Paloma Faith: from BRITs to BAFTA? Eyeing major 'gritty' film role

She finally bagged a Brit, but Paloma Faith won’t stop there – she now has her eyes on an Oscar.

The singer, who scooped best female solo artist at last night’s ceremony, aims to step up her acting skills and thinks a role such as the battered wife played by Olivia Colemanin Paddy Considine’s film Tyrannosaur would be right up her street.

‘I’d be after something that challenges me to do something completely the opposite of what my public persona is. I would like to play a next door neighbour or something gritty,’ the Only Love Can Hurt Like This singer told Metro exclusively.

‘I am a big fan of Paddy Considine. If he does another film I would love to be in that,’ she continued, admitting she would love to be considered as an actress akin to Coleman.

‘I have started petitioning him! I direct messaged him on Twitter saying “If you do another film, please call me!” And he replied saying that in his house they were big fans of mine, him and his kids. Which was cute. I am sowing the seeds!’ she said.

However Faith – who played the girlfriend of the Devil in Terry Gilliam’s 2009 film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – is not abandoning her music career yet as she hopes to have a new album out before the end of the year.

‘It’s an ambitious thing, but I’m hoping. That’s the idea. I’ve started writing but I haven’t been recording yet. It’s still very early days and I’ve just done a few days of writing so far,’ she teased.

[Printed Metro February 2015]

Ella Henderson talks marriage proposals, Adele and Bond theme ambitions

Chart topper Ella Henderson says she has been flooded with marriage proposals since unleashing her debut single earlier this year.

The 18-year-old former X Factor star says she is a little alarmed by her infatuated fans who demand her hand in marriage online.

‘It freaks me out when people I’ve never met are like, “marry me! Please!” I think the scary thing is I think they aren’t even sixteen yet,’ the singer laughed.

However Henderson is she’s already taken – having been dating fellow Grimsby local, Matt Harvey, since January this year.

‘I don’t tend to discuss too much about him. He’s so private and I respect him for that and that’s the way he wants it,’ she says of her own happy romance – although she admits she has to leave him behind when work takes her around the world.

‘He’s got a job! So he has to work,’ she sighs before changing topic to wishing she could meet fellow singer Adele who championed her when she competed on The X Factor back in 2012.

‘I would love to sing with her at some point. It would be really dark. Not gloomy, but imagine Rolling in the Deep mixed with Ghost! It would be really cool,’ she gushed.

Another ambition for Henderson is to mirror Skyfall singer Adele by penning her own 007 tune.

‘It is definitely on my bucket list to perform and write a song for a Bond theme one day,’ she reveals, but confessed she couldn’t imaging going one step further to become a Bond girl.

‘They always die! And it’s really upsetting. Whenever you engage with one and think “I really like that one!” she’s dead going down in a lift under water,’ she laughs.

Emeli Sandé eyes Bond score, Olympic gold and fears X-rated Jaguar collaboration

Emeli Sandé says she doesn’t understand why people compare her to Adele and says she would rather score and entire Bond film than just sing its theme song.

The 27-year-old Scottish songstress may have emulated the Someone Like You singer in penning the biggest selling record of the year, but Sandé thinks their material is worlds apart.

‘I guess it’s because we are both quite soulful, we’re both British, we’re both girls… It’s lovely and I am a fan of hers, but I think there are other people that both of us can be compared to,’ she said.

Admitting she would love to win Grammy awards like her chart rival, the Clown singer says also fancies getting her teeth into a 007 soundtrack.

‘I’d love to do film scores. Bond would be cool, but I love classical music, so composing would be a big dream,’ she said.

‘I think visuals and music go together beautifully. I’d love to write a musical as well. I have ideas every day about musicals,’ she teased.

Despite being one of the biggest recording artists in the UK, Sandé says the industry she works in is too male dominated.

‘The music world is 100% male dominated,’ she warns.

‘I think when women start writing that’s where the real control is as you are giving a message out to people. But it’s a business and a lot of women just want to stay creative – which I respect. But I think it’s harder to get control if you are a woman.’

Meanwhile Sandé fears her next music offering could turn X-rated as she has been asked to write an exclusive track to promote the launch of the new Jaguar XE Sports Saloon.

The Next To Me hitmaker is asking fans to send inspiration for lyrics via social media using a unique hashtag to influence her FEEL XE Exhilaration track.

‘I’m asking fans for things that sound exhilarating and things that get their hearts going. I am going to sit and watch them all and see what song comes out,’ she explained.

