TY - JOUR
T1 - Sharper, Better, Faster, Stronger: Performing Northern Masculinity and the Legacy of Sean Bean's Sharpe
AU - Harris, Sian
PY - 2016/10/1
Y1 - 2016/10/1
N2 - This article examines the career of Sheffield-born actor Sean Bean through an analysis of his starring role in the ITV historical drama Sharpe (1993–2008). I chart the ways in which the adaptation capitalizes on Bean’s public identity as a Northern English, working-class actor, as well as providing a specific emphasis on regionality through a focus on how the characterization speaks to a popular understanding of Yorkshire, and a consideration of how Bean’s subsequent roles have engaged with Sharpe’s legacy. I posit that this performance catalyses Bean’s star persona, and offers a revealing insight into the preconceptions about Northern English identity and culture on-screen.
AB - This article examines the career of Sheffield-born actor Sean Bean through an analysis of his starring role in the ITV historical drama Sharpe (1993–2008). I chart the ways in which the adaptation capitalizes on Bean’s public identity as a Northern English, working-class actor, as well as providing a specific emphasis on regionality through a focus on how the characterization speaks to a popular understanding of Yorkshire, and a consideration of how Bean’s subsequent roles have engaged with Sharpe’s legacy. I posit that this performance catalyses Bean’s star persona, and offers a revealing insight into the preconceptions about Northern English identity and culture on-screen.
UR - http://www.ingentaconnect.com/contentone/intellect/jptv/2016/00000004/00000002/art00007?crawler=true
U2 - 10.1386/jptv.4.2.239_1
DO - 10.1386/jptv.4.2.239_1
M3 - Article (Academic Journal)
SN - 2046-9861
VL - 4
SP - 239
EP - 251
JO - Journal of Popular Television
JF - Journal of Popular Television
IS - 2
ER -