DANIEL MAYS: I've Worked with Hollywood’s Biggest Stars But I Still Sometimes Feel Like an Imposter

Summary

Great Company with Jamie Laing

Episode Title: DANIEL MAYS: I've Worked with Hollywood’s Biggest Stars But I Still Sometimes Feel Like an Imposter
Date: June 2, 2026
Host: Jamie Laing
Guest: Daniel Mays

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Episode Overview

In this inspiring, candid conversation, Jamie Laing sits down with acclaimed actor Daniel Mays to talk about his journey from a working-class Essex background to gracing stage and screen alongside Hollywood giants. The episode delves into Daniel’s childhood, his path through drama school, overcoming imposter syndrome, memorable roles, working with industry legends, and the emotional toll of playing dark characters. Daniel shares practical advice for aspiring actors, reflects on career highs and lows, discusses the importance of resilience, and maintains a tone that’s heartfelt, humorous, and deeply genuine throughout.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Early Life & Family Background

Timestamps: 09:21–11:00

• Daniel grew up in Buckhurst Hill, Essex, as one of four boys in a supportive but boisterous, sports-mad, working-class family.
• His father is an electrician; his mother was a bank cashier—both made sacrifices for Daniel’s acting ambitions.
• Quote:
  "It was loud, it was boisterous, it was sports mad, but incredibly loving. I'm blessed that I had a, you know, parents that were really kind of supportive." – Daniel (09:25)
• Daniel’s brothers excelled at sports, and his unique drive to stand out led him toward performing arts.

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2. Discovering Acting and First Stage Experiences

Timestamps: 11:42–13:18

• Daniel’s first taste of performance was in a school production of "Fawlty Towers," landing the role of Basil Fawlty after the original actor was replaced.
• Describes the immediate adrenaline rush and appeal of audience approval:
  "Landing a joke and getting that sort of wave of laughter, that sort of acceptance... It's like a drug, isn't it? It's like that adrenaline that it sort of gives you." – Daniel (12:36)

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3. Transition from Sports to Performing Arts

Timestamps: 13:39–18:02

• Daniel attended Italia Conti Stage School, overcoming initial nerves and reluctance to leave his comfort zone.
• Commuted to London from Essex five times a week at age 13; he describes it as ‘a massive departure.’
• His defining inspiration: seeing Michael Jackson’s 1988 Bad tour, which awakened his love for performance.
• Quote:
  "That was like, in terms of like, seeing a performance. I'd never—it was just like electricity... It's like Billy Elliot. He says, I feel like electricity." – Daniel (18:21)

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4. Stage School and RADA: Fitting In and Early Ambitions

Timestamps: 15:37–16:56, 34:43–36:16

• Moving from a local dance school to the competitive stage school environment led Daniel to cultivate resilience and adaptability.
• Felt like an outsider upon entering RADA, describing intense bouts of imposter syndrome:
  "I was terrified when I first went to RADA... I just sort of clammed up and I thought, I’m way out of my depth here." – Daniel (34:48 / 35:13)
• Jamie and Daniel discuss the perception that drama schools are "posh" and Daniel’s pride in overcoming those insecurities.

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5. Advice for Aspiring Actors and Importance of Mentors

Timestamps: 06:51–08:39, 64:23–65:30

• Daniel credits casting director Julia Cramcy for believing in him and giving him early opportunities.
• Stresses the value of having someone ‘in your corner’ and making every job count, as "work breeds work."
• Quote:
  “You’ve always got to have that mentality that, you know, every job is worthwhile, give it 110% with everything you do, and work will breed work.” – Daniel (07:11)
• He encourages young actors to develop resilience, accept rejection, but keep the ‘fire burning within.’

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6. Breaks, Early TV Work, and Being Versatile

Timestamps: 04:28–06:22

• Daniel’s first TV job was a four-episode stint on EastEnders—"a baptism of fire."
• Gratitude for not getting stuck or typecast early, resisting the temptation to feel he’d ‘made it’ after small breaks.

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7. Role Models and Inspirations

Timestamps: 19:43–21:42

• Transitioned from a love for dance to a passion for acting after discovering the versatility of actors like De Niro, Pacino, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Gene Hackman.
• Admiration for character actors who bring variety and depth to their roles:
  "I've always been drawn to those type of actors... where their characterizations are so in-depth and so varied." – Daniel (21:14)

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8. Memorable Industry Moments: Daniel Day-Lewis Story

Timestamps: 23:49–26:45

• Daniel shares an anecdote about performing a play with Daniel Day-Lewis in the audience, describing his panic and then delight at receiving praise from the acting legend.
• Quote:
  "Hold on to those little moments like that. Sort of unforgettable." – Daniel (26:52)

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9. Imposter Syndrome, Awards, and Hollywood Experiences

Timestamps: 35:12–38:57, 42:29–45:56

• Despite nominations and sharing the screen with stars like Michael Douglas and Helen Mirren, imposter syndrome remains an occasional presence.
• Daniel describes being on set with "Gandhi, James Bond, the Queen, Whitney Houston" (referring to Kingsley, Brosnan, Mirren, Aki), and having to remind himself:
  "At the end of the day, Jamie, they're just people... they're worried about their parts just as much as you are, and we're all in it together." – Daniel (36:49)
• On losing out at the BAFTAs:
  "It's an instantaneous, simultaneous, like utter relief that it's over and crushing disappointment at the same time." – Daniel (45:56)

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10. Preparation & The Realities of Acting: Method, Technique, and Emotional Impact

Timestamps: 46:14–55:49

• Jamie asks about Daniel’s approach to method acting, especially playing real-life figures like John Warboys in "Believe Me."
• Daniel talks about psychological technique, emotional recall, and seeking counseling after playing dark, emotionally taxing roles.
• Quote:
  "It was just a really invaluable exercise into sort of getting the load off as such." – Daniel, on counseling after "Believe Me" (51:39)
• Parallels are drawn with Steve Coogan’s portrayal of Jimmy Savile; Daniel reflects on the necessity of fully inhabiting challenging roles while maintaining boundaries.

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11. On Longevity, Staying Grounded & Self-Assessment

Timestamps: 58:55–61:35

• Daniel discusses the importance of not taking oneself too seriously, sustaining a collaborative attitude, and shunning diva behavior for the sake of ensemble work.
• Quote:
  "The thing that has always appealed to me about what I do for a living... we're all in this together, from the person that's bringing you a cup of tea... to the lead actor on the call sheet." – Daniel (58:49)
• Jamie asks, “Do you know you’re good?” Daniel deflects, staying humble and stressing continual reinvention.

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12. Rejection, Resilience, and Career Ambitions

Timestamps: 62:32–66:07

• Daniel recounts audition heartbreaks and the necessity of accepting rejection as integral to an acting career.
• Stresses that "you can't take it personally" and that persistence counts for more than perceived talent alone.
• He’d love to appear in a Scorsese film, inspired by his friend Stephen Graham’s WhatsApp messages from Hollywood sets.

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13. Current Projects – Narrating "Gangster Presents: The Story of Ronnie Biggs"

Timestamps: 67:16–71:12

• Daniel describes narrating the BBC Radio series on train robber Ronnie Biggs, a role he previously played on TV.
• The podcast explores Biggs’ notorious life, escape from prison, years on the run, and status as an infamous “lovable rogue.”

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14. Quickfire Questions & Fun Closing Moments

Timestamps: 71:42–73:43

Notable answers include:

• Saying/phrase that cheers him up: “He who dares.” (71:49)
• Best compliment/memorable review: "Face like a thwarted man cub on the cusp of a tantrum." (71:58)
• Biggest fear about himself: "I can be impatient sometimes." (72:22)
• Guilty pleasure: Watching “I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!” (72:55)
• What turns him on: “Good acting.” (73:11)
• What he likes most about himself: Staying grounded. (73:17)
• Favorite dance move: The Running Man (with on-air demonstration). (73:32)

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On being surrounded by stars and feeling out of place:
  "That day I was like, ‘Oh, this is like, you know, Gandhi, James Bond, the Queen, Whitney Houston. I was like, a little old me.’" – Daniel (36:49)

• On stage nerves with Daniel Day-Lewis in the audience:
  “My heart’s going like this. And I thought, I’m not going to look out into the audience... slap bang in the middle... You couldn’t miss him.” – Daniel (25:20)

• On the emotional strain of playing John Warboys:
  “As a parent, it absolutely terrified me... just to sort of talk about it and to check in with someone, it sort of stabilized me a little bit.” – Daniel (51:39)

• On advice for young actors:
  "Every character you play, wipe the slate clean and come at it fresh. Never rest on your laurels." – Daniel (61:03)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Early Family & School Years: 09:21 – 13:18
• Italia Conti / Early Performance: 13:39 – 18:02
• RADA Experience & Imposter Syndrome: 34:43 – 36:16
• Industry Advice and Mentorship: 06:51–08:39; 64:23–65:30
• Working with Legends, Imposter Syndrome: 35:12–38:57
• BAFTA Nomination and Awards Disappointments: 42:29–45:56
• Portraying John Warboys / Handling Dark Roles: 46:15–55:49
• Podcast Quickfire Q&A: 71:42–73:43

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Final Takeaways

This episode is a treasure trove for anyone interested in the reality behind an actor’s career—filled with honesty about vulnerability and the pressures of the profession, but equally grounded in humor, humility, and hope. Daniel Mays personifies resilience and authenticity, offering not just the inside story of a sparkling career, but genuine lessons on perseverance, hard work, kindness, and always aiming to grow—no matter whom you share a stage or screen with.

