interview

So anyway, Nic phones me the other day and we chat about business this, the weather that and some other things young men like to talk about. He's stalling, perhaps excited but I know him and fall silent thinking he'll blurt it out whatever it is. Sure enough....

"Oh, and we've got an interview with Chris Eccleston on Thursday."
Having just woken up and being slow with celeb names, an embarrassing silence follows,
"That's Chris how-many-now?"
Nic's heard it all before, "Elizabeth, Jude, Existenz, Our Friends in the North, Cracker?"
"urmm..."
"That nasty bloke in Shallow Grave"
"Aaahh, that Eccleston!" I say.

Nic decided that it would be best if he were to conduct this particular interview.

In short, the story goes that Eccleston has offered himself as the prize on Getoutthere - any filmmaker who sends in a script 'about something they care about' during July stands to get a day of Eccleston to star in their film. Gratis. We think that's pretty cool really, so do check out the site - www.getoutthere.bt.com, and you can also read our interview with Grant Millar, the man behind the project.

The weather was fine when we arrived at Freud Communications in Wardour Street and, with plenty of time to spare, we smoke a furtive cigarrette before entering. We are greeted pleasantly before we attempt in vain to discuss a current soap opera storyline with the pretty, BT Getoutthere, lady who seems to be running the show while we guzzle fruity yoghurt drinks, gratis of course. Life's great. Eventually we are shown in. As its a 1/2 hour junket type interview the poor fella has already done 4 and seems a little weary but I haven't eaten or even had my morning's caffeine so I look busy with my camera while I scour for freebies. Ok, there's the mandatory stale croissant for decor, bowl of fruit in its place naturally, there's the jug of water and... yes - tepid coffee! Priorities people, I doubt if Kubrick himself could disrupt that ritual.

Nic looks a little nervous, usual spec for an interview of this sort, but this is pure heaven for me, I get to play with my camera without any responsibilites. Chris Eccleston turned out to be a great bloke from Salford with an arid sense of humour, he studied (like me) at The Central School of Speech & Drama in Swiss Cottage (London) and has become one of our most celebrated young actors.