'Dracula' writer Mark Gatiss says Claes Bang is a "fantastic actor" with an "amazing presence".
Claes Bang
The 51-year-old Danish actor has been handed the titular role in Steven Moffat and Gatiss' new mini-series for the BBC, inspired by Bram Stoker's classic novel, and now the writers have admitted that after seeing one of the star's films, they knew he was right for the blood-thirsty role and had the same certainty "just like" when Benedict Cumberbatch auditioned for their 2010 'Sherlock' series.
Speaking to Digital Spy, Mark said: "Just like Benedict, we didn't see anybody else. He was recommended... we all watched that film 'The Square' [a 2017 film satire starring Bang as a troubled art curator] and just went, 'Well, who else is it?'
"I think he actually is Dracula! In the novel, of course, Dracula's trying to get to England ... I think he's finally succeeded by being cast in his own show.
"Claes looks like Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee at the same time. He's a fantastic actor - my God, his presence is amazing. So that's why we cast him!"
'Dracula' - which is being produced by Hartswood Films and is a co-production between BBC One and Netflix - has been commissioned by the BBC for three feature-length episodes, set in Transylvania in 1897.
The English actor-turned-screenwriter also confessed that they will begin filming the supernatural mini-series early "next year" with the majority of the cast and plot details still to be revealed.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com, Gatiss joked: "Where are we up to? Uh, page number....
"No, we're filming the beginning of next year. It's going very well, thank you."
Tagged in Steven Moffat Mark Gatiss