AppleTV+'s TV adaptation of Terry Gilliam's cult movie Time Bandits has proven itself to be a fantastic retelling. Created by comedy legends Taika Waititi, Iain Morris, and Jemaine Clement, the series is both a hilarious and bonkers time-hopping adventure.
The series is led by Kal-El Tuck, who plays the charming Kevin Haddock, a young history buff who's swept through various eras of history when a band of time-traveling misfits, captained by Penelope (Lisa Kudrow), enters his bedroom — which just so happens to be a portal through space-time. At first, Kevin relishes the opportunity to witness history first-hand, but when the world is threatened and his parents are put in danger, things start to get serious.
We recently had the opportunity to catch up with Kal-El Tuck and interview him about his experience on the series. Check it out!
WiC: Tell us a little about your character — What drew you to the role?
Kal-El Tuck: I play Kevin Haddock, a history nerd. He learns his bedroom is a time egress. The bandits land in his bedroom, and he follows them through Time on an adventure.
I really connect with this role because I also enjoy learning about history, and it's so cool going back in time to all these great places and times.
How did you first hear about Time Bandits, and what was your initial reaction to the script?
My initial reaction of the script was, it was so different to anything I had read before. It's so fun and hilarious, I would laugh out loud just reading the script, then to see it transform with the amazing cast was just brilliant to watch.
How familiar were you with the original movie before joining the TV adaptation?
I was not that familiar with the original adaptation, but my dad was, and it's amazing to be in a reimagined TV series that my dad used to watch when he was my age.
‘Time Bandits’ jumps through all different time periods — which historical era was your favourite to film?
My favourite era to film was definitely 1920s Harlem, New York. It was an amazing experience. All the actors were so funny, we had such good costumes we had to go on location and go to the city. The sets were amazing. This was my favourite costume.
The group of bandits has such amazing chemistry. How much fun was it working with this cast? Do you have any funny stories from the set?
When we were not doing a scene, we would be in our holding tent. We played games like concentration and sports on my console. Everyone joined in, and it was great fun. Everyone was so welcoming, and it was such a nice and happy place to be.
Do you have a favourite scene or moment from the series? If so, what about it makes it your favourite?
My favourite scene is when I jump off Madame Chungs ship into the water. That was one of the first days I did a big stunt and it was really fun. I had a great time, Zoe Bell, and the stunt team are incredible.
‘Time Bandits’ has a legendary team behind it. What was it like working in a show created by Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement, and Iain Morris?
It was amazing. They are all brilliant. I had a scene with just Taika and me, and he really likes improv, it was a good challenge to keep up with him, changing the direction of the scene. What an opportunity to act next to greats!
Jermaine and Iain were on set every day, so they were familiar faces, they are so encouraging and helped me a lot.
Should Time Bandits get renewed for another season (I hope so!), which historical eras would you like to visit next?
Yes, I hope there's another season, too! I would love to see Kevin and the bandits go to Ancient Egypt to see the pyramids being built.
Outside of Time Bandits, have you got any other projects coming up? Where can we expect to see you next?
I'm sorry to say things are confidential for now, but Time Bandits isn't the last you'll see of me.
We thank Kal-El Tuck for his time. Time Bandits is now streaming on AppleTV+.
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