Reflecting on Career and Legacy

Going from being an Essex boy with your brothers playing football to suddenly going doing jazz and wearing a leotard, those are two separate worlds colliding. Literally head off. It felt like I was leaving that life that I'd known How old are you them I was like thirteen. young, Yeah? Yeah. I was terrified when I first went to Rada. I honished to God. I was like, I just sort of clammed up and I thought, I'm way out of my depth here feel is so infior Poster syndrome was kicking in Hi, I'm Danny Mays. And I'm in great company Day! I got nominated for a BaFTa for Liny Juty. When they say someone else's name, there's a camera pointing at you right at that moment. you're like, Wh do I look? And you you just have to go Well d! And what's one role you missed out on? Oh, the casting director walked me down the corridor to the lift. I remember the door shutting like that but you were wonderful. Just really great. I didn't end up getting it. It's a harrowing story. It's a heavy role. It's a heavy role. onene of Britain's worst ever sexual predators, nicknamed the Black raist I underestimated it. And I heard that you had to take some counlling afterwards. Yeah, and it was just very isolating. And again, was I don't need to talk to a counsellor and But I ended up talking to the counselor today and it was really invaluable. Beause I tell you what it was, Jamie. Our daughter is thirteen now. as a parent, it absolutely terrified me Guys, welcome back. Really excited for today's show because we have Daniel Maays on, one of the UK's greatest actors. When you see his face, you know exactly who he is. Today's episode we talk about the industry, we talk about acting, we talk about his life, we go everywhere. all over the place, including his newest role, which is harrowing for so many reasons. Now if you haven't yet subscribe to our show. If you could, you could join the community of incredible people's completely free And also it helps us keep getting better gas, keep making the show better for you every single week. If you can do that one thing, thank you so much Enjoy this insane episode of Great Company with Daniel Mays sure I have cameras here, are? You must be used to this many cameras I come. Um When I was on East Enders, ye, when I did that's multi cameras isn't it on soaps U is it? Yeah. yeah. That's the first thing I did was four episodes on East Enders and it was like I There's like three cameras filming you at once and you get like two takes if you're lucky. It was like a b whoa whoa, slow that You kidd me you go twoo takes. That's it. Pretty much. It was like a baptism of fire. It was just insane. Like That's I have absolute admiration for soap actors because they do all the homework. Yeah you know, on their own and they come and they go, right Okay, here you go. You got that's right. You got the dialogue in the right way. You didn't bump into the furniture. move on. It was really quick. Beause you were Kevin and Iscenders. Kevin. Yeah, so you were Kevin andiscenders. I was Kat Slater's ex boyfriend who chose When they first landed in Albert Square, I was her boyfriend and she didn't tell me that she'd moveved there. So he turns up and he changes himself to the gate, he jumps on top of the taxi. He has the bed pan thrown over him. I mean, it was it was extreme. It was comedy gold. It was That was my first gig though, could you imagine So you, that's fresh a radder Yeah, but I didn't work for six months. I couldn't I literally couldn't get arreed and I was like, what do I do now? got all my eggs in one basket and I was just thankful that I got a part, you know, and it was Julia Crampsy, who was the casting director And it was four episodes and there I was. My first professional scene coming out of drama was at drama school was with Ts an outfight in the Queen Vic. just it's just surreal, you know, It sp But I was like, I didn't want to get cast, you know, I didn't want to get bogged down in that You knew that from a very early light age. So you from when you first started you' like, I don't want to be tight cast. I don't want to be Yeah. Yeah And then like Julia Crampssey then got me my next job, which was like a neo Nazi bomber on this thing called I Deep with Nick Berry and Steve Tompkinson. And I was like, I don't want to be type cast. I don't want to be typecast. Yeah. But she was great. I mean God, I owe so much to Julia Cramsey. I mean, where would I be without her? She was amazing. So She saw something in me. That's what you need. Like young actors always say you got to you, get casting directors on your side, get someone fighting in your corner that believes in you and it all starts to happen. C you say that's really good advice because what I always want from like a show like this, right is for like someone listening is' such a big fan of yours, right? Yeah Wh perhaps is like from the same place you grew up or in the industry or whatever it is That advice is saying, haveave someone in your corner really for you But how do you find that person? How did you find that person? they just sort of circle around you, you know, you I did three years at drama school and it's like you never know like who's sort of watching you. There'll be like a producer or a director or a cast director that's seen you in a production or You just You've always got to have that mentality that, you know, every job is worthwhile. Give it one hundred and ten percent with everything you do. and work will breed work. I always remember when I did this just brrings to mind was I did like this movie nineteen seventeen. And a great movie. It's a great movie, wonderful film. And all these actors were in it like Mark Strong and Benedict Cumerbacksion. we all had kind of like one or two scenes. Wasn't it the one shot? It was all like one shot. It wasn't actually one shot. It wasn't They lied to me. It wasn't like an episode of adolescence. They did lie to you. There was editing here and there But Stepven Graham loves the one shot. Steid Graham is the onene shot King. But it was I was just playing like this Sergeant in it. and I always remember like we filmed it on Salisbury Ple and like I'd never met Sam Mendees before and they were like, obviously Sam wants to say hello, talk a bit about the character. I was like, yeah, great, fine Brilliant to be and see gonna do this movie together And I sat down in his trailer and he says, Great to meet you Danny. I saw you at the Donmar Warehouse. I saw you at the National and I was completely unaware that he'd was there in the audience and I thought, you know, you just never know That's really good advice. Yeah. There's a great saying, which is your brand is what people say about you when you're not in the room, right? Yeah the whole right which is where you have to basically Does it matter? Whatever you do you always give a hundred percent. If you're in a room with people, youd be kind. because you never know who's going to be anywhere. Be nice to everyone on the way up because you never kn who you meet on the way down. Where's stuck, you know you can do a short film with a director that has amazing potential. You never know where that person's going to end up and it's Theres I always think there's always merit in every project that you commit to Um withithin reason. No if no. But do you know what I'm saying? So what is the one that you've committed to that , but you grew up in Essex, right So what was family life like It was great. I mean, u I'm one of four boys, two older brothers, one younger You know, no girls in the family, only mums. so It was it was loud, it was boisterous. It was sports mad, but incredibly loving. It was I'm blessed that I had a, you know, parents that were really kind of supportive. You know, my dad is still an electrician to this day. My momum was a bankashare you know, so u ort of working class family as such, really. And you know, they sacrificed a hell of a lot in me pursuing the dream that I wanted to be an actor, you know? My older brother one's a cricket groundsman, Johnny's like works in waste disposal. My younger brother is a money broker in the city Canary wolf So wow we all do kind of different things different things But we were all great at sport, like my tour we're all great footballers. Were