The Apple TV+ series Franklin is an eight-part look into a key moment in American history and the life of one of its most consequential founding fathers. Michael Douglas stars as Benjamin Franklin alongside a cast which includes Noah Jupe as Temple Franklin, Daniel Mays as Edward Bancroft, and Ludivine Sagnier as Madame Anne-Louise Brillon. Largely set in France, Franklin details the founding father’s attempt to win the support of the French in the colonies’ fight against the British.
Douglas isn’t the only person playing a Founding Father in the series, as Franklin’s cast of characters also includes John Jay and John Adams. The latter is played by Eddie Marsan, known for a range of roles including parts in Back to Black, Edgar Wright’s The World’s End, and Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes series. Marsan came to the role in an interesting way—he auditioned for the 2008 HBO miniseries John Adams, which was created and written by Franklin writer Kirk Ellis. Ellis, struck by Marsan’s audition, invited the actor to play Adams sixteen years later.
Screen Rant interviewed Eddie Marsan about his work on Franklin, his favorite onscreen argument with Michael Douglas, and more.
Screen Rant: I was amazed to find out that you were offered this role because you auditioned for the 2008 miniseries. I’m sure it hurts in the moment to not get something—how did it feel for the role to return to you?
You’ve played many contemporary Americans, and you’ve obviously played plenty of characters from the UK. Where do you find the sweet spot in terms of playing an American who begins his life as a British subject?
One of my favorite parts of the series is the beginning of episode five. Adams is not very good at French, he says he doesn’t like music, he’s angry, and it seems as though there’s almost nothing redeeming about him. What was the first thing you could relate to so you could play him from a compassionate point of view?
All of your scenes with Michael Douglas are so fun to watch, but did you have a favorite onscreen argument with him?
I imagine your relationship with Michael Douglas is different from [Adams and Franklin]. How is it to actually shoot those scenes together? How long does it take, and how much do you do back and forth in figuring it out?
After doing this, which Founding Father do you think should get the Kirk Ellis treatment next? The next miniseries?
So you would not be interested in playing Adams in a Broadway musical.
I just saw Back to Black. The story of Amy Winehouse is so complicated, [in terms of] who were the influences in her life and whether they were good or bad influences. That sounds like it would be a lot to take on to play Mitch. How was that experience for you? I imagine it would be a careful subject to try to tackle.
Franklin is a 2024 AppleTV+ mini-series focusing on Benjamin Franklin as he travels to France on a secret mission to engineer the Franco-American alliance of 1778. Starring Michael Douglas, Franklin is based on the book A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America by Stacy Schiff.