Transcript
you know like clothes that you put in plastic, and the winter clothes that you put away in the summer. which is basically an excuse just to eat French fries, and anything that was put in front of me. Well what's the in the mini series, George Smiley is a very famous character. So why did you want to play him?
It's such a great part that, it would be very be hard to turn it down. It's the sort of role I've been looking for for a long time. It's certainly one of the best roles I've had, certainly in the last 15-20 years. 31 years I have been doing this.
So what's the transition like going before two very different films with Tinker Taylor between a Batman film.
Gordon was a role I I've played twice before, so that's, that was all, that was just really dusting him off, like a sort of, you know, like clothes that you put in plastic, and you put the winter clothes that you put away in the summer, you know? So that was, I'd already, sort of in a way, done all the work for him.
George, who was a new character, so, that took a while. Sort of putting him together. But then of course, I have the luxury of that book. And had you been a fan of the book?
Yeah, I first, it was, I'm old enough to remember the series. So that is how I was introduced to Tinker Taylor. And then, and I subsequently read the books.
Well, getting into character for him, I know you had to make some physical changes and I know you tried to gain weight, maybe did some things with your hair. Could you talk about that?
It was just giving him a little more gravities. there is this scene where I swim in the pond. I just felt that I wanted to have that middle aged paunch. You know? As I I knew that I was going to be seen in, you know, in swimming trunks. So I called it eating for George. Which is basically an excuse just to eat french fries and anything that was put in front of me.
You know it's taking it off that has been the problem. well you look great. But your leading up this cast.
I'm hiding it all.
Your leading this cast of, an ensemble of also other fantastic actors. Is there anyone else that you were particularly impressed Well I've been a fan of John Hurt for many years, but I had never worked with him, never met him. So a I was very excited about that. I was very nervous actually on the first day, like a fan.
And it turned comes out, that not only he's a wonderful actor, he's possibly one of the nicest human beings you'd ever hope to meet. And so, it was, he doesn't he doesn't disappoint. Kiren Hines, the Irish actor I'd worked with many years ago, in 1980, in the theater. So that was kinda nice, to reconnect with him.
Colin Firth, of course. I've seen the work, but I've not worked with him. We hit it off, so, so much so, that we may do something else together.
And you also have 2 other films with Tom Hardy.
We're getting married next year. Tom Hardy, yes, it's the wettest county. Dark Knight and tinker, so it seems, yeah, it's funny how that, funny how that works. I went through a period, also where I kept what working with Christian Slater. I've done four pictures with him I think. It happens like that sometimes.
