Will Sharpe: Mozart playlist helped shape 'Amadeus' performance

NEW YORK, May 23 (UPI) --White Lotus and Casualty alum Will Sharpe says immersing himself in the symphonies, operas and masses of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart helped him better understand the legendary 18th century composer so he could play him on screen.

"I approached it like any other part. I would say the one difference is that, because it's Mozart, there's this wealth of music to draw on that he wrote," Sharpe, 39, told UPI in a recent Zoom interview.

"I felt like that was a really exciting and unusual resource and I could listen to it and meditate on the story and on the character in a way that wouldn't get me in my head too much."

Sharpe plays the title character in the Starz limited series, Amadeus, opposite Paul Bettany as Antonio Salieri, a professional rival who resents what he believes is Mozart's divine gift.

The five-episode drama is based on Peter Shaffer's 1979 stage play, which was adapted as a 1984 film starring Tom Hulce and F. Murray Abraham.

"They are iconic roles, but, I think, in some ways, I felt like it was probably best just to approach it like any other job, and to try and figure out who this guy is on the page. How can I find a way into him? What can I bring to this character," Sharpe said.

"I did do some research around Mozart's life to see if there was anything interesting or ripe for using in the playing of him and there were some details, but it's a famously fictionalized version [of Mozart]."

In the series, Salieri is seen plotting against Mozart, trying to ruin the younger man's reputation and health until Mozart finally dies at the age of 35.

Sharpe said he and Bettany stayed friends throughout filming even though their characters' were locked in such an unhealthy relationship.

"I feel like, weirdly, the more toxic the scenes became, the closer we got as actors," Sharpe laughed.

"To play scenes that are that toxic, you need to feel safe in the other person's company and feel like you can go there," he explained. "So, actually, at the beginning, where there was a bit of rehearsal and a read-through and, obviously, I was a big fan of Paul's work and we had spent a little bit of time together, but there was a degree to which we were, well, from my side, anyway, I felt like [I was] getting to know Paul a little bit."

The actors were a lot closer when they shot the more tense and emotional moments towards the end, he said.

"By the time we were filming those longer, heavier, final scenes, I felt like we developed a really good trust," Sharpe added.

In a time when there is much debate about how artificial intelligence and computer technology could/should impact the arts, Amadeus is a reminder of the extraordinary things people can create without them.

"I was at a music recording the other day and was reminded of what a humane thing it is to see people playing instruments together," Sharpe said.

"Any sort of collective, creative human expression is very hard to explain or quantify and even sort of in listening back to takes and being like, 'We have unanimously felt that Take 2 is the most emotional take.' What is that based on?" he wondered.

"Is it because the dynamics are handled perfectly? I don't know. How do you explain that to a computer? And, so, there is an unexplainable value, which sounds really hippy and unscientific, but I feel like there is something very precious about... collaborative expression between more than one human being, which we shouldn't kill in the name of profit or making life easy."

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This story was originally published May 23, 2026 at 6:13 PM.