Those About to Die is a new historical drama inspired by Daniel Mannix’s non-fiction book of the same name. All ten 60-minute episodes will be available to stream on Peacock starting Thursday, July 18. The series serves as Roland Emmerich’s (Independence Day) television directorial debut and follows the violent competitions hosted by the Roman Empire in 79 AD.

Among the all-star cast are Jojo Macari (Morbius) and Tom Hughes (A Discovery of Witches), who play Domitian and Titus. Both brothers hope to succeed their father, Emperor Vespasian, and become the new head of the Flavian bloodline. While Titus is the oldest son and heir, Domitian is a viper who will do whatever it takes to sit on the Imperial throne.

Screen Rant chats with Jojo Macari and Tom Hughes about the brothers’ dynamic, Iwan Rheon’s (Game of Thrones) narration, and working with director Roland Emmerich for the new Peacock series Those About to Die.

Macari And Hughes Have A Very Different Relationship Than Their Those About To Die Characters

Screen Rant: What drew you each to the role and made you want to get involved in Those About to Die?

Tom Hughes: Initially, it was the project as a whole really. You think about Roland’s previous work and his unrivaled ability to hold scale while also giving stories of real human heart. And then you imagine putting that in the Roman Empire and the scale that that demands, and then you realize it’s looking at a period of history within the Roman Empire that doesn’t often, dramatically at least, have a lot of light shined upon it. And then you look at the cast, and then you look at the part, and you’re going, “Can I do something with this?” I found Titus an excitingly hard nut to crack, and I just thought, “Yeah, this is a ride I want to be on, for sure.”

Jojo Macari: Yeah. On paper, it’s pretty good. Let’s be honest. Hopefully, the end product is also pretty good, of course, but you see Roland Emmerich, you see Robert Rodak, you see Anthony Hopkins, and then obviously, you see Jojo Macari, Tom Hughes, and everybody else, and that’s pretty much a done deal there. It was a pleasure from day one, really, coming on to this project. It’s a bit of a dream one for me to do something of this scale, this grand and vast. It’s kind of incredible.

You play brothers, but Domitian and Titus don’t appear to have the warmest relationship. How would you describe their dynamic going into this series?

Jojo Macari: I think it’s important to mention that me and Tom have a very different relationship off the screen than we do on it. I think Domitian has grown up feeling like he’s always been the sort of runt of the litter, and that he’s been done dirtier every time, and he’s become very bitter and resentful of Titus. And so by the time we meet Domitian now, he is, essentially, trying to weasel his way in any direction to try and do him over.

Hughes Calls Iwan Rheon’s Character Tenax An “Almost False Narrator” In Those About To Die

Tom, this goes back to something that you were saying earlier. I feel like most people pick up some kind of knowledge about the Roman Empire throughout their lives, but not everyone knows the in-depth history. What is something you think viewers may learn about this time period that they weren’t aware of?

Tom Hughes: That’s a really good question. With the show being very much centered around the spectacle of sport and the sport of the day, I feel like actually seeing the political side behind that, the decision, the distraction techniques of that. And also because the show goes right through the different kind of demographics of society and seeing the underbelly, seeing the betting that takes place.

I think the character Tenax is not only a fascinating character on the page, and obviously, Iwan is just an amazing actor, so that’s gonna fly, I think he’s also a brilliant, almost false narrator for the audience to really move through society and the whole of Roman society and, hopefully, that’s just a real thrill. I hope people enjoy that.

If you each had one word to describe your character in Those About to Die, what would it be?

Jojo Macari: He’s a layered dude. He’s got a lot of stuff going on. I think “twisted” is what I’d choose.

Tom Hughes: I don’t know if this will necessarily be apparent when people watch it, but “lost.”

About Those About to Die

THOSE ABOUT TO DIE is an epic drama set in the corrupt world of the spectacle-driven gladiatorial competition, exploring a side of ancient Rome never before told — the dirty business of entertaining the masses, giving the mob what they want most…blood and sport. The series introduces an ensemble of characters from all corners of the Roman Empire who collide at the explosive intersection of sports, politics, and dynasties.

Check out our other interviews with the cast of Those About to Die:

• Gabriella Pession & Dimitri Leonidas
• Roland Emmerich
• Moe Hashim & Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson
• Iwan Rheon & Sara Martins

Source: Screen Rant Plus