you good? I was good. I I know I was captred in my Sunday League team now I boys so. I said just throw in that I was captain, didn't I? I to throw that. You you know what I do. still peopleople ask me I go, I still hold the Javelin record. And you know what, I still check the record out in my school. being beaten. For some reason that. I was Ctain as well,. Yeah. But when you're a kid, you think you're great, right And I was never as good as my brothers. Were they very good? They were good. I mean, they had like trials for district football and all that sort of stuff. It was that thing of like middle child syndrome of wanting to try something different in order to be heard and recognized because it's a sort of, you know, we didn't have a huge house or anything. so it was We were all crammed in the house in Essex and You're sort of fighting to sort of be recognised and heard. So The acting thing was sort of completely left filled, really. It's funny how that happens with Middle childild. I'm middle childild as well. Yeah. I don't know about a few, but for me I remember like thinking about entertainment and like being on stage or being in movies or being in theater plays at school. Yeah. It was like that idea of being seen, right? Yeah. That was the most exciting thing. L oh wa, I can be seen here and then congratulated for this thing. Yeah, yeah. So that feels exciting. Yeah. Basically feeding that deep insecurity it is I tell you what, the first ever performance thing I ever did was at primary school I remember this now and we put on a production or a stage show of forty towers And I got cast as I eventually got cast as Basil Forssey. I didn't get I auditioned for Basil Forsse and didn't get it.ry thist is at primary school Yeah. auditioned to God sounds harsh, doesn't it? Anyway, I didn't get it and a kid called Glen Watts got the part and then Glen was really naughty and they took the role away from him and I segued in and took the role of Basil. I can't believe I'm telling you this. and I can't believe I actually remember Glen Watts you. Isn't it amazing canember I'ta tell you what I did last week You neverember glass. I never glad was. can distinctly remember going out on the stage Yeah and landing a joke and getting that sort of wave of laughter sort of acceptance and it it's like a drug, isn't it? It's like that adrenaline that it sort of gives you. I mean, it's the age old thing of like, why do actors act? like what makes a performer? It's it is essentially standing On stage or're in the middle of the room wanting everyone to sort of notice you in a weird sort of way. That's what it's all about. I mean, it's a mad way to make a living, really when you think of it on those terms, it's a total mad way to make a living because basically you're making a living playing other people. Yeah. Sometimes you catch yourself thinking, have I really chosen this as my Life's work. It's insane, right? Yeah. But I mean, there's there's pros and cons to it You know, to go into theatre and you said your parents sacrifed a lot? wouldould your parents sacrifice for you to do drama Well, my mom, for instance, she She was a bank cashier at Midland Bank. and I did when I went so I went to Aalia Coni state school first before going to Rada, but old you needed that? So I did two years at like normal secondary school and then I auditioned I actually auditioned in the second year for Aalia Coni and got in and just couldn't do it because couldouldn't leave that You know, the normality of like a comprehensive in Essex and that I couldn't imagine myself getting on the central line going from Bucker Steel up to the barbican and I bottled it and I didn't do it. I breed that down for me why then? I don't know what I don't know what it was. I was sort of Just intimidated by it. It was too for me being that young, it just felt like too much of a of a leap, you know Um So are you leak possible, but possibly yeah, there was a sort of I was just scared of it. I didn't think because I'd gone to sort like a local dance school. That's where it all started stage one And for some reason I didn't go the second y. and then it was like an itch. I couldn't stop scratching and I went and like I remember my friend Carolinea was the dance teacher at stage one said, you've got a n talent for this, you've got an enthusiasm like sort of reconsider it and I auditioned again and then I got in. So I went like the third year of secondary school And there I was in my Italia Coni blue uniform, you know, up on I mean, it was it was a massive departure, you know, because I it was. It was it felt like I was leaving you know, life that I'd known and Yeah, ex I I'm an Esex boy, but in a weird way I consider myself far more of a a Londoner now because I was commuting up there and I was just mixing with so many different varieties of people that it just sort of opened up my world really. How old are you at that point? I was like thirteen. It's young, is it? Yeahah yeah. when I think about it now Yeah, to do that commute every day five times a week But absolutely I mean and then I'm like doing jazz, I'm doing ballet, I'm doing modern, I'm doing acting and you know, in the afternoon that I'm doing school work in the in the mornings and so it was just like stage Cps was like, it is a bit like fame I want to live forever. Do you know what I mean? There is an element of that, you know? Everyone's walking around in Lotards and all this sort of stuff. It's kind of crazy. And the funny thing about Cant is that it had a working agency at the top of the building. Yeah So U I always remember like, you know, if your name was on the board. to the agency. youre like, home like you know, there's an audition on and you'd sort of run up there. sometometimes you' get the lift if you want to be a bit ndsy. Anyway, but you'd go in there and you'd have like a commercial casting or something like that and So yeah, it was like a sort of, you know, you were sort of a professional working actor as well as a kid. I grew up in Bill Elliot Oh right. ye. Yeah, you know, that was like the first theater show I ever went to as a kid. Yeah, my parent Aazing show. Yeahah, I've seen it on stage. Yeah. It's amazing, right. Yeah. And you know and the story of Billy Elliot is like, you know, sort of tough lad going into like Yeah, this world of dance. Yeah. And you could really relate to that. it feels that way, right? Because How do I sort of things have sort of changed, but this is a few years ago, right? Yeah. And going from being an Essex boy with your brothers playing football to suddenly going doing jazz and wearing a leotard, those are two separate worlds colliding. Yeah, they are. So how does it literally head on? Yeah. So' house I still have nightmasss about boys' ballet. I woke up up in a cold sweat. don't worry it's just a dream. Ccauseuse still we through that, right? Be because that for me, right When I was thirteen years old or twelve years old around that time, I was like so desperate to like fit in. Yeah. That was all I was caring about, right? It was fitting in and that kind of never really left me still with me a little bit, right? But especially at that age, But doing something against the grain, like going to Firstly going to a stage school like that and doing dance and everything that involves, but also having the confidence to know that's what you want to do. Yes, ye, yeah, yeah. That's a unique mentality. Yeah. I mean, look, in terms of like made me want to do it in the first place was going to see Michael Jackson live at the bad tour at Weembley. was eighty eight wasn't it was nineteen eight Yeahah, that was a light bulb moment And I was probably how old was I then, I don't know about like ten or something, maybe a bit younger. My momum took me and it was like, what is that? That was like In terms of like seeing a performance, I'd never it was just like electricity. It's like Billy Elliott he says, I feel like electricity Yeah. And it was like that. I'd never seen anything like it. I'd never I've never been in that sea of people like that and ort of scratch my way thinking, all these people have congregated in this one stadium for this one person. then he came out and was just like Breathtaking. Do you still remember it now? Oh my