Hugh Laurie became a major star long ago. While he has acted in plenty of great works, it was mostly the success of the long-running medical drama House that made him into a “house” hold name. After that show wrapped, though, many wondered what kind of direction the veteran actor’s career would take.
These days, the career is going in some very unexpected directions, and that eventually resulted in an image of Laurie looking so different that it shocked even his biggest fans. Just what is Laurie looking like, and what’s the real reason behind the change in his appearance? Keep reading to discover the answer!
The actor is looking very different
As we noted above, most of Hugh Laurie’s fans fell in love with him thanks to the blockbuster television show House. Obviously, Laurie’s titular character wore a number of different outfits throughout the different seasons. For the most part, however, fans got used to seeing House dressed in jackets, suits, and the occasional tuxedo, all of which helped Laurie cut a very dashing figure.
Because of that, the image above came as a shock to many of the actor’s biggest fans. His black pants and sneakers make him look instantly less formal than House ever did, as does his sweater and beanie. Sure, the outfit looks comfortable and all, but the image almost makes it seem like the paparazzi caught a photo of a tired Laurie taking out the trash.
Don’t worry, though…this isn’t the actor’s new daily fit. He’s actually rocking a new wardrobe for a very specific reason, and it’s one likely to make his fans very happy.
The real reason for his new appearance
Just as Hugh Laurie put on a certain outfit for House, he has donned this new outfit for a new TV show. Specifically, he is dressed this way for a miniseries named Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? If that name rings a bell, then you’re very likely a major fan of Agatha Christie.
This miniseries is an adaptation of her thriller (it goes by the same name). Honestly, we really enjoyed the format: in addition to Hugh Laurie’s great talents in front of and behind the camera (more on this later), a miniseries is a great way to adapt Christie’s books because more of her great content can be included. By contrast, film adaptations of her work always end up cutting out some of our favorite parts.
What is this mystery about?
Are you not a big Agatha Christie fan, or maybe you just never read Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? Don’t worry…we’ve got a brief breakdown of the mystery at the heart of this exciting new series.
In the original book, the character Bobby Jones is visiting his golf course when he encounters a dying man. That man’s last words are the title: “why didn’t they ask Evans?” This kicks off an adventure between Jones and his friend Frances Derwent as they frantically try to solve this bizarre mystery.
What role does Laurie play?
While it makes a few tweaks here and there, the Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? miniseries is mostly a faithful adaptation of the book. Bobby Jones is played by Will Poulter and Frances Derwent is played by Lucy Boynton. Interestingly for fans of Hugh Laurie, he doesn’t play the central character in the film.
Instead, Laurie plays the relatively smaller role of Dr. James Nicholson, a psychologist who becomes involved in this mystery. That’s right: the man who became famous playing one kind of doctor onscreen ended up playing a completely different kind of physician. If you’re wondering why Laurie didn’t play a more major role, there’s a simple reason: he was busy directing!
A man of many talents
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re a major fan of Hugh Laurie. That’s understandable: all it takes is seeing a single one of his performances to transform you into a fan for life. For this miniseries, however, the famous actor also serves as the creator of the miniseries and the director of its three episodes.
Why is Laurie so passionate? According to him, the actor was a major fan of the original book from when he first read it as a teenager. He has always thought the mystery in the book was fascinating, and he decided to create a miniseries to share his passion with the world.
A new future for a brilliant star?
In many ways, this miniseries shows how Laurie’s career has come full circle. Back in 1995, he directed a TV miniseries called Look At the State We’re In! Since then, though, his directing credits have been confined to a few episodes here and there.
Creating Why Didn’t They Ask About Evans? and directing its episodes is actually the actor’s most ambitious return to the director’s chair. While Laurie hasn’t directed anything since this miniseries came out in 2022, it is frankly so good that we hope to see more shows and even films from this talented actor-turned-director very soon!