Abhiroop Das
Created by Richard Gadd, HBO Max’s ‘Half Man’ follows two men over the course of several decades as they navigate a curious kinship that defies definition. When Niall, a bullied teen in school, meets the unruly and imposing Ruben for the first time, he is both scared and appreciative of what he sees. Before long, the two go from strangers to the best of friends, questioning the exact nature of their dynamic every step of the way. However, many years later, when Ruben reappears in Niall’s life on the day of his wedding, years’ worth of unresolved feelings and discussions burst forth to the surface, testing the limits of their relationship. Set in 1980s-90s Scotland, the drama series ties together sexuality, family, and the very depths of the human experience into a single narrative.
Half Man is a Work of Fiction That Seeks to Examine Masculinity in All of Its Dimensions
‘Half Man’ is a fictional story penned by Richard Gadd, who intended to unravel the many layers of masculinity, youth, and kinship in a Scottish setting. When asked by Decider about his goal with the story, Gadd explained that he didn’t set out to achieve personal catharsis or to make an expressly political statement. Instead, the show is his response to his “impulse to dig deep inside the whole knotty subject.” As such, though he stepped into the creative zone with questions he intended to explore rather than answer, by the time he was done with the writing process, he found things even more confusing than before. However, Gadd considers this to be a positive development, as that ambiguity is what gives the show its distinct mood and character.
Gadd is no stranger to self-reflexive works with an autobiographical bent, as that just about perfectly describes his breakout show ‘Baby Reindeer.’ In it, Gadd plays a comedian named Donny Dunn, who is partially based on himself. From there, the story dramatizes a real-life encounter Gadd alleges he had with a person he claims shadowed him for years. While ‘Half Man’ doesn’t appear to be based on Gadd’s real-life experiences, at least to the same extent, as a concept, it actually predates ‘Baby Reindeer.’
Gadd reportedly began work on ‘Half Man’ in 2019, but shelved the project while filming ‘Baby Reindeer.’ However, all that time, the idea never quite left the back of his mind, and he resumed work almost immediately after wrapping up the Netflix series. While the overwhelming success of ‘Baby Reindeer’ naturally generated a lot of buzz and pressure about Gadd’s next work, he didn’t let it affect his creative vision for ‘Half Man.’ In fact, his excitement about resuming work on the story absorbed much of the pressure, allowing him to focus on refining the narrative.
Richard Gadd’s Involvement as an Actor Adds a Personal Layer to the Story
In his conversation with Decider, Richard Gadd discussed getting so deeply involved in the project that he reached a level of what he called “artistic removedness.” In effect, he likened working on the show to crafting an old sculpture, where he couldn’t help but feel the tragedy pouring out of every little detail. Fittingly, Gadd plays the adult version of Ruben, and though it wasn’t the plan at the start, this casting decision is what elevates the show the most. Given Gadd’s experience with ‘Baby Reindeer,’ where he also steps in as the protagonist, he initially wanted to limit his appearance in ‘Half Man’ to a minor role or cameo. It was ultimately actor Jamie Bell, who plays the adult version of Niall, who motivated Gadd to make the role of Ruben his own.
When stepping into Ruben’s shoes, Gadd found himself questioning whether he was the right fit in the first place. He recalled thinking, “Oh, that’s so far away from what I’ve done before. Like, are people going to buy the guy in the comedy suit as the malevolent presence in the biker jacket?” What dispelled all of his doubts and fears was asking himself if he wanted the role, to which he responded with a resounding yes. While Ruben, as a character, doesn’t appear to be based on Gadd or his life, his input as both writer and actor lends the show many layers of personalization, just as the larger narrative does.
Just as Ruben, Niall Kennedy is a fictional character who serves as Ruben’s foil in the story. When looking for the perfect actor to essay the younger version of the character, Gadd found actor Mitchell Robertson’s audition self-tape and immediately selected him. In a conversation with i-D, he noted that he “could see all of Niall’s internal conflicts playing out in the space behind Mitchell’s eyes.” While preparing for the role, Mitchell, who is an up-and-coming name in the industry, had a tough time preparing for the emotional intensity of the role and relied on hypnotherapy to decompress after shoots. While the character may not have any real-life antecedents, Mitchell’s empathetic approach to the role is what makes Niall come alive as a character.
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