Death of a Unicorn + Toby Jones

Apr 3, 2025

In this engaging discussion, Toby Jones, an acclaimed actor known for his roles in 'Captain America' and 'Infamous,' shares insights about playing Philip Burton in 'Mr. Burton,' who guided Richard Burton's rise in acting. He chats about the nuances of accents, the evolution of TV drama, and the impact of mentorship. The conversation also explores the quirky A24 film 'Death of a Unicorn,' its dark humor, and the challenges of navigating the indie film landscape today.

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Well hurrah hooray because this week it’s a Toby Jones show (not a Noby Jones show) and he joins Simon to chat about ‘Mr. Burton’. In this true story Toby plays the title character, schoolteacher Philip Burton, who spots the talent of young pupil Richie Jenkins in the Welsh mining town of his birth. Burton nurtures Jenkins’ acting flair as he becomes Richard Burton—taking his guardian’s name as the stage name by which he became internationally famous. The erudite everyman as always, Toby chats to Simon about accents, pyjamas, and the future of TV drama.

Mark reviews ‘Mr. Burton’ too, as well as ‘Restless’, a psychological thriller about nightmare-inducing noisy neighbours—or at least they would be nightmare-inducing if Nicky (Lyndsey Marshal) could get any sleep. Plus, A24’s ‘Death of a Unicorn’—the starry satire where Paul Rudd & Jenna Ortega’s father and daughter accidentally run over a unicorn on the way to visit the billionaire Leopold family (Richard E Grant, Téa Leoni and Will Poulter). Mark’s verdict on all these, plus your correspondence on everything from search engines to The Stath—and memories of the late Val Kilmer.

Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):

Restless Review: 09:35

Toby Jones interview: 31:28

Mr Burton review: 46:11

Laughter Lift: 56:14

Death of a Unicorn review: 01:03:11

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