Interview: Nathan Foad at GalaxyCon Raleigh
Nathan Foad thinks the Our Flag Means Death fandom is annoying.
He even said so at a recent fan panel at GalaxyCon Raleigh.
However, he also means it with all the love in his heart.
“I stand by that, but I mean it more affectionately than you can ever imagine,” he said. “The relationship with the fans is a beautiful thing. It’s never something I thought I would experience. Like, the fact that I recognize people and remember people’s names because [they’re] so loyal. What a special experience.”
Foad’s fluency in sarcasm comes from a background in comedy, growing up on a steady diet of both British and American television.
“In the UK growing up, I was obsessed with a comedian that everyone in the UK knows called Victoria Wood, who has now since passed. She was a very prominent female comedian on TV in the ’90s and noughties on a show called Dinnerladies that I was absolutely obsessed with. And I was also really obsessed with a comedy duo called Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson,” he said. “In the US, god, it runs the gamut. Like I’m obsessed with American comedy, so everyone that was coming out of SNL in the 90s and noughties. I used to bootleg, like, Mad TV when I was, like, 12. I was obsessed.”
He said it still blows his mind that he got to work with SNL’s Leslie Jones on OFMD and that they’ve become friends.
“She texts me and it comes up ‘Leslie Jones.’ And I’m like, LOL, that is crazy. I love her.”
Foad recently broadened his horizons, stretching his skills on stage in Love’s Labour’s Lost co-starring Bridgerton’s Luke Thompson at the Royal Shakespeare Company.
While he was super nervous at first, he came to love the process and was thrilled to have taken on the challenge and expanded his talents by the time the show wrapped.
“I had the time of my life. I liked it so much more than I thought I would. I was really trepidatious about doing it. I nearly said no, not because I thought I was too good for it or anything, I was just so intimidated by it,” he said. “I did a lot of stage work when I was younger, but I’d never worked as a stage actor, like, professionally. When my agent asked me if I wanted to audition for it. I was like, ‘Nooo, I’ll make a fool of myself!’ And it ended up being one of the most joyful experiences of my career. I absolutely loved it. I could have done it forever.”
Though the show has now closed, Foad has stayed busy with other projects, running the gamut from writing to acting to voice work.
“I have a million upcoming projects. A lot of them haven’t been announced, so I can’t really talk about them,” he said. “But I’m writing on a couple of different British shows. I’ve got a big video game coming out next year that I’m quite prominent in. I’ve done audiobooks. I’ve got a lot going on. And I’m sure I’ll be able to talk about them at these conventions soon.”
Foad has been taking part in the convention circuit for a few years now to promote OFMD. During that time, he has seen his fair share of show-related cosplays and definitely has his favorites.
“I like it when people come as Spanish Jackie’s nose jar. That’s incredible. I also appreciate any Spanish Jackie because I think she has the best outfits in the show,” he said. “And I love seeing Black Pete, actually. Because it’s very rare that you see Black Pete. He’s obviously my favorite character in the show, because I’m in love with Matthew Maher. So I always appreciate that.”
The legacy of OFMD will continue on as long as fans cosplay as their favorite characters, and even beyond that. Foad witnessed the power of the fandom firsthand when many came from all over the world to see him in Love’s Labour’s Lost. But what he hopes the show is most remembered for is the relationships formed between fans and the families found therein.
“I’ve said this before, but the thing that I find the most touching is that people follow our other work, which I find amazing, “ he said. “And I hope [Our Flag] is always remembered as a show that brought people together. Remembered as a show that celebrates differences and celebrates freaks. I think that’s really important.”
