Adam Deacon claims he was shunned after BAFTA win

20 November 2017

Adam Deacon claims the British film industry "didn't know what to do with" him after winning a BAFTA.

Adam Deacon

The 34-year-old actor was recognised for his acting, directing and script writing talents in 2012 when he won the Rising Star Award, beating the likes of Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hiddleston to the prestigious accolade.

Deacon has now admitted he was "naive" to think he had made it and had broken into the mainstream and has recalled disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein looking "so p**ed off" when he collected the award at that year's ceremony.

Speaking to The Guardian newspaper, Deacon said: "I believed you got a pass into the big films now. It was naive. Check out the video when I win the BAFTA, because Harvey Weinstein is looking so p***ed off; like, 'Who the f**k is this little s**t coming out of nowhere?'

"We've never seen this kid before, and he's come here and won the people's vote. The industry didn't know what to make of it or what to do with me."

However, Deacon didn't get his big break and his American agent didn't even remember who he was after he spent a month in Los Angeles in the wake of his win.

Recalling his Stateside trip to try and move into Hollywood movies, he said: "As soon I got back to London I didn't hear anything. I called up my American agent about a month after coming back from LA and he didn't know who I was. They were like, 'Adam who?' So it was a headf**k." Meanwhile, casting agents in the small films also stopped calling, presuming he would be too big for them now."

Having shot to fame in the 'Kidulthood' franchise, Deacon believes he "started to become scary to casting directors" because the trio of movies were so gritty and hard-hitting.

He said: "When I started making films like 'Kidulthood' and 'Adulthood' I started to become scary to casting directors - that's the feedback I got. They're scared of you because the characters were so in your face. I thought casting directors had the brains to know this is a part you're playing."

Deacon's life and career spiralled out of control and in 2015 he was sectioned under the Mental Health Act and he was convicted of harassing his former friend and mentor Noel Clarke sending him hundreds of abusive messages including a death threat, and a restraining order was issued against Deacon to leave to former 'Doctor Who' star alone.

Deacon is now back acting and can currently be seen in stage play 'The Retreat' - which has been created by 'Peep Show' writer Sam Bain and is directed by Kathy Burke.