Hollywood star retraces grandparents’ footsteps

An Oscar-winning 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. Sissinghurst will be centre-stage in documentary My Grandparents’ War, as Sir Mark Rylance returns to his family home in the village to find out more about his relatives’ experience of the conflict.

Trinity Church in Sissinghurst Road was among the other locations used for the filming.

Sir Mark then went on to Hong Kong to explore his grandfather’s time spent as a prisoner of war there.

Shot by Channel 4, the series will also feature Kristin Scott Thomas and two other award-winning actors delving into their pasts.

Loui Freeman, who runs Loui’s Barber Shop in 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. “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 and moved to Connecticut in 1962.

The show, expected to air next month, coincides with the 80th anniversary of the start of the Second World War.