Sean Bean

It's such a...

fine man you know he was uh you know just one of them that don't come along very often is it difficult when you when you get to work with someone like that who you've revered and could be i suppose but uh the people that i've kind of admired and and and that have inspired me tend to be quite down to earth and uh quite have a laugh at themselves yes

John Hurt and Peter O'Toole and Richard Harris and Pete Postlethwaite, the late Pete Postlethwaite, who was an old friend and a wonderful actor.

I learnt a hell of a lot from him.

But there is that kind of... I wouldn't say it's nervousness, but a slight apprehension when you first meet them and you begin.

But then it's how they treat you and everybody's been fortunate.

They've treated me really well and, you know, shown a lot of respect and friendship to me, so...

and you're learning from them yeah oh absolutely all the time yeah Ian McKellen was another one you know I've watched him followed him I actually saw him play Mike Beth as Judy Dench and Woffa Pondern in near Rotherham oh yeah when I was about 18 19 when I started this business off and you know that was that inspired me both their performances and the others Alan Armstrong playing Azdak in the Caucasian Choke Circle which I did as a

a drama audition piece to get into RADA and I got in there with that speech.

I think I'm strong for that as well.

It's always a joy.

There's not many kind of places in your life where you can meet people like that from acting and singing, I guess.

But you think what a joy it is and what an opportunity and a blessing it is to work with people you've admired who have inspired you and continue to do so.

Yeah.

It's easier said than done.

Yeah, and I couldn't really understand.

I was 20.

Yeah, yeah.

That's what it's all about.

Do you know what I mean?