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I WANT TO BE CHALLENGED BY MY ROLES: MICHAEL SHEEN

The actor says he has always attempted to do as many different roles as possible and loves films in the sci-fi and fantasy genre

- Samarth Goyal samarth.goyal@hindustant­imes.com

British actor Michael

Sheen (right) does not believe in signing a film which does not challenge him. The 47-year-old who has been in critically appreciate­d films such as Damned United ( 2009) and Frost/Nixon (2008), along with commercial hits such as The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) spoke to us about his latest film Passengers alongside actors Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence.

“I like to challenge myself by doing as many different things as possible. That’s how my acting career has been through the years and that’s how it will be in future. So, when I read a script, the role has to excite me,” he says.

Sheen says that he loves fantasy and sci-fi films. “I think there are really good stories that come from there. There’s variety as well that pushes one to do different kind of projects. But I haven’t done it just for the sake of doing a different film. I have been part of big commercial projects before as well, but never been drawn to a project like Passengers before. That’s what excited me,” he adds.

Sheen, also lashed out at the British publicatio­n, The Guardian, for calling him and other British actors such as Simon Pegg and others, “kooky foils to Hollywood smoothies.” “I find the article mildly patronisin­g. We are actors and we work in a film because of the characters we are given and not because of other reasons. As an actor, I have had lead roles in films that have widely appreciate­d. Whether I am playing the lead or supporting actor is strictly according to the script. I like doing varied characters and it doesn’t matter how long my role is going to be,” he says.

I like to challenge myself by doing as many different things as possible. That’s how my career has been through the years MICHAEL SHEEN , ACTOR

 ?? AFP PHOTO: VALERIE MACON/ ??
AFP PHOTO: VALERIE MACON/

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