Why Conrad From The King's Man Looks So Familiar

If you watched "Kingsman: The Secret Service" and "Kingsman: The Golden Circle" and still had questions about the titular spy organization, you're in luck. A new prequel film, titled "The King's Man," has come out to help fill in the blanks. The movie follows British aristocrat Orlando (Ralph Fiennes), who gets the idea to start an intricate spy network after the death of his wife. Alongside his son, Conrad (Harris Dickinson), and some trusted confidants, they build what comes to be known as the Kingsmen Agency. Of course, the network doesn't have it easy right away as they soon stumble upon a newfound plot to pit several nations against the United Kingdom. 

It may have been Orlando's idea to develop the Kingsmen Agency, but Conrad proves to be a pivotal force in the organization, too, played by the bright-eyed, bushy-tailed Harris Dickinson. It's certainly not the actor's first time in franchise fare, and you aren't mistaken if you thought you had seen him before.

Harris Dickinson has starred in a number of projects since 2014. But he really became known to a broader audience thanks to his part in the Young Adult movie "The Darkest Minds." Taking cues from superpowered franchises, like "X-Men," the film follows a group of youngsters who develop extraordinary abilities. Dickinson's character, Liam, has the power of telekinesis, and he forms a pact with several other teens who are special like him. 

In an interview with The Los Angeles Times, Dickinson spoke about the difficulty of adequately portraying superpowers on the big screen. As he put it, "There was a day where I had to do something with my fingers, obviously controlling something, very like, specifically. And I couldn't like ... couldn't do it for real. You have to believe." Fortunately, he received some assistance courtesy of the film's director Jennifer Yuh: "I remember Jen came to me, and she, like, worked with me for five minutes on movement, and I think that's what bridged it from the paper to actually doing it." He turned in a stellar performance in that role and has remained on an upward trajectory ever since.

Most people probably wouldn't believe the story of the kidnapping of John Paul Getty III if you told them it really happened. But it did, and in 2018, it received a dramatized version in the form of the miniseries "Trust."

The set-up is simple. John Paul Getty III, played by Harris Dickinson, is the grandson of oil tycoon John Paul Getty (Donald Sutherland). He stands to earn a fortune, which makes him the perfect target for a kidnapping when he runs afoul of some bad people. The people want ransom money for his safe return, and despite having a fortune, the first John Paul Getty refuses to pay. 

It was a new opportunity for Dickinson to step into the role because he was forced to embody a single person for an extended period of time. As he told The Last Magazine, "To be with a character for six months was beautiful because you do get to really go on a lovely journey with them — or not lovely in my character's case. You're constantly learning more about them." It remains one of Dickinson's most engaging performances to date.

Before joining an R-rated franchise with "The King's Man," Harris Dickinson joined a decidedly different type of movie series with "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil." Disney princesses get the bulk of attention in the live-action Disney remakes, but there's something to be said about the princes that occupy these spaces, too. Dickinson portrays Prince Philip, who becomes the love interest of Aurora (Elle Fanning). 

The actor spoke to Collider about what it was like to step into such an important role: "There is a journey. He's supporting the story of [Aurora] and [Maleficent], but he's fleshed out and he's got his own struggles that he's dealing with. That was a massive appeal, to be able to explore those things, as well."

It shouldn't come as a surprise nor a spoiler to hear that Prince Philip and Princess Aurora end up getting married by the film's end, as the two live happily ever after. And with numerous projects in the works, it appears as if everything will turn out picture-perfect for Harris Dickinson, as well.