"Just roll with it, you know… At the end of the day, they're just people." – Daniel Mays

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Listen to the full episode for laughter, wisdom, and a burst of the Running Man!

Transcript

[Jamie]

Going from being an Essex boy with your brothers playing football to suddenly going, doing jazz and wearing a leotard. Those are two separate worlds colliding literally head on.

[Daniel Mays]

It felt like I was leaving that life that I'd known.

[Jamie]

How old are you at that point?

[Daniel Mays]

I was like, 13. It's young, isn't it? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was terrified when I first went to rada. Really, Honest to God, I was like, I just sort of clammed up and I thought, I'm way out of my depth here. Feeling just so in fear. And that imposter syndrome was kicking in and. Hi, I'm Danny Mays and I'm in great company.

[Jamie]

Danny May.

[Daniel Mays]

I got nominated for a BAFTA for Line of Duty. When they say someone else's name, there's a camera pointed at you. Right at that moment, you're like, where do I look? And you just have to go, well done, Tom.

[Jamie]

And what's one role you missed out on?

[Daniel Mays]

Oh, the casting director walked me down the corridor to the lift. I remember the door shutting like that. You were wonderful. Just really great. I didn't end up getting it. It's a harrowing story.

[Jamie]

It's a heavy role.

[Daniel Mays]

It's a heavy role. One of Britain's worst ever sexual predators, nicknamed the Black Cab Rapist. I underestimated it.

[Jamie]

And I heard that you had to take some counseling afterwards.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah. And it was just very isolating. And again, I was like, I don't need to talk to a counselor. And I ended up talking to the counselors and it was really invaluable. Cause I tell you what it was, Jamie. Our daughter is 13 now. As a parent, it absolutely terrified me.

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Monday AI agents took over my work and I absolutely love it. Chasing deadlines, writing status reports, updating stakeholders. Agents handle the daily grind. Now they live inside Monday.com, so they see the full picture. My work, my team, the whole company. And I don't have to worry about the data. It's safe. Which means I'm free to focus on the big stuff. Knowing everything runs smoothly in the background. It's completely shifted the way we work. Create your own AI agent in minutes on Monday.com par le tu francais hablas espanol par le italiano. If you've used Babbel, you would. Babbel's conversation based technique teaches you useful words and phrases to get you speaking quickly about the things you actually talk about in the real world. With lessons handcrafted by over 200 language experts and voiced by real native speakers, Babbel is like having a private tutor in your pocket. Start speaking with Babbel today. Get up to 55% off your Babbel subscription right now at babbel.com acast spelled B A B B E L.com acast rules and restrictions may apply. Guys, welcome back. Really excited for today's show because we have Daniel Mays on, one of UK's greatest actors. When you see his face, you know exactly who he is. Today's episode, we talk about the industry, we talk about acting, we talk about his life. We go everywhere, all over the place, including his newest role, which is harrowing for so many reasons. Now, if you haven't yet subscribed to our show, if you could, you could join the community of incredible people. It's completely free. And also it helps us keep getting better guests, keep making the show better for you every single week. If you do that one thing. Thank you so much. Okay, enjoy this insane episode of Great Company with Daniel Mays.

[Daniel Mays]

You're not sure I have cameras here, are you?

[Jamie]

You must be used to this many cameras, eh?

[Daniel Mays]

Come on. When I was on Eastenders. Yeah, when I did four. That's multi cameras in it on soaps, is it? Yeah, yeah. That's the first thing I did was four episodes on EastEnders and it was like, I think it's like three cameras filming you at once and you get like two takes if you're lucky. It was like, whoa, whoa, whoa, slow that out.

[Jamie]

Are you kidding me? So you go two takes. That's it?

[Daniel Mays]

Pretty much. It was like A baptism of fire. It was just insane. Like, that's. I have absolute admiration for soap actors because they do all the homework.

[Jamie]

Yeah.

[Daniel Mays]

You know, on their own. And they come and they go, right, okay, here you go. You got, like. That's right. You got the. The dialogue in the right way. You didn't bump into the furniture. Move on. It was really quick because you were. You.

[Jamie]

You were Kevin and EastEnders. Kevin, yeah. So you were Kevin and EastEnders.

[Daniel Mays]

I was Cat Slater's ex boyfriend who chose. When they first landed in Albert Square, I was her boyfriend and she didn't tell me that she'd moved there. So he turns up and he chains himself to the gate. He jumps on top of the taxi, he has the bedpan thrown over him. I mean, it was. It was extreme. It was comedy gold. It was. That was my first gig, though. Can you imagine?

[Jamie]

So that's fresh out of rada.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah. But I didn't work for six months. I couldn't. I literally couldn't get arrested. And I was like, what do I do now? I've got all my eggs in one basket. And I was just thankful that I got a part, you know? And it was. Julia Cramcy was the casting director and it was four episodes and there I was. My first professional scene coming out of drama was Drama School was with Tamsin Alfrey in the Queen Vic. It's just surreal, you know, it's bonkers. But I was like, I didn't want to get typecast, you know, I didn't want to get bogged down in that.

[Jamie]

You knew that from a very early, like, age. So you. From when you first started, you, like, I don't want to be typecast. I don't want to be.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, yeah. And then, like, Julia Cramcy then got me my next job, which was like a neo Nazi bomber on this thing called In Deep with Nick Berry and Steve Tompkinson. And I was like, I don't want to be typecast. I don't want to be typecast. Yeah. But she was great. I mean, God, I owe so much to Julia Cramcy. I mean, where would I be without her? She was amazing. So she saw something. I mean, that's what you need. Like, young actors always say, you got to get casting directors on your side, get someone fighting in your corner that believes in you, and it all starts to happen.

[Jamie]

So that's really good advice, because what I always want from, like, a show like this.

[Daniel Mays]

Right.

[Jamie]

Is for, like, someone listening. Is such a big fan of yours. Right.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

Who perhaps is like from the same place you grew up or in the industry or whatever it is. That advice of saying, have someone in your corner rooting for you. But how do you find that person? How did you find that person? You.

[Daniel Mays]

They just sort of circle around you, you know, you. I did three years at drama school and it's like you never know like who's sort of watching you. There'll be like a producer or director or caster, so that's seen you in a production or you just. You've always got to have that mentality that, you know, every job is worthwhile, give it 110% with everything you do, and work will breed work. I always remember when I did this, just brings to mind was I did like this movie, 1917.

[Jamie]

Yeah.

[Daniel Mays]

And it's a great movie, wonderful film. And all these actors were in it, like Mark Strong and Benedict Cumberbatch. And we all had kind of like one or two scenes.

[Jamie]

Was it the one shot?

[Daniel Mays]

It was all that, one shot. It wasn't actually one shot. It wasn't.

[Jamie]

They lied to me.

[Daniel Mays]

It wasn't like an episode of adolescence. They did lie to you. There was editing here and there, but

[Jamie]

Stephen Graham loves a one shot.

[Daniel Mays]

Stephen Graham is the one shot king. But it was, it was. I was just playing like this sergeant in it and I always remember like we filmed it on Salisbury plane and like I'd never met Sam Mendes before and they were like, obviously Sam wants to say hello, talk a bit about the character. I was like, yeah, great, fine, brilliant. I'd love to meet him. See, we can do this movie together. And I sat down in his trailer and he says, great to meet you, Danny. I saw you at the Donmar Warehouse, I saw you at the national. And I was completely unaware that he'd was. Was there in the audience. And I thought, you know, you just never know.

[Jamie]

That's really good advice.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

There's a great saying which is your brand is what people say about you when you're not in the room. Right?

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, that's great.

[Jamie]

Which is where you have to. Basically, you doesn't matter. Whatever you do, you always give 100%. If you're in a room with people, you be kind because you never know who's going to be anywhere. Be nice to everyone on the way up because you never knew who you meet on the way down.

[Daniel Mays]

When you're stuck, you know, you can do a short film with a director that as amazing potential. You never know where that person's going to end up. And it's There's. I always think there's always merit in every project that you commit to within reason. No, no, but you know what I'm saying.

[Jamie]

So what is the one that you've committed to that was. But you grew up in Essex, right?

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, Buckhurst Hill.

[Jamie]

Okay. So what was family life like?

[Daniel Mays]

It was great. I mean, I'm one of four boys, two older brothers, one younger, you know. No, no girls in the family, only mum. So it was, it was loud, it was boisterous, it was sports mad, but incredibly loving. It was. I'm blessed that I had a, you know, parents that were really kind of supportive. You know, my dad is still an electrician to this day. My mum was a bank cashier, you know, so sort of working class family as such, really. And, you know, they sacrificed a hell of a lot in me pursuing the dream that I wanted to be an actor. You know, my older brother, one's a cricket groundsman. Johnny's like, works in waste disposal. My younger brother is. Is a money broker in the city at Canary Wharf. So. Wow. We all do kind of different things, but we were all great at sport, like my tour. We were all great footballers.

[Jamie]

Were you good?

