Men Up minor spoilers follow.
Former Game of Thrones star Iwan Rheon has explained why he was drawn to the "incredible" true story behind Men Up.
Doctor Who showrunner Russell T. Davies has produced this bittersweet film inspired by the real-life clinical trials of Viagra in Swansea through the stories of five fictional men taking part.
Rheon plays one of the men signed up for the trial, and has spoken to Digital Spy about why it was important for this story to be told.
"From the first time I read the script, I just thought this is such a great story – an unknown story, but a true story, which is incredible. But fictional characters within a true story," he told us.
"I think the film sort of tackles the ideas of masculinity and the lack of being able to talk, and the damage that has on relationships, so sensitively and so truthfully. And each character and each storyline within it – it’s five main storylines; there’s five men on this trial. It’s so beautifully shaped and written out.
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"I think everybody will be able to find somebody that they really relate to. I just loved the script straight away, and wanted to play the part."
Through these five men, Men Up connects a range of life experiences through the lens of sexual health with refreshing frankness.
"Well, I think what you get a lot of in the film is that the beginning of their journey to helping themselves is actually by bringing this problem out into the open," Iwan said.
"It’s not necessarily the pill – or the drug – that will help. I think by actually discussing it, and by having the bravery to come out and say you had this happen, is often the beginning of the healing process, rather than it being like, 'Oh, there you are. Take a pill. That will help you'.
"I think that’s really what the film is saying: we need to communicate better."
Iwan also touched on the ways the cast — which also includes Doctor Who's Aneurin Barnard, EastEnders' Phaldut Sharma, A Discovery of Witches star Paul Rhys, Gavin & Stacey actor Steffan Rhodri and Gangs of London's Mark Lewis Jones— bonded over the subject matter.
"I think it’s very different with actors. Actors talk about all sorts of things [laughs]. When you’re sitting around in a waiting room, waiting to do a scene, anything could come up," he recalled.
"I think as a cast, we all really bonded quite quickly anyway. We all were excited about the project. There was a read-through in Cardiff. I’ve never been in a read-through like it. I felt like the script really came to life, and using the events – it felt very… I was blown away by it, really.
"I think, from there, everybody kind of felt, 'This is really going to be quite cool.' We were all getting to know each other. Rhodri and Mark had worked together many times, and the rest of us fitted in. It all felt quite easy, and we all got along really well."
Men Up is now available to stream on the BBC iPlayer.
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Justin is a freelance entertainment journalist and writer. He first joined Digital Spy as a freelance entertainment reporter in 2010 and also worked as a sub-editor for the brand, serving as Night News Editor from 2016 to 2024. Over more than a decade, Justin has covered numerous major entertainment events from the US and has interviewed a wide-ranging group of public figures, from comedian Steve Coogan to icons from the Star Trek universe, cast members from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reality stars from numerous Real Housewives cities and the Below Deck franchise. Justin has also been on the ground to cover major pop culture events like the Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo. He's written for titles across the Hearst network, plus the likes of CBR and Us Weekly.
TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
