English actor Sean Bean understands just how important it is to leave a lasting legacy. Well-known people, from monarchs to politicians to philanthropists to businessmen are always trying to accomplish great feats in order to make their mark in history.
"I'm in the US a lot and I can see President (Barack) Obama trying to push through free healthcare and the deal with Iran. I can't understand why people are fighting against them - they're both great achievements," he said during an interview with Radio Times. "Everybody wants to leave a legacy, don't they?"
As for himself, Bean does not really know what his legacy is.
He mulled that his roles in the movie franchise "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy and television series "Game of Thrones" are good enough legacies. Even though both of his characters there met their untimely deaths (Boromir died in 'The Two Towers' while Stark died in the first season of 'Game of Thrones'), they still left a lasting impact on audiences.
"For some reason, the parts I play, like Boromir or Ned Stark, have a life online long afterwards. I keep seeing, what do you call them - memes? 'One does not simply ask for a drink' instead of 'One does not simply walk into Mordor' - that sort of thing," he shared. "They'll probably be my unintended legacy. It's a shame, as a Sheffield United supporter, that Boromir appears in West Ham colours."
Bean then reflected on the other characters he has portrayed.
"I have died quite a few times, to be fair," he reflected with a smile. "I've seen that reel of clips - it sounds a bit macabre, but I watched that back, and I'd forgotten some of the scenes I'd died in."
Some people might be superstitious about portraying a string of dead characters in television series and movies, but Bean shrugs it off as another day's job.
"I didn't take it to heart," he laughingly admitted.
Even though he usually stars in epic movies and shows, dramas, and sometimes even comedy, Bean is a self-confessed fan of horror thrillers.
"When I was younger I used to watch all the black-and-white Draculas and Frankensteins," he shared. "I saw The Exorcist at the cinema when I was quite young, maybe 14. When I went back home, my mum and dad weren't in so I had to wait for them on the main road. I were too scared to enter the house."
