Sam Claflin stars as Edmond Dantès in the latest adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel The Count of Monte Cristo, set to premiere on U&Drama and the streaming platform U in the UK. Claflin’s portrayal dives deep into the complex character of Edmond, a man wrongfully imprisoned who transforms himself to seek revenge against those who betrayed him.
The story follows Edmond Dantès, whose enemies orchestrate his arrest on false charges of treason against the French king, condemning him to life imprisonment in the castle dungeons. While incarcerated, Edmond becomes close to a fellow prisoner, Abbé Faria, who reveals the location of a hidden treasure on the island of Monte Cristo. After the Abbé’s death, Edmond escapes, finds the treasure, and reinvents himself. Taking on the identity of the Count of Monte Cristo, he embarks on a covert mission of vengeance against those who ruined his life.
Sam Claflin Shares His Unexpected Approach to Preparing for Edmond Dantès
When preparing for the role of Edmond Dantès, Sam Claflin faced strict instructions from director Bille August, who forbade the cast from watching previous adaptations or reading the original novel to ensure they adhered closely to the production’s script. However, Claflin chose to disregard this rule and explored other versions along with the book itself.
The director [Bille August] strictly prohibited me from watching any previous renditions and told me not to read the book — he said he wanted our script to be the bible, basically. But I disobeyed those orders, and took myself away and watched a couple of the other versions, and read the book. It’s very thick and dense! Back when it was released, there was no television, and no real possibility for people to travel, so there’ll be a description of a bicycle in the corner that’s like three pages long, and has nothing to do with the plot, but it’s just setting the scene. But I’d never read it before, or seen any previous interpretation, so in a sense, our version of the story was my introduction — I knew it was about revenge, but that was about it.
—Sam Claflin, Actor
This decision added layers to his understanding of Edmond’s journey beyond the script, blending historical context with his own interpretation of the character’s motivations and emotional turmoil.
The Complex Appeal of Playing Edmond Dantès
Claflin explains that Edmond’s character is one defined by tremendous personal trauma and a consuming desire for revenge. Imprisoned for nearly two decades, Edmond evolves into a patient and calculating figure, shaped partly by his time spent with Abbé Faria.
It’s one of the most interesting characters I’ve ever played — the whole story is him pretending to be someone else, and as an actor, pretending to be someone else pretending to be someone else was a bit of a head-spin throughout, but there was a lot of fun to be had with that. There are private moments in the latter parts of the series where I would question the director like, ‘is he still the Count here, or is he Edmond now that there’s no one else around?’ and he said, ‘now we can let Edmond creep out’ — so the anger burning in his eyes comes out and see the hint of emotion, but as soon as someone enters the room he just goes back to this stoic, kind of robotic state. It was a lot of fun, and very challenging – balancing on that beam and kind of dipping my toe in each of the waters!
—Sam Claflin, Actor
Balancing Edmond’s stoicism with moments of raw vulnerability gave Claflin an especially demanding role, requiring him to navigate various emotional states while maintaining the character’s elusive facade.
Why Such Complex Roles Are Rare for Actors
Claflin acknowledges that roles as layered and nuanced as Edmond Dantès do not often come along, especially in cinematic adaptations where time constraints often limit character development.
But there’s something quite wonderful in playing this type of character over eight hours — you get to see him before, during and after the trauma, and I think that’s what makes our particular production kind of unique in its retelling, that kind of depth.
—Sam Claflin, Actor
This miniseries format allows audiences to witness the full evolution of Edmond’s character over time, revealing nuances that a shorter film might miss, enhancing the storytelling’s emotional impact.
Exploring Edmond’s Likeability Despite His Dark Actions
Despite Edmond’s morally ambiguous quest for revenge, Claflin emphasizes the character’s humanity and relatability. He connects Edmond to other famous antiheroes who captivate audiences worldwide.
