Danny Dyer is one of the UK's hottest acting talents across the entire entertainment spectrum including; film, television, and theatre.At the age of just 14 he found himself working alongside Academy Award winning actress Helen Mirren in ITV's Prime Suspect after he was spotted by an agent at his local Sunday school.Since then the big screen has beckoned and Danny has appeared in a string of British movies including Human Traffic, his big screen breakthrough; High Heels And Low Lifes, Football Factory and The Business.His latest movie Outlaw is his fourth collaboration with Brit director Nick Love. Outlaw explores what happens when a group of men, all victims of violent crime, take the law into their own hands in the search for justice.
You are best known for working within the British film industry did you make a conscious decision to do this?
I made a decision to stick to films it's hard not to go and do other things like TV. I'm proud that I stuck to the film thing I can call myself a film actor you know it's a hard f**king game. I'm lucky that I have been able to work with Nick Love for most of my career and he likes to put me in the lead role of his films.It's your 4th collaboration with director Nick Love why have you worked with him so often?
We have a great chemistry we have got a lot of belief in each other. He writes great dialouge that I can just speak so easily, I can bring it to life. I don't have an ego, I don't really label myself as a movie star and I work for f**k all which is good news for him (Nick Love).But he can just let me get on with my thing he doesn't have to worry about me he can go off and do other things he doesn't need to hug me and tell me how good I am I just get on with it. He does tweak me now and again though.
What was it about the Outlaw script that enticed you to the role?
It was good to work with Nick again you know you will finish one film with him and then he disappears for months writing a script and you can't fucking get hold of him.
It's quite a dark subject it's very political and yeah very dark. Some subjects in other films such as Football Factory and The Business have been dark and violent but there was always a sense of humour throughout you know. But this is about really fucking depressed men trying to make a difference. Plus I had the chance of working with big British actors like Sean Bean and Bob Hoskins and I was really excited about working with them, I wanted to test myself against them.
You live close to where you were born does Hollywood not entice you at all?
Listen I have had alot of calls and I now have an agent in the US but I have just had a baby so it's a difficult time for me I can't just run off to America for two months. But I'm really thinking about going out there I really want to test myself. I have started getting knocked by the critics and I'm not used to that I'm used to people loving me and what I've done. They are saying that I'm doing alot of the same stuff. I know it's just the critics but I know that I haven't proved myself as an actor I have maybe showed 20% of what I can do.
If you go to America you will end up one of two things either fucking rich or a nervous wreck but you won't know unless you go that's the only way that you will find out.
Why do you think there's been such a big boom in British film industry over the last few years?
I don't know do you think that there's been a big boom? We are making better films and there's more money but I don't think that it's changed that much. We have got some really good British actors you know you have the Jude Law's and Paul Bettany's who have gone to America and then come back and we are really well respected as actors in the US
We have great directors as well like Nick (Love) who don't give a fuck and don't play by the rules they just make what the hell they like. But I don't think I really have an answer to that.
Many British actors head for Hollywood should they stay and support British cinema more?
No not really listen, it's a tough job and you take whatever role is in front of you as you are never sure when your next wage packet is gonna come, but that excites me. You cannot plan in this industry if you go for one audition thaen you lose on twenty others you know.
What else have you got coming up?
The next thing that I'm going to be doing is Kasabian's new video which I'm really looking forward to, they love what I'm about and I love what they are about. I'm getting a lot of scripts to do roles as crack heads and junkies and all that shit, maybe the next thing you see me in I will be a gay aristocrat.
Outlaw is avaliable to rent and buy on DVD on 9 July.
Helen Earnshaw
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