Godd, it was it was it was u Yeah, it was like L the world stopp for me, you know? But it wasn' it was the music, but it was it was the dance. it was the way that he moved. So that became my like party piece. That was like I locked myself in in my room and I got the hat and the glove and perfected all the moves for every school disco I went to Billy Jean came on or something like the way you make me feel was like all the kids used to go Dady Dad and n the performers. I don't have the hat. Let's move the tpe out the way. I still do it at weddkends or you know Sure only we can see a little bit. Surely we can see a little bit. No no, I've got trouble with my hamstrings lately, you know. Really? But yeah, so that was like the that was where it all started that led to sort of stage sc and then on to Rada when I just wanted to be a serious actor, sort of. But yeah What is will Is your passion still in dance or is it more in the sort of traditional acting No, I got I mean, I've got, you know, around about sixteen, seventeen And thenen I started just getting into like indndependent American movies and I was watching people like Dio and Pacino and Gean Hackman and all that like and you suddenly go Why don't you just sort of go I recognize very early on that a dancer's life, a dancer's shelf life, for instance is a bit like a footballer. It's only so long because your body can only sustain it for a certain amount of time. But with acting, I was like, the longevity that comes with that as a career is sort of you can just go on and on with it, you know, unless people get really bored of watching it. There was to me just I just Again, you know, my favorite actor in the world is Robert De Niro and it had the same sort of you know idealization of Michael Jackson as I did with De Niro because I just I always remember with painer as well. I remember doing GCSE My mum and dad's a dining table at home. Okay. That's a good thing. Yeah. Right in the middle of all the noise and Everything else. But it was like a retrospective of De Niro films on channel four and u every Sunday. They'd have a different movie. So you'd have deer hunter one week, then taxi driver, then Raging Bar. and I was just this just I was staggered that all of these performances were coming from the same individual. Be it was so different. They were so different and so engaging and so alive But yeah, it was the variety. I mean, you know he's a consumate character actor, isn't he He's so and I've always been drawn to those type of actors like Daniel Day Lewis is and the You know Denzel Washington's and Gary Oldman's where they're so their characterizations are so in depth and so varied They're so good at it that they've just become lead actors. Do you know what I mean?elly' I'm a hugevie buff, right? I've actually never seen taxi driver. Have you never seen Raging Ball. seen taxi never seen Raging Ball. You' never seen Raging Ball. Well it's always a toss up for me between the two of those or like what's my favorite De Niro movie? Really? Yeah. Being a movie lover, right? Yeah. I love like the storytelling of it. and like what it makes me feel. But it feels like what you were into was the characters. Yeah. You became in love with the acting and Yeah. When you I mean yeah, I see that's I yourself a favoral Yeah sit down and watch Raging Ball because o U It's an extraordinary film anyway, but When you consider the sort of level of commitment that he's sort poured into that characterization, it's extraordinary because Um, you know, he got super fit. he's like a middleweight boxer trained with the real Jake Lamotater who said he could have become a real boxer himself. He was that good And then they sort of stopped filming Um And he sort of went on a tour around Europe just eating bread and pasta and he just gained all of that weight And so you know, there's no sort of AI or anything like that. There's no sort of CGI. And it sort of cuts and now all of that muscle's gone and it's just this sort this slob of a man you know, sort of descends into, um alcoholism and everything else. It's an extraordinary sort of performance. I mean, my three favourite films are apocalypse now raging Ball and Neel by mouth. I mean, they're just like None none of those are date movies that way. But I've always been drawn to that, you know, that darkness in sort of the human psyche And there was none better than D Nerro to bring those characters to life. Yeah. to do a Denaro No, you're not going to get me doing a Tom Middlesson here. Tom Middelson actually did it in front of him on Graham Norton, right? I was like, o, that's brave. Danny so do you talalking like the Danny D Lewis', right? which Danny Lewis is again, I a huge favorite of mine for many reasons. Less than Heenss, man, is like, o Yeah it's phenomenal And I mean, I don't think there's anyone that has that I think he has the biggest range, right? You consider him like in L of Moeicans and then you see him as Abraham Lincol It's like I tell you a story about Daniel Day. Lewis. I was doing a play at the Royal Court And it was a play called Motorown and it was written for me. It was written by a wonderful playwright called Simon Stevens. And it was all about a soldier coming back from Bazra and reintegrated himself into Dagham in Essex, Hence why it's called Motor toown because it's Dagna Motors there.. Anyway, it was like the best role I'd ever been given on stage. I never left the stage and there was like eight other actors that come in and do their scenes with me and It was just an extraordinary gift of a part. Anyway, there was So cut long story short, there was no set on the stage. It was just a bank of lights And once you were in the light, you're in character. And once you're out the light, you can come out a character like that. But obviously, I'm always on stage But when we when the play starts, before it even starts, the house lights for us Yeah. And our brilliant director Raman Gray says like, you're out a character. I want you to really look at the audience and becausecause this thing doesn't start until the lights come on and then you step into the space So I'd always sort of look out and ll see who's arriving like that. And there was an actor in it called Richard Graham, whose best friend at drama school was Daniel Day Lewis. He told us this rehearsals that's wonderful like that There's one particular performance coming towards the end of the run. And and I remember I came out of my dressing room when I was walking down the steps of Richard He said, Oh, by the way my best mateates in tonight. I went, Oh, that's brilliant fantastic. wait, what Daniel L Lis,. That's invvention. You can't tell me that. I'm about to go out there and lead this play. L what the mark? Like what do I do now? L my heart's going like this. And I thought I'm not going to look out into the audience. I'm not going to do it in case I bump no sort L eyes of him And of course it got the better of me and I I was there listening to music and I just looked up and slap bang in the middle of the auditorium at the roal C You couldn't miss him because he had like an orange ban on and a massive bid And he was sitting there bolt upright with this sort of scowl on his face with his arms folded Just looking at me like that 'use he was just about to go and shoot there will be blood. Hst the big beer. And it was like really intense, just looking at me and I was just like I'm not be able to string two words together here Anyway, that's crazy. It was crazy. We went out, we did the show. it was great and then I met him in the bar afterwards and he couldn't have been nicer. What you mean? He was so compimentary and sweet and he just had a wonderful time. Yeah. When someone of that like those credentials says to you hate That was great when you did Yeah That that was that shooting into like, I don't know. Yeah hold on to those little moments like ye sort of unforgettable. Yeah I have a picture I'm trying to get up. This is your yearb pick. Oh my God Oh yeah. Yeah Iaybe haven' Yeah. This is your gnd a normal hairline. It's slowly receding. Jesus the leather, the actor leather jacket, you know Moody eyes. But what was it because for me, right? baby face? Yeah, because not much has changed because I remember where there there was