LXG - Tony Curran (Invisble Man) Q&A

We caught up with actor Tony Curran last week in Soho and asked him a few questions about his latest role in The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Tell us about character

I play Rodney Skinner, an invisible man. I get involved with this scientist and take this syrum and become invisible. And I cant find an antidote to make me visible again. The British government approach me to become part of the League and in turn for helping save the worlds he will get the syrum to become visible again. He is a very dodgy character however.

Will the British public take to the film?

I hope they take to it better than the American press. One guy said to me’ I don’t see how the Nautilus would get up a gap that size in Vienna’. Well what about someone who was invisible or immortal? I hope they enjoy it, because its’ based on British literature, HG Wells etc. And its action packed, very amusing and the costumes are great.

What was it like working with Sean Connery?

It was great. He’s a movie legend but very down to earth. I was a bit apprehensive to be honest but he puts you at ease. He’s very professional. He doesn’t threaten like some actors do. He’s a great laugh too. He takes the Michael and gives it too. I played golf with him. I wasn’t actually any good. He spoke to my friend on the phone and said ‘Your friend Tony. Tell him he’s a better actor than he is a golfer.’ I would be upset but its all true. Ha Ha.

How do you find the difference between working on TV and in Films?

Obviously the scale in movies is much bigger. I enjoy working on both. For me it’s a sort of different format, which doesn’t have really have an influence. Im focused as much on what im doing on television as I am on doing film. Its just the scale. A lot of people go from TV to film and forget about their TV work. Me, I would love to do a few more pieces of tele in the UK. Great Expectations or some British costume drama. I hope someone’s listening . Ha Ha

Did you find Mina Harker alluring?

Yeah was very attractive yeah. Bit of an Aussie bird. Bit of a rough diamond shall we say. But she’s a sweetheart as well you know? Pretty down to earth. She had a little baby over there, and she4 didn’t really come out that much. But when she did, she was a lot of fun. Lets leave it at that. Ha Ha. She would definitely make a good Catwoman.

Whats next for Tony Curran?

Its good that I’ve got something to tell you this time, ‘cos normally somebody asks me that im like ‘well you know I’ve got a few things in the pipeline’ ‘What are they?’ ‘Well I’ve got to paint my bathroom’ but this time I’ve got something to tell you. I went to LA for a while and got a manager, and got a job on a film called Flight Of The Phoenix with Denis Quaid and Giovanni Ribisi and we are filming it in Namibia in Africa for 17th weeks and I leave on the 17th October. It’s a remake of the 1950’s film with Jimmy Stewart and Richard Attenborough and its about a plane that goes down in the desert and they try to rebuild another plane from the existing one that crashed. It’s a good script and should be quite interesting.

What do you make of the Sean Connery Stephen Norrington spat?

I never saw that much tension on set. I heard there was some, but obviously when you are making a film like that you get individuals with very strong ideas and sometimes they don’t always agree with each other. You know if you want to make the omelette you will have to break a few eggs. Maybe there was a few eggs broken but there was nothing too serious. Especially between me and Flemyng (DR Jekyll/Mr Hyde). My ginger brother. Ha Ha. I used to kick Stuart Townsend butt at table tennis but let him know I said that.

The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen is released nationwide on October 17th via Twentieth Century Fox. Certificate 12A.