But on realising her description could inspire some saucy suggestions, she laughed: ‘Maybe I will get more X-rated tweets and it could get really RnB.’

Away from her own music, the singer revealed she has also been working with Rihanna and Mary J Blige to help them create their own new records.

‘Mary has been with me this past week. Sitting next to a legend and listening to her sing your words is a real buzz,’ she gushed.

The petite star also revealed she has developed an ambition to compete in the next Olympic Games having performed at the 2012 London closing ceremony.

‘I just got a trampoline. I’m trying to learn some tricks although I’m a bit scared. Next Olympics I could be a trampoline gold medallist,’ she laughed.

And while it seems to have been all work, work, work (and trampolining) for the chart topper, Sandé says she knows how to party.

Spotted at Tinie Tempah’s 25th birthday party in London last November, the Scot was appeared to enjoy herself as bottle after bottle of sparkler adorned champagne arrived at her roped off table.

‘I guess because I spend so much time in the studio that when I go out I like to go for it. I have a wild side. I do,’ she giggled.

[Elements of this article appeared in Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Tuesday 29 July 2014]

Chris Pratt: My wife likes me fat

Chris Pratt says he loved getting in shape for his leading role in Guardians of the Galaxy, but explained his wife Anna Farris was less thrilled.

The 35-year-old TV actor graduates to big screen leading man in the action flick and got whipped in to shape for his role, but his 37-year-old wife prefers him with a bit of blubber.

'She likes abs, but she likes her fat husband better,' the funny man said at the film's European Premiere in London's Liecester Square.

'She's a feeder! She wants to keep me locked up in the bedroom all fat and eating Kentucky Fried Chicken,' he added.

Having shed the pounds and bulked up the muscle, Pratt also says he doesn't mind feeling objectified when he has to strip down for certain scenes in the film.

'Do I think I'm being objectified as a sexual object? It feels good!' he laughed, adding that getting in shape for the space adventure left him feeling in the best condition of his life.

'I became much healthier and I feel younger than when I started making this movie,' he said.

WIth the film filled with gags throughout, the former Parks and Recreation star says he had an easy way to keep a straight face when cameras were rolling.

'When every frame of film costs fifty thousand dollars, they get really pissed when you start blowing it by laughing in takes,' he warned.

Karen Gillan talks naked selfies and kicking ass in Guardians of the Galaxy

Karen Gillan wants to assure everyone that an apparent naked selfie that went viral online is not what it seems.

The 26-year-old red haired beauty can be seen covering her modesty in an online snap that is taken from her upcoming US TV show - also called Selfie.

'I didn't post the naked selfie. It's just a screen grab from the TV show so I want to get that straight so my mum can know that,' the Scottish star giggled at the European Premiere of her new film, Guardians Of The Galaxy.

Gillan says she relished letting out her bad side in the new movie as she plays intergalactic villain Nebula in the Marvel action adventure.

'It's really fun to indulge that side of things. I've never played a baddie before and she's just a total sadist and has men in headlocks. That is fun,' she said.

She also explained she followed the no pain no gain adage while training for the film, but doesn't mind suffering for her art.

'I was covered in bruses consistently the whole time. It was a challenge for me becasue I've never done anythihng so physical before so I had to work out four times a week and do martial arts training so I can throw a good punch.'

Dazzling on the red carpet in a Louis Vuitton outfit, Gillan also said she is more than happy to fight co-star Zoe Saldana on-screen, but says she can't compete with her when it comes to the style stakes.

'I'm not taking on Zoe Saldana in a frock off,' she laughed.

'She is amazing! She would always win.'

Zoe Saldana loves her Guardians of the Galaxy girl fight

Zoe Saldana says she is so bored of beating up men in her action flicks that it was a thrill to finally fight another girl in Guardians Of The Galaxy.

The 36-year-old American actress goes head to head with British beauty Karen Gillan in the latest Marvel comic book blockbuster and she thinks audiences are gagging for a bit of girl on girl action too.

'It's actually harder to beat up a woman or have a woman beat you up, than beat up a man. That's easy. I do that every day. I call it a Tuesday,' the Sci-Fi babe said on the red carpet for the film's European premiere.

'What I find very encouraging and thrilling for me is when you have more than one female character in a movie. Especially if they get to interact with each other and especially if they get to beat the crap out of each other. I just feel that is such an unconventional thing to see, so people love to see that more. Audiences are starving for it,' she said.

