‘Clash of the Titans’ Drama: Producers Didn’t Speak to Me for 25 Years

To Lisa Rinna, one of the constant figures of drama in the long-running US reality TV show The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, her actor husband is always referred to as "Harry Hamlin" rather than just "Harry." Whether he’s making dinner or playing the guitar, it’s always "Harry Hamlin this" and "Harry Hamlin that." This might seem strange, but after spending a few moments with him, it becomes clear why he is always called by his full name.

Harry Hamlin, an iconic Eighties film star best known for his role as an oiled-up demigod in Desmond Davis’s Clash of the Titans (1981), exudes an aura that "Harry" alone can’t capture. His sophisticated demeanor and old-Hollywood charm elevate his persona beyond mere ordinariness. Hamlin’s interests are wide-ranging, from nuclear fusion to Shakespeare, with an unassuming remark about aneutronic fusion being one of his passions.

Appearing over Zoom from his kitchen, the California-born actor, looking much younger than his 72 years, sports a neat mid-parting streaked with white and thick spectacles that frame his tanned, remarkably taut face. Hamlin’s background is as intriguing as his career. His father was a rocket scientist, which perhaps explains Hamlin’s long-standing advocacy for fusion power since the Nineties. He even serves on the board of governors of the National Space Society. After being expelled from college for leading a hippie commune, he graduated from Yale in 1974, pursued studies at the Moscow Art Theatre, and has continued his training to this day.

“I have been in acting class my entire career,” he says. Every Saturday at 9:30 am, Hamlin attends a scene study class at The Hudson Theatre in Los Angeles. This commitment keeps his acting skills sharp, allowing him to undertake roles the TV industry wouldn’t typically offer him. One such role came when a friend invited him to participate in an episodic drama podcast called Unsinkable, an audio movie produced by Amazon’s Wondery studio. The project dramatizes the harrowing journey of the British WWII tanker San Demetrio through Nazi-infested waters. Hamlin voices Able Seaman Mortimer, an alcoholic who overcomes his addiction and saves the day, in a cast that includes Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Nathalie Emmanuel, Brian Cox, and John Malkovich. Due to the pandemic, Hamlin recorded his parts alone, with his head inside a box.

Hamlin has had his share of on-screen collaborations with the greats. In 1980, he opted to act alongside Laurence Olivier in Clash of the Titans, a decision influenced by his admiration for Olivier, his hero throughout drama school. Despite the film’s success, the production was fraught with disagreements over script inaccuracies, leading Hamlin to lock himself in his trailer at one point. His insistence on mythological accuracy often clashed with the producers’ commercial goals.

Hamlin’s relationship with Clash of the Titans co-star, Ursula Andress, made headlines, particularly when Rinna revealed on Real Housewives that their son Dimitri was conceived the first night Hamlin was called to Andress’s hotel room. Reflecting on the age gap discourse that is now prevalent, Hamlin dismisses any concerns, proud of his relationship and the son it produced.

Post-Titans, Hamlin declined roles in other genre films like First Blood and Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes in favor of starring in Making Love (1982), the first gay-themed love story from a major American studio. He believes the casting of straight actors in gay roles reflected the era’s reluctance to embrace openly gay actors. The film’s impact on his career was significant, as studios were reluctant to cast him as a leading man opposite women afterward.

Hamlin’s career evolved through different phases, from starring in the successful TV drama L.A. Law to being voted People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1987. However, this led to a typecasting that he found limiting. His more recent notable roles include his Emmy-nominated performance in Mad Men.

Joining the reality TV world was partly due to financial necessity following the 2008 economic crisis and the collapse of a fashion line he and Rinna founded. They first appeared together in the short-lived series Harry Loves Lisa, and later, Rinna’s contentious tenure on Real Housewives brought Hamlin occasional appearances as a supportive husband. Her departure from the show in 2023 was a relief for Hamlin, who describes the environment as having grown too toxic.

Still, reality TV wasn’t without its perks. Advice from Bethenny Frankel about the promotional benefits of Real Housewives led to business opportunities, including the launch of "Harry’s Famous Sauce," a venture that Hamlin is optimistic about.

As Hamlin discusses future prospects, it’s clear he holds no regrets over their reality TV stint, though he may wish that his famous sauce was labeled with the full "Harry Hamlin" moniker for that added touch of star power.

Source: Wondery