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During New York Comic Con 2025, Popverse’s Ashley V. Robinson got the chance to sit down with actor Ioan Gruffudd in the Pop Spot. You will recognize Guffudd from his role as Mr. Fantastic in the 2005 Fantastic Four movie and its sequel, as well as from shows like Harrow and his recurring performance as Horatio Hornblower. In fact, during his conversation with Robinson, Gruffudd shared his thoughts on what gives the character of Hornblower such an enduring legacy.

Robinson opened the conversation by mentioning how genuinely excited she was to be speaking with an actor who had played so many literary legends, including Hornblower, Richards and Sir Lancelot. Gruffudd stated that he had been very lucky to have earned such excellent roles from such a young age.

“Hornblower was a huge, huge get for me as a young actor,” Gruffudd said. “It was such a huge stepping stone. Somebody took a risk on a complete unknown to put them as the lead of this huge franchise, as it was at this time.” Gruffudd returned to the role many times. Then Gruffudd continued, “We’re here at a convention and I’m here to sign autographs… and Hornblower is one of my best sellers globally… along with Mr. Fantastic.”

Gruffudd shared that people even bring him copies of the Hornblower books to sign. So what makes Hornblower such an enduring character? “What’s incredible about it… is it’s a generational thing,” Gruffudd explained. “Children sat on the laps of their grandparents or parents, husbands came and sat down with their wives to watch this show about the military — or wives came and sat with their husbands. And it sort of galvanized families and brought families together… it’s extraordinary stories I’ve heard over the years coming to these events.”

Do you want to enjoy the whole conversation between Robinson and Gruffudd? Popverse has you covered, with the entire video interview available for you to watch now:

Comic Conventions and how to enjoy them more

Popverse aims to be a comprehensive guide to the best of pop culture - and a big part of that is conventions. To that end, we have a series of articles exploring different facets of these events and how you can plan for, enjoy, and take part in them. Read on!

• Cosplay and conventions: how being a fan helped me rediscover myself
• Convention essentials: Almost everything you’ll need for a great convention!
• The best dollar bin treasures to look for on your next trip to a comic store or convention
• Upcoming comic conventions schedule
• How to navigate conventions with a disability
• Why volunteering at San Diego Comic-Con is the best way to enjoy It