Richard Armitage thinks he's got "quite limited talent".
Richard Armitage believes his talent is limited
The 52-year-old actor has made a concerted effort to diversify his career in recent times, as he doesn't want the film industry to "retire" him anytime soon.
Richard told The Times newspaper: "For 20 years, I’ve been bracing myself for the phone to stop ringing, which is why I think since I hit 50 I’ve been slowly working towards developing material as a producer, not necessarily for me to be in, but because I don’t want to leave the arts.
"I don’t want to leave this industry, but the industry might want to retire me. The weird thing is I don’t think I have a massive ego. I don’t need to be playing the lead all the time. I’m quite happy to take an ensemble role."
Richard thinks he often works with more talented people than himself - but he doesn't allow that to bother him.
He said: "I think I’ve got quite limited talent. I acknowledge it. I do.
"I mean, I’ve been around people, regularly actually, on stage, on film, where you look at them and you’re in a scene with them and you think, I can’t do that. I can’t do what you’re doing. But I’ll try and get to where you are because you’ll make me better, so I’ll take some of your magic."
Richard - who came out as gay in 2023 - believes that his sexuality exists on a spectrum, and that his outlook has actually helped him in his career.
Richard shared: "By nature I have quite a strong masculine core, but I’ve got this other side of me which is open to a sort of feminine sensitivity and understanding.
"It has been really, really useful and I wouldn’t change it for the world. I feel like I’ve got a broader scope of sensuality because of it."
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