Tom Burke makes for a creepy Orson Welles

An iconic filmmaker was brought to life in Netflix’s new movie Mank by none other than Cormoran Strike himself, Tom Burke!

David Fincher’s newest movie was released on Netflix on December 4th, and has so far garnered solid reviews from critics, as it tells the story of alcoholic screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman) as he writes the script for Citizen Kane.

Throughout the movie, Mankiewicz is shown communicating with the film’s director, Orson Welles. Welles is a giant in the world of cinema, and Fincher knew he had to find the right person to embody such a legendary person, as he relayed to Entertainment Weekly in an interview:

“Tom’s not a big kid, Tom’s a man, and he has certain physical similarities,” Fincher says. “But the thing that I kept coming back to was his voice was beautiful. His voice is very hypnotic, and we gave him recordings of Welles and encouraged him. Tom had the power. Tom had the gravitas. Tom had the presence, and he could definitely develop the voice.”

Burke brings a foreboding presence from the first moment he comes on screen, wearing a cape that Welles was seemingly known for in heyday.

Burke shows his acting prowess in one of his few scenes with Oldman where they are in the same scene. The two characters are arguing over who will get credit for the script, and Burke shows a range that is rarely seen in a movie.

Tom Burke has had a great 2020, with a fourth season of Strike, an appearance in The Crown, and a prime role in Mank. His star is rising, and it shall be interesting to see where he turns up in 2021 and beyond.

Have you seen Mank? What did you think of Tom Burke’s performance? Let us know in the comments!