a part of me at one point that I wanted to go into acting. Right Yeah Like I did acting at school and then I went to Leeds University and I was you know, I did acting at Leeds and I just loved I loved the stage, but I didn't have the commitment to it. And the moment I realized I didn't have the commitment to it is when I was going to go and try for Rada I had to learn the monologue and I had to do this and I had do that and I thought, I come Oh And that's the difference between people who actually go for it. You have to have that commitment Do you remember your audition process for Aa? Yeah, it's quite it's very long winded actually. Do you remember what you did U yeah, I remember doing um Joey from Road, Jim Cartwright, everyveryone does Rode. That was my monologue. And I remembered doing Malvolio from twelfth night. You had to do Malvio ye, you had to do a Shakespeare at a modern. That was it. Yeah. I'm not going to ask you. Do you think you could still recite it If you dug deep I can't remember twelfth night, but I can remember Dagger speech for Macbeth. for some reason. Can you give it a little bit? And really get into it. No way, Eren, I try to remember the dagger's speech. Is this a dagger I see before me? the handle toward my hand Let me clutch thee I have thee not, and yet I see thee still, art thou not fatal visions sensible to feeling as to sight? Or art thou butter dagger of the mine? a false creation proceeding from the heat oppressed brain. I see thee yet in form as palpable as this which now I draw He marshals me the way that I was going and such an instrument I was to use My eyes are made to falls o'er other senses or else worth or the rest I see these still. and on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood which was not so before. There's no such thing bloody business which informs thus to mine eyes Now, o'er the one half world, nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse the curtain's sleep Witchcraft celebrates Pale Hecket's offerings and withered murder, alarmed through his centinel the wolf who howls his watch Thus, with his stealthy pace Tarkquin's ravishing strides towards his design Th sure and firm set earth. Hear not my steps which way they walk For fear thy very stones, Pate of my whereabout, and take the present horror from the time which now suits with it. whilst I threat He lives. Words to the heat of deeds to cold breath gives I go It is done Beelle invites me. Hear it not, Duncan. For it is a nell. It summons thee to heaven What to hell Have I remembered that? That is h but unelievable, Dady How it going man. That shit is just still in there. What? How have I remembered that? That is aw. Someone call someone. Let's get production. Let's get this going M, it's like memorizing that is brilliant Did didid you all understand it? You've been doing. Were you following. But do you know what It's mayaybe it's age or something. I remember when I used to get taken to you know Whatever it was, maybe it was Macbeth or whatever it was at school. and to the production I used at this pointoy but listening to you here, Sitting have that it's like this flow. rhythm. Yeah But that's just how like the writing is of such power of magnitude, it's like Be he was an actor, right? Shakespeare actor himself. So it's like every line just trips on to a new thought. And it's seamless That is an amazing play and an amazing speech because you're dealing with someone who's Hllucinating. I'm like she's gone, right. You got to go and kill him now And he's so wound up, like he sees a floating dagger in front of him And it's like it's just an amazing, I mean, I've never haven't done a professional Shakespeare production And I should do that he freicaking gum That is amazing. Yeah. It's amazing how I remembered it. I haven't sort of done that for a long time, yeah Can I ask an odd question? Yeah? And I don't know pch this, but I'm gonna try it in a whizs way Aing and especially like Rada, it used to feel like a sort of Byss club Yeah in a way. Hh personersons Cub. Yeah. It felt like that and acting used to feel like you had to be from some sort of like wealthy family because you would have to be funded by someone in order to have a career because you'd be auditioning for the first five, six, seven years of your life. And so it was typically these posh kids who were becoming actors. Yeah. Is that a fair narrative or not a fair narrative? Look you're talking about like the arts and things like that. It should just be accessible to everyone, to everyone And if it's an elitist group, then that's a poor thing and it's it's not right. Be my question is to you is, did you ever feel because you came from, you know, you came from Essex and then going was terrified when I first went to Rada. I' hest to God. I was like That was a very good question because you know, I came from stage school, which was essentially like tits and teeth the outside you know, jazz hands and all of that. That's what I mean to this. And then I walked to in Serana and I got in and I didn't audition anywhere else, which is really naive really. there's Lambda and central and actor you didn't want toam be And I was like, if I was going to go anywhere to go Torata and u Thankfully I've got in, you know what I mean? But I was so when I first got there U felt like to me like God they'd all been to like my year had all been to Uni and they were so well read and they were so eloquent the way that they spoke And I I just sort of clammed up and I thought, I'm way out of my depth here and sort of I remember doing like Shakespeare Sonic class with Bardy Thomas and like not being able to even open my mouth and feeling just so in fear and that imposter syndrome was kicking in And I got to the point where I was like, you know what? this is a golden inccredible opportunity if you like. I mean, you're at Radard, do you know what I mean? Yeah peopleople would love to go here. So strip the walls of it, trying to, you know, get as much out of it as you can. and Kick the imposser syyndrome thing into touch and just roll with it, you know That's a great attitude to have, because I think lots of us in life will get to that point where we get that imposter syndrome. And actually you've gott to kind of flip it on itss head and say, No this is a great opportunity And you're try to remove that from in my locker I mean it rears its ugly head every now and again. I remember like the first day on Thursday Murder Cub with the brilliant Naami Yaki scene But there was also Kingsley, Piers, Bosn, Helen Mir V Celia Emy and I looked over at the monitor and Chris Columbus' directed. I was like it was a heavyweight first day. He he' saying he's still going p poss sy. that day I was like, oh, this is like, you know Gandy James Bond, the Queen Whit Houston. I was like a little old me and I'm like hold on Like, you know, um, You know, you're there to do a job. You have to and you use that to fuel the fire and go, yeah, all right, you're a bit nervous, but you got to use it. And at the end of the dayough, Joy, they're just people, you know, they're just people. they're just people they're worried about their parts just as much as you are and we're all in it together and it was such a great, you know what I mean? Delln this is I realize as I get older and I try and say this to like everyone Whether you're going for a job interview or you're starting a business, you're going to uni or whatever, they're just people. Yeah, yeah. they're just people. Yeah. Like you and me, they've got emotions most of them. and they normally they're pretty nice. Oh, I mean, I had an amazing job called Franklin with the brilliant Michael Douglas. I had six months in Paris filming this thing for Apple TV And I was a close hand confidant of Michael's character, Franklin Edward Bancroft and so I had loads of scenes of Michael. and like you don't get any bigger than that. you know, Hollywood Ryal, but you couldn't have met the nicest more down to earth unstarry guy than Michael. He was just absolute dream to work with. When you meet because again, he's kind of like we grew up with Yeah. When you meet someone like, you bit like Hey, u what's your name? Like how do he was great because u This job kept getting pushed back. I was like, it's never