Even after production on Baby Reindeer wrapped in 2023, Richard Gadd didn’t rest. Almost the next day, he launched a sequel, the fascinating new HBO limited series “Half Man.”
Now, on Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast, Gad said he’s finally able to go on the air. “Half Man,” which premieres Friday, is locked. And now suddenly he has time to digest the whirlwind of success he has just experienced.
Call the Awards Circuit Podcast with your burning questions and comments! Leave a voicemail at (323) 617-9110.
“I’m still processing everything,” said Gad, who won two Emmy Awards in 2024 for Netflix’s “Baby Reindeer” (lead in a limited series or anthology series and writing). “I haven’t put in any time. I feel like I promised myself I would take a vacation. I rarely take vacations, but I promised myself I would take a vacation soon. And when I take that vacation, everything might come back to me. ‘Baby reindeer,’ ‘Half.’ You always had a goal to wake up in the morning, and then all of a sudden that might be gone.”
On the podcast, Gad talked about the past five years in the spotlight, including her first appearance on a variety show. Why was the title of “Halfman” (originally titled “Lions”) changed? This is what led him to appear in “Half Man”. And where did the idea for this series come from? He also answers 10 Questions on the awards circuit and shares his burning thoughts on tuna and peanut butter. Listen below!
“Half Man” was produced, written and executive produced by Gadd, who also stars as Ruben. The series is about two brothers who are “not related by blood, but are the closest of brothers, one fierce and loyal, the other meek and gentle.” Gadd will play the hot-tempered adult Reuben, with Stuart Campbell (SAS Rogue Heroes) playing a younger version. Jamie Bell plays Niall, who is like Ruben’s brother-in-law. Mitchell Robertson (“Curfew”) plays young Nile.
Gadd said he was initially reluctant to play Reuben, especially since it was so far removed from the character and his role in Baby Reindeer.
“After ‘Baby Reindeer,’ I was in every scene and everything and I remember thinking, ‘I’ve got to take one of these things off my plate,’ so acting felt like something I could take off,” he said. But then it was Bell who suggested Gad give it a try.
“At that point, I was starting to think, ‘Oh, that would be interesting.’ And around that time, HBO called me and said, ‘Well, from a marketing standpoint, I’d say that my involvement contributed to the show. I went home and was really shaken up. It was so out of my comfort zone. And I had an existential night thinking about whether I should do it or not.
Gadd said he went through a whole body change to become Reuben. He added volume, changed his hair, and grew a thick beard. “I knew I had to change everything about myself,” he said. “I knew I had to do the opposite of Donnie Dunn (his ‘Baby Reindeer’ character) in some ways. In order to get people to buy this, I had to change my body, my hair, my beard, my voice, everything I knew about playing Ruben. It needed to become almost unrecognizable. ”
It worked. In his review, variety show critic Aramide Tinubu wrote, “‘Half Man’ is a brilliant but difficult film. The story is permeated with malice and depicts countless acts of violence. For those who stick with it, the final episode features one of the most emotional scenes on television.”
Where did this idea come from? “There’s a lot of oppression of men in this day and age,” he says. “And I remember thinking that instead of just showing male oppression and male violence, it might be interesting to contextualize it. It takes two men back to the ’80s and shows them the shame they learned, the behavior they learned as children, and how they struggle to avoid what they learned in their adult lives.
Gad also talked about the ending of the show and how viewers can decide for themselves what happens in the end.
Also in the interview, Gadd answered the Awards Circuit 10 survey. We talked about his childhood nickname, things he did as a child that now surprise him, his favorite karaoke song, his hidden talent, his favorite ice cream flavor, his must-have items, the TV show he would most like to appear on, and his personal highlights. “Tuna with peanut butter,” he declared delicious.
At the beginning of the episode, the Awards Circuit Roundtable returns to discuss the biggest Emmy news, including the decline in submissions and what it means for this year’s race.
Variety’s “Awards Circuit” podcast, hosted by Clayton Davis, Jazz Tunkay, Emily Longeretta and Michael Schneider, who also serves as a producer, is your one-stop destination for lively conversations about the best in film and television. Each episode’s “Awards Circuit” features interviews with top film and TV talents and creators, discussions and debates about the awards race and industry headlines. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you download your podcasts.
