Dan Stevens is perhaps best known for his role as the smart and kind Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey, but his latest role as Russian favourite Alexander Lemtov in Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga has become instantly iconic!
READ: Meet Downton Abbey star Jim Carter's family – from co-star wife to children
A far cry from his portrayal of the 20th-century gentleman who is shocked to discover that he is the sole heir to a large estate, in the Netflix original film, Dan looks almost unrecognisable with feathered blonde hair, a sun-kissed fake tan, and some truly outstanding outfits.
Dan looks completely different in the Netflix film
Viewers were an instant fan of his character, with one writing: "Also since Eurovision 2020 never happened it's now canon that Alexander Lemtov won Eurovision 2020 I don't make the rules," while another added: "Kinda want a Eurovision Movie spin-off about Alexander Lemtov. I wanna find out what happened to that guy. Honestly best character in the movie, he and Mita deserve all the love."
Did you recognise the Legion actor?
Speaking about the role - and all of the singing and dancing required to play a convincing Eurovision contestant - Dan told USA Today: "There were a lot of push-ups. Lemtov's got his chest out all the time and I'm surrounded by these four incredible professional dancers, all shirtless and in insane shape. I had to keep up." He added: "He’s the anti-hero. He’s an obstacle for Lars (Ferrell). Lars wants to be Lemtov and there’s tremendous jealousy and he worries he’s going to steal Sigrit."
READ: Meet Downton Abbey star Dame Maggie Smith's family – and you may recognise her sons
Since he was unable to record the songs due to the global lockdown, he also revealed that Swedish singer Eric Mjönes provided the vocals of his amazing performances, telling Vulture: "They stuck with a very talented Swedish baritone... Eric’s singing style is so perfect for the song. I think it’s great, and it fits really neatly."
