Kentish Express Ashford & District
Hollywood actor returns to his roots
An Ashford-born actor known for his role in Hollywood blockbuster Dunkirk has been filming a TV series in Kent, exploring his own, personal connections to the Second World War.
Coxheath and Sissinghurst will be centre-stage in documentary My Grandparents’ War, as Sir Mark Rylance returns to his family home to find out more about his relatives’ experience of the conflict.
Filmed by Channel 4, it will also feature Kristin Scott Thomas and two other award-winning actors.
Louie Freeman, who runs Loui’s Barber Shop in Stone Street, Cranbrook, has been friends with the Bridge of Spies and BFG actor since they were children.
The 64-year-old, who was interviewed as part of the show, was invited to a private screening at the Kino Cinema in Hawkhurst.
He said: “We grew up together, although Mark was raised mainly in America, he would come to visit his grandparents in Sissinghurst every summer with his brother and sister.
“His roots are here and he loves this part of the world. “We’ve been friends ever since. “I was in the documentary but I was cut out unfortunately. At the screening they showed the extra 20 minutes with me in so that is my claim to fame now.
“Mark loved it and did a little speech about it as well - he chose to show it at the Kino because it is local, which was nice.”
Talking about the show he said: “It’s a bit like Who Do You Think You Are?, it tells a really nice story about his grandparents during the war.”
Sir Mark was born in Ashford in 1960. His parents moved to Connecticut in 1962.
In 2015 he won an Academy Award and Bafta for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Rudolf Abel in Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies.
My Grandparents’ War is expected to air next month. It coincides with the 80th anniversary of the start of the Second World War.
■ Meanwhile, film crews were in Greatstone on Romney Marsh last week filming miniseries The Third Day, starring Jude Law and Naomie Harris, a joint production by HBO and Sky Drama.