Giles Alderson June 2008

This is a follow up interview with Giles Alderson - Star of I “Want Candy”, “Mixed Up” and “Night Junkies”:

DTA: so what have you been up to since we last talked to you?
GILES: Well, it’s been pretty hectic, in such a good way. I finished A Dying Breed and started work on the feature film Diagnosis: Superstar. A romantic comedy set in a mental home. It’s a great concept and a really good cast. I had problems keeping a straight face, even though it was a comedy, my character was a bit of a sad sack so I had to play it straight. It was interesting playing a guy so depressed. I’m quite chirpy as a person so it was definitely a challenge, one which I loved. Those parts are so interesting. You really find the dark and down side in and of your self.
I’ve also finished work on Lawrence Pearce’s (Night Junkies) new feature called Mixed Up, starring Adele Silva, Billy Murray and Sylvester McCoy.  It’s a comedy set in a record store. It’s a bit like Clerks and High Fidelity but set in Croydon in England. It’s such a great script and Lawrence is an amazing guy to work with and such a great director Its bound to do well. Katia Winter is in it too. Our 4th film together! I play a gay customer who loves talking. I camped it up as best as I could. It is a comedy after all.
And I’m currently filming The Damned United for BBC films, directed by Tom Hooper. This stars Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall and Jim Broadbent. It’s the story of Brian Clough (played by Sheen), who was an exceptional man, during his 44 days as manager of Leeds United. I’m playing the part of Colin Todd, who was a defender for him at Derby County. He’s still alive so I hope he likes my portrayal of him and he doesn’t beat me up at the premier. It’s a nice little part and I get to combine two of greatest loves, acting and football. The stuff I’ve seen looks amazing. All greens and smoke. Really 70’s feel. It’s going to be a really brilliant film.
Might be doing some sketch shows with Katia and my Diagnosis: Superstar co-hort Martin Owen and Me and Katia have also set up a website called Shake the Face www.shaketheface.com where people can send in their shaky faces to us. When you see the website you’ll understand what it is.

DTA: Many of our eagle eyed viewers may have spotted you on the online follow up to Lonely Girl15 – Kate Modern, what was it like filming an Online soap? And how was it working with Ralf Little from The Royal Family?
GILES: Ralf’s great, always fun and a really great professional. I’ve known him for years through playing for The Arsenal Ex pros and celebs football team so it is nice to work with him on KM. I’m sure we’ll work on other things together as well.
KM is a great concept. It’s really taken the internet by storm. We’ve had nearly 60million hits and we get over 1.5 mil hits a week. When I first started it, I never thought it would be that popular. But that’s where a lot of entertainment is going. TV companies are buzzing and baffled by it. But the new generation loves watching things on the internet. Just look at You Tube. Soon you will be able to watch anything on there. KM was nominated for a BAFTA award which is also amazing so to be involved in such a groundbreaking show is just amazing.

DTA: You did a fantastic job in “I Want Candy”, the funniest part of the film for me was the bedroom scene you did with Carmen Electra where your character got a little bit over excited, was it awkward doing the films subject matter with one of the worlds sexiest women?
GILES: Ha! Yes doing that scene was awkward because I’m naked, with Carmen Electra only inches from me and the room was full of crew! If it was just me and Carmen it wouldn’t have been awkward at all!
I really enjoyed doing that scene. I was laughing, as was the cast, who were behind the camera as eye-line, as I made up different names when I ‘ejaculated’. You can imagine doing something like that would be hard to keep a straight face, it was.
Carmen was lovely though and did her best to accommodate me. Steven Surjik (the Director) just kept making me do it again. But the stuff they used that splatted in Colin’s face (the unfortunate camera guy) was sticky as hell. We had a 10 minute break every time so he could clean up!

DTA: We hear you were quite a decent footballer before you gave it up for acting, what position did you play in? and how good where you?
GILES: I’d like to say I was great but Bradford City FC might beg to differ. Luckily for them  I was cut down in my prime with a dislocated shoulder and as I was a goalkeeper I lost my confidence and they let me go.
But I play up front now for the celeb team and was top scorer last year. An honour I am incredibly proud of.