[Daniel Mays]

I was good. I know I was captain of my Sunday league team, Loudon boys. I had to just throw in that I was captain, didn't I? Just had to throw that in. Do you know what I do?

[Jamie]

I still, People ask me, I go, I still hold the javelin record at my school. And you know what, I still check the record at my school to see if it's been beaten for some reason that I was captain as well.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, but when you're a kid, you think you're great, Right. And I was never as good as my brothers.

[Jamie]

Were they very good?

[Daniel Mays]

They were good. I mean, they had like trials for district football and all that sort of stuff. But it was that thing of like middle child syndrome of wanting to try something different in order to be heard and recognized because it's a sort of, you know, we didn't have a huge house or anything. So it was. We were all crammed in the house in Essex and you're sort of fighting to sort of be recognized and heard. So the acting thing was sort of completely left field, really.

[Jamie]

It's funny how that happens with middle child. I'm middle child as well.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

I don't know about it for you, but for me, like, I remember like thinking about entertainment and like being on stage or being in movies or being in theater plays at school.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

It was like that idea of being seen. Right, yeah. That was the most exciting thing. Like, oh wait, I can be seen here and then congratulated for this thing.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jamie]

So that feels exciting.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

Basically feeding that deep insecurity.

[Daniel Mays]

I tell you what, the first ever performance thing I ever did was at primary school. Yeah, I remember this now. And we put on a production or a stage show of 40 Towers and I got cast as. I eventually got cast as Basil Forsey. I didn't get auditioned for Basil Fawcey and didn't get it.

[Jamie]

Sorry, this is a primary, this is at primary school.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, they helped audition to. God, that's a bit. Sounds harsh, doesn't it? Anyway, I didn't get it and a kid called Glenn Watts got the part and then Glenn was really naughty and they took the role away from him and I segued in and took the role of Basil. I can't believe I'm telling you this. And I can't believe I actually remember Glenn Watts anyway.

[Jamie]

Isn't it amazing how you can remember?

[Daniel Mays]

I can't tell you what I did last week. But you remember Glenn. I remember Glenn Watts, but I can distinctly remember going out on the stage. Yeah. And landing a joke and getting that sort of wave of laughter, that sort of acceptance and it was. It's like a drug, isn't it? It's like that adrenaline that it sort of gives you. I mean, it's the age old thing. Right. Why do actors act like what, what, what makes a performer? It's. It is essentially standing on, on stage or in the middle of the room, wanting everyone to sort of notice you in a weird sort of way. That's what it's all about. I mean, it's a mad way to make a living really, when you, when you think it on those terms.

[Jamie]

It's a total mad way to make a living because basically you're making a living playing other people.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah. Sometimes you catch yourself thinking, have I really chosen this as my. Yeah, life's work.

[Jamie]

It's insane, right?

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, but I mean there's, there's, there's pros and cons to it, you know,

[Jamie]

to, to go into theater. And you said your parents sacrificed a lot. What do your parents sacrifice for you to do drama?

[Daniel Mays]

Well, my mum, for instance, she, she was a bank cashier at Midland bank and I did, when I went. So I went to Italia Conti Stage School first before going to rada. But how old are you? And you did that there. So I did two years at like normal secondary school and then I auditioned. I Actually auditioned in the second year for Italia Conti and got in and just couldn't do it because I couldn't leave that, you know, the normality of, like, a comprehensive in Essex and that. I couldn't imagine myself getting on the central line, going from Bucker Steel up to the Barbican, and. And I. And I bottled it and I didn't do it.

[Jamie]

Well, break that down for me.

[Daniel Mays]

Why, though? I don't. I don't know what that. I don't know what it was. I was sort of just intimidated by it. It was too, for me being that young, it just felt like too much of a. Of a leap, you know, so out of your league possible, possibly. Yeah, there was a sort of. I was just scared of it, I didn't think, because I'd gone to, like, a local dance school. That's where it all started, Stage one. And for some reason I didn't go in the second year. And then it was like an itch. I couldn't stop scratching and I went. And, like, I remember my friend Caroline, who was the dance teacher at stage one, said, look, you've got a talent for this, you've got an enthusiasm, like, sort of reconsider it. And I auditioned again and then I got in. So I went, like, the third year of secondary school and there I was in my Italia concept, blue uniform, you know, up on. I mean, it was a. It was a massive departure, you know, because I. It was. It was. It felt like I was leaving, you know, that life that I'd known and, you know, because I. I'm an Essex boy. But in a. In a weird way, I consider myself far more of a Londoner now because I was commuting up there and I was just mixing with so many different varieties of people that it just sort of opened up my world, really.

[Jamie]

How old are you? At that point?

[Daniel Mays]

I was like, 13. It's young, isn't it? Yeah, yeah, yeah. When I think about it now, yeah, to do that commute every day, five times a week, but absolutely. I mean, and then I'm, like, doing jazz, I'm doing ballet, I'm doing modern, I'm doing acting. And, you know, in the afternoon, then I'm doing schoolwork in the. In the mornings. And so it was just the, mate. Like, stagecorp was like. It is a bit like fame. I want to live forever. Do you know what I mean? There is an element of that. You know, everyone's walking around in leotards and all this sort of stuff. It's kind of Crazy.

[Jamie]

And the.

[Daniel Mays]

The funny thing about Cont is that it had a working agency at the top of the building.

[Jamie]

Yeah.

[Daniel Mays]

So I always remember, like, you know, if your name was on the board, it said, come up to the agency. You're like, oh, my. Like, you know, there's an audition on. You'd sort of run up there. Sometimes you get the lift if you wanted to be a bit naughty anyway, but you'd go in there and you'd have like a commercial casting or something like that. And so, yeah, it was like a sort of, you know, you were sort of a professional working actor as well. As a kid, you know, I grew

[Jamie]

up in Billy Elliot.

[Daniel Mays]

Oh, right.

[Jamie]

Yeah. You know, that was like the first theater show I ever went to as a kid.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah. I remember my parents. Amazing show. Yeah, I've seen it on stage.

[Jamie]

Yeah, Amazing, right?

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

And it, you know, and the story of Billy Elliott is like, you know, sort of tough lad going into, like.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

This world of dance.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah. And I could really relate to that.

[Jamie]

It feels that way.

[Daniel Mays]

Right.

[Jamie]

Because.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

How do I sort of. Things have sort of changed. But this is a few years ago, right?

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

And going from being an Essex boy with your brothers playing football to suddenly going doing jazz and wearing a leotard, that's. Those are. Those are two separate worlds colliding.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, they are. So how does that literally head on. Yeah. I still have nightmares about boys, ballet. I woke up in a cold sweat. Don't worry, it's just a dream because

[Jamie]

talk me through that. Right. Because that, for me, right, when I was 13 years old or 12 years old, around that time, I was so desperate to fit in. This was all I was caring about. Right. Was fitting in. And that kind of never really left me. Still with me a little bit.

[Daniel Mays]

Right.

[Jamie]

But especially at that age. But doing something against the grain, like going to, firstly going to a stage school like that, and doing dance and everything that involves. But also having the confidence to know that's what you want to do.

[Daniel Mays]

Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jamie]

That's a unique mentality.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah. I mean, look, in terms of, like, what made me want to do it in the first place was going to see Michael Jackson live in the Bad tour at Wembley.

[Jamie]

That was 88, wasn't it?

[Daniel Mays]

1988. That was a light bulb moment and I was probably how I was. I then, I don't know, about like 10 or something, maybe a bit younger. My mum took me and it was like, what is that? That was like, in terms of like, seeing a performance. I'd Never. It was just like electricity. It's like Billy Elliot. He says, I feel like electricity.

[Jamie]

Yeah.

[Daniel Mays]

And it was like that. I'd never seen anything like it. I'd never. I'd never been in that sea of people like that. And sort of scratching my thinking, all these people have congregated in this one stadium for this one person. Then he came out and was just like, breathtaking.

[Jamie]

Do you still remember it now?

[Daniel Mays]

Oh, my God. It was. It was. It was. Yeah. It was like the world stopped for me, you know? But it wasn't. It was. It was the music, but it was. It was the dance. It was the way that he moved. So that became my, like, party base. That was like I. I locked myself in the. In my room, and I got the hat and the glove and. And just perfected all the moves. So every school disco I went to, if Billie Jean came on or something, like, the way you make me feel is like. All the kids used to go, daddy, Daddy. And they used to perform a surfer.

[Jamie]

I don't have the hat.

[Daniel Mays]

No, no. Let's move the table out of the way. I still do it at weddings.

[Jamie]

Surely we can see a little. Surely we can see a little bit.

[Daniel Mays]

No, no. I've got trouble with my hamstrings lately, you know.

[Jamie]

Really?

[Daniel Mays]

But, yeah, so that was like the. That was where it all started. That led to sort of stage score and then on to rada, when I just wanted to be a serious actor, sort of. But, yeah.

[Jamie]

What is your passion? Like? Is your passion still in dance, or is it more in the sort of traditional acting?

