Firth: 'Performance-capture not dignified'

Colin Firth has admitted that the process of making the performance-capture adaptation of A Christmas Carol left him feeling undignified.

Speaking to DS, the actor said that squeezing into a tight spandex suit to be digitally recreated for the animated movie meant that he had unflattering bulges on display.

He stated: "It's not quite a leotard. I'm not trying to dignify it because there's nothing dignified about it. It looked more like an overly-heavy scuba outfit. It's not a good look, it bulges everywhere you don't want it to and absolutely resolutely refuses to bulge where you do want it to and you're covered in silver golf balls and dots on your face."

However, Firth claimed that the high-tech process was "strangely liberating", allowing him to run through scenes quickly with minimal set-up time.

"What we're actually doing is acting," he explained. "Even though we're dressed funny and you have to go through a very strange and unfamiliar preparation process, once you actually play the scene that's all you're doing.

"You don't stop and start, you don't have to set up cameras. In a way you've got the kind of freedom to play that you would if you were kids in the playground."

A Christmas Carol, starring Jim Carrey as Ebenezer Scrooge, is in cinemas now.

> Click here to watch our interview with Colin Firth