Why The Sandman’s Gwendoline Christie avoided Tom Ellis’ Lucifer

Gwendoline Christie has revealed that Tom Ellis' take on Lucifer wasn't something she took inspiration from for her own version of the character.

The Game of Thrones actress is playing the devil in Netflix's upcoming adaptation of The Sandman.

Fellow British actor Ellis has played the character on Lucifer for years, and while Gwendoline is a fan of the actor, she has confessed she avoided watching his series after she was cast.

gwendoline christie as lucifer, the sandman

Netflix

"I have great respect for Tom, but I didn't think it would be helpful for me to watch someone else's performance of a Lucifer role," she told Digital Spy.

Gwendoline went on to share that she has actually played the role herself before, which was part of the reason she felt so passionate about joining The Sandman.

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"I played Lucifer, actually, at Manchester Royal Exchange on stage, maybe like 2009-ish, I can't quite remember.

"In Doctor Faustus —and I was actually propelled out of the ceiling in chainmail coloured grey with my hands on fire, so it was a role I really wanted to revisit."

The Game of Thrones star went on to share that she took inspiration from a wide range of material in order to prepare herself for the part.

tom ellis as lucifer in lucifer season 6

Netflix

"I'm very lucky in that I had an amazing training at Drama Centre London, which was classical training with a method approach. We were always told to look at a wide range of material. It can be the strangest thing that comes to you and says that is Lucifer, that essence, that look, the feeling of the sun here on my face, that scorching feeling. That's Lucifer."

She added: "So I looked in other areas, just because I wanted to make this my own, just like I do with every part I play."

The story of The Sandman is based on the DC Comics series written by Neil Gaiman, and stars Boyd Holbrook, Patton Oswalt, Vivienne Acheampong, The Crown's Charles Dance, Harry Potter's David Thewlis and Kirby Howell-Baptiste, among others.

The Sandman launches Friday, August 5 on Netflix.

Lucifer seasons 4-6 are streaming now on Netflix. You can also catch up on seasons 1-4 via Amazon.