Ghosts star Asher Grodman recently met Simon Farnaby, the Paddington star who plays the character who inspired Grodman’s character in the CBS comedy. The two actors made a joint appearance at a screening of The Phantom Of The Open in New York on Wednesday night. Farnaby wrote the film and co-wrote the non-fiction book it is based on.
In the original BBC Ghosts series, Farnaby stars as Julian Fawcett, a member of Parliament who died of a heart attack during a sex scandal. He was caught without wearing pants and continues to have bare legs in the afterlife. Farnaby also co-created the British version of Ghosts with Mathew Baynton, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard, and Ben Willbond.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Grodman’s character in the CBS version is inspired by Julian Fawcett. Grodman plays Trevor Lefkowitz, who also died while not wearing pants and can interact with the physical world if he concentrates hard enough. However, Trevor is a wealthy, partying Wall Street tycoon instead of a politician. Although Trevor and Julian have some similarities, they have very different personalities.
In an October 2021 interview with PopCulture.com, Grodman said he did not meet Farnaby before filming CBS’ Ghosts, but showered him with praise. “He’s so good,” Grodman said, before sharing his big secret to being comfortable on set without wearing pants. “I discovered that the secret, oddly, is take your pants off well before you have to shoot. Because they give me pants to wear to stay comfortable. And if you try to take them off right before cameras start rolling, it feels so awkward. But if you’re just kind of walking around set with that pants on for a little bit, you get a lot more comfortable. Everyone else is uncomfortable, but you’re going to feel a lot better.”
Grodman will continue to walk around on the set without pants as CBS picked up Ghosts for a second season. Additionally, the show has been picking up a lot of buzz ahead of the Emmys this fall, with viewership growing thanks to streaming. Ghosts was the most-watched new comedy of the 2021-2022 season, and Paramount+ recently secured exclusive streaming rights for the show.
As for Farnaby, he will be seen in The Phantom of the Open when Sony Pictures Classics releases it on June 3. The movie is based on Farnaby and Scott Murray’s book The Phantom of the Open: Maurice Flitcroft, The World’s Worst Golfer, which tells the story of Maurice Flitcroft, who is infamous for having the worst score ever recorded during the Open Championship. Mark Rylance plays Flitcroft, while Sally Hawkins plays his wife Jean. Farnaby also has an on-screen role.
