class family. I was Catholic, the fifth of nine children.

“We were skint, broke. You need to be aware of the financial consequences of characters’ actions. We ignore this far too much. An example: How a woman, after a doomed relationship, throws her ring into a lake. Grow up. She would sell it. It’s ridiculous.”

McGovern goes on to lament the fact that the welfare state has been so eroded: “I can understand why and how it’s happened, because it’s been abused. But for people who really need it, it’s a shame that it’s gone in our country. It was always there when I was a young man with a young family who was skint. It kept me alive. I just don’t see why it’s not there now.”‎

Before we part, we return to the subject of Bean's screen deaths. Which of his many memorable characters would he like to see brought back from the dead?

He cracks a smile. “I’d like to see Ned Stark, the character I played in Game of Thrones, resurrected. They brought Jon Snow back, so couldn’t they bring Ned Stark back, too?

“You should tell the producers that!”

‘Broken’ begins at 9pm on BBC1 on Tuesday 23 May