Words: Jonathan Crocker
Best known for his work with Shane Meadows, Paddy Considine is arguably Britain most charismatic contemporaray actor.
His latest collaboration with Meadows, Le Donk, is stunning lo-fi comedy improvised across the course of five days. A glimpse into the world of a self-deluded rode, the film taps into considine's long history as a musician. Le Donk is out now on DVD, while hi band Riding The Low releases it's first EP, They Will Rob You of Your Gifts, on November 9th on Clinical Finish.
How are you Paddy?
Fucking hell, I'm shredded.
You do look ruined actually
Yeah, Tired. Been doing nights as well.
Shooting your new Brit cop-killer thriller Blitz? How's that going?
Yeah, alright mate.
And that's with Jason Statham? What's it like working with him?
Yeah, alright mate. What do you want to talk about?
Well, Le Donk & Scorzayzee is that alright?
Yeah. Ha. Sorry mate. I'm fucking shredded. Can't get my brain going. I'll have some water.It's just doing these nights and shit. And doing these meetings in the day. The other day I hadn't slept for 24 hours. It's all hit me now.
Do you think this business can mess with your head?
Yeah this business does shit to your brain. It's a vulnerable profession. It's artistic.
But you make playing Le Donk look easy. Was it?
That's a big misconception. When I put the wig on, It's just like Donk takes over. Sometimes you just have to give yourself over and stop thinking if stuff's any good or not and just be Le Donk. Yeah, it's a giggle, but to say it's easy work would undermine that it's tremendously hard to do that. It might be a talent but it's also hard work.
When you're playing a character do you see Paddy as someone else?
Yeah, definitely. Some guys have to go in a corner and smash their head off a wall. But literally, I've learnt to just have a switch that I just fuckng switch. That's it. And then I'm in.
Dead Mans Shoes is one of our favorites. Was that the way it worked with that character?
The way I was playing that guy, I was actually really fucking relaxed. If you look at the DVD extras, we're twatting around. I've got an axe, playing guitar with it. Three, two, one... I'm there.
You don't believe in method acting?
Actors like to be method actors, it makes them seem quite interesting, like there's a lot of work going on: 'stay away from that guy he's in character...' I think it's a load of old fucking rubbish, to be honest, I think people give their greatest performances when they're relaxed and they know how to switch on and off. All the fucking greats, man, like Jack Nicholson.
Do you struggle with acting?
You know, Shane'll tell you the same - I've been saying for years I've got to fucking get out. Yeah, Man. Because I felt imprisoned with it. But there's always a part of me that's like, you haven't done your best stuff yet. Because there's a whole other side of acting I don't even know about yet. I'm going, ' Why can't I do that?'
Is there a performance you're most proud of?
No. No. Not one. To be honest with you mat, I can appreciate why people like Dead Mans shoes. I can see it. But it's hard to appreciate it myself. And that's one thing I've got to learn to do. It's just hard for me to accept that anything's good. But I'm starting to get better at it. I'm starting to believe people like yourself, when you say it's good. I appreciate that. Thank You.
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Little White Lies Magazine
Nov/Dec 2009
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