going to happen. You you know what I mean? L Sm's going on. They keep delaying it. And then before I knew it I was there on day one in a powdered wig heels and a frock coat and then all of a sudden like, but you're right. I was like this isn't happen. this isn't going to happen. I kept thinking of like fatal attraction and falling down and like I've grown up with him like this iconic sort of Hollywood legend and then all of a sudden he was there And I sort of swam into my vision and he was like, Hey, Danny, great to meet you. I lo your tape. Let's go. And at thisight that was it. He did it like that. I said, let's go. Let's do the scene. It was like a four page dinner scene. It was great to start with a big scene like that. And we just we just hit it off. Yeah. how do you separate the pressure, right? when you're doing Be like okay, like it's not even in the same league and I don't know how to I presented with Claire Boldding. That's just yeah, don't worry about it, A. S. That's my Michael Douglas When I was presenting with her, we've all got Clire bal in. But when I was presenting with her, right, I was in my head, I was thining, it's just like she's done this a lot. And like normally I'm okay in those situations, right? I think I can read that auto ceue and I kind of got this, right? Yeah. But for some reason you're get in your own head. Yeah and that's when you that's when you have to go back to your technique, I imagine and you have to really like hunker down on your talent and be confident in that talent. Yeah But Jamie, I couldn't do what you do. I could like you just said also cute. Like my strong suit is not is' an our sight really? No I remember being on this morning once with Philips S Gchofield and Holly Willoughby and you Oh Danny, it was like they just sort of left filld went, could you do the Christmas past the Parcel a pill this year? I was like, What's that? We just need you to read this out off of Al. I was like, Yeah, yeah, that's Yeah, that that's fine. And I started it. And and and I went wrong. I went o sorry yeah. And just go into from the top like and I went wrong again and I look there and He would just fke was just looking at his script but don't think he can do it, you know. Man, but I heard that Michael Douglas was the one that pushed you into guys and dolls. Yeah, I'd all I had a Zoom with Nick Hitan at the because like that was like an offer for Nathan Detroit and u I had to sort of down the jazz shoes and thing if I was going to do it. But no, it was a great offer, but I had a Zoom with Nick Heitner and he said it wouldd be great and he said, I'll give you like a week to think about it as such. and And I was filming Air Franklin out in Paris And I was sitting there on sad. with the brilliant Noah Dupe who was in the scene as well. and Noah Noah went like So what are you doing, Danny after this? And I went Well, I've had a I have a left field offer of work really I've been offered a musical. Michael dress as frankly went, what musical? And I went I went U guys and dos. He went guys and dolls. He went my Godd he went what apart. I went from Detroit. He went,re you going gonna do it? I went, Michael, I mean, I'm just in two minds and he went, Dany went you're doing it and you're not going to take no for an answer And I was just like Really went you got to do it. And I was like, wow Um And then within the director of Franklin was Tim Vamp Patterten, who's done sopranos. Anyway, it was what you learn is every American's favorite musical is guys And it was Tim's favorite musical and then within a couple of days I used to come out on setting Franklin And Tim used to play. It's good all rel and all the French crew are going good all reliableable N. So I couldn't say no, so I had to do it. Yeah, that was it. But Michael and Katherine Zeta Jones both came to see guys and doirls, yeah justust before I had a sort of break in the run and they came on the the finale of the last of the first run. Yeah. so it was just amazing And all the I remember like they came backstage and all of the cast were like just sort of it was amazing. They was all sort of a bit star struck. And you got an Olivier nomination. Yeah. ye. was the whole experience. You must be so proud of yourself, man Yeah, because I hadn't done like we spoke about concers. I hadn't done a musical in like, I don't know, like twenty five years. I mean, here's the thing, you don't have to have a great singing voice. as Navid Detroit. That's the first thing that Nick Heitner s to me on the Zoom. He said, Danny, you don't have to be a good singer. It's more of an acting part. I went, Nick you never don't be sing yet. But the way this thing was staged because it was all like immersive and it was on moving platforms and I've never been in a hit like that. Yeah. And to get an Olivier nomination at the end of it was just like the cherry on top of the cake Um It's just a Sone said, Boulevarde won everything. D you! I always think with awards. When you don't win it It's fucking annoying It's a really weird I got nominated for a BAFTA for line of Juty whichich in itself is an amazing achievement because I was only in one episode If you know that show. Yeah, I love it. I didn't make it to the second e that I get blasted away in the at the last frame of one On paper, it was just an amazing character with all that long interrogation scene. Anway, endedout getting a BAff denomination. It was like, wow, what a moment, you know, like you're a BAff denominated actor And so But it's like no one tells you the sort of pressure and hype that goes around it. the big days coming. And like now it's like six nominations, I think. back then it was like four. So I was in it I was up against Tom Hollander and John Lif goo Um Someone else from the Crown. It was Jared Harris, So John Lithgo and Jared Hris from the Crown. and Tom Hollander for Night Manager. Yeah like three incredible actors And so you got again that like little old me like But here's the thing It's just nerve wracking awwards, isn't it? No one can't explains that to. So you're sitting there and then like But then I always remember it was like the tickets came through and Id go, Oh look, here's the tickets for theal Festival hall. And you go and you look at it And I was like there with my wife, I' got my plus one and it's like, we're on the end of the road. And you know you go, air lagh L for really. We're right the end of the road We don't look at straight access to the stage G you get your dress to win Let We got it. Let's work on the acceptance page now. So you like that, you know what I mean? you think okay, you get there and it's all like hot and you do the red carpet and everything like that And you think I was mean like I'm a supporting actor category. So normally they're really they like early on. Get it out of the way, get the baFa and then just sit back and chill U But it was right towards the end of all the maining acting awards And when they the lovely Tom Hollander won it and he was brilliant in that role and he was thoroughly deserved it. But when they say someone who's his name It's like an instantaneous, like simultaneous Like utter relief that it's over and crushing disappointment the same time It's an absolute headfuck. and there's a camera pointing at you at that moment. you're like, what do I look? what And you you just have to go, Ba . And you have to do this. Yeah. Yeah, yeah yeah she did that, then it's over and then they move on to the next c and it's gone. and it's gone she gets to the bar. Robert New Dani Lis they like method actors, right? Yeah. What is your take on method acting? because The role that you have, John Warboys. Yes and believe me on ITViews. it's a challenging role. Yeah, it was difficult. Can you explain to the audience to listen is what it's about. So John Warboyys was nicknamed the Black cab rapist. He was a black cab driver who in the sort of early naunies He's effectively one of Britain's worst ever sexual predators. And so he was a licensed cab driver and his modus operandi was, he'd go out in his cab a sort of pick up you know, drunk women, young girls from nightclubs and things like that and he'd be taking them home and he'd come up with this concocted story that he'd onene casino that night or won the lottery