DTA: You have experienced success in the movie industry, would you give it all up to be a premiership football player, or would you continue on the career path you have chosen?
GILES: Oh, that’s a tough one! To play in the premiership? That would be amazing! To hear the crowd, to receive a pass from Rooney and smash it into the top corner? That would be too good for words. But I’m maybe too old now. I’d have to retire in 5 years. And I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. So I’ll have to say acting as I can do that till I can no longer wipe my own bum, which, hopefully will be a good few years yet.

DTA: I know you’re a Yorkshire lad at heart, but would you fancy doing a Vinnie Jones and moving out to L.A. to further your career prospects?
GILES: I actually went out to LA recently, to film the Kate Modern sister show called Lonely Girl 15 in America. I loved it and had a really good time. Don’t really know if I could live there full time but I had some great meetings and it’s a possibility. I just know I’ll miss my life and friends here too much. But maybe for a bit. I’ll have to say ‘watch this space’ for now.

DTA: I read somewhere that you can do a decent Scottish and Irish accent, are there any accents that would make you think twice about a role because you couldn’t do it to your usual standards?
GILES: Absolutely. People hate rubbish accents. You always here comments about Dick Van Dyke or Don Cheadle in Oceans 11 and you stop watching them act and cringe at the accent. If I go into something now with an accent I’ll work incredible hard on it.

DTA: Of your many projects (Movie, TV & Theatre) what performance are you most proud of to date?
GILES: I’m not sure. I’m proud of so many of them but it’s difficult to say one in particular. I still feel there is more stuff to learn, details and nuances than create and shape a performance before I can become incredibly proud of just one. I feel I’m learning all the time. I’m proud that I’m still acting that’s for sure.

DTA: There are many talented actors and actresses currently working in film, if you had a choice to work with a certain actor or actress, who would you pick?
GILES: I think working with someone like Meryl Streep or Kate Winslet would be amazing. You couldn’t fail to perform when working with them but there is that worry they will make you look shit so I suppose I’ll go with Tom Cruise.

DTA: Do you have any future projects in the pipeline that you can tell us about?
GILES: There’s a few more features in the pipeline. First up is a ‘kitchen sink - chase thriller’ along the lines of London to Brighton called ‘Desperate’, where I’m playing the main baddie. Which I’m looking forward to as its something I’ve not done before. He’s a real nasty piece of work who covers it up with a smile so no one suspects him of anything.  Then there’s a couple of films from the makers of ‘Freak Out’ called ‘Croak’ (set in a high school) and ‘Big Cats’ which is an 80’s set comedy adventure where we search for creatures in the woods and Night Junkies: The Cure, which we have been working on for the last couple of months.

DTA: In your last interview you mentioned that you were a DJ, do you still do that? And which London clubs have you DJ’d at?
GILES: I used to play at Bagleys, Cafe de Paris, The O’Bar and Thirst, all in London. But not as much any more. It became something I did for money which is a shame as I used to love doing it. But when your mixing for 6hrs for 100 quid and some idiot asks for Britney, its going turn into hard work after a while. I still do it for friends birthday parties now and again. I only charge double that for a couple of hours, you know the drill.

DTA: Do you get recognised on the street? And does it freak you out when people ask for your autograph?
GILES: Of course. I don’t think that will ever go away. You feel embarrassed and slightly silly. I’d never say no though, unless I was naked in my bath and you were robbing my house, that would just be awkward.

DTA: Finally, is there any celebrity gossip you can throw our way?
GILES: Erm…. I hear Paris Hilton has two arseholes. Bit of a bummer that.

DTA: LOL, thanks for the brilliant interview, we hope all your future projects turn out well!

* Still want more of Giles? Check out his first interview with us HERE *

This interview is copyright © 2008, Giles Alderson & Damnthatsawesome.com, please do not modify, copy or redistribute this interview as your own work, and if you take an excerpt remember to link back to this original article.

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