[Daniel Mays]

No, I got. I mean, I got, you know, around about 16, 17, and then I started just getting into, like, independent American movies. And I was watching people like De Niro and Pacino and Gene Hackman and all that, like. And you suddenly go, hackman, man. Why? You just sort of go. I recognize very early on that, you know, a dancer's life, a dancer's shelf life, for instance, is a bit like a footballer. It's only so long because your body can only sustain it for a certain amount of time. But with acting, I was like, the longevity that comes with that as a career is sort of. You can just go on and on with it, you know, unless people get really bored of watching it. But there was. To me, just. I just. Again, you know, my favorite actor in the world is Robert De Niro. And I had the same sort of, you know, idolization of Michael Jackson as I did with De Niro. Cause I just thought. I always remember, like, I Was like, I'm a painter as well. I remember doing GCSE art on my mum and dad's dining table at home.

[Jamie]

Okay, that's a good place to do it.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah. Right in the middle of all the noise and everything else. But it was like a retrospective of the Dairo films on Channel 4. And every Sunday they'd have a different movie. So you'd have Deer Hunter one week, then Taxi Driver, then Raging Bull. And I was just. This is. And I. I was staggered that all of these performances were coming from the same individual. Why?

[Jamie]

Because it was so different.

[Daniel Mays]

They were so different and so engaging and so alive. But, yeah, it was the variety. I mean, like, he's a consummate character actor, isn't he? He's so. And I've always been drawn to those type of actors, like the Daniel Day Lewis's and the, you know, Denzel Washington's and Gary Oldman's, where they're so. Their characterizations are so in depth and so varied that they. They're so good at it. They've just become lead actors. Do you know what I mean, Jenny?

[Jamie]

That's. I'm a huge movie buffer. I've actually never seen Taxi Driver.

[Daniel Mays]

Have you never seen Raging Bull?

[Jamie]

It seemed Taxi Driver. I've never seen Raging Bull. Never seen Raging Bull.

[Daniel Mays]

Well, it's always a toss up for me between the two of those are like, what's my favorite De Niro movie?

[Jamie]

Really?

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

Because being a movie lover. Right.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

I love, like, the. The storytelling of it, and I like what it makes me feel. But it feels like what you were into was the. The characters.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

You became in love with the acting and the.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah. When you. I mean.

[Jamie]

Yeah, I see. That's.

[Daniel Mays]

Do yourself a favor. Yeah. Sit down and watch Raging Bull, because.

[Jamie]

Okay.

[Daniel Mays]

It's an extraordinary film anyway. But when you consider the sort of level of commitment that he's poured into that characterization, it's extraordinary because, you know, he got super fit. He's like a middleweight boxer trained with the real Jake Lamotter, who said he could have become a real boxer himself. He was that good. And then they sort of stopped filming, and he sort of went on a tour around Europe just eating bread and pasta and. And he just gained all of that weight. And so, you know, there's no sort of AI or anything like that. There's no sort of cgi and it sort of cuts. And now all of that muscle's gone and he's just this sort of this slob of a man, you know, so it descends into alcoholism and everything else. It's an extraordinary sort of performance. I mean, my five, three favorite films are Apocalypse Now, Raging Boy, Nail by Mouth. I mean, they're just like, no, no, none of those are date movies that way. But I've always been drawn to that, you know, that darkness in sort of the human psyche. And there was none better than De Niro to bring those characters to life. Yeah.

[Jamie]

Have you ever tried to do a De Niro impression?

[Daniel Mays]

No. You're not going to get me doing a Tom Hiddleston here. Tom Hiddleston actually did it in front of him on Graham Norton. Right. I was like, oh, that's brave, Danny Suit.

[Jamie]

So do you talking about the Daniel Day Lewis's, right? Which Danny Lewis is again, I think a huge favorite of mine for many reasons. Like Last of the Mohicans man is

[Daniel Mays]

like, oh, yeah, it's phenomenal. I mean, I don't think there's anyone that has that. I think he has the biggest range, right. You consider him like in Last of the Mohicans and then you see him as Abraham Lincoln. It's like, I tell you a story about Daniel Day Lewis. I was doing a play at the Royal Court and it was a play called Motortown and it was written for me. It was written by a wonderful playwright called Simon Stevens. And it was all about a soldier coming back from Basra and reintegrating himself into Dagenham in Essex. Hence why it's called Motortown, because it's Dagenham Motors there. Anyway, it was like the best role I'd ever been given on stage. I never left the stage. And there was like eight other actors that come in and do their scenes with me. And it was just an extraordinary gift of a part. Anyway, there was. To cut a long story short, there was no set on stage. It was just a bank of lights. And once you were in the light, you're in character. And once you're out the light, you can come out of character like that. But obviously I'm always on stage. But when we end, when the play starts, before it even starts, the house lights were on and our brilliant director Ramin Gray says, like, you're out of character. I want you to really look at the audience and. Cause this thing doesn't start until the lights come on and then you step into the space. So I'd always sort of look out and sort of see who's arriving like that. And there was an actor in it called Richard Graham, whose best friend at drama school was Daniel Day Lewis. And he told us this from rehearsals and we're like, oh, it's wonderful like that. And there's one particular performance coming towards the end of the run and I was. And I remember I came out of my dressing room, I was walking down the steps of Richard. Richard. He said, oh, by the way, my best mate's in tonight. I went, oh, that's brilliant, Fantastic. I went, wait, what? What? Yeah. Daniel Day Lewis. He went, yeah. I said, richard, you can't tell me that I'm about to go out there and lead this play. Like, what the mark? Like, what do I do now? Like, my heart's going like this. And I thought, I'm not going to look out into the audience. I'm not going to do it in case I bump, you know, sort of lock eyes with him. And of course it got the better of me and I. I was there listening to music and I just looked up and slap bang in the middle of the auditorium at the Royal Court. You couldn't miss him because he had like an orange beanie on and a massive beard. And he was sitting there bolt upright, like, with this sort of scowl on his face, with his arms folded, just looking at me like that. Just like. Because he was just about to go and shoot There will be blood, hence the big beer. And it was like really intense just looking at me and I was just like, I'm not gonna be able to string two words together here. Anyway, that's crazy. It was crazy. We went out, we did the show, it was great. And then I met him in the bar afterwards and he couldn't have been nicer. He was so complimentary and sweet and he just had a wonderful time. Yeah.

[Jamie]

When someone of that, like those credentials says to you, hey, that was great what you did.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, that must. That was.

[Jamie]

That was shooting to you, like, I

[Daniel Mays]

don't know, hold on to those little moments like that. Yeah. Sort of unforgettable. Yeah.

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[Jamie]

I have a picture which I'm trying to get up. This is your yearbook pick.

[Daniel Mays]

Oh, my God. Oh, dear. Yeah. Yeah.

[Jamie]

This is your grandma.

[Daniel Mays]

A normal hairline. It's slowly receding. Jesus. The leather. The actor. Leather jacket, you know, moody eyes.

[Jamie]

But what was it? Because for me. Right, baby face. Yeah.

[Daniel Mays]

Because not much has changed.

[Jamie]

Great. Because I remember where there was a. There was a part of me at one point that I wanted to go into acting.

[Daniel Mays]

Right? Yeah.

[Jamie]

Like I. I did acting at school and then I went to Leeds University and I was. You know, I did acting at Leeds and I just loved. I loved the stage, but I didn't have the commitment to it. And the. The moment I realized I didn't have the commitment to it is when I was going to go and try for Rada and I had to learn the monologue and I had to do this and I had to. And I thought, I'm not going to bother you.

[Daniel Mays]

Oh, j. And that.

[Jamie]

That's the difference between people who actually go for it. You have to have that commitment. Do you remember your audition process for Radha?

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, it's quite. It's very long winded, actually.

[Jamie]

Do you remember what you did?

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, I remember doing Joey from Road. Jim Cartwright. Everyone does Road. That was my monologue. And I remember doing Malvolio from Twelfth Night. You had to do it. Yeah. You had to do a Shakespeare at a Modern. That was it. Yeah.

[Jamie]

I'm not gonna ask you. Do you think you could still recite it if you dug deep?

[Daniel Mays]

I can't remember Twelfth Night, but I can remember the dagger speech for Macbeth. Yeah. For some reason you.

[Jamie]

Can you give a little bit. Come on. And really get into it?

[Daniel Mays]

No way. Eldon. I try and remember the dagger speech. Is this a dagger I see before me? The handle toward my hand. Come, let me Clutch thee. I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not fatal visions, sensible to feeling as to sight? Or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation, proceeding from the heat oppressed brain? I see thee yet in form as palpable as this which now I draw. Thou marshal'd me the way that I was going, and such an instrument I was to use. Mine eyes are made the falls o' er other senses, or else worth all the rest. I see thee still, and on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, which was not so before. There's no such thing. Tis the bloody business which informs thus to mine eyes. Now, o' er the one half world, nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse the curtain. Sleep. Witchcraft celebrates pale Hecate's offerings and withered murder alarm through his sentinel, the wolf, who howls his watch. Thus with his stealthy pace, with Tarquin's ravishing strides towards his design moves like a ghost. Thou sure and firm set earth, hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear thy very stones prate of my whereabout, and take the present horror from the time which now suits with it. Whilst I threat, he lives. Words to the heat of deeds to cold breath gives. I go, and it is done. The bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell. Have I remembered that? That is. How have I remembered it?

[Jamie]

Unbelievable. Danny.

[Daniel Mays]

How have I freaking. That shake. You still in there? What have I remembered that?

