He’s got a bone to choose.
Ben Barnes co-stars as General Kirigan, aka The Darkling, within the Netflix fantasy series “Shadow and Bone,” and in Season 2 (premiering Thursday, March 16), “He enters this much nastier era,” Barnes, 41, told The Post.
Based on a preferred book series, the show is about within the fantasy land of Ravka.
It follows orphan girl Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li) as she discovers that she has special powers.
In Season 1, she became swept up under the mentorship and romance of the mysterious General Kirigan (Barnes).
By the tip of Season 1, he revealed himself to be the villain, looking for to rule over Ravka by any means vital.
Season 2 kicks off with him scheming with a military of magical shadowy creatures at his beck and call, as Alina and her friends attempt to stop him.
“In the primary season, he had barely different tactics by way of going about his agenda,” said Barnes.
“He was using manipulation, and charm, hoping to go about things by persuading people to assist him. Within the second season, he’s literally been overwhelmed by these poisonous toxic shadow creatures inside him – in an interesting representation of this toxic masculinity of his, I believe. In his mind, there’s still a purity to his plight, which is to guard his people. He just thinks they’ll be a lot better off under his leadership, and he doesn’t wish to be questioned about it.
“The relationships he has are complicated – he’s got complicated feelings towards his mother; a love between them that just isn’t enough for them to get on the identical page. That’s almost akin to what he has with Alina, as well. She’s sparking something in him, even when it’s not reciprocated. And that lack of real love in his life is costing him.”
When he prepares to play Kirigan / The Darkling, Barnes turns to the source material, he said.
“I actually have my list of lines that he says within the books that I used to be attempting to get into the show. I still had about 10 of them left by the point we got into the second season. I managed to squeeze most of them in there, even in the event that they were barely out of context, because I like the poetry of him.”
Barnes (“The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian”) is not any stranger to playing baddies, having also played the troubled Logan Delos in “Westworld” and Marvel villain Billy Russo / Jigsaw in “The Punisher” series.
“I attempt to see what the differences are within the humanities of the character,” he said. “I take a look at ‘Westworld,’ and he’s a desperate lost boy who’s acting out. And in ‘The Punisher,’ the character was abused and didn’t have any role models. And in [‘Shadow and Bone’], I believe he’s doing something that he believes to be quite noble, but it surely takes a turn. For me, exploring and pushing those things and seeing where the sides are is what’s interesting.”
At present, it’s unclear whether “Shadow and Bone” will get more seasons, so Barnes’ future on this world is up within the air.
“I haven’t finished reading [the later books], but I’ve heard some things about what happens to him,” said Barnes. “The [show producers] at all times go, ‘Oh, well, you never know once we might need you!’”
Barnes also has a budding profession as a singer/songwriter, having released his first EP “Songs for You” in 2021.
“Music and acting scratch different itches for me,” he said. “Music has been a passion of mine since I used to be a child, and it allows me to have that blank slate creativity – that scary white page of ‘There may be nothing, and now you may have to say something about your life, discover a poetry to say it with, share it, perform it, record it.’ With acting, it’s about collaboration and being a part of a giant storytelling effort, and capturing moments to share with those who they will then enjoy of their living rooms and speak about.”