Exclusive: Pendragon Cycle’s King Custennin On The Merlin Brotherhood And What’s Next

By Jennifer Asencio
| Updated 1 hour ago

The Pendragon Cycle on Daily Wire+ was widely enjoyed by viewers, as evidenced by an 86% fresh audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The show follows Merlin, long before King Arthur’s rise, during the era of Uther Pendragon and the Saxon invasions that would shape Britain.

Steve Varnom plays King Custennin, Merlin’s father-in-law, in the series. I caught up with Steve, and he was kind enough to take some time out to answer some questions about the show for GIANT FREKAIN ROBOT. I’ve reviewed and commented a lot about the show previously, so it was interesting to talk with one of its stars, who also turns out to be a great storyteller.

The Man Behind King Custennin

I asked Steve Varnom what interested him in acting, and his answer was humanistically geeky! “I knew I wanted to be an actor very early in my life,” he explained. “I think it was seeing Star Wars for the first time that lit the fuse for me! I want to do THAT!” But it took time, he admitted. “I went to drama school in London (LAMDA) and was lucky enough to get a job with the RSC when I graduated. I’ve had a pretty varied career, a lot of ups and downs, like most actors. It can be a challenging career at times – a lot of disappointment and frustration, but when it’s going well, there’s nothing better in the world!”

Steve Varnom is an experienced stage actor who has toured the world. He was educated at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and went on to perform in two productions for the Royal Shakespeare Company, as well as numerous productions on London’s West End, the UK equivalent of Broadway. His stage credits are numerous.

Varnom has performed in A Clockwork Orange with music by Bono and The Edge. He was in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Woman in White as Count Fosco and understudied Michael Crawford, the legendary star of The Phantom of the Opera. His love of acting has long been about the camera, and he brought his stage success to roles on both Coronation Street and EastEnders, two long-standing British soap operas that have launched some of that nation’s biggest stars.

Custennin first appears in episode 5 of The Pendragon Cycle, when Merlin returns to his late wife’s home to apply to her father on Uther’s behalf. The tragic story of Ganieda and the bitterness between Custennin and Merlin are explored in episode 6, and in episode 7, as he rides in to help save the day as the Britons defend their island from invasion.

I asked Steve what interested him in the project and in the character Custennin, and what he liked about the character. “From the first audition scene I was sent, it was apparent this was a very well-written character,” he told me. “Custennin was complex and three-dimensional, with an interesting series arc. Believe me, this is something that you very rarely get. Before this, the screen roles I auditioned for were, for the most part, pretty dreadful – just cliched exposition devices, no real character, just there to make the series regulars look good! Usually, a meaty part like Custennin would be played by a “name,” so I was delighted when it was offered to me, and I decided to make the very most of it, to take chances with the character, to take a big swing!”

The Brotherhood Of The Cast

Talking a bit about the rest of the cast, Varnom was very excited by the production that was assembled. On social media, he and other members of the cast and crew have talked about how close everyone was on set.

“Jeremy Boreing and the team did an incredible job with the casting of the show – they gave amazing, ostensibly unknown actors who wouldn’t normally be cast in major roles the opportunity to show what they were capable of. It was a risk for them, but I think it paid off! They made some incredible discoveries with this show. I mean, Tom Sharp anyone?! What a find.” 

One of the show’s biggest strengths is the performances of its actors, especially that of newcomers like Tom Sharp in the lead as Merlin, Alex Laurence-Phillips as Pelleas, and actors without a “name” like Steve in major roles. It gave them a chance to exhibit their talents, rather than headlining big names that overshadow the story.

Steve explains, “The cast became very close during the months we spent together in Budapest. I made some lifelong friends. Tom, Alex and I bonded on the very first day of principal photography. The first sequence we shot was the dock scene, the climax of episode 5. It was a BIG scene which demanded a lot of focus and emotional intensity – we were thrown in at the deep end, quite literally in Alex’s case. It became immediately apparent that I was working with actors of real quality – you never really know until you’re toe to toe in a scene!”

Of the star of Rise of the Merlin, he said, “Tom and I quickly established a great working relationship. He approaches the work the same way I do – he’s a hard worker, he takes it seriously, he turns up with ideas. Alex astonished me, too,” he added. “This was his first professional job, fresh from drama school! Incredible. Such composure and professionalism, he’s going to have a big career!”

The relationships didn’t end when the camera stopped rolling, either. “Tom, Alex and I speak very regularly, but I also got really close with Myles (Uther), Finney (Aurellius), and George Osborne (Lot) too. Great guys. My brothers from other mothers! I’ve never worked with a company of actors who bonded together like this one.” This chemistry was all over the screen in The Pendragon Cycle and made vivid the kinship amongst the Britons.

About his character, he told me, “One of the things I loved about Custennin’s character was his sense of humor. There was a hint of it in the script, but I decided to lean into it. A lot of the other characters are pretty serious, so I thought it was a great opportunity to make him more relatable, and, even though he’s Atlantean, more human!” Custennin is grieving when we first meet him, but Steve’s performance highlights the contrast between Custennin who is grieving and the genuine and powerful king.

Becoming King Custennin Means Sword-Fighting And Speaking Atlantean

Custennin lives in the 5^th century, and as a king, is responsible for leading warriors into battle and fighting himself. I spoke with Steve about his sword-fighting experience and how it helped him play the character, especially since he loses an arm during the story.

