House of David
Stephen Lang is one of the most iconic prophets in religious history during one of his most turbulent periods inHouse of David . Lang , best known for his workplace in theDon’t BreatheandAvatarfranchises , has explored the historical genre in the past tense , pasture from the well - encounter Civil War epicGettysburgand its prequelGods and Generalsto the political thrillerThe Gandhi Murder . With the Prime Video show , however , it scar his first major speculation into trust - free-base storytelling , partnering with the originative squad of Jon Erwin and Jon Gunn , whose late success includeAmerican UnderdogandOrdinary Angels .
House of Davidis fix in B.C. Israeland chronicle multiple storylines that will eventually cross thanks to David , the young scriptural physique who , in the wake of killing the Philistine monster Goliath , would eventually become one of the most notable magnate in Israel ’s account . Lang stars in the show as Samuel , the well - renowned prophet who , under the counselling of God , exact away magnate from the prideful King Saul and journeys to find the next rightful ruler of the earth .
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House of David , released in 2025 , follow King Saul ’s descent and the rise of the shepherd David , anointed as a rival king . As Saul ’s green-eyed monster intensifies , David maneuver through love , violence , and political science , chair to inevitable battle between the two leaders in a battle for the kingdom .
In anticipation of the show ’s premiere , ScreenRantinterviewed Stephen Lang to discussHouse of David . The Tony Award candidate opened up about working with Erwin and Gunn for the undertaking , why it feels like more of a universal story than other faith - based titles have in the yesteryear , the enquiry he did to immerse himself in the world of Samuel , and a brief vexer of what to expect from Quaritch ’s mindset going intoAvatar : Fire and Ash .
Lang Felt Empowered By Gunn & Erwin’s “Great Passion” For The Project
He Also Hopes Younger Viewers Tune In For The Universal Themes Of The Show
WithHouse of Davidbeing his first real foray into the world of faith - based dramas , as well as his first major TV part since his recurring role of David Cord onThe Good Fight , there were certainly various avenues to explain why Lang was concerned in joining the Prime Video show . For the star , he immediately steer to his initial meeting with Gunn and Erwin , admire they were " neat hit man " and " telling thinker " and the more he discussed the show with them , the more he found himself " confident enough to get aboard " :
Stephen Lang : Well , the Jons and I had a essential confluence when I was considering whether I require to join up with these guys , and I set up them to be straight shooters and telling thinkers and inventive in their approaching to stuff that is really quite extraordinary . And their consignment to the material itself , to telling this report , you could finger it when we had the meeting . So , I felt potent enough and surefooted enough to come aboard , and then that feeling , I would say , was completely honour as I did the work with them , because they just brought great passion to it and with child intelligence activity to it , great creativity , great humor , it was a good line . And of track , it ’s a superb , very wonderful and impactful role .
Stephen Lang ’s Quaritch is the most memorable scoundrel in the Avatar franchise , but one of the actor ’s other function makes this part deeply wry .
The show also continues the late rush in faith - based storytelling on both the big and small screens , with everything from more grounded drama likeOrdinary Angelsto eventhe post - revelatory thrillerHomesteadpresenting different kinds of stories while still having certain morality and subject matter at their core . For Lang , however , he get that the show entertain a very universal theme in regard to David ’s journey , recalling how he himself was " feeling very dislocated " in his younger days , much like David , while also razz the wider scope of its story to hold all audiences :
Stephen Lang : I desire that young multitude see the show , because when you get right down to what this show ’s about , it ’s about a young boy who becomes a young man and will become a man , but he ’s really set apart . He is alienate , he ’s turn off out from the herd , from the family , and he is disappointed and confused by this , because he feels that , somehow , he ’s meant to be someone , to do something with his life . But he does n’t know what it is . He ’s just mark time on the fringe , it seems to him , and he ’s survive in the shadow of the fright of his father and his brother , it seems to me . And is n’t that a very plebeian theme ?
So many young people — I know I was , I have four kids , I remember they were at times feeling very dislocated , very anomic , very cut out from thing . And this is the story , in David , of a young man who self - actualizes , who really , with providential help , is able to tap into his own strengths and his own sense of destiny and hope . And that , to me , is a story that ’s worth telling . I cerebrate old folks will kind of look back and appreciate it , and I hope that new folk will feel connected to it , and even inspired by it . And that ’s just the David part of it , because there ’s this whole kind of panorama of really sinful characters who are contributing to the narrative , so there ’s a muckle to take care at , there ’s a lot to revalue , there ’s a lot to savour , and there ’s a lot to think about in this show .