[Jamie]

That is unbelievable.

[Daniel Mays]

Someone call someone. Let's get production.

[Jamie]

Let's get this going, man. It's like memorizing like that is a. That is brilliant.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah. Did you. Did you all understand it? Were you following?

[Jamie]

But do you know what that maybe it's age or something. I remember when I used to get taken to, you know, whatever it was. Maybe it was Macbeth or whatever it was at school and to the production.

[Daniel Mays]

I used to.

[Jamie]

Boy, but listening to you here sitting, have that. It's like this flow, this rhythm.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, but that's just how, like, the writing is of. Of such power and magnitude. It's like. Because he was an actor, right? Shakespeare himself. So it's like every line just trips onto to a new thought and it's seamless. That is an amazing play and an amazing speech because you're dealing with someone who's hallucinating. I'm like, she's gone, right? You got to go and kill him now. And he's so wound up, like, he sees floating dagger in front of Him. And it's like. It's just an amazing. I mean, I've never. I haven't done a professional Shakespeare production and I should.

[Jamie]

Do they freaking come. That is amazing.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, it's amazing I remembered it. I haven't sort of done that for a long time. Yeah.

[Jamie]

Can I ask an odd question?

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

And I. I don't this, but I'm going to try in a weird way, acting and especially like rada, it used to feel like a sort of posh boys club.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

In a way. A posh persons club. Yeah, it felt like that. And acting used to feel like you had to be from some sort of like wealthy family because you would have to be funded by someone in order to have a career because you'd be auditioning for the first five, six, seven years of your life. And so it was typically these posh kids who were becoming actors.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

Is that. Is that a fair narrative or not a fair narrative?

[Daniel Mays]

Look, you're talking about like the arts and things like that. It should just be accessible to everyone. To everyone. And if it's an elitist group, then that's a poor thing. And it's. It's not right.

[Jamie]

Because my question is, to you is, did you ever feel. Because you came from, you know, you came from Essex and then going.

[Daniel Mays]

I was terrified when I first went to rada, honest to God. I was like, that is a very good question. Because I, you know, I came from stage school, which was essentially like tits and teeth, the outside in, you know, jazz hands and all of that.

[Jamie]

That's what I mean to this.

[Daniel Mays]

And then I walked in Serada and I got in and I didn't audition anywhere else, which is really naive, really, like this lambda and central and actors.

[Jamie]

You didn't want to Plan B.

[Daniel Mays]

And I was like, if I'm gonna go anywhere, I'm going to go to rada. And thankfully I got in, you know what I mean? But I was. So when I first got there, it felt like to me, like, God, they'd all been to, like, my year had all been to uni and they were so well read and they were so eloquent the way that they spoke. And I was just. I just sort of clammed up and I thought, I'm way out of my depth here. And sort of. I remember doing like Shakespeare sonic class with Barty Thomas and like not being able to even over my mouth and feeling just so inferior. And that imposter syndrome was kicking in and. And I got to the point where I was like, you know, What? This is a golden, incredible opportunity, if you like. I mean, you're at rada, do you know what I mean? Yeah. People would love to go here. So strip the walls of it, trying to, you know, get as much out of it as you can and kick the imposter syndrome thing into touch and just roll with it, you know, That's

[Jamie]

a great attitude to have because I think lots of us in life, we get to that point where we get that imposter syndrome, and actually you've got to kind of flip it on his head and say, this is a great opportunity. I gotta try and remove that from my locker.

[Daniel Mays]

I mean, it rears its ugly head every now and again. I remember, like the first day on Thursday, Murder Club, with the brilliant Naomi Aki in the scene. But there was also Ben Kingsley, Piers Brosnan, Helen Mirren, Celia Imrie. And I looked over at the monitor and Chris Columbus is directed it. I was like. It was a heavyweight first day.

[Jamie]

You said you say you still get imposter syndrome.

[Daniel Mays]

That day I was like, oh, this is like, you know, Gandhi, James Bond, the Queen, Whitney Houston. I was like a little old me and I'm like, hold on. Like, you know, but, you know, you're there to do a job, you have to. And you use that to fuel the fire and go, yeah, all right, you're a bit nervous, but you got to use it. And at the end of the day, though, Jamie, they're just people, you know, they're just people. They're just people. They're worried about their parts just as much as you are. And we're all in it together. And it was such a great. You know what I mean?

[Jamie]

Telling you this is. I realized as I get older and I try and say this to, like, everyone, whether you're going for a job interview or you're starting a business, you're going to uni or whatever, they're just people.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jamie]

They're not. They're just people.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

Like you and me. They've got emotions, most of them, and they're. Normally, they're pretty nice.

[Daniel Mays]

Oh, I mean, I had an amazing job called Franklin with the brilliant Michael Douglas. I had six months in Paris filming this thing for Apple tv. And I was a close hand confidant of Michael's character, Franklin Edward Bancroft. And so I had loads of scenes of Michael. And you don't get any bigger than that. You know, he's Hollywood royalty, but you couldn't have met the nicest, more down to earth, unstarry guy than Michael. He was just absolute dream to work with when you meet.

[Jamie]

Because again, he's kind of like. We grew up with. Yeah. When you meet someone like that, are you a bit like, hey, what's your name? Like, how do you.

[Daniel Mays]

He was great. Because this job kept getting pushed back. I was like, it's never going to happen. Do you know what I mean? Like, something's going on. They keep delaying it. And then before I knew it, I was there on day one in a powdered wig, heels and a frock coat. And then all of a sudden, like, but you're right, I was like, this isn't. This isn't going to happen. I kept thinking of like Fatal Attraction and falling Down. And I've grown up with him, like this iconic sort of Hollywood legend. And then all of a sudden he was there and I sort of swam into my vision. He was like, hey, Danny, great to meet you. I loved your tape. Let's go. And I just. Like, that was it.

[Jamie]

He did it like that.

[Daniel Mays]

I said, let's go. Let's do the scene. It was like a four page dinner scene. It was great to start with a big scene like that. And we just. We just hit it off. Yeah.

[Jamie]

Because how do you separate the pressure right when you're doing. Because it's. I like, okay. Like, it's not even in the same league and I don't know how to. But I presented with Claire Balding. Just. Yeah, don't worry about it, man.

[Daniel Mays]

Sheesh. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jamie]

That's my. That's my Michael Douglas. But when I was presenting with her,

[Daniel Mays]

we've all got Claire Balding.

[Jamie]

But when I was presenting with her, right. I was in my head, I was thinking, fuck, it's just like, she's done this a lot. And. Yeah, like, normally I'm okay in those situations. Right. I think I can read that auto cue. And I kind of got this right. Yeah. But for some reason you get in your own head.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

And that's when you're. That's when you have to go back to your technique, I imagine, and you have to really, like, hunker down on your talent and be confident in that talent.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, but Jamie, I couldn't do what you do. I could. Like you just said auto Q. Like, my strong suit is not.

[BetterHelp/Aura Advertiser]

Not.

[Daniel Mays]

Is it not sight reading? No. I remember being on this morning once with Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby and they, you know, oh, Danny. It was like they just sort of left field went, could you do the Christmas past, the parcel appeal this year? And I was like, what's that? We just need you to read this out off of auto, kid. I was like, yeah, yeah, that's, that, yeah, that's, that's fine. Like that. And I started it and I, and I, and I went wrong. Oh, sorry. Yeah, and just go into the, from the top like that. And I went wrong again. And I looked there and they were just, just looking at his script like, don't think you can do it, you know, man.

[Jamie]

But I heard that Michael Douglas was the one that pushed you into Guys and Dolls.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, I, I had a zoom with Nick Heitner, the cuz. Like that was like an offer for Nathan Detroit and I had to sort of dust down the jazz shoes and think if I was going to do it. But no, it was a great offer, but I had a zoom with Nick Heitner and he said it'd be great. And he said, I'll give you like a week to think about it as such. And, and I was filming Air Franklin out in Paris and I was sitting there on set with the brilliant Noah Dupe who was in the scene as well. And no, Noah went like, so what are you doing, Danny, after this? And I went, well, I've had a bit of a left field offer of work really. I've been offered a musical. Michael dressed as Franklin went, why? What musical? And I went, I went, guys and Dolls. He went, guys and Dolls. He went, my God. He went, what part? I went, nathan Detroit. He went, are you going to do it? I went, michael, I mean, I'm, I'm just in two minds. And he went, danny, when you're doing it and you're not going to take no for an answer, and I was just like, really went, you got to do it. And I was like, wow. And then within the director of Franklin was Tim Van Patten, who's done Sopranos. Anyway, it was, what you learn is every American's favorite musical is K. It was Tim's favorite musical. And then within a couple of days I used to come out on set in Franklin and Tim used to play it's good. Oh, and all the French crew are going, good old reliable name. So I couldn't say no. So I had to do it. Yeah, that was it. But Michael and Catherine Zeta Jones both came to see Guys and Dolls. Yeah, just before I had a sort of break in, in the run. And they came on the, the finale of the last of the first run. Yeah. So it was just amazing. And all the, I remember like they came backstage and all of the cast Were like just sort of. It was, it was amazing. They was like all sort of a bit starstruck.

[Jamie]

And you got an Olivier nomination.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, yeah, I was the whole experience.