Dressed in an elegant Valentino gown outside the Empire cinema in Liecester Square for the event, Saldana teased that fans of the film will get even more of an eyefull when the flick is released on DVD.

'You know there is a deleted scene where we are fighting naked too. But that will have to wait for the DVD,' she winked.

Taking a more serious tone, the star - who has played leading roles in Avatar and Star Trek - fears there is a lack of strong female characters in the movie business.

'I think there has always been a lack of female presdence in the artof any sort. Art is meant to imitate life and and for some reason, women's beauty is exposed more than the interior of a woman and women have so many layers - just like beautiful men do,' she said.

Quickfire Q&A: James Gunn at Guardians of the Galaxy premiere

Guardians of the Galaxy is the vision of director James Gunn who finds an incredible balance between action and humour to create the summer's most impressive blockbuster.

With the film featuring a wide cast of actors - including Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Benicio Del Toro, Glenn Close, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper and more - the skilled writer and director does the impossible: he made a film that doesn't feel overcrowded despite all the A-listers on screen.

Joined by a raccoon (named Oreo) on the red carpet of the European premiere in London's Leicester Square, the filmmaker took a few minutes to answer some quick questions.

Guardians of the Galaxy is an awesome action flick with a great balance of peril and rib cracking humour. Was it hard to prevent everyone laughing the‎ whole time when you made it?

We laughed a lot! We screwed up a lot - including me. I screwe‎d up a lot of takes. Chris Pratt screwed up a lot of takes. I think the only person who didn't screw up takes was my brother, Sean, who played Rocket on set and he was very professional.

There are a few CGI characters in the film (a CGI raccoon called Rocket and a living tree called Groot), but did you have actual people playing the roles so the other actors could have a focal point?

My brother, Sean, played Rocket and a lot of the facial expressions you see on that character were taken directly from my brother.

How does he feel about Bradley Cooper stealing all his credit?

He loves it! My brother actually also plays Kraglin in the movie so he had another role. Bradley has been the most generous ‎guy of all. Half of his interviews on the red carpet are about Sean because they worked in collaboration to create this character. We also worked in collaboration with a company called Framestore to develop this character with the CGI, so there are a lot of people who made this character come to life.

Why do you think it's the right time for the Guardians to enter the Marvel universe?

You‎ know, I think it is the right time for this movie in general. I think there are a lot of movies out there that are so brooding and so dark and sometimes there is this layer of darkness over a movie to make up for the fact that there is no character or story. Other movies are out there and it's an endless string of explosions and action sequences with no characters or love in between. This is a movie that is first and foremost about the characters and their relationships. It should work if it was an independent movie, but we added space battles and all the other stuff.

How did you craft the story when there are so many characters to juggle?

It really is about balance and making sure all the characters have a beginning a middle and an end and really taking care and loving each of them and making sure when you right the screenplay so that you can read the script and cross out the character's name and you can see how they are speaking and you know exactly who that character is just by the way they speak.

There are infinity stones in this film and Thanos as well - how heavily will Guardians of the Galaxy influence future instalments in the Marvel cinematic universe?

We have The Collector come out and tell you everything about the infinity stones. Hopefully The Collector is telling the truth, he's not the most trustworthy guy in the universe, but what the stuff that Benicio, the Collector, says is really important to the rest of the Marvel universe.

How do you think the Guardians will fit in to an Avengers film?

We will have to see. Maybe it will be a couple of Guardians that will meet up with them one day. Maybe more... I don't know. We will need to figure it out.

Will you direct Guardians 2?

If there is a sequel, I will come! I will direct the sequel if there is a sequel.

Quickfire Q&A: Keira Knightley - romantic scenes, comic book movies and faking it with a guitar

Screen beauty Keira Knightley may be about to giver her Kalxons husband James Righton a run for his money as she plays a romantic singer-songwriter in her new film Begin Again.

The 29-year-old stars opposite Mark Ruffalo and is joined by James Corden and Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine in his big screen debut.

Knightley stopped by the Ham Yard hotel in London to answer some quick questions about her latest role.

Some actors say they think of sad experience when working on sad scenes in films. As Begin Again is a romantic comedy, do you think of your husband when performing the more romantic scenes?

When I do sad scenes, I don’t think about sad things that happened in my life. It’s about the script and the story. In exactly the same way in romantic scenes, I think of the script and story and try and do that justice. Like a proper actress, I know!

