James Cosmo

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James Cosmo is HOSTAGE on Netflix! Thriller Star Reckons Actors Should Run the Country

Scottish acting icon James Cosmo, known for classics like Braveheart and Game of Thrones, is back and starring in the gripping new Netflix political thriller, Hostage – and he thinks actors might be better suited for politics than actual politicians.

The 77-year-old legend is one of the top names in the drama, playing Max Dalton, the seriously ill father of the British Prime Minister, Abigail (played by the superb Suranne Jones).

A Real-Life Political Nightmare

Hostage plunges into a sinister plot where PM Abigail’s husband is kidnapped, and the visiting French President, Vivienne Toussaint (Julie Delpy), is blackmailed. Dalton cuts a forlorn figure as he battles cancer while his daughter faces an impossible dilemma: resign immediately or risk her husband’s life.

Cosmo, who played Campbell in the Mel Gibson epic Braveheart, joked that his on-screen daughter, Suranne Jones, would give real-life politicians a run for their money.

“I think that it would be a good lesson for politicians to be more of themselves and not so much a politician,” he stated.

He believes the modern political landscape rewards communicators and people with presence—skills actors possess—over “philosophers and thinkers.”

“That Could Really Happen”

While the plot is fictional, James is convinced the high-pressure twists in Hostage could easily play out in the modern world.

“It’s a real high-pressure political thriller. I think with new access to the internet, politics is becoming outrageous,” he said. “You can look at a TV show or movie and think, ‘that could really happen’. I wouldn’t be all that surprised if this situation came up.”

The series forces the British PM and the French President to set aside their differences and work together, with the world watching, as they decide whether to meet the terrorist demands or stand strong and risk lives.

Lying Down on the Job (Literally!)

Cosmo’s character, Max Dalton, spends much of his time in a hospital bed as he battles cancer—a welcome change for the action veteran.

“It’s terrific. The older I get, I have riders in my contracts now that say I’ve either got to be sitting or lying down,” he quipped.

The actor admits the drama made him glad his own sons steered clear of politics, a world he’s happy to observe from a distance. “I don’t think as an actor I should have influence. I’ve got one vote and everybody else has got one vote and I don’t wish to influence people because they know my face from the telly.”

Supporting the Arts in the Age of AI

Having featured in several big Netflix productions, James praised the streaming giant for providing a platform for “new directors, new actors and new writers.”

However, he voiced concern over the rise of AI and the challenge it poses for young performers.

“I don’t know where AI is going to take us but I don’t think it’s going to get any easier for actors,” he admitted, stressing the need for continued support for the arts. “It’s vital that we do as I believe AI can only go so far. We need content that challenges people to think.“

Don’t miss Scottish legend James Cosmo and Suranne Jones in the heart-pounding political thriller, Hostage, streaming now only on Netflix.

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James Cosmo To Voice Character In Netflix’s ‘Scrooge: A Christmas Carol’ Cast

James will be joining the voice cast including Olivia Colman, Luke Evans and Jessie Buckley for Netflix’s animated adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol from Stephen Donnelly (Lost in Oz).

Evans will play Scrooge in Scrooge: A Christmas Carol while Colman and Buckley are the Ghost of Christmas Past and Isabel Fezziwig respectively, while James Cosmo will voice Mr. Fezziwig.

Also boarding are Jonathan Pryce, who will play Jacob Marley, Johnny Flynn, who will play Bob Cratchit.

The animated adaptation was one of eight shows unveiled on a mega European Netflix animation slate at Annecy International Film Festival last month, which also included a follow-up to Academy Award-nominee Klaus and an adaptation of Richard Curtis’ That Christmas.

Produced by Timeless Films in association with Axis Studios and directed by Donnelly, Dickens’ timeless classic, which has been adapted multiple times including famously by the Muppets, follows Ebenezer Scrooge’s journey from grumpy tyrant to forgiving philanthropist.

Academy Award-winner Colman is also starring in the BBC/FX’s adaptation of Great Expectations and the same two networks adapted A Christmas Carol in 2019.

“It’s been a fascinating challenge to adapt such a beloved and often-told story and I think this version will give those who know A Christmas Carol all the things they expect but not as they’ve experienced them before,” said Donnelly. “There are more than enough psychedelic, time-traveling and musical surprises to keep those familiar with the story on the edge of their seats.”