I think with Edmond it’s kind of similar — he’s likeable, because the audience hopefully understand why he is acting the way he is later in the series, and quite honestly going too far a lot of the time. He pushes everyone away, just to get his revenge. That’s why it’s such an interesting story, because he is a likeable person but he does things that are frankly heinous. But we all love an antihero, like Tommy Shelby from Peaky Blinders or Walter White from Breaking Bad — there’s a darkness in all of us, and I think we like to be able to have that escape, watching someone else go through darker things than we’re capable of, because it allows us to go ‘do you know what? I’m not that bad!’
—Sam Claflin, Actor
This complexity makes Edmond compelling, as audiences can empathize with his pain while grappling with his vengeful choices.
The Intense Experience of Filming Emotionally Charged Prison Scenes
Claflin describes the rigors of shooting scenes set in prison, detailing the physical and emotional toll it took on him, especially working alongside Jeremy Irons, who plays Abbé Faria.
But yeah, going through the rigorous process of getting the wig put on, and individually laying each hair — it wasn’t a beard piece, they laid each individual hair on one by one, so it took hours and hours! So by the time I’d get on set I’d be exhausted, but then Jeremy would arrive and I’d be like, ‘OK, yeah! We’re going again!’ All those parts of the process aided me in the performance because Edmond is exhausted and weak, but then you see your friend and you’re like, ‘we’re gonna get through this!’ I honestly loved working alongside Jeremy — he’s a legend and an idol of mine from years and years, so it was a dream come true to be in close proximity with a star like that.
—Sam Claflin, Actor
Filming out of sequence meant beginning with Edmond’s more controlled, detached persona, which clashed with the emotional resurgence sparked by Faria’s vibrant presence, creating a dynamic contrast during production.
Challenges Faced While Filming the Storm Sequence at Sea
One of the most physically demanding days on set was the storm scene at sea, where Claflin faced harsh weather conditions and technical difficulties while filming.
I’d say the storm sequence was one of the most difficult days of filming I’ve ever done in my life! It was a very cold day and we had a lot to get through, and they had rain machines on as well as wind machines, so we were all drenched, and you’d have the wind blasting the side of your face to the point where you couldn’t hear anyone. I remember Blake [Ritson], who plays Danglars, and I having a sequence where we were screaming at each other over the helm, and not being able to hear a word — I just had to wait until his mouth stopped moving and then I was like, ‘OK, I think it’s my line!’ Obviously we did all the dialogue in ADR, and the lines that they scripted were not the lines that were said in the end. So they were like, ‘what were you saying?’ and I was going, ‘I don’t remember, I was just trying to survive!’ But there’s still an element of being a kid, pretending to drown and being on a pirate ship — I just love my job, I really do! Even on the hardest days, it’s still a joy.
—Sam Claflin, Actor
Despite the demanding weather and technical setbacks, Claflin’s enthusiasm for his role and the story’s adventurous spirit shone through every scene.
Understanding the Enduring Popularity of The Count of Monte Cristo
Reflecting on the story’s lasting relevance, Claflin highlights its core themes of revenge, forgiveness, and the destructive nature of hatred, which continue to resonate in today’s world.
For me, what’s at the heart of this is that there’s no point living in hate, it will eat you up from the inside. Abbé Faria has a line, which I’m probably going to butcher now: ‘if you’re going to seek revenge, you need to dig your own grave first’ — like, you will kill yourself by doing this, everything that you know, love and believe about the world is going to die if you go down this path, and I think that’s so true and so relevant to today. Seeing how much of the world is at war and in disagreement one another, forgiveness is key and that will always be relevant — that will always be a life lesson that needs to be heard across the world.
—Sam Claflin, Actor
His insight underscores how the series’ exploration of human emotions and moral struggles transcends its period setting, offering lessons that remain pertinent in modern times.
When and Where to Watch Sam Claflin’s The Count of Monte Cristo
The Count of Monte Cristo is scheduled to premiere in the UK on Saturday, August 2, at 9pm on the U&Drama channel. The entire series will also be available for streaming on the U platform from the same date, allowing viewers to immerse themselves fully in Edmond’s intricate tale of betrayal, transformation, and retribution.