Did your husband James give you any advice for the singing scenes?

He didn’t give any. He was like “aw, you’ll be fine! Don’t worry about it!”

In the film you play guitar – is that a skill you’ve retained?

I can’t play guitar but I think I could fake it. I knew what the chords were for the songs and I could kind of play them really badly but I couldn’t play and sing at the same time. Who knew that would be so difficult?

What was it like working with Adam Levine? How do you rate him as an actor?

He is great. He’s just lovely and an amazing entertainer. He’s a total natural and I kept forgetting it was his first film. I thought he was totally sensational.

And you worked with Mark Ruffalo who is very focused on Avengers at the moment. Would you consider getting involved in an action comic book movie?

If I found one that I liked. I read quite a lot of them but I haven’t found one that has been right at that particular moment.

Do you think there is a lack of strong or realistic female characters in comic book films?

I don’t think you look for realistic female characters in comic book movies. I don’t think you look for realistic male characters in comic book movies. I don’t think that’s what they are about. Anne Hathaway was great as Catwoman. And Scarlett Johansson [who plays Black Widow in Marvel films] is always wonderful.

Kirsten Dunst: You have to love acting to make it last

Kirsten Dunst has warned child stars who want to go the distance in Hollywood that they will need to love their jobs to make it all the way.

The 32-year-old blonde beauty found fame at the age of 12 when she appeared opposite Tom Cruise in Interview With A Vampire in 1994 and is still going strong 20 years later.

'You really have to love it, I think. If you don't, then there's no point. You have to love the craft of doing what you are doing,’ she said at the UK premiere of her latest film The Two Faces of January.

The star also warned that acting hopefuls that want to get into the industry for fame and fortune alone will be left disappointed.

‘If you are just in it to be famous or for the glamour, it can feel very empty,' she added.

While Dunst has been dating fellow actor Garrett Hedlund, 29, after meeting on the set of 2012’s On The Road, it is action man Viggo Mortensen that she plays the wife of in her new mystery thriller.

'Viggo is a very handsome man and a very talented actor,’ she said of her co-star, adding: ‘It was very easy to play his wife. He was one of the reasons I wanted to make the film.'

With filming taking place in various locations – including Greece and Turkey – Dunst revealed she was glad to soak up some culture with her boyfriend when she had breaks in filming.

‘We lived in the sightseeing places. We were at the Acropolis and places like that. We would go swimming in the sea, we would eat and swim – although we only had one day off per week. It wasn’t like being on vacation. We were at work.’

And the actress also explained she made some four legged friends while on the continent.

'There are a lot of cats in Greece and I love cats, so I would feed the cats with my boyfriend,' she giggled.

Co-star Mortensen was quick to enthuse about working with Dunst as well, saying: 'I enjoyed having Kirsten as my beautiful, young wife. It was fun. She works very hard but she also has a very good sense of humour which helps.'

The actor also took a moment to reflect on his time in the Lord of the Rings trilogy - revealing he enjoys watching Peter Jackson's current Hobbit trilogy and holds no resentment over not being invited to take part in the blockbuster series.

'Aragorn isn't in the book - although they've taken so many liberties for The Hobbit so they could have stuck him in there as well. But I have been to opening days for the first two and sat in the front row with 3D glasses. For me, personally, it was interesting to once-in-a-while catch an element of non CGI parts of New Zealand and that brought fond memories,' he said.

James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender revel in X-Men roles

James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender have delighted in the fact they play young versions of Patrick Stewart and Ian Mckellen in the latest x-men film.

Fassbender, who plays a you Magneto - played also by Mckellen - confessed he stalked the older actor online to perfect his part.

'I did study Ian Mckellen. I found something on YouTube which was a workshop back in the 70s for the RSC which was about 10 minutes long.

'I thought I'd watch that as I didn't want to ask him how to do my acting,' he said. Meanwhile McAvoy took a more jovial approach to working with Patrick Stewart.

'It's terrible to have Patrick on screen. This is my film now and I want it back!' he laughed. 'The next one I want all for myself. It's been amazing.'

He also believes the X-Men series owes it's success to keeping the story-lines relatable.

'Most super heroes have super problems, X-Men have very human problems. They're being punished for being different and that relates to so many,' he said.‎

Meanwhile, with the World Cup coming up, McAvoy risks being rejected by his homeland after confessing he will support England in Brasil.