[Jamie]

You must be so proud of yourself, man.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, because I hadn't done like, we spoke about Contes. I hadn't done a musical in like, I don't know, like 25 years. I mean, here's the thing. You don't have to have a great singing voice as David Detroit. That's the first thing that Nick Kitner said to me on the Zoom. He said, danny, you don't have to be a good singer. It's more of an acting part. And I went, nick, you haven't heard me sing yet. But the way this thing was staged. Cause it was all like immersive and it was on moving platforms and I've never been in a hit like that. Yeah. And to get an Olivier nomination at the end of it was just like the cherry on top of the cake. It's just that Sunset Boulevard won everything. Damn you.

[Jamie]

I always think with awards, when you don't win it, it's fucking hot.

[Daniel Mays]

It's a really weird. I got nominated for a BAFTA for Line of Duty, which in itself is an amazing achievement because I was only in one episode. If you know that show. Yeah, I love it. I didn't make it to the second net. Did I get blasted away at the. In the. At the last frame of EP1. So on paper it was just an amazing character with all that long interrogation scene. Anyway, I ended up getting a BAFTA nomination. It was like, wow, what a moment. You know, like you're a BAFTA nominated actor and so. But it's like no one tells you the sort of pressure and hype that goes around it. Like the big days coming and like now it's like six nominations. I think back then it was like four. So I was in it. I was up against Tom Hollander and John Lithgow. Someone else from the Crown, it was Jared Harris. So John Lithgow and Jared Harris from the Crown and Tom Hollander, fraud night manager. Like three incredible actors. And so you got again that, like, little old me, like. But here's the thing, it's just nerve wracking awards, isn't it? No one can't explains that. So you're sitting there and then like, but. And then I always remember it was like the tickets came through and I go, oh, look, here's the tickets for the festival. Festival Hall. And you go, and you look at it, right? And I was like, there with my wife, I've got my plus one. And it's like we're on the end of the row and you go, you go, ella, I think we're in here. We're right in the end of the road. Look at straight access to the stage. Get your. Get your dress sorted out.

[Jamie]

We got it.

[Daniel Mays]

Let's work on the acceptance speech now. So you're like that. You know what I mean? You think, okay, and you get there and it's all like, hot. And you do the red carpet and everything like that. And you think, I was mean. Like, I'm a supporting actor category. So normally they're really. They're like, early on, so get it out of the way, get the bafta and then just sit back and chill. But it was right towards the end with all the main acting thing, acting awards, and when they. The lovely Tom Hollander won it and he was brilliant in that role and he was thoroughly deserved it. But when they say someone else's name, it's like an instantaneous, simultaneous, like utter relief that it's over and crushing disappointment at the same time. It's an absolute head and there's a camera pointed at you right at that moment. You're like, where do I look? Like what? And you just have to go, well done, song.

[Jamie]

Love you. And you have to do this. Yeah, yeah, yeah. She did that.

[Daniel Mays]

And then. And then it's over. And then they move on to the next category and it's gone.

[Jamie]

And it's gone.

[Daniel Mays]

She gets to the bar. Yeah.

[Jamie]

Robert Dernier and Daniel Lewis, they're like method actors, right?

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

What is your take on method acting? Because the role that you have. John Warboys.

[Daniel Mays]

Yes.

[Jamie]

In, Believe Me, on itv, it's a challenging role.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, it was difficult.

[Jamie]

Can you explain to the audience to listen to what it's about?

[Daniel Mays]

So John Warboys was nicknamed the Black Cab Rapist. He was a black cab driver who, in the sort of early noughties, he's effectively one of Britain's worst ever sexual predators. And so he was a licensed cab driver and his modus operandi was he'd go out in his cab and he'd sort of pick up, you know, drunk women, young girls from nightclubs and things like that. And he'd be taking them home and he'd come up with this concocted story that he'd won at the casino that night or won the lottery. I've won 30 grand tonight. And then he'd bend down and pick up a bag and hold up the bag of cash, which was the visual clue. And he'd also say, oh, look, I've got a bottle of champagne as well, with my winnings, but obviously I can't have a drink tonight because I'm driving. I don't want to lose my license. You'll have a glass of me, won't you? And they'd talk them round that he would sort of be insistent and wouldn't take no for an answer. And then he'd lace the champagne with a concoction of drugs which would render them unconscious. He sort of offended up to 105 women. So, I mean, it's written by Jeff Pope. So the drama explores those incidences, his arrest, the trial and how basically he got sort of parole. He got eight years, but then after that they gave him parole, they granted him parole. And it was about these two extraordinary women, Layla and Sarah, as they're named in our story, that effectively, under the Human Rights act, sued the Metropolitan Police. Because the whole case, the whole everything with these women, it was littered with police failings from the Met. So they held them to account, they sued, you know, the judicial system and everything. And it was like an extraordinary act of courage and bravery and dignity from the victims to do that. But it's a harrowing story.

[Jamie]

It's a heavy role.

[Daniel Mays]

It's a heavy role. And because the thing is, I've played nefarious wrong UN's in the past, pretty much at the beginning of my career, and you always have to try and find some element that's redeeming about them. There's something even in someone like that, there's something likable. And there was literally nothing with this character. And so essentially, the thing is, when you watch, it's like four episodes and every time you see the character on screen, he's lying, he's not telling the truth. And that was really difficult. You know, it was a challenging headspace to sort of occupy.

[Jamie]

How do you get into that headspace? Because that's a like, yeah, anyone, man. That's a lot.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, it was. It was hard because I underestimated it because I thought, you know, I've got like 26 years as a professional, so it's like another role.

[Jamie]

He's just like, I'm just going to get into this role and just do it.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah. And it was just very isolating because I. We filmed it down in Cardiff, so I had a sort of light schedule at the beginning of it. So I was traveling down to Cardiff doing something unspeakable and then going back to my Family, which was really disorientating. And then. Then it got more and more intense with the court case. And all the taxi scenes are in the last week. And then we had to do these extraordinary psychiatrist scenes where when he's in prison, he finds God, which was basically just a ruse to get parole as quickly as possible. And so I've got these really lengthy scenes with the psychiatrist where he starts to emote all this emotion. And he's so sorry for what he's done, but, you know, he's lying. And so I had to sort of lean into my acting training, which is like Stanislavski, where you sort of use. Which is called emotional recall, where you'll think of something in your own life which upsets you. Like you've lost a loved one or something's happened. And I often do that. If I need to do an emotional scene, I'll listen to the music. You can see Danny's in the corner of the set somewhere. Just getting into it.

[Jamie]

Where do you go in your mind?

[Daniel Mays]

I just go to, you know, like a granddad I loved who's passed away. Or, you know, various stuff that's happened. And you just sort of. It's like hypnotizing yourself or getting yourself into that headspace.

[Jamie]

And you picture that moment that you find out or.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, yeah. And then basically, you've got that on a low light. You've got that emotion running in through you. I mean, I have to do it that way. Some actors can just turn tears and emotion on, like, a tap. You know what I mean? Yeah. I have to sort of really get into it. And so then you're called to set. And then you have to sort of use that emotion. But obviously fuel that into the dialogue that you're coming out with in the scene. So it's a mixture of those two things. It's about technique. It's about using your craft and technique as an actor to serve what the writing is trying to give you.

[Jamie]

Yeah, but you're. What you're doing there when you're playing such a deep role in a heavy role. You're manipulating your emotions. But your body and mind don't really know. You're tricking yourself. So you're putting yourself into that space. You know, I spoke to Naomi Aki, right. Who she played Whitney. And she was talking about how much Whitney took from her. She was like, it just took everything. And it feels to me that the actors sometimes underestimate how much it takes. And I heard that you had to take some counseling afterwards.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, well, I did. There was. We had intimacy coordinators on this job, which I'd never worked with before, because when I was doing those types of scenes that they weren't about, but we did have a facility of a counsellor. And it was in that last week with all the taxi scenes. And again, I was like, I don't need to talk to a counselor. This is. I'm, like, big and brave enough to get on with it. And I ended up talking to the counselor for 45 minutes. And it was really invaluable just to. Just to talk it over because it was sort of relentless character, really, and just to sort of talk about it and to check in with someone, it sort of stabilized me a little bit. Not that I was sort of uncontrollable or anything, but it just. It was just a really invaluable exercise into sort of getting the load off as such. Yeah.

[Jamie]

Do you know, it's such a. It's such a male response, which is like, well, I was fine.

[Daniel Mays]

Well, yeah, that much.

[Jamie]

It was totally fine. But, yeah, it was invaluable, but I'm totally fine.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

And to do the role justice, you have to become the person almost.

[Daniel Mays]

Because I tell you what it was, Jamie. It was like when I read the scripts. Yeah. Because Jeff's a friend of mine, and he said, look, this is coming to your agent, but I want to talk to you about it first before you jump out the window, because the nature of what it is. And I was like, okay, so send me the scripts. And, you know, our daughter is. Dixie is 13 now. You know, she's sort of teenager, and, like, she's going out on trains with her mates, and before long, she'll be in the back of a taxi. You know, when I read those scripts as a parent, it absolutely terrified me because, like, that's someone's daughter in the back there. And I just. As a. As a father, as a parent, I had a completely different response to it. As I. If I'd have. If I'd have done that, like, in my early 20s, I'd have been like, so sort of gun ho. And, yeah, let's make a mark with this character. But it sort of terrified me. Yeah. So, yeah, you have to sort. You have to absorb that, but not let it affect what you have to do, because when you're doing it, you can't judge who he is. You just have to play the character. Yeah.

