The past of honourable soldier Aramis is revealed in The Musketeers this week, when an old friend turns up with a score to settle. Here, former Merlin star Santiago Cabrera tells us more...
How have you found getting into character as Aramis in The Musketeers?
"Well, we had three weeks of really good bootcamp training, which involved sword-fighting, horse-riding and cleaning stables at six in the morning. The training was very intense, so we were ready to go as soon as we started. Then it just became a matter of getting used to the costume and all of the swords - they are quite heavy, so they weigh you down and you end up walking with a swagger.
What do we find out about Aramis in this week's episode?
"The musketeers are incredibly loyal to one another and always have each other's backs. But, individually, they are also very complex and, in this episode, we discover Aramis can be a very lonely character."
We understand Aramis has a very spiritual side, too...
"Yes, Aramis is very spiritual. He was brought up to be a priest but he loves to fight, he loves the adventure and he loves women too much, so he realised early on that it wasn't the vocation for him. But there's still a side of him that's deeply religious."
From what we've seen, Aramis is more of a lover than a fighter. What's going on between him and Queen Anne?
"He does think she's an attractive woman and she's not in the happiest of marriages. But I don't believe Aramis is a player who goes around breaking women's hearts - he loves women, he has a lot of respect for them and he's looking for something genuine. That storyline will certainly evolve."
Have you and your fellow musketeers bonded off-screen as well as on?
"We bonded instantly; we all just got along very well. We all lived in the same apartment block during filming, so we'd go for dinner and hang out."
How much are you enjoying playing a sword-wielding musketeer?
"Having a sword definitely gives you that sense of authority but you also feel like a big kid. It's just a bunch of lads having fun, really."
The Musketeers continues on Sundays at 9pm on BBC1.
