Gavin and Stacey's Rob Brydon, who is known for his clean-shaven look, has revealed he grew a real goatee for his role as Lord Dudley in the new Amazon Prime Video series, My Lady Jane.
The show presents an alternate history of Lady Jane Grey (played by Emily Bader), who was beheaded after just nine days on the English throne.
In this gripping series by Gemma Burgess and Meredith Glynn, Jane escapes execution and lives in a world where people can transform into animals. Rob's character, Dudley, plots to marry Jane to his son to secure his family's Royal lineage.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Rob said: "One of my reasons for wanting to do the show was that it was a different sort of role for me."
He added: "Somebody scheming and manipulative, with a sort of darkness to him as well. So, that was big because I don't normally get offered those sort of roles."
When he first joined the project, Rob thought a new beard would help differentiate Dudley from his other iconic roles. He explained: "So, then I thought, 'How else can I be a little bit different? Maybe I should try and look a bit different in this'," adding, "Because it's such a recognisable - within people who are aware of me - face, whether as Bryn or hosting shows. You want to be different."
He concluded: "I thought, it's not really reinventing the wheel, but I'll have a beard. A goatee beard."
Rob grew out a striking new look, complete with a pearl earring, quiff and authentic Tudor attire before realising the commitment involved.
"But, of course," he remarked. "I sort of forgot it was a seven-month shoot for me, which meant I had this b****y beard for a long time.
"People outside of shooting this would think this was some personal choice, that in my mid-to-late-50s I had suddenly decided the goatee was the way to go. It was some sort of cry for help."
When the trailer for the series dropped in May, Rob quipped on his X (formerly Twitter ) account: "For everyone who over the last year and a half has asked, 'What's with the beard? ' This is what's with the beard."
Despite the need for some awkward explanations, Rob believed the beard was spot on for the Machiavellian Dudley.
"But I do think it helps with the character," he explained. "And then the earring wasn't my idea, I hadn't thought about all the jewels, the rings and the earring.
"But I think it all helps for the character, and on a personal level it helps me in trying to show something a little different."
After embracing the role of a villain in My Lady Jane, Rob is set to return as the beloved Bryn in a special episode of Gavin and Stacey, which will be broadcast this Christmas on BBC One.
My Lady Jane premieres Thursday, June 27 on Prime Video.
An AI tool was used to bring an extra layer to this story.