Jeremy Irons says he would never accept a knighthood.
Jeremy Irons
The 67-year-old star believes he already gets too much adulation for being an actor and the honour should go to someone who deserves it more.
He said: "I don't see the point of it. There are so many people who do amazing work which is unheralded and unrecognised.
"I do what I do because I like doing it. I'm well paid for it. I get far too much adulation compared with what it's worth.
"Society needs storytellers, but I've always thought artists should stir the s**t."
Although Jeremy attended a Buckingham Palace for a reception for British Oscar winners he insisted it wasn't a big deal because "The Queen wasn't there, it was Charlie [Prince Charles]. I'm not part of that."
Jeremy caused outrage in 2013 when he said in relation to same-sex marriage becoming legal: "If I wanted to pass on my estate without death duties I could marry my son" but he insists he didn't mean it.
He told Event magazine: "I was just wondering how things would change. You change one thing and there's a knock-on effect.
"I will forever be playing Devil's Advocate, just because I like a good discussion, and from that I begin to work out what I actually feel.
"I don't have prejudices because I spend my life playing people of completely different ways of thought, but I love trying to find out, 'What do you think? What do I think?'
"I think anything that makes people happy should be encouraged."
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