'‎I will actually - and I know that hurts a lot of Scottish people that any Scotsman would back England, but I do,' he revealed.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Tuesday 13 May 2014]

Quickfire Q&A: Simon Kinberg X-Men: Days of Future Past

The time-travel adventures of the X-Men in Days of Future Past has been brought to the big screen by incredibly talented writer/producer Simon Kinberg – who also penned The Last Stand in 2006 and is already hard at work on DOFP sequel X-Men: Apocalypse (out in 2016) as well as scribing the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot.

Simon stopped at the UK premiere of X-Men in London for some quick questions about the latest instalment, future X-Men films and possible Marvel cross-overs.

Days of Future Past is an incredibly ambitious film – what was the biggest challenge brining this vision to life?

It was two things – one is time travel is a nightmare as a writer because there are all these logic problems and plot holes and paradoxes. So getting the time travel right and creating the rules and sticking to the rules was a big challenge. The second part is having eight-to-ten main characters and giving them everything they want and need emotionally. They have their own stories to play.

JJ Abrams 2009 Star Trek’s reboot has wiped the slate clean for their time-line, will X-Men have a similar impact for future instalments?

We knew with a time travel story, everything that happened in the past was going to affect the future. So there are things that happen in 1973 Days of Future Past which are going to have an impact going forward. So everything from 1973 onwards – which will cover X 1, 2, and 3 and The Wolverine. There are ripples that don’t necessarily change the overall current of the river, but do ripple on down.

What stage is X-Men: Apocalypse at?

Just starting the writing process now. It’s going really well so far. Luckily there is no time travel this time and I only have to worry about one version of each character. But it has different challenges. The scale of that movie will be even bigger or any superhero movie you have seen. It is a disaster movie. It is an extinction-level event kind of film. So keeping it character based, emotional and grounded while also having Roland Emmerich levels of action – that’s the new challenge.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 suggested there could be scope for an X-Men/Spider-Man mash-up when a teaser for DOFP was attached to the end of the film credits – will the X-Men recruit Spidey in the future?

I wish that was true and they let us put our tag at the end of their movie but integrating the characters into one movie will have different challenges.

What about a cross over with the Fantastic Four?

It’s tough because they take place in different worlds. In the X-Men movie’s we’ve never mentioned that there is the Fantastic 4 superheroes living in New York. I would love to see it, and there is probably ways to figure it out. But for right now we are just making the best stand-alone Fantastic Four movie we can make. It’s going to be good.

Quickfire Q&A: Lauren Shuler Donner X-Men: Days of Future Past

The latest X-Men film – Days of Future Past – unites the original X-Men trilogy cast (including Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Ellen Page and Hugh Jackman) with Matthew Vaughn’s First Class prequel (Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult).

Based on the Uncanny X-Men’s 1981 storyline Days of Future Past, the X-Men use their powers to send one character (in the case of the film Jackman’s Wolverine) back in time to stop a horrifying future in which Sentinel robots have wiped out most of the world’s mutants.

X-Men’s mega-producer Lauren Shuler Donner stopped for some rapid fire questions about the superhero franchise.

What was the biggest challenge bringing Days of Future Past to the screen?

It was a logistical nightmare to get the whole cast together because everybody had other commitments. Patrick and Ian were doing a play, Jennifer Lawrence was doing the Hunger Games, Hugh had to go and sell the Wolverine – it was very, very difficult. But the end result was all worth it!

How will the time-travel element in DOFP impact the timeline seen in the original X-Men trilogy?

It will be fine. The next one – X-Men: Apocalypse (due in 2016) – will move into the 80s.

Is X-Force still going ahead as well?

I’m not sure. But it would be good.

With such a rich history in the X-Men comics, what other X-Men storylines would you like to see brought to life in cinema?

You know, I do have a special project that I wish I could talk about. When I can, I will say “this is the special project I meant!”

You tease!

I know! But I just can’t. It will be very different…

Aaron Taylor-Johnson military fit in Godzilla

Aaron Taylor-Johnson says he’s still not as heroic as his on-screen characters despite undergoing military training for his blockbuster role in Godzilla.

The hunky 23-year-old revealed his hellish rehearsal regime as he stepped out for the flick’s red carpet premiere in London last night accompanied by his leather-clad wife Sam Taylor-Johnson, 47.

‘It was very exciting,’ said the father-of-two, who is seen skydiving and fighting giant beasts in the Hollywood monster movie.

