Mads Mikkelsen, famous for films like Casino Royale (2006) and Doctor Strange (2016), spoke with Vulture in 2021 on a number of topics. He spoke of his upbringing, acting career, and his views on the critically acclaimed show, Hannibal (2013), wherein he starred as Hannibal Lecter.
Though the series did not get the green light for season 4, the ending scene of Mikkelsen’s Hannibal and co-star Hugh Dancy’s Will Graham created a lot of buzz among the fans.
The duo, in the series, shared a close bond but they never got the chance to act upon it. In the final scene, however, there was potential for them to have a romantic ending, but Mikkelsen noted that the showrunner Bryan Fuller had it removed as he thought it was “too obvious.”
Mads Mikkelsen’s Views On Hannibal’s Romantic Ending
The scene was quite graphic given that Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham were covered in blood as they killed Richard Armitage’s Francis Dolarhyde.
Mikkelsen expressed that they had to do multiple takes of the scene to really describe the attraction between the two characters and that he and Hugh Dancy almost went for a kiss.
Speaking to Vulture, he said,
“We actually did a couple of takes of the very last scene where we were looking at each other, and it was a little too obvious—it was almost a kiss. Me and Hugh were like, ‘Why not? We have a couple of takes. Let’s do one. It might be cool.’”
Unable to go for the intended act, Mikkelsen said that he preferred their relationship as one that didn’t have to become physical as it was “something much bigger than that.”
Bryan Fuller Considered The Kissing Idea Too Obvious
Mads Mikkelsen made it known that he understood what the “Fannibals” wanted from their romantically complicated relationship. The 57-year-old actor said that Bryan Fuller actually loved the idea, but he considered it to be too much.
“[Showrunner Bryan Fuller] loved it, but he was like, ‘Too much, guys. It’s too obvious.’ And he was absolutely right,” he continued in the same interview. “But I think we were just stuck on that. And a lot of the Fannibals wanted it as well. It’s been a subject of homoerotic fan art.”
He also teased that a lot could have happened had the show been renewed for another season, and that “Fuller can finish it in a proper, surprising, stunning way.”
Hannibal is currently streaming on Hulu.
Source: Vulture
