Our Flag Means Death: Con O'Neill Talks Singing "La Vie en Rose"

The second season of Our Flag Means Death was a big one for Izzy Hands (Con O'Neill). Warning: Spoiler Alert! The pirate went through a lot this season, including losing his leg and ultimately losing his life. However, Izzy also got some tender moments this season, including getting to sing a rendition of "La Vie en Rose." O'Neill has a theatre background, but he revealed to ComicBook.com that he was nervous about the song because it had been a very long time since he sang in public.

"Do you know what? David [Jenkins] just called me, asked me if I was up to singing a song, and then landed that one straight away," O'Neill shared. "All my time playing Izzy, if I'd thought of the song for Izzy, it would never have been 'La Vie en Rose,' ever. Now, the only song I can think of for Izzy is 'La Vie en Rose.' He's brilliant at his music choices. He's got a really intuitive way of working through his music choices, David."

O'Neill continued, "I don't speak French at all, so it was an absolute nightmare learning it. My partner helped me 'cause they speak French, and my friend Jenna Russell, who's a wonderful actress in the UK, just played [Édith] Piaf so they helped me. Obviously, I destroyed all faith they have in humanity 'cause I'm terrible at languages, but we got there in the end, and I was very nervous. I haven't sang in public for over 20 years." 

Con O'Neill Addresses OFMD Fan Backlash:

While some fans praised the emotional punch of Izzy's death, others were left outraged. Many fans took to social media to express their anger towards the choice to kill Izzy. During ComicBook.com's chat with O'Neill, he spoke about the fan response and his own thoughts on Izzy's ending.

"I've been told about it," O'Neill said when asked about the reactions to Izzy's death. "I always find it quite... 'cause Izzy wasn't particularly loved in Season 1, and so the overwhelming love I've had or he's had in Season 2 has taken my breath away, really. David Jenkins brought us all together. David Jenkins created the show that we all love. David Jenkins created the show that brought us the fandom and brought us... all of us."

O'Neill continued, "He didn't take it lightly. We talked about it a lot. Narratively, it made sense. I love playing Izzy with my heart and soul, and I'm sorry that people are upset. I'm genuinely sorry because I understand it. I didn't realize until Episode 6 dropped how much love there was for him. Then I started to get a bit nervous about how they would respond to Episode 8. But the reason I think it works is because David Jenkins has a plan. He has a narrative in his head, and whatever that narrative is, I'm up for it. I think Izzy's demise was although painful, essential to his narrative, so yeah." 

Our Flag Means Death is now streaming on Max.