Dominic West has revealed his dismay at foreign actors taking roles that should be played by Britons.
The actor has shot to fame in America playing policeman Jimmy McNulty in hit crime show The Wire before going on to star in the likes of The Forgotten and 300.
His most recent role sees him take on Australian scientist Professor Howard Florey in Breaking the Mould for BBC Four.
In an interview with The Guardian he said: "I'd never heard of this guy and I just thought it would be interesting to play this unknown guy and then they said he's the biggest guy in Australia.
"But I was sort of smarting from Russell Crowe coming over here and playing Robin Hood and all these foreigners coming over here and stealing our great heroes. I felt I was striking a blow back by being a Brit playing a foreigner."
"I'd love to play Robin Hood but I'd particularly like to play all those parts Johnny Depp plays that are English people like the Earl of Rochester.
"I suppose for someone who made quite a lot of money out of being in an American TV show, I shouldn't moan really, but it does annoy me when Beatrix Potter is played by a Texan. What's wrong with our great Kate Winslet; why wasn't she Bridget Jones?"
The Wire is currently being shown on BBC 2.
Tagged in The Wire Dominic West