[Jamie]

It's funny. I've just become a parent, Right. To a little baby boy.

[Daniel Mays]

Oh, congratulations.

[Jamie]

Thanks, man. And it's like. And I know with you, the same thing totally changed my view.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

It knocks you, for fucking sakes. In every way.

[Daniel Mays]

Four time. As long as to leave the house. Oh, my God, why aren't we out the door yet?

[Jamie]

Going on holiday is mental. It's like you're moving house.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jamie]

But you're right. When you become a parent, you view things totally differently. And you're so right. When you read that script, you're thinking, that is someone's daughter.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, yeah. Your sensibilities change. Everything shifts, doesn't it? Because, I mean, becoming a parent is like you're no longer the most important person in the room, which is a great leveler, isn't it? You know, you're thinking about someone else before yourself.

[Jamie]

I was listening to an interview with Coogan. Right.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

Steve Coogan, who. Who played

[Daniel Mays]

Alan Partridge.

[Jamie]

And the way that he got into

[Daniel Mays]

that role,

[Jamie]

he played recently on BBC. I mean.

[Daniel Mays]

Oh, Jimmy Savile.

[Jamie]

Jimmy Savile.

[Daniel Mays]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jamie]

He played Jimmy Savile.

[Daniel Mays]

I don't think I know what you're gonna say.

[Jamie]

And he. He wore Savile's.

[Daniel Mays]

He wore his shoes.

[Jamie]

He wore Savile's actual shoes.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah. Which is, again, that was written by Jeff Pope. The thing is.

[Jamie]

Yeah.

[Daniel Mays]

You're talking about, like, it's a weirdly,

[Jamie]

like I said, that feel. It's a. It's. It feels really dark, that.

[Daniel Mays]

But I mean, you know, like, I sort of, in a way, respect, totally, I do for doing that. Because, like, I think whatever you need to do to get into the character, then that's what you have to do. And sort of, like, if you're talking about method acting and things like that, as long as it doesn't encroach on the other performer, you know, all avenues are open to try and get the best out of the characterization. So if that's what Steve Coogan wanted to do, then all power to him for doing that. I actually thought his performance was extraordinary.

[Jamie]

So good.

[Daniel Mays]

It was so. Yeah. And again, incredible. Like, it's. It's a very daunting and brave thing to take on, but it's.

[Jamie]

It's like, how far do you, like, Danny? How far would you go for a role then? Because if you go like Daniel Day Lewis.

[Daniel Mays]

Right. Yeah.

[Jamie]

I mean, the lengths that he goes to is kind of wild. So you have that side of it, right?

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

But then you have, like, Laurence Olivier, right. Who's one of the supposedly greatest, and there's that famous line that he said to Dustin Hoffman.

[Daniel Mays]

I got it on my Instagram page for some reason.

[Jamie]

Do you really? Yeah.

[Daniel Mays]

It says, why don't you try acting, dear boy? Yeah. Which is hilarious. I think they were filming Marathon man, weren't they?

[Jamie]

Yeah.

[Daniel Mays]

And Dustin Hoffman sort of runs. He's decided to do like five laps of the park. Cause the scene he had to be hot and sweaty and out of breath and things like that. And so he's got to about lap three. And Olivier goes, why don't you try acting, dear boy? Like that? And it's like. But, you know, Dust didn't have to do what he had to do to get into it. You know, other actors will go, right, just put the sweat on me. I'll jump up and down for like two seconds and then go. It's. It's. So where do you.

[Jamie]

Where do you lie?

[Daniel Mays]

I think I was much more like that when I was a younger actor. I think I've got more sort of technique and know how now just to sort of turn it off and on, you know. But I did a lot of work with Mike Lee when I was younger. I did two Mike Lee movies. And the thing about when you work with someone like Mike is he's very clear about there's the actual actor and there's the character. And so you have to keep those two things separate. And then you've got your sort of directors, antennae sort of going all the time when you're playing the role. You can't. You know what I mean? I've done scenes. I remember doing a scene with someone once and this guy, well, he should remain nameless, but it was like a fight scene type thing.

[Jamie]

Who was.

[Daniel Mays]

I can't. And he. And he. And I remember he slapped. Slapped me around the face like that. Like proper slap me on take one. And I was just like, what the was that? I was a bit too hard. I went, yeah, because like, we're gonna be doing like another seven, eight takes of this. And you. Are you planning on hitting me that hard? Like for eight takes? I said, I'm not gonna be able to hear out my ear. Do you know what I mean? It was sort of. Because that's the, the thing of like, you've gotta. You gotta have technique. You've got to be able to say, if you're doing like a play, you're doing eight performances a week. Do you know what I mean? You've got to make sure that there's always safety with the actors and things like that. And looking after your voice. It's all you Know, it's. It's got to look spontaneous and in the moment, but you've got to back it up with the craft.

[Jamie]

Can I ask, you said you would like that in your early years, and maybe this is totally wrong, but is that because you came out of Rada, Right? Rada is like the creme de la creme, Right. It's the.

[Daniel Mays]

It's the supposedly.

[Jamie]

Supposedly, right?

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

Was there an element that you had to take yourself seriously? And so if you. And so I'm an actor, so I have to. Is there an element of that? And as you get older and more relaxed in your career because you got, you know, you just. You kill every role and you have all these things, you kind of go, I don't need to take myself as seriously. Is that wrong for me to say that?

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, I think I've mellowed out as the years as well have rolled by, because, you know, ultimately, I don't think you can take yourself self too seriously in this industry, in the acting world. You know what I mean? I think it's too. You know, I actually don't think I've ever been like that, really. Do you know what I mean? Like, I'm sort of. The thing that has always appealed to me about what I do for a living is that it's always this, like, I'm not a lovey. Do you know what I mean? I respond to the notion of it. We're all in this together, from the person that's bringing you a cup of tea, you know, one of the runners, to the lead actor on the call sheet, you know, it's about a group of people all pulling in the same direction to serve the writing. That's really what it's about. And I think if you are. If you're too serious about yourself, if you're a diva or whatever you want to call it, then to be honest, you won't last long in the industry. You'll get found out.

[Jamie]

Robert De Niro says, the moment that you think you're cool is the moment that you're not.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

Always stay calm.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, yeah. Stay calm.

[Jamie]

Stay calm.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jamie]

This is a hard question, especially being a Brit. Do you know you're good?

[Daniel Mays]

No, I don't think about it like that, you know,

[Jamie]

because you're brilliant. No, you're. You're so brilliant.

[Daniel Mays]

End the podcast right now.

[Jamie]

But it's funny how Brits can't take this comment. It's. Suddenly we close up and.

[Daniel Mays]

Ah, fuck.

[Jamie]

Ah, don't.

[Daniel Mays]

What are you reading at the moment? Yeah, But.

[Jamie]

But what's.

[Daniel Mays]

I do.

[Jamie]

You know what's interesting, right? If I was to go to a dentist.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

Or a surgeon or, I don't know. I don't know, maybe an architect and say, do you think you're good at your job? They'd probably say, yeah, I'm. I'm good at what I do.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

When it comes to acting, for some reason, in that sort of entertainment space especially, we shy away. I don't think I'm not a good singer or I'm not. I'm not a good actor.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

We don't want to say what we

[Daniel Mays]

actually are, but it's all a question of taste. It's all subjective, isn't it? There'll be people that love me as an actor and there'll be people that go, don't really fancy Danny Mays like that. I don't think he's particularly good, or he's a bit.

[Jamie]

But I don't think anyone actually says that.

[Daniel Mays]

But you know what I mean, though. It's sort of like. And I don't think you can ever again. It's that thing of, like, staying grounded, isn't it? And I've always had that discipline that every character you play, wipe the slate clean and come at it fresh. Never rest on your laurels. Never really. Never rely on the last performance you've given.

[Jamie]

That's advice you'd give someone listening now, without a doubt.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, always. Because try to test yourself at all times, you know, because there was. There's parts that you haven't played yet. There's parts that. The beauty about what I do for a living is it's like. It's so mysterious and endless.

[Jamie]

Yeah.

[Daniel Mays]

And you can. Hopefully you get better as you get older and it just sort of rolls on to the other job and, you know, it was. For me, it was always about longevity. It was all, I want to be old and gray one day and look back at a body of work, which I'm incredibly proud of. You know, that's my goal in life, I think, along with trying to be a nice husband and a good dad and all that sort of stuff. All the other stuff. But that. I mean, all of that life stuff makes you a better actor anyway, you know.

[Jamie]

I mean, your parents must be so proud.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, I mean, I don't. My dad. My dad's not one of those guys that said, I'm really proud of you, son. And, you know, it's sort of. I think they are, but it's. I guess, particularly I'm Much more closer, I'd probably say, to my mum than I my dad. But, you know, I know he's proud, but he's just of that generation where he doesn't express that as much.

[Jamie]

What's one role you really want? And what's. What. What's one role you really want? And what's one role you missed out on? Oh, is anyone that you thought you were going to get, and then they.

