Over the last two nights, ITV has been broadcasting 'Quiz', a show about a cheating scandal on 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire' in 2001. Playing the role of Chris Tarrant was none other than the great Michael Sheen. The Welshman has established himself as one of the world's best impressionists, and his take-off of Tarrant was absolutely uncanny. Perfect accent, perfect mannerisms, same hair. Given how uniquely weird Christ Tarrent is, Sheen somehow manages to outTarrant Tarrant.
Lucy Mangan manages to perfectly capture what Sheen achieves in her review of the show for the Guardian:
If you close your eyes, it’s him. The physical resemblance is uncanny, too, but in a more complicated way – you have to go back to the original to remind yourself that the presenter really does have that plasticky a rictus grin and adjust your credulity accordingly.
Sheen has been the toast of social media over the past 24 hours.
Michael Sheen’s portrayal of Chris Tarrant is beyond brilliant.
I swear if he was asked to play Meghan Markle he’d pull it off.#Quiz pic.twitter.com/m7N80lXKNX— Flo (@mrs__flo) April 15, 2020
Michael Sheen is a better Chris Tarrant than Chris Tarrant #Quiz pic.twitter.com/Pw9KQ3s6Wu
— Ashley (@AshWHurst) April 14, 2020
If Michael Sheen doesn’t win a BAFTA for this then there is simply no justice. #Quiz pic.twitter.com/zisSpnyvzO
— Chris 👑 (@nahsosmall) April 14, 2020
Husband: I'm sick to death of watching stuff on the tele about Coronavirus, isn't anything else on?
Me: Well tonight there is that ITV drama #quiz with Michael Sheen in.
Husband: Oh, what's it about?
Me: Err, Coughing.— 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 (@pearlylondon) April 13, 2020
We've spending the morning watching back Sheen's body of work over the past twenty years, and it's safe to say we didn't fully appreciate his genius. From Brian Clough in the Damned United to David Frost in Frost/Nixon to Tony Blair in The Queen and now to Tarrant, Clough has repeatedly mastered impressions of charismatic middle-aged white men. Again, it goes beyond just nailing the accent, which Sheen always does. It's the mannerisms, the quirks, the eccentricities of their character.
Below we've put Sheen against the real thing, and it's amazing how close Sheen gets to the real thing. It's almost too close.
Michael Sheen as Brian Clough, Derby county manager
Brian Clough as Brian Clough, Derby county manager
Michael Sheen as David Frost, Richard Nixon interviewer
David Frost as David Frost, Richard Nixon Interviewer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhdewyMSeJI
Michael Sheen as Chris Tarrant, 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire' presenter
Michael Sheen is a remarkable impersonator.
That laugh. This IS Chris Tarrant. #Quiz pic.twitter.com/wghvQdLzPf— Gareth (@GMLmusic) April 14, 2020
