Eddie Marsan makes thinly veiled jab at Boris Johnson’s ‘privileged background’

‘Most young men, if they’re healthy, they let go of the myth of omnipotence,’ actor suggested

Eddie Marsan followed suit in criticising Prime Minister Boris Johnson, during a recent appearance on This Morning.

The Conservative leader is currently facing calls to resign after being fined, along with Rishi Sunak, for breaking lockdown to attend illegal parties at Downing Street.

He is the first sitting prime minister ever found to have broken the law.

On Friday’s (15 April) episode of the ITV talk show, while promoting his new series The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe – based on the true story of John Darwin who faked his own death to claim life insurance – Marsan made a thinly veiled jab at Johnson.

When asked how Marsan dived into the mindset of playing the infamous fraudster, the actor admitted that he had a “bit of a revelation”.

He described John’s delusions as “the myth of omnipotence” which he clarified is a commonality among young men, where “they believe they’re like superheroes and that nothing can conquer them”.

However, he added that “most young men, if they’re healthy” let go of these feelings of grandeur and “realise that they’re subject to the same conditions and rules that all of us are”.

Marsan explained that “because of trauma,” some instead “create this kind of narcissistic worldview”.

“One of the clearest manifestations of this is when they lie,” Marsan continued. “They don’t think you can see through their lies because they don’t think you are three-dimensional like them, they think you’re two-dimensional.”

He reasoned that since John didn’t come from a wealthy background, he was actually punished for his actions and later imprisoned for fraud.

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“The thing about this country is if you come from a more privileged background and you behave like that you can become Prime Minister,” Marsan said.

Presenters Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary immediately burst into laughter, with Hammond responding: “That’s so true.”

This moment comes days after actor Dan Stevens openly criticised Johnson on live TV, calling him a “criminal” who “really should resign”.

The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe begins on ITV at 9pm on Sunday 17 April.