Interview by Courtney Shapiro. Written by Courtney Shapiro
Notorious for his roles in dramas and fantastical films, including The Royals, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Snow White and the Huntsman, it is no surprise that London native Noah Huntley was cast in the new and exciting TV movie, Harry and Meghan: Becoming Royal.Â
In our exclusive celebrity interview, we chat with Huntley about how his childhood helped shape his career path, what he really thinks about the Royals, as well as his charity work and the projects he’s excited to take on in the future.
Celebrity Interview with Noah Huntley: Early Career Path, Real Thoughts on the Royals, and Future Endeavors
Huntley came from humble beginnings, as he grew up with seven siblings and had to carve out individual opportunities for himself. “It was slightly by happenstance because my parents had three sets of twins. You kind of thought to make your own rules,” explains Huntley. He and his siblings went through a mix of private schools, home education, and state schools, until age 11 when the Sussex native attended a less expensive stage school for a year and a half to save his parents money. “I didn’t really think I was cut out for such an overtly theatrical life; I wasn’t going to be a tap dancer,” he explains. But, that didn’t stop him from finding a passion in acting while there. From that point on, he was hooked. “I got an agent and I kept working basically until I was 19 or 20, and I did a series in England called Emmerdale for two years, and that got me started.”
Before landing some of his larger roles, the actor also spent time in the fashion world as a model. Expanding upon how he got into it, Huntley says, “My mother was doing a degree in textiles, so that was always there in the background. I came out of a soap and very much focused on film and theater for the next 10 years really. Then, I was in LA and I was broke, probably about 10 years ago, and did a little bit of modeling just to earn some money, and I thought nobody would see it, but it went really well.” Huntley partnered with big names like Annie Leibovitz and L’Oreal, and his time modeling allowed him to put money in the bank as he continued to pursue his passion in acting.
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Over the years, Huntley has played many different types of characters. To prepare for various roles, he says “it’s usually about finding something in your own life or in your own character or personality that you can apply to a character that you’re playing.” Huntley also adds that certain character’s voices immediately get in your head. “It suddenly clicks and you go, oh, that’s the voice that the tone comes to me. Directors maybe see a different version of it, but to me, it’s the voice, and when you get that voice, then it sort of embodies a lot of the character and very often that’s key to unlocking the character you’re playing.”
Speaking of characters, Huntley’s most recent role is that of Caspian in the new Lifetime TV movie, Harry and Meghan: Becoming Royal. In the movie, Caspian is one of the co-hosts on the fictional broadcast program, Good Day U. K., who often describes his disdain for Meghan and her romance with the Prince. The actor admits, “It’s a really fun character to play. It’s kind of the voice of the public in terms of media and how easily that partly represents the questions of the public, but it’s also very invasive, and to some extent has an agenda on getting the sensational scoop for a story.” On the other hand, his co-star, Louise Bond, who plays the other host on the broadcast, is the voice of reason and passion.  “I’m really the yang to her yin in that respect,” Huntley explains.Â
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However, Huntley’s real life views on the royal celebrity couple don’t align with his character Caspian’s. “There is an element of celebrity that goes along with being part of the royal family. It talks about the political demands and expectations of the royals and then the other side of it, which is there should be no political agenda,” the actor elaborates. “So, I think that’s a fascinating argument. My character Caspian is kind of exploring the underside of that rather than getting caught up on the fashion and the glossy cozy fairy tale that is the royal family.”
The fact is, Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan are mostly portrayed in the media as having a fairy tale romance. In contrast, Huntley’s love life is far from that. When asked about what he looks for in a significant other, Huntley jokingly confesses, “Oh God, don’t ask me! I seem to just fail at it miserably, and I think three years was my longest relationship.” However, the Harry and Meghan: Becoming Royal star does point to selflessness as one of the keys to a successful relationship. He adds, “I think that fairy tale in terms of love, is almost transcendental. It’s something that’s bigger than the sum of its parts.”
Huntley may not be fulfilling selflessness in a current relationship, but he certainly applies it in his philanthropic endeavors. During the filming of The Chronicles of Narnia, Huntley was cast, but told he wouldn’t be receiving payment for the role. He would only be earning residuals from the film, so he decided, “I’ll do it for free, and you can donate more money to my my nominated charity and that’s the way I prefer it to be rather than take any any money for it.” Huntley supports Greenpeace, Bloodwise and The Actors Benevolent Fund, among other charitable organizations.
Aside from filming Harry and Meghan: Becoming Royal, and taking a passionate step into charity, Huntley is currently working on a new show called Pandora that will air on the CW coming out this July. The actor confesses, “I’ve wanted to do sci-fi for a long time.” In the show, Huntley plays the head of a military training academy, who he admits “is potentially a bully.” Huntley is greatly looking forward to this project, which is unlike anything he’s starred in previously.
You can watch Noah Huntley as Caspian in ‘Harry and Meghan: Becoming Royal’ on Lifetime, premiering May 27th. You can also follow Noah on Instagram and Twitter.