‘I’ve been on military tanks, trains with missiles, we jump out of helicopters. I did actually jump out of an aeroplane, but it was still on the tarmac.’

The star told how he received intense military training for the film role in which he plays a bomb disposal expert.

‘I did quite a lot of the stunts involved and there was an amazing team. I had a marine guy who I worked with closely on the movie. I got used to the equipment and learnt to fire rounds,’ he explained.

‘And I got used to the military lingo they use – it’s like a boys club.’

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Monday 12 May 2014]

Elizabeth Olsen: Aaron's like a brother

Elizabeth Olsen says Aaron Taylor-Johnson is as good as family since they play husband and wife in Godzilla and siblings in the upcoming Avengers: Age of Ultron.

The 25-year-old American actress says the British star, 23, is ‘like a brother’ and she’s relishing working with him on two major blockbusters.

‘In Godzilla we actually didn't get to have too many scenes together. So working on Avengers we're actually getting more familiar with each other than on this film,’ she explained.

'He definitely feels like a brother. We have that playful, teasing relationship. And it is also the first time I've ever worked with the same actor on two projects so there is a comfort there,' she added.

She also revealed that real life siblings - twins Mary-Kate and Ashley, 27 - still give her hand-me-down clothes.

'I don't really like shopping so my sisters used to give me hand-me-downs, but now they make clothes for a living so I wear that,' she giggled - while wrapping one of her sister's The Row jackets over an Elie Saab evening dress as she stood on the red carpet at the European premiere of Godzilla in London’s Leicester Square.

Looking elegant at the event, Olsen suggested she is something of a tom-boy when it comes to her personal film choices.

'Films like Godzilla were my favourite kind of movies growing up so it's really great to be working on the other end of them,’ she revealed.

Andrew Garfield: The Amazing Naked Spider-Man

Andrew Garfield may play a Lycra-clad superhero in the Amazing Spider-Man movies but he reveals he would much prefer to swing around in the nude.

The 30-year-old British-American actor told Guilty Pleasures about his penchant for going au naturel, tastefully dressed in a McQueen suit on the red carpet of last night’s world premiere of his second turn as the web slinger.

‘I love being naked. It’s important to be naked and be in touch with our bodies and not have shame about what we’re made of.

‘I love being in touch with nature and my own nature,’ the actor said outside London’s Odeon Leicester Square.

With his character Peter Parker experiencing heartache in the superhero sequel as he endures an on-off relationship Gwen Stacy, played by real-life love Emma Stone, Garfield offered his advice on how to deal with a break-up.

‘Sometimes your heart gets broken and the best thing that you can do is feel it all,’ he said.

‘Let yourself feel it all because out of that darkness can only come light. You hit the deepest part and then that’s when you will swim back up.’

Meanwhile, Stone, 25, believes her character is in tune with Peter’s double life but admitted she wouldn’t like her men to have skeletons in their closet.

‘That double life is a different situation and is very specific,’ the red-haired beauty laughed.

‘I think Gwen understands that Peter is heroic and her father [a policeman] was a hero. It’s complicated but she understands the double life.’

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Friday 11 April 2014]

Dane DeHaan: I'm not crazy!

Dane DeHaan has joked he doesn’t need an intervention after playing crazy villains in both The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Chronicle.

The 28-year-old American actor says he is attracted to troubled characters as it gives him a bigger challenge when it comes to playing a part.

‘Don’t worry, I’m not like them at all,’ he laughed. ‘I play complicated people because that’s what’s interesting to me.'

'I have always loved acting and I’ve been given so many great opportunities to grow as an actor. And the harder those opportunities are, the more I’m going to grow so I look for the hardest ones,’ he said at the UK premiere of Spider-Man in London.

While DeHaan plays villain Harry Osborn in the film – who transforms into the Green Goblin – he credits Spider-Man himself with attracting him to acting in the first place.

‘I grew up with my Spider-Man pyjamas playing Spider-Man and that kind of thing. That’s how I started acting… pretending to play superheroes,’ he said.

With Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy still fresh in the minds of many, DeHaan says he doesn’t feel pressure over filling the boots of previous Green Goblin, James Franco, and that he finds the character of Harry Osborn more daunting due to the fact he is a legend in comic book lore.

‘The pressure lies in playing a character that has been around for 50 years. There has been many incarnations of Harry Osborn so I had to honour who he is as well as give the world a new Harry they haven't seen before,’ he said.

