Jeremy Irvine 'terrified' on War Horse
War Horse The British screen and stage actor, who portrays lead character Albert Narracott in director Steven Spielberg’s heroic drama, revealed that, as this was his initial major speaking part on a movie – which also stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Peter Mullan, Tom Hiddleston, Emily Watson and David Thewlis – he found himself to be particularly nervous once on set.
The 21-year-old, who also starred in British television series Life Bites, spoke to entertainment news agency BANG Showbiz about his concerns, saying: “I was terrified, and rightly so. But I had to stop myself from thinking about that. I really had to force myself not to think about being on set with Steven Spielberg.
“I had a wonderful cast around me who would sort of sit me down and tell me it was going to be OK!
“Steven was so kind and paternal. I remember Tom (Hiddleston) one day when I was very freaked out just telling me, ‘It’s just a job, and it’s like any other job, you turn up and do the best job you can while you’re there and then you go home’ – and that’s when you can freak out!”
However, Irvine – who has now been cast in several movies, including director Mike Newell’s adaptation of Charles Dickens’ novel Great Expectations, in which he will play lead character Pip alongside Helena Bonham Carter as Miss Havisham – reckons it was an honour to even be given any lines in Spielberg’s big budget film.
He added: “I went from having no lines in a theatre show straight to this. It’s completely mad.
“I’m still trying to take it all in. Just having lines is a privilege! Having lines in a Spielberg movie is kind of more than I can relate to.”