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Lang Didn’t Pull From Any Prior Depictions Of Samuel For His Performance
He Did, However, Do Extensive Research To Determine Who His Character Was In Real Life
Though certainly not the first to do so , Lang joins a minor leaning of thespian to have played Samuel on screen , with old iterations including Leonard Nimoy in 1997’sDavid , Eamonn Walker in the 2009 seriesKingsand Mohammad Bakri in the short - lived 2016 seriesOf Kings and Prophets . But while there may have been a various range of alternative for potential inspiration , Lang await to none of them when it came to his performance as Samuel , feeling that every actor brings their own approaching that influences their work :
Stephen Lang : Well , I do n’t really have anything to equate it to . To be true , I do n’t think Samuel has been played all that oft . I should n’t say memorably , because I ’d have to see anterior interpretation of this finical story . But usually , when the story of David and Goliath is severalize , it ’s differentiate in an almost underlying way . It almost comes across as a child ’s story . I understand that if you get profoundly into the Old Testament and into the religion of it , it study on other aspects , which is what happens here , of course . But this especial rendition never suffer sight of the turmoil of this story , of the dramatic play and the conflict of the things that make for really , really near , entertaining and enlightening and thoughtful television and film .
Without looking to past adaptations , Lang or else turned to studying various real material for his research , including the Books of Samuel , which chronicle his liveliness start with his parentage to finally inunct David as the novel king of Israel , as well as listening to various commentaries analyzing the books , which he admitted were " exceedingly ironical " . Even still , he made sure to keep his focal point on the Old Testament in parliamentary procedure to " find who the man being " of Samuel was :
Stephen Lang : You mentioned the New Testament , and I ca n’t speak for what is on anyone else ’s mind . But this was not a New Testament project to me . This happens 1100 years before the birth of Jesus , so I ’m aware of the implications . And I ca n’t speak for how anybody else feels , what their special dream , order of business for the undertaking is . To me , it ’s to tell quite a remarkable level , a narration that ’s grounded in history , but has a very , very with child dose of fable that coalesce with that history , and also has more than a handful of myth that goes with it , as well .
So just on that level , it was just a enthralling thing to be part of . But I did saturate myself in Samuels , I and II , and I read commentary on it , much of which is extremely ironic . Basically , I tried to absorb what I consider to be the spirit of these book of account , and to stick to and honor what I call up is the truthful spirit of the way these news report are tell in the Old Testament , and from there , to be completely imaginative and to find who the human being , who this Samuel really who he was . Another doer would have a completely different Samuel , but this is who Samuel is for me .
Quaritch’s Journey Won’t Be A Straightforward One In Future Avatar Sequels
“…he’s going to go through a whole bunch of stuff.”
Looking beyond the show , Lang also hasthe press release ofAvatar : Fire and Ashcoming this December , with the remaining two installments in the franchise place for 2029 and 2031 debuts . While Lang is careful not to share too much and get himself in problem , he did pester that Quaritch ’s journeying will not be a aboveboard one fit into the next three moving picture , while also hinting that even as he develop , " there ’s a fundamental Quaritchness " that will remain :
Stephen Lang : Well , I really ca n’t say too much . My journeying , the journeying of Quaritch , will proceed . It ’s not a neat journey , it ’s move to have bumps and pitfalls . This is my way of saying nothing , of course , you infer that . [ Chuckles ] What I can say is that there ’s a fundamental Quaritchness that I think will always be there . No matter what he goes through , no matter what fall out , he will always be recognizably Colonel Miles Quarritch , unless he ’s not . But he ’s going to go through a whole bunch of stuff .
About House Of David
HOUSE OF DAVID say the story of the ascent of the biblical bod , David , who eventually becomes the most famed and celebrated king of Israel . The serial follow the once - mighty King Saul as he fall dupe to his own superbia . At the commission of God , the prophet Samuel anoints an unlikely , outcast teenager as the new king . As Saul lose his power over his land , David finds himself on a journey to key and fulfill his destiny , navigating love , deprivation , and violence in the homage of the very man he ’s destined to supplant . As one leader falls , another must rise .
House of David ’s first three episodes premiere on Prime Video on February 27 , follow by new episodes every Thursday .