I've won thirty grands tonight and then he'd bend down and pick up a bag and hold up the bag of cash, which was the visual clue. And he'd also say, oh look, I've got a bottle of champagne as well with my winnings, but Obviously I can't I have a drink tonight becauseuse I'm driving I don't want to lose my license. you'll ever Gass of,n't you And they'd talkk them aroundound that he would sort of be insistent and wouldn't take no for an answer. and then he'd lacace the champagne with a concoction of drugs, which would render them unconscious Um He sort of offended up to one hundred and five women. So I mean It's written by Jeff Pope So the drama explores those incidences Um H arrest the trial and how basically he got sort of he got eight years, but then after that they gave him parole They granted him parole and it was about these two Extraordinary women, Lilla and Sarah as they're named in our story effectively under the Human Rights Act, sued the Metropolitan police because the whole case Everything with these women, it was littered with police failings. from the men Um So they held them to account, they sued, you know, the judicial system and everything. and it was like an extraordinary acts of courage and bravery and dignity from the victims to do that But it's a harrowing story. It's a heavy role. It's a heavy role. and because the thing is I've played nefarious wrongins in the past, pretty much at the beginning of my career. and you always have to try and find some element that's redeeming about them. There's something Even in someone like that there's something likeable and there was literally nothing with this character And so essentially the thing is when you watched it's like four episodes And every time you see character on screen He's lying. He's not telling the truth And that was really difficult. You know, it was a challenging headspace to sort of occupy. How do you get into that headspace? Because that's a like Yeah Yeah, it was it was hard because I I underestimated it because I thought, you know, I've got like twenty six years as a professional So it's like another role. He's just like, I'm just gonna to get into this role, just do it. Yeah. And it was just very isolating because we filmed it down in Cardiff so I had a sort of light schedule at the beginning of it. So I was traveling down to Cardiff doing something unspeakable. and then going back to my family, which was really disorientating And then then it got more and more intense with a court case and all the taxi scenes are in the last week And then we have to do these Extraordinary u Psychiatrist scenes where when he's in prison he finds God which was basically just a ruse. the per as quickly as possible And so I've got these really lengthy scenes with a psychiatrist where he starts to emot all this emotion He's so sorry for what he's done but you know he's lying. And so I had to sort of lean into my training, which is like Staniff Flasky where you sort of use which is called emotional recall. Who Think of something in your own life which upsets you, like you've lost a loved one or something's happened. And I often do that. If I need to do an emotional scene I'll listen to some music. You can see Danny's in the corner of the set somewhere just getting into it. Where do you go in your mind? I just go to, you know, like a grandad I loved who's passed away or you know, various stuff that's happened. And you just sort of it's like hypnotizing yourself or getting yourself into that headsace. And you pictchure that moment that you find out or Yeah. Yeah. And then basically you've got that on a low light, you've got that emotion running in through you. I mean I have to do it that way. Some actors can just turn tears and emotion on like a tap. you know what I mean? Yeah. I have to sort of really get into it. And so then you're called to set and then you have to sort of use that emotion, but obviously fuel that into the dialogue that you're coming out with in the scene So it's a mixture of those two things. It's about technique, it's about using your craft and technique as an actor to serve what the writing' trying to give you. Yeah, but what you're doing there when you're playing such a deep role and a heavy role. You're manipulating your emotions Yeah, but your body and mind don't really know you're tricking yourself. So you're putting yourself into that space. You know, I spoke to Naami Aaki, right who she played Whitney Yeah. And she was talking about how much Whitney took from her Shes like I just took everything. And it feels to me that the actors sometimes underestimate how much it takes and I heard that you had to take some counseseling afterwards. Yeah, well I there was We had intimacy coordinators on this job, which I'd never worked with before because when I was doing those types of scenes that they weren't about But we did have a facility of a counselor. And it was in that last week with all the taxi scenes And again, I was like, I don't need to talk to a counselor. this is you know, I'm like big and brave enough and to go on with it And u But I ended up talking to the counselllor for forty five minutes and it was really invaluable just to just to talk it over because it was sort of relentless character really. and Just to sort of talk about it and to check in with someone It sort of stabilized me a little bit, notot that I was sort of uncontrollable or anything, but it just it was just a really invaluable exercise into sort of getting the load off as such. Yeah. You know, it''s such a male response which is like I was I was fine. Well yeah, it didn't that much It totally fine, but ye it was invaluable, but I'm totally fine. Yeah And to do the role justice, you have to become the personal man. Because I say what it was, Jamie. It was like when I read the scripts Yeah because Jeff's a friend of mine, and he said, lookook, this is coming to your agent, but I want to talk to you about it first before you jump out the window because the nature of what it is And I was like, oK, so send me the scripts and You know, our daughter is Dixie is thirteen now. you know, she's sort of teenager and like she's going out on trains with her mates and Before long she'll be in the back of a taxi, you know, when I read those scripts as a parent, it absolutely terrified me because like that's someone's daughter in the back there And u just as a father as a parent, I had a comple completely different response to it as if I'd have if I' had done that like in my early twenties, I'd have been like so Gun ho and yeah, let's make a mark with this character, but it' sort of terrified me. yeah So ye, you have to s you have to absorb that, but not let it affect what you have to do because when you're doing it, you can't judge who he is. You just have to play a character. Yeah, It's funny I've just become a parent Right to a little baby boy. Oh, congratulations. Yes, man. And it's like and I know with you the same thing. totally changed my view. Yeah. knocks you for fucking ses. In everyw way four timer launs to leave the house Why aren't we out the door yet? going on holidays is mental. iss like a moving house. Yeah ye But you're right when you become a parent, you doiew things totally differently. and yeah. And you're so right when you read that script, you're thinking that is someone's daughter. Yeah Yeah, your sensibilities change. everythingthing shifts, doesn't it? Because I mean, becoming a parent is like you're no longer the most important person in the room Which is a great leveler, isn't it? You know, You're thinking about someone else before yourself. I was listening to an interview with Cugan, right? Yeah Steve Kuan, who played Uh Alan Partridge Okay yeah. And the way that he got into that role Um He played recently BBC I mean Oh Jimmy Sv Jimmy Saval. Oh, yeah, yeah yeah. He played Jimmy Savv. I don't I know what're going to say. And he he wore Savils wore sh. He wore Savvel's actual shoes. Yeah, which is again that was written by Jeff Pke. The thing is like you're talking about like it's a weirdly like a that feel it's a it feels really dark I mean You know, like I sort of in a way respect totally I belie good for doing that because like I think Whatever you need to do to get into the character, then that's