The world of Bram Stoker’s Draculais getting an immersive and chilling new take.
Audible’s new drama offers a full-cast reimagining of the 1897 gothic horror classic, primarily putting the focus on Mina Murray as her idyllic life becomes a nightmare when her fiancé vanishes on a work trip in Transylvania and her friend Lucy begins experiencing haunting visions of the eponymous vampire. Dracula follows Mina as she races to put together information from Jonathan’s letters, testimony from those who have encountered the Transylvanian and enlist the help of Professor Van Helsing in order to put a stop to him.
Audible’s Dracula has assembled a star-studded roster for the audio drama’s cast, with Wicked‘s Jonathan Bailey voicing the iconic vampire, while Fallout‘s Ella Purnell stars as Mina, The White Lotus‘ Aimee Lou Wood as Lucy, Enola Holmes‘ Louis Partridge as Jonathan, The Long Walk‘s David Jonsson as Dr. Seward and Oscar nominee Maggie Gyllenhaal as Professor Van Helsing. The production also hails from scribe Robyn Ahern and Pet Sematary‘s Mary Lambert in the director’s chair.
In honor of its Audible premiere, ScreenRant‘s Grant Hermanns interviewed David Jonsson to discuss Bram Stoker’s Dracula. When asked about how the audio production is shifting gears in its approach to the classic novel, Jonsson began by expressing that the series is “so good at staying true” to the more gothic elements of Stoker’s work, with the aim of doing “something slightly different,” a big part of which he feels is down to the cast:
David Jonsson: Everyone’s awesome, by the way. We’ve got such a good cast, but one of my favorite people in this is Maggie Gyllenhaal as Van Helsing. She does something so different with this that is so kick-a–, man. She’s awesome with it. So, I think there are so many little things like that that just allows a new interpretation, while keeping that baseline of something that feels true to Bram Stoker’s masterpiece.
David Jonsson: Everyone’s awesome, by the way. We’ve got such a good cast, but one of my favorite people in this is Maggie Gyllenhaal as Van Helsing. She does something so different with this that is so kick-a–, man. She’s awesome with it. So, I think there are so many little things like that that just allows a new interpretation, while keeping that baseline of something that feels true to Bram Stoker’s masterpiece.
As for Dr. Seward — a scientist who once proposed to Lucy and remains friends with her after she chose another suitor — Jonsson teased that their dynamic is a “simple, truthful” one that just happens to be a key branch of “this supernatural world,” and that it taps into a larger theme from Stoker’s Dracula:
David Jonsson: That dynamic, that longing, to some degree, of Lucy, it felt really close to the bone. I also found another side of why he’s fighting to help and figure out what this thing is that cannot be true, because science says so. But sometimes, love can make us do crazy things. Let’s just say that. It was really awesome to find such a simple, truthful dynamic in this supernatural world and put it on audio.
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David Jonsson: That dynamic, that longing, to some degree, of Lucy, it felt really close to the bone. I also found another side of why he’s fighting to help and figure out what this thing is that cannot be true, because science says so. But sometimes, love can make us do crazy things. Let’s just say that. It was really awesome to find such a simple, truthful dynamic in this supernatural world and put it on audio.
Jonsson Was Captivated By Dracula’s Expansion Of Dr. Seward
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Credit: Audible
ScreenRant: First and foremost, I’d love to know: were you a big Dracula fan, whether it’s the book or the adaptations, prior to being approached for this series?
David Jonsson: Yeah. I went to drama school, so a big part of that for me was studying classics and the things that everything rips off. [Chuckles] One of those things essentially was Dracula. Bram Stoker, I think, really hit a gem with Dracula. He’s got all the things that we know to be dark, and what we now identify as gothic, but also incredibly human, and searching and longing. So yes, I’m very aware of Dracula, and then it branches out into the movies, as well, which I think are cinematic gold.
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David Jonsson: Yeah. I went to drama school, so a big part of that for me was studying classics and the things that everything rips off. [Chuckles] One of those things essentially was Dracula. Bram Stoker, I think, really hit a gem with Dracula. He’s got all the things that we know to be dark, and what we now identify as gothic, but also incredibly human, and searching and longing. So yes, I’m very aware of Dracula, and then it branches out into the movies, as well, which I think are cinematic gold.
