Sir Michael Caine didn't know drama schools existed when he was younger.
Sir Michael Caine
The 88-year-old actor is "very proud" of his working-class roots and while his family didn't have much money during his childhood and he didn't know "anything about actors", he was able to join an amateur dramatic society, which kick-started his love of performing.
He said: "I'm very proud of being from the working class.
"We didn't have money when we were growing up, but we had plenty of love.
"I joined an amateur dramatic society, but I never went to drama school, because, in the milieu I come from, not only did we not know anything about actors, we never even knew there was such a thing as drama school."
While he is well aware drama schools exist nowadays, the 'Italian Job' star advises youngsters against signing up to them because he believes budding stars can get a better education from simply watching others.
He said: "Kids today say to me, 'Should I go to drama school?' And I say, 'No, you'll learn more by sitting in the subway and watching people opposite you than you'll ever learn at school.' "
Michael also feels "very proud" of being around in 1960s England when he played a part in "destroying the snobbery of the class system".
He added to Candis magazine: "The 60s in England was all about class.
"It wasn't to do with rock and roll, or drugs, or everybody screwing around.
"It was when the working class in England told the rest of the country, 'We don't care about what class, colour, or religion anyone is.
"'Just because you're Lord Ponsonby of the manor, that doesn't mean we want to come to your home - we'll have such a good time that you will want to get out of your home and come to ours.'
"And we made it stick, too. We destroyed the snobbery of the class system. I'm very proud of that."
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