Ian McShane embraces the creativity of ‘American Gods’: ‘It’s bold, it’s brave, it’s out there’

Ian McShane is already considered a god to loyal fans of HBO’s “Deadwood,” but now the veteran British actor plays an actual deity in the new, supernatural Starz series “American Gods.”

“It’s the story of immigrants coming to America, and how they brought their gods with them,” he said during a recent stop at the Los Angeles Times’ video studio.

McShane plays a charismatic con artist of a god, Mr. Wednesday. He, like the other ancient immortals who walk among us in human form, came to America from such places as Africa, Egypt and Greece with immigrants who believed in their powers. But they aren’t worshiped in modern times like they used to be.

New gods such as media and technology are taking over. Mr. Wednesday is intent on uniting the ancients to reclaim their rightful spot as worshiped, sacred beings.

“It’s very much a show about faith,” said McShane. “It’s talking about have we forgotten now where we were anytime in the past 500 years. If you don’t look at the past, then you’ll be forced to repeat it.”

He added, “Technology plows ahead despite what we are, but don’t forget about what brought you here, otherwise you’ll be a lesser person for it.”

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Ian McShane talks about the themes and conflicts of his new series, ‘American Gods,’ on Starz.

As for Mr. Wednesday, McShane lends an air of danger and mystery to the leader of the gods. He sweet-talks, threatens and cons other gods played by an amazing cast, including Cloris Leachman, Gillian Anderson, Crispin Glover and Orlando Jones.

Mr. Wednesday is as slippery as a used car salesman, as silver-tongued as an inspirational guru and as commanding of respect as, well, a god.

“He’s as capricious and willful as any of the gods he’s raging against, it’s just you’ll have a better time with him,” said McShane. ”You’ll get steeped in the history of humanity rather than the future of nothingness. If you have no faith, you become destined for the frustration of the faithless, which he says at one point, which is true. Then you become like me … an old cynic.”

When asked how he’d describe the types of characters he’s chosen to play over the last couple decades (such as “Deadwood’s” terrifying Al Swearengen), McShane simply refers to them as “complicated.”

At 74, McShane has been acting since the 1960s, sharing the theater stage early in his career with Judi Dench and Ian McKellen. He’s played in countless films and television series before landing a long-running lead role in the BBC’s mystery/comedy series, “Lovejoy” (it played here on the A&E channel) in the mid-’80s. He broke through in American television in HBO’s 2004 Old West drama “Deadwood,” and later played Blackbeard in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise.

McShane says the creativity he admired about “Deadwood” he now finds in “American Gods”: “It’s bold, it’s brave, it’s out there. A lot of shows say they push the envelope, this one really does.”

And when asked by a fan, “What is the best thing a director can do for you?,” McShane pointedly answered, “Stay out of my way.”

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lorraine.ali@latimes.com