Lovejoy Ian: Northern kids have no chance in acting
IAN McShane reckons working class actors from the North no longer have any hope of cracking the big time.
The former Lovejoy star, 74, grew up in Manchester but is now based in Hollywood and has appeared in films including Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. But he said of Northern actors trying to follow in his footsteps: “The only way to make it is hope you are cast as a Northerner in an independent movie or go into Coronation Street and work your way out. “There are no grants for drama school. That’s why everyone talks like that now [puts on comedy upperclass voice]. They’re all public school. Public school boys have this self-confidence for no apparent reason.
“That’s fine, it’s what they are bred for, and I know Tom Hiddleston and Eddie Redmayne and they’re nice guys. But there’s room for a little more spreading it around.”
Hiddleston, 36, went to Cambridge after a privileged upbringing while Redmayne was in the same year as Prince William at Eton. Emma Watson, 27, attended Oxford and Line of Duty’s Thandie Newton, 44, went to Cambridge. Speaking to Radio Times, Ian also insisted his own confidence is put on, adding: “I’ve had a very blessed career. Lucky!” Ian is currently in Amazon Prime Video’s American Gods and said of the drama: “I don’t watch everything I do because I’ve done so f***ing much, but this is really amazing.”