[Daniel Mays]

Ah, there's countless. One. There's countless auditions where you've gone, I've nailed that. I remember going into. I remember auditioning for a part and it went so well. The casting director walked me down the corridor to the lift and was like, you know, blowing proverbial smoke up my ass and was like, that was incredible, Danny. I just didn't think it would be as good as that. Oh, well done. Brilliant. She actually pressed the button. I remember the door shutting like that. But you were wonderful, just really great. And I was like, I think. I think I might have got that. And I didn't. I didn't, you know, I didn't end up getting it because, you know, it's hard in a way, it gets harder the more successful you get, because the pool of actors that you're up against becomes sort of smaller and smaller and you're. You're all on that list together and you're, you know, you're up against some serious talent and rejection as part and parcel of being an actor. And you just have to accept that you're never going to get everything.

[Jamie]

It builds that character, which is just, like, insane. And I think that, like, that's why I look at your career, right? You know, leaving kind of home at 13, getting on the Tube, going to Italia Conti, then trying for rada, doing those things, going. That builds that character, that resilience to then go into the world of acting. I think sometimes if you just jump into the world of acting without having that experience of rejection, possibly it's a bit like. It's a shaky ground. Right?

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, you got. The thing is, I mean, look, I can't now. I can't do anything else. Do you know what I mean? It's sort of, what would you do? I mean, I'd probably be an artist of some. I mean, another reliable job.

[Jamie]

Same with Bria Hall.

[Daniel Mays]

You should be a bus driver or something like that. Shouldn't I really? But, you know, when you young actors come to me and, like, they ask advice, it's like. It's like you. You gotta have that mentality where, like, There are pitfalls and rejection and. And it's. It's really hard. It's a very hard industry to make your way in. But if you've got that fire burning within and you can't put it out, then this is that. You've gotta. You got to see it through. Do you know what I mean? It's like you can't do it. It's like it's more than a job. Do you know what I mean? It's just like. It's a way of life.

[Jamie]

I also think with acting, which I find is that. I hope some actors forgive me, but I. My sister's an actor, and she's incredible. She's incredible. But I find sometimes with actors, they say with the rejection. But I'm so good. Yeah, but I'm so good. It's like, that doesn't matter. No, it doesn't. It doesn't matter. And you. And you got to get past that. You. You may be good, you may be great, but you've got to kind of get past that.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, you can't take it personally.

[Jamie]

You can't take it personally.

[Daniel Mays]

And sometimes you do. If you really want a gig and it doesn't come your way, it can be demoralizing. You have to use that. You know what I mean?

[Jamie]

What's one role, if you could play any, would you play?

[Daniel Mays]

I mean, I'd love to be in, like, a. You know, my great mate is Stephen Graham. And, you know, Steve's done, like, Scorsese movies and things like that. I'd love to work in, like, Scorsese movie, for instance. You know, he used to send me little WhatsApp messages every now and again with him on set with De Niro and standing there with Pacino, and I'm like, wow. You know, like, just, hey, Steve, thanks, buddy. Have fun.

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[Jamie]

Danny, you have your new podcast coming out as well. Gangster Presents the story of Ronnie Biggs.

[Daniel Mays]

Yes, well, I played Ronnie Biggs way back when in Mrs. Biggs alongside Sheridan Smith. Yeah. So it was. I just got approached to narrate the radio series because it's like the anniversary of him coming back to the UK after, you know, being in exile and on the run in Rio. And it's like six episodes. And what was extraordinary about revisiting it and him as a person was there was just lots of stuff I didn't realize. And it's an amazing show on BBC Radio and there's footage of him that has never been heard before. They've interviewed all of that, those sort of characters around the story.

[Jamie]

And for anyone who doesn't know who is Ronnie Biggs.

[Daniel Mays]

Ronnie Biggs is the famous Great Train Robber. He. What year was the Great Train Robbery? It was the early 60s. Was it 63? I'm gonna say 63, but I think something like that. Anyway, so it was the master.

[Jamie]

It's not even that long ago. Yeah, that's the wild thing, right?

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, nothing like that had. So the great Royal Mail train was. Bruce Reynolds was the mastermind behind it. And the story goes that because Ronnie Biggs was trying to live a straight life, you know, Ronnie Biggs as well. You know what I mean? Like, he was sort of, you know, doing this. That. Nicking cars and doing, like, robberies and things, like. But he was definitely trying to go straight down in Surrey with his wife.

[Jamie]

1963.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, with Charmian Biggs, his wife. And then he needed a deposit for their house and he turned to his friend Bruce Reynolds and said, listen, I. I desperately need 500 quid for this deposit. And he said, look, I haven't got it, Ronnie. Everything I've got is tied up in this big job that I'm doing, but I can give you a place on that job if you're willing to come onto the crew. And in actual fact, they needed a train driver to drive the locomotive. And it was Ronnie Biggs himself that his friend Peter was a train driver, and he got him involved in it. But here's the thing. On the night of the robbery, Peter couldn't drive the train, like, for whatever reason. It was like the wrong make model and they got told to sit in the van, and they actually never touched the mailbag. They actually physically never handled the mailbag off the train itself. And then, you know, they're in the hideout, and then one by one, they all get caught. And they got sentenced to 30 years in prison in which is an.

[Jamie]

That's crazy.

[Daniel Mays]

It was. They. They were made an example of, you know, it was like an act of treason against the crown. No one had ever attempted anything as audacious as that before. And so they were made examples of. To 30 years. I mean, I remember saying. I remember the line, you wouldn't get that for murder, you know, and so he got deeply depressed when he was in Wandsworth Prison, where he was behind bars. And of course, they broke him out. And it was literally like a rope ladder over the wall on an exercise. And he. And he jumped through the thing and. And then he eventually goes to. He has plastics, like a botch job, plastic surgery thing going on. Ends up in Paris and then get. Goes to Australia and then ends up in Rio. An absolute. Like, it's an extraordinary story. Ronnie Biggs, like, it's. And he's. He's one of these characters that had, like, nine lives. It was just. He always managed to evade things and. And he got Raymonda the stripper pregnant in Rio, which meant they couldn't extradite him. And. Yeah, just your archetypal, lovable rogue. I had an amazing time playing him. So to revisit it again for the radio series was just awesome. Yeah, I loved it, man.

[Jamie]

Everyone needs to go listen to that, and we'll put it in the show notes as well as you can go.

[Daniel Mays]

Click on it.

[Jamie]

Listen, I know that we're stuck for time, so we gotta wrap up, but I just want to say thanks, man. That's.

[Daniel Mays]

Thank you. I've really enjoyed it. It's been such a lovely chat. Jamie, you kidding me?

[Jamie]

I've enjoyed every minute, and that monologue is gonna stick with me. That is unbelievable, man.

[Daniel Mays]

If I went wrong, could we do another take?

[Jamie]

Unbelievable. Oh, man. Like, thanks. Hey, listen, before we finish, I like to ask eight quick fire questions.

[Daniel Mays]

Okay?

[Jamie]

You ready for this?

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah.

[Jamie]

What's a saying or phrase that makes you smile or cheers you up?

[Daniel Mays]

He who dares. That's my little nod and wink to fools and horses.

[Jamie]

Best compliment anyone's ever given you.

[Daniel Mays]

I could think of the worst thing if someone said to me, he's got a face like a thwarted man Cub. That per se. That was a review. It's probably the ones you Remember a thwarted man cub on the cusp of a tantrum? I think it was.

[Jamie]

What is that what scares you most about yourself?

[Daniel Mays]

I can be impatient sometimes.

[Jamie]

Yeah, same as me last time you cried.

[Daniel Mays]

Oh, I cry a lot. It must have been some TV show I've watched. I don't know what it was, but I'm a bit too.

[Jamie]

Britain's gone talent with that golden buzzer.

[Daniel Mays]

Oh, right, yeah. That got you, I guess.

[Jamie]

Yeah, yeah. What's something you can't let go of?

[Daniel Mays]

The Forted man cup review. No, what's something I can't let go of?

[Jamie]

Can be anything.

[Daniel Mays]

Security of your family.

[Jamie]

Great answer. What's your guilty pleasure?

[Daniel Mays]

I do like. What's that? In the jungle. The. I'm a celebrity. I do like a bit of that. Yeah.

[Jamie]

I reckon they've asked you a few times.

[Daniel Mays]

Yeah, I wouldn't last five minutes.

[Jamie]

I like it as well. What turns you off?

[Daniel Mays]

Cruelness.

[Jamie]

Very good answer. What turns you on?

[Daniel Mays]

Good acting.

[Jamie]

Yeah. Last one. Tricky one for us Brits. What do you like most about yourself?

[Daniel Mays]

I don't take things too seriously and yeah, hopefully I'm still as grounded as I was when I first started all those years ago.

[Jamie]

Love that. And bonus, one favorite dance move. And can you show us

[Daniel Mays]

favorite dance move?

[Jamie]

Yeah.

[Daniel Mays]

You can't knock the running man, can you?

[Jamie]

Let's have a look. Go on. Let's do it.

[Daniel Mays]

Let's do it. Classic. Yeah. Let's go,

[Jamie]

Daddy May. Thank you so much.

[Daniel Mays]

We appreciate it.

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