Ian McShane says he rejects common request from Deadwood fans

‘People are strange’ said the 81-year-old actor

Actor Ian McShane has revealed the ”strange” request he gets from Deadwood fans – and how he responds.

The 81-year-old British star played Al Swearengen in the popular Western series from 2004 to 2006, and reprised the role for its 2019 movie continuation, Deadwood: The Movie.

His character, the owner of The Gem Saloon, remains a fan favourite, renowned for his profane and expletive-ridden language.

Eighteen years after the series ended, Emmy-nominated actor McShane revealed the one request fans have when they see him, in an interview with The Guardian.

“When we did Deadwood, people would come up to me and say: ‘Will you please tell me to fuck off?’”

McShane shared his response to the request: “I’d say: ‘No. Why on earth would I say that to you?’ People are very strange.”

The John Wick star also shared that he’d taken a different path to his on-screen persona, having vowed to give up swearing.

“I promised my wife I’d give up swearing for Lent this year after we watched some of the Baftas together,” he said. “It’s funny that I became king of the swear.”

The actor starred in the series from 2004 to 2006 and reprised the role for a 2019 movie (Getty Images/ HBO)

Expanding on why the awards ceremony provoked the response, the Blackburn-born star said, “Why was I swearing watching the Baftas? You don’t think actors watching other actors win awards swear? I watch it for the forced grins on the people who don’t win.

“I find award shows very amusing anyway, everybody giving each other a pat on the back. I mean, I’ve been part of them, but they are funny things to watch because of the forced ‘Oh gosh, I’m so glad he won’, while seething inside with resentment and fury.”

Deadwood was spiked by HBO after just three seasons, despite rapturous reviews. It would later be revived for the 2019 film, but the original three-season run remains a classic among fans. The two-hour film, written by creator David Milch, was directed by Daniel Minahan whose credits include Game of Thrones.

McShane hinted that the success of the enterprise could provoke a revival of the series at the time, saying of the movie’s conclusion, “It ends leaving you wondering. If it makes $115M, HBO will somehow find a way to do another one.”