Father Brown is set to grace our screens once again with season 12, sparking interest in the life of Mark Williams, the actor behind the titular character, away from the quaint village mysteries.
The much-anticipated return of Father Brown will see the first episode of series 12, “The Battle of Kembleford,” premiering on Friday, January 10, at 2pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, promising more intriguing puzzles for fans to unravel.
As we eagerly await the amateur detective’s latest adventures, let’s delve into the life of Mark Williams, the man who brings Father Brown to life.
Different careers
Mark Williams, born in August 1959, had humble beginnings on a council estate in Worcestershire but managed to transform his prospects after graduating from Oxford University.
Despite harbouring a love for acting since his youth, Williams faced a long road before securing steady work in the field, leading him to take on various other roles along the way.
In an interview with MuggleNet, he shared some of his past experiences: “I’ve worked as a painter and at a stud farm with bulls. I’ve worked in a psychogeriatric ward in a mental hospital.
Actor Mark Williams portrayed Arthur Weasley in the Harry Potter film franchise.
(Image: WARNER BROS.)
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“You may do [an acting] job, but it’s only for two weeks. So, I was in my 30s before I got a regular job. For some reason, I stuck it out. It was blind faith and ignorance.”
Harry Potter
While today Williams is renowned for his portrayal of Father Brown, many across the globe still fondly recognize him as Arthur Weasley, the beloved patriarch in the Harry Potter film series.
Mark Williams, who joined the Harry Potter film series from the second instalment onwards, has often referred to himself as an “honorary lifer” of the franchise despite not being part of the original cast.
He had the unique experience of watching the main trio, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, grow up on set, which wasn’t always straightforward due to the challenges of working with adolescents.
In a candid chat with Collider, Williams shared some light-hearted difficulties: “Well, they all went through adolescence, which was a bit tricky here and there.
“They’ve been great. We’ve had great fun. When Dan [Radcliffe] and Rupert [Grint] were little after lunch was always useless..
“Do you remember being at school after lunch in the afternoon…you went kind of tired, and then you went really giggly, and then it was time to go home. You remember?
“So there used to be an hour where they’d just be like, okay, okay, Chris Columbus would be like: ‘C’mon, you guys, action!’ There was nothing you could do. It was great fun.”
Influence
Williams, known for his portrayal of the crime-solving priest in “Father Brown” for over ten years, revealed to the BBC the influence behind his characterisation.
He expressed his admiration for Peter Falk’s iconic role in “Columbo,” saying: “I have to acknowledge the debt really to Peter Falk. I like his style of being on the back foot and slightly off the beat.
Actor Mark Williams shared Peter Falk’s Columbo character influenced how he portrayed Father Brown.
(Image: ABC)
“As an actor, you don’t necessarily think that rhythm should be important, but actually it is because if you do everything at the same beat, you will die of boredom. So it’s better to vary the rhythm.
“And Peter Falk was a huge influence on me. I even managed to sneak Colombo’s catchphrase into one show,” the actor reminisced fondly about his influences.
“I was about to leave, and I turned around and said, ‘Just one more thing’ which I was pathetically pleased about!”
On-set incident
Even professionals experience mishaps, as illustrated during the filming of Father Brown when Williams faced an unexpected tumble. The incident saw Williams fall off his bike while the cameras captured every moment.
Discussing the perils of on-screen transport, the father-of-one shared: “The car chases were very good. But I get car envy because I only have a bike.
“With riding a bike, gravel is your enemy. I went to cycle in gravel, and it got deeper at one point.
“We were using this hotel as part of the scene, and I thought I would cycle out of shot.
“But, I ploughed into nine inches of gravel and just came to a stop and toppled sideways and fell over in the grass on the gravel!
“There was a young guy who was working as a kitchen porter who could just see out of his sort of prison window. He absolutely killed himself laughing at me falling over.”
Father Brown season 12 premieres on Friday, January 10, at 2pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.