ScreenRant: There is such a great range of adaptations when it comes to the world of Dracula, and I’m curious if you have like a Mount Rushmore of sorts, of “These are the ones that you always go to”?
David Jonsson: It’s Gary Oldman, isn’t it? It’s gotta be Gary Oldman. That’s just because I’m obsessed. But however, there’s so many [others], not just the titular character, but the broad scope of character building in that world in Dracula is vast, and hopefully we found that in our drama, as well.
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David Jonsson: It’s Gary Oldman, isn’t it? It’s gotta be Gary Oldman. That’s just because I’m obsessed. But however, there’s so many [others], not just the titular character, but the broad scope of character building in that world in Dracula is vast, and hopefully we found that in our drama, as well.
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ScreenRant: So, diving into this series, you’re no stranger to the world of audio dramas. You were, of course, part of Doctor Who‘s UNIT very briefly back about a decade ago now, and I’m curious what it was like stepping back into that world. Because I’ve done interviews with actors a few times for audio dramas, and it’s not like animation, where you might get some concept art you can sort of visualize off of. You are creating this whole thing in your head.
David Jonsson: It’s really such a unique experience. I honestly don’t think I’m anyone, I think I’m still learning consistently, and every job I take isn’t for vain glory. It’s just to try and find a bit more about who I am, find a bit more about who I can be as an actor, and hopefully what I can show people and let people experience. The reason why I took this one is because I think Dr. Seward as a character is incredibly complex. He’s a man of science who’s struggling because nothing about this world is scientific, and everything about this world is supernatural, and therefore it feels kind of coming of age to me, which I really enjoyed. But also, you’re acting with just your voice, which, by the way, goes against everything I know how to do, which is react, and we did it all in isolation. But for me, it became a lesson of trust. It’s trust in Mary [Lambert], who’s a brilliant director. Her Pet Sematary is awesome, and then also the great guys at Audible, who really do know how to make these things. I’m always trying to give some nuance and find something new, and I kind of can’t do anything unless I do that. And they’re like, “Yeah, give it to us, because we’ll find it.” And in this drama, it does feel like it’s layered with some of the things that I hope I gave, and that’s a testament to audio drama as a whole. It’s incredibly vast and incredibly fulfilling.
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David Jonsson: It’s really such a unique experience. I honestly don’t think I’m anyone, I think I’m still learning consistently, and every job I take isn’t for vain glory. It’s just to try and find a bit more about who I am, find a bit more about who I can be as an actor, and hopefully what I can show people and let people experience. The reason why I took this one is because I think Dr. Seward as a character is incredibly complex. He’s a man of science who’s struggling because nothing about this world is scientific, and everything about this world is supernatural, and therefore it feels kind of coming of age to me, which I really enjoyed. But also, you’re acting with just your voice, which, by the way, goes against everything I know how to do, which is react, and we did it all in isolation. But for me, it became a lesson of trust. It’s trust in Mary [Lambert], who’s a brilliant director. Her Pet Sematary is awesome, and then also the great guys at Audible, who really do know how to make these things. I’m always trying to give some nuance and find something new, and I kind of can’t do anything unless I do that. And they’re like, “Yeah, give it to us, because we’ll find it.” And in this drama, it does feel like it’s layered with some of the things that I hope I gave, and that’s a testament to audio drama as a whole. It’s incredibly vast and incredibly fulfilling.
ScreenRant: I feel like that’s also a great segue to talk about what you wanted to bring to this role, because obviously, like you say, Seward is a man of science. He’s thrown into a situation he has no earthly idea how to handle, but it’s also regarding someone he cares about, much like Jonathan and Mina. What were those conversations that you had with Mary about your vision for the character, along with the script’s vision for the character?
