Claflin says Arterton ‘pushed’ him as an actor

Sam Claflin says Gemma Arterton helped “push” him as an actor. The 30year-old actor stars with the brunette beauty in the romantic comedy ‘Their Finest’, and has praised his co-star for her ability to push him to be the best he can be, and receive the same motivation in return. He said: “We’re now officially very good friends. She’s not afraid of pushing you as an actor; and she’s not afraid of being pushed. “On the set of ‘Their Finest’ I accidentally knocked her over when I ran into her. She went flying. She forgave me though.”‘Their Finest’ tells the story of an introspective film producer, played by Claflin, who hires a woman (Arterton) to help him write the stories for the government’s propaganda unit in World War II. And it’s not the only war movie Claflin is working on either, as he’s also recently wrapped filming on a screen version of the R.C. Sherriff play ‘Journey’s End’, in which he plays Captain Stanhope. Director Saul Dibb said of Claflin’s performance: “Sam goes to very dark places in ‘Journey’s End’. He looks like a man who has endured the awful things that happened over there.” But acting wasn’t always something that Claflin - who rose to fame after portraying Finnick Odair in ‘The Hunger Games’ franchise - wanted to do, as he always thought he would be a footballer before he broke his ankle aged 16. He told the Daily Mail newspaper: “I ate, drank and slept football. I have played every single position bar goalkeeper. I didn’t have any inkling of what I wanted to do with my life, other than play or coach or live football. — Bang Showbiz