David Morrissey inspired by 'Kes'

David Morrissey has revealed that he was inspired to start acting after watching Ken Loach's Kes.

The star told The Guardian that the 1969 movie was the first he had seen which mirrored his own world.

Morrissey said: "As a kid I spent most of my time watching TV. Hollywood musicals, Colditz, anything. But they never reflected my life - until I saw Ken Loach's Kes.

"I was a happy kid, but the football scene where Brian Glover bullies Billy Caspar reminded me of my school. I felt total empathy for the lad, but I was also transported. Like God knows how many blokes my age, it made me want to act."

Of his method of working, he added: "As a younger actor, I indulged myself in murky, dark, depressive places. Now I try to have a laugh on set; if you are thrusting rats in Peter Mullan's face in Red Riding, you have to be able to laugh at the end of the scene or you'd go mad.

"I find humour helps in all sorts of situations: often you meet an actor for the first time, introduce yourself then strip off and jump into bed. If you can laugh about the absurdity of acting, the boundaries drop, and you quickly create an atmosphere where anything goes."