what you have to do. And sort of like if you talk about method acting and things like that, as long as it doesn't encroach on the other. per forforma. you know All avenues are open to try and get the best out of the characterization. So if that's what Stave Kugan wanted to do, then all power to him for doing that. I actually thought his performance was extraordinary. It was so And again, incredible light s it's a very daunting and brave thing to take on. But it's like how far do you L, how far would you go for a roll then? Because if you go like Daniel D. Lewis, right? Yeah I mean, the lengths that he healed goes to is kind of wild. So you have you have that side of it, right Yeah. But then you have like Lawrence Olivier Right. Who was one of the I supposose it greatrazs out and there's famous line that he saided to Dustin Hoffman. I got it on my Instagram page for some reason. you really? Yeah, says why don't you try acting, dear boy Yeah which is hilarious. I think they were filming Marathon man, weren't they? Yeah And um, Dustin Hoffan sort of runs he's decided to do like five laps of the park. because the scene, he had to be hot and sweaty and out of breath for things like that. And so he got to about lap three and Oliviet goes, Wh don't you try acting, dear boy? like that? And it's like you know, dusted out to do what you had to do to get into it, you know, Soee you other actors will go, right, just put the sweat sweat on me. I'll jump up and down for like two seconds and then go It's it's it's where do you where do you lie Um, I think I was much more like that when I was a younger actor. I think I've got more sort of technique and know how now just to sort of turn it off and on, you know But I did a lot of work with Mike Lee when I was younger. I did two Mike Lee movies. and the thing about when you work with someone like Mike is he's very clear about there's the actor and there's character And so you have to keep those two things separate And then you've got your sort of directors and Tani sort of going all the time when you're playing the role You can't, you know what I mean? I've done scenes. I've remember doing a scene with someone once somet timees This guy he should remain nameless, but it was like a fight scene type thing. Wh was I can't And he and he and I remember he slapped me around the face like that like proper slaap me on take one. And I was just that. he went, I was a bit too hard. I went, Yeah, because like we're gonna be doing like another seven eight takes of this And are you planning on hitting me that hard? like for eight takes I said I'm not going to to be able to hear out my ear You know what I mean? It was sort of because that's the The thing of like, you've got a You got to have technique, you' got to be able to if you're doing like a play, you're doing eight performances a week. Do you know what I mean You've got to make sure that there's always safety with the actors and things like that and looking after your voice. It's all, you know, it's got to look spontaneously in the moment, but you've got to back it up with the craft.an I can I ask, you said you would like down in your early years and maybe this is totally wrong, but is that because you You came out of Radder, right? Rada is like Creme to the crereme, right? it's supposed Spposedly, right? Yeah. Was there an element that you had to take yourself seriously? And so if you And so I'm an actor. so I have to Is there an element of that as you get older and more relaxed in your career because you've got You know, you just you you kill every role and you all these things, you kind of go I don't need to take myself as seriously. Is that wrong for me to say that? Yeah, I think I've mellowed out as the years have rolled by because know, Ultimately, I don't think you can take yourselfself too seriously in this industry in the acting world, you know what I mean? I think it's too Uh I don't you know, I actually don't think I've ever been like that really. Do you know what I mean?ike I'm sort of The thing that' always appeal to me about what I do for a living is that it's always this look, I'm not a loveie, Do you know what I mean? I respond to the notion of it we're all in this together fromom the person that's bringing you a cup of tea, you know, one of the runners to the lead actor on the call sheet, you know, it's about a group of people all pulling in the same direction to serve the writing That's really what it's about And I think if you are If you're too serious about yourself, if you're a Dave or whatever you want to call it, then to be honest You won't last long in the industry. You'll get found out Robert De Niro says the moment that you think you're cool is the moment that you're not. Yeah. Al stay calm. Yeah, yeah, stay calm. Stay calm. Yeah ye This is a hard question, especially being a brit Do you know you're good? No, I don't think about it like that, you know, Be you're brilliant. you're so rilliant in the podcast, right. But it's funny how Brits can't take this comment it's suddenly we close up in our What are you reading at the moment? what's like? You you know what's interesting right? If I was to go to a dentist. ye. H. A surgeon or I don't know, I don't know, maybe an architect and say, do you think you're good at your job? They'll probably say, yeah, I'm good at what I do. Yeah. When it comes to acting for some reason in that sort of entertainment space, especially we shy away 't I'ming I' not a good singer, I'm not. I'm not good act. Yeah We don't want to say what we actually are. but's it's like it's all a question of taste. It's all subjective, isn't it? Totally. There'll be people that love me as an actor and there'll be people that go don't really fancy Dann Maine like that. I don't think's particularly good or he' a. I don't think anyone actually says that. But do you know what I mean? though? Yeah sort of like, and I don't think you can ever I guess it's that thing of like staying grounded, isn't it? And I've always had that discipline that Every character you play wipe the slate clean and come it fresh. neverever rest on your laurels. never really never rely on the last performance you've given. That's advice you'd give someone listening now. Without a doubt. Yeah, always because try to test yourself all times, you know Be there was there's parts that you haven't played yet. there's parts that The beauty about what I do for a living is it's like it's so mysterious and endless Yeah. And you can hopefully you get better as you get older and it just sort of rolls on to the other job You know, it was for me, it was always about Um Longevity was I want to be old and grrey one day and look back at a body of work, which I'm incredibly proud of You know, u That's my goal in life, I think, along with trying to be a nice husband and a good dad and all that sort of stuff. All the other stuff. But I mean, all of that Live stuff. makes you a better actor anyway, you know? I mean your parents must be so perhs. U Yeah. I mean, I don't that my that's not one of those guys that said I'm really proud of you Sundon you know, it's sort of u I think they are, but it's I gu particularly much more closeer I'd probably say to my mom than I my dad. but you know, I know he's proud, but he's just of that generation where he doesn't express that as much What's one role you really want And what' what what's one role you really want? and what's one role you missed out on? Oh, um W wasas anyone that you thought you were going to get and then they found Oh there's countless what there's countless auditions where you've gotoneten. God I've nailed that. I remember going into a, um I remember auditionhing part and It went so well Tking director walked me down the corridor to the leftift and was like, you know, blowing proverbial smoke up my ar and was like I was that was incredible, Danny. I just didn't think it would be as good as that well done Brllch. She actually pressed the button door. I remember the door shutting like that but you were wonderful. Just really great. And I was like, I think I might have got that And I didn't I didn't, you know I didn't end up getting it because you know it's hard in a way, it gets harder the more successful you get because of actors that you're up against