Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
2 appearances
British actor acclaimed for his breakout in 'This Is England' and known for playing an undercover cop in 'Line of Duty' and mobsters in Scorsese films.
On the island
Eight records
Marvin Gaye was one of those beautiful voices that I'd hear Sunday morning when me and my ma would be cleaning up.
This is one of the only songs that I know, all the lyrics from start to finish.
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
I just love the sentiment, I love the words, I love what it's about and it reminds me of this is another song to Hannah I suppose.
DJ Fresh & High Contrast feat. Dizzee Rascal
It's our cartoon, and now we all just love it.
The keepsakes
In conversation
Presenter asks
1:57What's your favourite way of working?
I really do love to improvise. It's that creativity, do you know what I mean? But then it's also the technique of taking that improvised kind of concept into scripted dialogue. But I just love that freedom of improvisation because you never quite sure what's gonna happen next.
Presenter asks
4:40What is it like being on set with Martin Scorsese and meeting Robert De Niro for the first time?
Massively. And that phone call came in and it was kind of: look, Stephen, Marty really wants you for this film to play this character, but Robert De Niro is the exec producer, and you're gonna have to go to New York to meet Bob. These are the films that I grew up on. Pops went to me when I was 15. He went, Are you serious about this acting? I went, Yeah, dad, I think I really am. This is what I want to do. He was like, Okay, right, let's go to video shop. And we went to Quarry Green Video Shop, and he got The Godfather, Taxi Driver, and The Deer Hunter. And that weekend, we watched them three films. And I think we watched The Godfather twice, actually. Yeah, it was amazing. But that was that kind of moment where he went to me. Well, if you're serious, this is how it's done seriously and brilliantly. That began my love affair with films.
Presenter asks
8:51How did your mother handle it when she found out about the bullying you were experiencing?
The book
Richard Bach
Because it's a beautiful book. I think I read it when I was about 21. I mean, it's just that, you know, not being part of the fold and also in pursuit for some kind of higher spiritual meaning and the indoctrination that we've had from all different religions. It's follow your own religion, follow your own purpose, follow your own calling, which is something that you said earlier on, which is very apt, you know what I mean? Follow your own way and never, never lose faith in the possibilities of the beauty of what life can offer.
The luxury
Yes. The one that I've left in my Winnie Bago at work that I'm gonna have to get back. That comes with me everywhere. It's like flat. There's nothing to it now. And I obviously annoy them all, but I have to take it everywhere with me.
And she went, Right, let's go And she got her coat on and she and we went to these people's houses because she was known in the area where we lived and she got a lot of friends in that area and she went to the front doors and she knocked on the door and she said, Right, I'm not having this and she kind of dealt with it.
Presenter asks
24:21What is it like for you, having to find the things that you have to portray when playing a character like [Combo in This Is England]?
The most important thing is trust. You have to trust the director implicitly and trust that you know, and you have to have trust with the other actors around you, and they have to trust you. It's that freedom to create and to know that you're coming from a place of truth and honesty for the character. Do you feel vulnerable when you're doing that in those situations? Extremely, yeah. As you're thinking of things, you're like, Oh, that's a bit strong. And it's maybe that's not the right. It's like, no, no, go with it, go with it, go with it, go with it. Without sounding pretentious, you lose yourself, you immerse yourself, and you lose yourself in the character.
Presenter asks
28:40If someone feels a calling to act, what advice would you give them?
Follow it, go for it. You need skin like a rhino, you need to be able to not take things too personally and just always, you know, believe in your ability. And if it's calling you, do it. No, if we were painters and decorators, you wouldn't be fussy about the house you painted, would you? So, to get experience and get stuff under your belt, do it, just do the job because there's no better learning than on-the-job experience, like an apprenticeship.
“Pops went to me when I was 15. He went, Are you serious about this acting? ... And we went to Quarry Green Video Shop, and he got The Godfather, Taxi Driver, and The Deer Hunter. And that weekend, we watched them three films. And I think we watched The Godfather twice, actually.”
“And she got her coat on and she and we went to these people's houses ... and she went to the front doors and she knocked on the door and she said, Right, I'm not having this and she kind of dealt with it.”
“And my dad, and there were tears in his eyes, and he just went, and he just said to me, I've just watched you grow up on stage there. And I was like, damn. So that was quite profound.”
“I went in, ... and I heard my nana's voice. ... and she shouted Stephen, ... and I just come to, opened my eyes and the rope had snapped.”
“I said to her, Please don't go to Spain. ... And I went, I love you. And she went, I've been waiting for five years for you to say that.”