While I’d bet this lifelong Star Wars fan probably got early practice pretending to wield a lightsaber as a kid (didn’t we all!), it turns out Steve is an experienced swashbuckler. “I’ve done quite a lot of sword-fighting for jobs in the past, mostly in the theatre, when I worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company, for example,” he said. “The challenge with Custennin was doing it with one arm! I’m a righty, so welding swords with my left felt so unnatural. We had an amazing stunt and fight team in Hungary, though, and they choreographed some really stunning sequences for us. Those guys made us look good!!”

Custennin’s appearance in the final battle, during which he smacks people around with a very unusual weapon, was priceless, and calls to mind what he said about “taking a big swing” with the character. For Steve, this was as literal as his portrayal of Custennin’s emotional range.

Custennin is one of the Fair Folk who hail from Atlantis, so his character needed to speak the Atlantean language like a native. Steve told me how he made it look easy: “I had fun with the Atlantean language! Rose, Tom, Emree and I worked with Spencer Klavan, who devised the entire language, and I think he did an amazing job. It adds a level of authenticity to the world-building – like Elvish in Lord of the Rings, or Dothraki in Game of Thrones. It was challenging to nail it, but very rewarding when it came together. I didn’t have as much as the other guys – they had pages and pages of it!”

That’s right, scholar Spencer Klavan invented an entire language for the show, just like Tolkien did for The Lord of the Rings.

Living the Medieval Life

I’ve praised the set in the past, and my favorites all revolved around Custennin. His stronghold of Goddeu was beautiful and realistic, and the war camp and final climactic battle against the Saxons all had an authentic feel that reminded me of the Society for Creative Anachronisms’ medieval-themed wars.

“The sets and locations were incredible,” Varnom told me. “They brought such a feeling of authenticity to the show – something you wouldn’t get if you were filming on a backlot or against green screen. Goddeu was a fabulous set – it’s basically an entire town that was originally built for another show, The Last Kingdom, I believe. Our design team repurposed it for Pendragon, and I think they did an amazing job. I particularly liked how they designed Custennin’s great hall, which was brought to life by Kris Kimlin’s extraordinary lighting design. So atmospheric. It certainly made my job easier, being in those surroundings. My abiding memory of those sets is how cold it was! You can see our breath steaming in those scenes – that’s not CGI! The war camp and the battle scenes were the same, up to our knees in freezing mud, huddling around portable heaters between takes!”

Also noteworthy were The Pendragon Cycle’s camp and battle scenes, and hearing Steve talk about working in them and the conditions during filming really brings home what we see on the screen. People like King Custennin and his allies historically made such encampments to fight real wars, just like the ones we see on the show. Steve’s experiences on set emphasize what we can’t feel when we see them huddling around campfires and in tents or grappling with enemies in a field of blood and mud.

I asked Steve what his favorite scene was to shoot. He replied, “I loved Custennin’s very first scene, when Merlin and Pelleas arrive in my hall. Tom and I were really looking forward to shooting it, as it was such a meaty, emotionally complex scene for both of us. We finally did it toward the end of the shoot, and it was a joy. Working opposite an actor of Tom’s caliber just makes it so easy. We fired off each other and discovered some really fun, interesting moments.”

Meanwhile, as a viewer, he admitted, “I have so many favorite scenes, but I think the dock scene stands up as one of the dramatic high points of the series.”

Life After The Pendragon Cycle For Steve Varnom

Fans are desperately hoping for a second season, and I couldn’t help but wonder if Steve would return to fill Custennin’s throne. He admitted, “I’d love to play Custennin again. He’s such a gift for me, such a rich character. I’m so delighted he’s been received well by the viewers of the show, and I hope to strap on that metal arm again very soon!”

Talking about how many actors are getting their start from The Pendragon Cycle, I asked Steve how his appearance on the show has affected his own career. The transfer from stage to screen wasn’t easy for the actor: “It’s difficult for an “unknown” actor to score decent roles in movies and tv shows – producers always want actors with profiles, it maximizes their chances of success and viewing figures, so when I was offered Custennin it meant such a lot. My profile is rising, thanks to this show, and I’m beginning to be considered for the types of roles I’ve always wanted. I’ll always be grateful to Jeremy for believing in me and trusting me with such a great character!”

Other roles have also materialized for him. “Later this year, you’ll see me in a very unusual movie, a Western called Run Honey Run. I play the villain, Brigham Thorne, a demented, murderous Mormon banker, and I had such a blast with him. It’s written and directed by Baylee Toney, who I think is going to be a major player in the business, and it also stars a couple of my Pendragon cohorts – Myles and Alex! I think it’s destined for cult status. Can’t wait for people to see it!” Steve Varnom having fun led to an excellent performance in The Pendragon Cycle, so I’ll be looking for Run Honey Run to see what happens when he’s allowed to cut loose as a villain.

Given the trajectory of his career, I asked him what advice he had for other up-and-coming actors, but his advice is resonant wisdom for all creatives. “The best advice I can give to up-and-coming actors is to believe in yourself,” Steve told me. “It can be a hard slog, but keep working at your craft and hold onto that belief. Most importantly, when an opportunity comes along – and it might take years for that to happen – don’t waste it. Don’t play it safe, take a big swing!”

A big swing, indeed.

See Steve Varnom take his big swing as King Custennin in The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin, streaming in its entirety on Daily Wire+.