becomees sort of smaller and smaller and you're all on that list together. And you know, you're up against some serious talent and, um Rejection that's part and parcel of being an actor and you just have to accept that. you're never going to get everything you going buildus that character which is just like ins. And I think that like that's why I look at your career, right? you know, leaving kind of home at thirteen, getting on the tube, going to Italia Conti, then trying for Rada, doing those things going that builds that character, that resilience to then go into the world of acting I think sometimes if you just jump into the world of acting without having that experience of rejectionhip, It's a bit like it's a shaky ground, right? Yeah. You got the thing is, I mean, look, I can't now I can't do anything else. Do you know what I mean? It's sort of What would you do? I mean, I'd probably be an artist of some I mean, another reliable job sa with realul You should be a bus driver or something I should know really. But you know, when you young actors come to me and like they ask advice, it's like it's like you You got to have that mentality where like, Pitfalls and rejection and it it's really hard. It's a very hard industry to make your way in If you've got that fire burning within and you can't put it out, then this is you got to see it through. Do you know what I mean? It's like you can't do it. It's like It's more than a job. you know what I mean? It's just like it's a way of life. I also think with acting, which I find is that And I hope some acts forgive me, but my sister is an actor and she's incredible. She's incredible. but I find sometimes with actors They say with the rejection, but I'm so good. Yes, sm I'm so good. It's like That doesn't matter Not it doesn't m And and you got to get past that. Yeah you may be good. you may be great, but you've got to kind of get past that. Yeah. You can't take it personally. You can't take it personally. And sometimes you do. if you really want to gig and it doesn't come your way, it can be demoralizing. You have to use that, you know what I mean What's one role if you could play any would you play Um I mean, I'd love to be in like a, you know, my great mate is Stehven Graham and you know, and Steve's done like Scorsese movies and things like that. I'd love to work in like a Scorsese movie for instance, you know They used to send me a little WhatsApp messages every now and again would be more set with their. I would stud there with pino and I'm like, wow, you know, just look at Heasty, Thankks buddy. Have fun Danny, you have your new podcast coming as well Gangster represents the story of Ronnie Biggs Yes played Ronnie Biggs way back when and Mrses Biggs alongside Sheridan Smith. Yeah, so it was I just got approached to the radio series because it's like the anniversary of him coming back to the UK. after, you know, being in exile and on the run in Rio And u It's like six episodes and what was extraordinary about revisiting it and him as a person was there was Just lots of stuff I didn't realise. and it's an amazing show on BBC radio and there's footage of him that has never been heard before. They've interviewed all of those sort of characters around the story. And for anyone who doesn't know who is Ronny Bigs Ronnie Biggs is the famous great train robber. What year was a great train robbery? It was the early sixties? Was it sixty three? I'm gonna say sixty three, I think it something like that An anyway So it was the m not that long ago. Yeah. That's the wild thing, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, and nothing like that had to the great Royal Mail trarain was Bruce Reynolds was the mastermind behind him U The story goes Ronnie Biggs was trying to live a straight life. You know Ronnie Biggs as You know what I mean? Like he was sort of, you know, doing this that and nicking cars and doing like robberies and things like. But he was definitely trying to go straight down in Surrey Yeah with his wife in nineteen sixty three. Yeah, with Charmiee and Biggs his wife and then u He needed a deposit for their house And he turned to his friend Bruce Reynolds and said, Listen, I desperately need five hundred cid for this deposit. And he said, lookook, I haven't got it, Ronnie. Everything I've got is tied up in this big job that I'm doing. But I can give you a place on that job if you're willing to come onto the crew And in actual fact, they needed a train driver to drive the locomotive and it was Ronnie Biggs himself hisis friend Peter was a train driver and he got him involved in it. But here's the thing, on the night of the robbery Peta couldn't drive the train Like for whatever reason it was like the wrong make model and the And they got told to sit in the van and they actually never touched the mailbag. They actually physically never handled the mail bag off the train itself. And then, you know They're in the hide hour and then one by one they all get caught and they got sentenced to thirty years in prison in which is an crazy am. It was they were made an example of, you know, it was like an act of treason against the crown. No one had ever attempted anything as audacious as that before. And so they were made examples of thirty years. I mean, I remember saying I remember the line here you wouldn't get that for murder. You't You know And so he got deeply depressed when he was in Wandsworth prrison where he was behind bars and of course they broke him out. And it was literally like a rope ladder over the wall on an exercise and and he through the thing and And then he eventually goes to He has plast like a botch job plastic surgery thing going on ends up in Paris and then get goes to Australia and then ends up in Rio. And absolute like it's an extraordinary story, Ronnie Bigs, like it's And he's one of these characters that had like nine lives. It was just He always managed to evade things and And he got Ray Munda, the stripper pregnant in Rio, which meant they couldn't extradite him. and Yeah, just your archetypal lovable roogue. I had an amazing time playing him. So to revisit it again for the radio series was just awesome. Yeah, I loved it. M, everyone needs to listen to that and We'll put in the show notes as well as you can go click on it. Denanet, listen, I know that we're stuck for times, so we gotta wrap up but I just want to say thanks, man. Thank you. I've really enjoyed it. It's been such a lovely chat, Jamie man. You' kidding me Ive enjoyed every minute in that monologue is gonna stay God It's unbelievable man. If I went wrong, could we do another take? Unbelievable A man I like Dang say, listen, before we finish, I'd like to ask eight quick Fire questions Okay, You ready for this? Yeah What's saying a phrase that makes you smile or cheers you up? U, um Hey who d does? That's why u littleittle nod and wink to forenosis Best compliment anyone's ever given you think of the worst thing if someone said to me God. He's got a face like a thwarted man cub. That would That was a review. It's funn the ones you remember earer A thwarted man cub on the cusp of a tantrum, I think it was What is that? What scares you most about yourself patient sometimes. Yeah. Last time he cried Oh. Um, I cry a lot. It must have been some TV show I've watched. I don't know what it was, but I'm a bit toos gone talent with that golden buzzer. Oh yeah I guess, yeah yeah you guess me Yeah What's something you can't let go of The forud Man cuver review? No. What's something I can't let go of? Can be anything. Security of your family Great answer. What's your guilty pleas I do like of what's that in the jungle? the I'm a celebrity. I do like a bit of that. Yeahah I reckon they've asked you if you ask I have asked me. Yeah. I would last five minutes. I like it as well. What turns you off r Very good answer. What turns you on? Last one, tricky one for us Brits. What do you like most about yourself I don't take things too seriously and Hopefully I'm still as ground as I was when I first started all those years ago that I in bonus one favorite dance move And can you show us Favorite dance move. Yeah. You can't knock the running man, can? Let's have a look go. That's classic. Yeah clic . Danny Wes, thank you so much. We appreciate it