Britain’s Ryan Davies to star in upcoming WWII film ‘Grace and Danger’
Ryan Davies spent his Saturday mornings during his childhood at the local cinema. At the time, the theatre featured films that catered to a younger audience, from The Goonies to The Karate Kid. For the parents, it was just an easy way to keep the kids entertained, but for Davies, it had a lasting impact. He can still remember being enchanted by the idea that being in a movie could be someone’s real job, and from those early years, he knew acting was the only thing he would ever want to pursue.
Now, the English native is an internationally sought-after actor. Starring in acclaimed films such as Black Mountains, Heavy Duty, The Adventurer: Curse of the Midas Box, and more, Davies has shown the world just how versatile he truly is. His latest project, the period feature Grace and Danger, once again allows the actor’s talents to shine.
“I’m looking forward to starting filming on this project. I’ve got a director that I know I can work freely with, someone who is supportive and trusts my instincts on the character, and I’m looking forward to working in an ensemble piece for the first time,” he said. “We’re going into a “boot camp” together for a week prior to filming, living together on an army base and drilling and learning to work together as a unit would do. We are being taken out into the forest to learn survival skills and basic infantry movements, and this will create a real bond between us, I believe; it should foster a real togetherness and I am excited to see that transfer onto the screen,” said Davies.
Set in WWII France, Grace and Danger follows allied soldiers as they rescue a young woman from a village massacre and promise to escort her to safety. When the Nazi SS pick up their trail, the journey becomes a savage battle for survival — one that threatens to destroy their humanity. It is directed by Rhys Hayward, who previously worked with Davies on their celebrated film Heavy Duty.
“It’s everything I look for in a script. The characters are well-rounded and conflicted by the roles they have been thrown into; they are normal men who have been shipped miles from all they know and told to fight an enemy without any knowledge of why they are in the right, and the message the director wants to get across is a powerful one. Also, all the characters get the chance to tell their story, which is rare for an ensemble piece. It will really allow the audience to connect with them,” Davies described.
Davies is currently beginning the process of getting into the headspace of his character, preparing himself for filming. He plays Lieutenant Rauch in the upcoming movie, a pivotal role, as he is the leader in the group of men. Rauch feels the pressure of his decisions, knowing one wrong move can lead to the loss of lives of those he has come to care about. He’s a classic example of a man who didn’t choose leadership, but had it thrust upon him, and his decision to take Grace, the young woman, with them is one that he wrestles with throughout the film. Davies believes his character is the heart of the film, with an emotional arc that he hopes audiences will feel with his performance.
“It’s my job to make them root for him and want to go on this journey with him and understand some of the choices he is duty bound to make. I see him as the anchor around which this story plays out, and like all great screen characters there’s enough light and shade in him to make the audience torn as to how they really view him,” he said.
With filming commencing at the beginning of next year, the goal is for the film to make its way to many of the world’s most prestigious film festivals for 2020, and theatres shortly after. Davies will undoubtedly shine as Lieutenant Rauch, and he is driven by the heartfelt and captivating script.
“I think the storyline in this is very clever. At its heart is the classic war movie, albeit with a very anti-war message, but the writer has added something very fresh to it. Without giving anything away, there’s a twist in there that I defy anyone to see coming. The tale is one of ultimate redemption, without any mawkishness, and I believe with some of the atrocities happening on a daily basis around the world, that this tale will resonate with audiences and stay long in the memory,” he said.
Be sure to keep an eye out for Grace and Danger. The war flick is just one of many of Davies’ highly anticipated upcoming projects. He will soon be starring in the horror The Basement as well as the docudrama Deathly Silence, showing off yet another side of his skillset. For those looking to follow in his footsteps, he offers some wise words:
“This is not a profession to go into with dreams of getting rich or being famous, that only happens to a small percentage. The reality is lots of knock backs and ‘we decided to go another ways’, but the upside is you get to play and create every single day. You get to elicit emotions from people and get paid to do it, and there’s really no better job in the world to my mind,” he concluded.