While clearly enjoying his role as the legendary character on screen, DeHaan reveals he hasn't been forced to sign one of Marvels notorious multi-picture deals.

'I’m good to go! I didn’t have to sign much of my life away at all. I think this film definitely plants the seeds for more to come, but what exactly that is, I don’t know. But I’m excited to find out.'

Quickfire Q&A: Jamie Foxx at Spider-Man premiere

Jamie Foxx confessed his arachnid fears, prankster skills and super-hero ambitions at the UK premiere of the Amazing Spider-Man 2.

Answering questions while he sped down the red carpet in London, the 46-year-old Texan – who plays villainous Electro in the film – was in a jovial mood.

Is it true you were the biggest prankster on the Spider-Man set?

I was always joking and clowning and just having a good time.

And you do a mean Michael Jackson impression?

Why is everyone saying that? I suppose I did do a good one this one time…

Is it true you are scared of spiders?

I can’t stand spiders. I’m scared. I don’t play with them.

Which super-hero would you want to play?

I would love to play Spawn.

Quickfire Q&A: Avi Arad on Spider-Man and X-Men

Marvel mega producer Avi Arad has discussed the New York skyline in the Amazing Spider-Man 2 and also given a salivating hint about future X-Men movies.

The 65-year-old film studio CEO was on the red carpet for the latest Spider-Man film premiere in London and had time for a few quick questions.

Is there any hope that Stark Tower might be hiding in the skyline of Amazing Spider-Man 2?

At one time there was a conversation. But for this skyline we wanted to accentuate the Oscorp building as Oscorp is kind of the uber-villain and the source of where bad things come from.

Marvel have plans for films all the way to 2028 –

I won't be here! [laughs]

Do you feel like you live in the future because you have to plan that far ahead?

I'm having fun because it took me a long time to get people to believe that comic books are the best source for film. And look at the world now.

X-Men Days of Future past looks like it will play with the time-line in the series. Will this mean that characters killed off in previous films, like Cyclops and Jean Grey, could return in future installments?

In comics, everyone comes back…

Marc Webb praises Amazing Spider-Man cast

The Amazing Spider-Man director Marc Webb has praised Jamie Foxx for his electric performance in his superhero sequel.

The 39-year-old genius behind the camera says Oscar winner Foxx, 46, is unbeatable when it comes to mixing comedy and gravitas in a performance.

‘Jamie Foxx is incredible!’ the director gushed at the UK premiere of the sequel in which Foxx plays villain Electro.

‘Getting to work with someone like Jamie is incredible because he can do comedy so well; the goofy playful thing that we love from the comics – you should ask him to do his Michael Jackson impression that he did in Times Square. But there is a pathos and a depth and a gravitas that he can do too and I like him walking down that pathway.’

And Webb has plenty more compliments for his cast – including Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone.

‘I’ve been working with Andrew and Emma so long and it is so much fun to have them on set doing those scenes between Peter and Gwen. I always watch that back on the monitor and think I’m so lucky and I’m a fan and that’s really special,’ he said.

Having attracted fans due to his 2009 indie rom com (500) Days of Summer, Webb hopes he can return to non-superhero action on the big screen in the future, but admits it might be some time before he can work on anything else.

‘My head is so in Spider-Man right now, it’s difficult to think outside of that, but I think I’ve still got a few years left in me,’ he said.

‘We are working on Spider-Man’s 3 and 4 but we need to sit down and recalibrate and try to figure out how to impress and enthuse people.’

Samuel L Jackson: Army soldiers are true heroes

Samuel L Jackson used his time on the Captain America red carpet to hail the true heroes of society – army soldiers.

The 65-year-old acting legend gushed with admiration for the servicemen and women who defend the shores of democracy.

‘I look at the young people who put their lives on the line for us so that we do have the freedom to make movies like this and tell stories like this,’ he said, attending the premiere for The Winter Soldier, in which he reprises his role as Nick Fury.

‘We do have a volunteer army now. It’s not like people have to do it and I admire them greatly,’ he gushed.

The actor said he is thrilled his character has more air time in the current sequel than previous Marvel movies which he has popped up in, including Iron Man and Avengers Assemble.

However he explained he had to figure out quickly how to deal with reading scripts on set when he was in costume wearing his character’s trade-mark eye patch.

‘The interesting thing about the patch is when I was learning the dialogue from the script, I could only see half the page. So I discovered I’d have to learn my lines covering one hand,’ he laughed.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Thursday 20 March 2014]