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David Jonsson: Well, one thing that was there from the offset — and actually Mary told me this, which is something I always thought, but I didn’t say it. Any Dr. Seward that we saw before, that’s not what we’re doing. I really wanted to find who this character is, and his longing, and I think that was the best thing about him. I always try and rip that up and start again, but with this, I had great source material. I do truly believe our script was brilliantly written. You want to stay true to it to some degree, and all that requires is you to let it run through you, and let it cut through you. I think that’s what I try to do with those words. Sometimes I surprise myself, which is rare.
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David Jonsson: Well, one thing that was there from the offset — and actually Mary told me this, which is something I always thought, but I didn’t say it. Any Dr. Seward that we saw before, that’s not what we’re doing. I really wanted to find who this character is, and his longing, and I think that was the best thing about him. I always try and rip that up and start again, but with this, I had great source material. I do truly believe our script was brilliantly written. You want to stay true to it to some degree, and all that requires is you to let it run through you, and let it cut through you. I think that’s what I try to do with those words. Sometimes I surprise myself, which is rare.
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Image courtesy Jesse Grant/Getty Images
ScreenRant: So talking about surprising yourself, was there any one moment in this process, whether it was during the recording or listening back to it, where you really did surprise yourself with what you did for this character in this version?
David Jonsson: I think it was the process of recording it, which was so fun and so fulfilling. I’m an introvert, so being in a booth with no one is quite nice, actually. [Laughs] But doing the work of recording an audio drama, it’s just as athletic as a close-up on film, which is what I predominantly do. And with that said, you’re doing like 60 minutes at a time of close-ups. That’s intense, and that’s what I loved. It was definitely a challenge, and there’s so much that I’m going to take away from doing a project like this.
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David Jonsson: I think it was the process of recording it, which was so fun and so fulfilling. I’m an introvert, so being in a booth with no one is quite nice, actually. [Laughs] But doing the work of recording an audio drama, it’s just as athletic as a close-up on film, which is what I predominantly do. And with that said, you’re doing like 60 minutes at a time of close-ups. That’s intense, and that’s what I loved. It was definitely a challenge, and there’s so much that I’m going to take away from doing a project like this.
ScreenRant: You mentioned loving hearing what Maggie’s done with Van Helsing. So, have you had the chance to listen to the whole thing?
David Jonsson: Oh yeah. Which, by the way, I don’t watch my own work. I don’t watch playback. I’m really terrible at it. [Chuckles] This has been easy, dude. I’ve stuck that on in the car. I’ve gone for long drives, and I’m adoring it. It is truly immersive, and I do think it reinvents it in such a non-trite way. I feel like that’s nice to have a hand in making that.
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David Jonsson: Oh yeah. Which, by the way, I don’t watch my own work. I don’t watch playback. I’m really terrible at it. [Chuckles] This has been easy, dude. I’ve stuck that on in the car. I’ve gone for long drives, and I’m adoring it. It is truly immersive, and I do think it reinvents it in such a non-trite way. I feel like that’s nice to have a hand in making that.
Rearrange the movies into the correct US release order.
ScreenRant: So, if, by the way, you were ever approached for a live-action Dracula adaptation, would you still want to be Dr. Seward, or is there someone else in that iconic cast of characters you’d love to tackle?
David Jonsson: I think you know the answer to that. [Laughs] No, look, I think I actually said this to someone earlier on, but if this project came to me in the exact same form, exact same offer, and it was a film, I wouldn’t [have done it]. I would respectfully be very flattered, but I wouldn’t do it because I don’t think it’d hit me in the same way. I think Doctor Seward, as a character, has never — with all due respect [to other adaptations] — fully been realized, in my opinion. That was a challenge, that was fun. But if there was a film adaptation, yeah, I would probably go for something slightly darker.
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David Jonsson: I think you know the answer to that. [Laughs] No, look, I think I actually said this to someone earlier on, but if this project came to me in the exact same form, exact same offer, and it was a film, I wouldn’t [have done it]. I would respectfully be very flattered, but I wouldn’t do it because I don’t think it’d hit me in the same way. I think Doctor Seward, as a character, has never — with all due respect [to other adaptations] — fully been realized, in my opinion. That was a challenge, that was fun. But if there was a film adaptation, yeah, I would probably go for something slightly darker.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula is available to stream on Audible now!
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