Jason Isaacs feared he would be sent some "radioactive tea" in the post after 'Death of Stalin' was banned in Russia.
Jason Isaacs
The 54-year-old actor stars as the Soviet Union officer Georgy Zhukov - who was the Chief of General Staff and a member of the Politburo in Joseph Stalin's Communist Soviet Union government in the 1940s and 1950s - in Armando Iannucci's satirical comedy movie, and he's been thrilled by the reaction to it.
Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz, Isaacs said: "It think it feels great. I think it will be even nicer if it wins something.
"But what really matters is the cinemas are packed with people having a fantastic time watching.
"Even in Russia where it is banned, I hear that it is the popular illicit DVD sold. It's a great story, really well told and it is both hilarious and thought-provoking and I'm really lucky to be part of it.
"I found it mildly amusing [that it was banned] until I saw they singled out my performance out and said it was a tremendous insult to one of the greatest war heroes. I was worried I would get some radioactive tea in the post."
The film is an adaptation of a graphic novel of the same name and also stars Steve Buscemi, Olga Kurylenko, Jeffrey Tambor and Monty Python legend Michael Palin.
Although the movie focuses on the final days of Stalin's dictatorship and the chaos that ensued after his death, none of the cast were required to act in a Russian accent. And Isaacs admitted it was his idea to make Zhukov sound as though he was from the north of England.
Tagged in Jason Isaacs Olga Kurylenko Steve Buscemi