Quotes from Daniel Mays

Before filming I'll be constantly thinking about my role at the back of my mind and slowly build up the intensity until I can explode on set. There is a very fine line between not quite getting there, and getting that bit too intense.

My older brother's a cricket groundsman, my other brother's a salesman, and my younger brother's a trader in the City.

I try to mix the characters up and not be second guessed by the audience.

I listen to music to try and focus or concentrate on emotional characters, which is quite common among actors. It might seem cheesy, but I particularly listen to Coldplay because I'm moved by their lyrics. But any music can help depending on the character and their mood.

I'd describe 'Born to Kill' as a 'study in psychopathy', it's very much in the heads of our main protagonist, Sam, a young boy dealing with dark, twisted psychotic desires. It's also a coming-of-age story.

Everyone's got that dream of Ibiza, you've either been or you want to go, because it's kind of got this mystical quality to it.

Ever since the commercial smash that was 'The Full Monty', we've always made films about underdogs. It's something that embodies Britishness and that sense of community and people punching above their weight.

Yeah, it's every parent's worst nightmare, to lose connection with your children, to not fully engage with them or have an understanding of what crowd of people they're mixing with, what they are watching online.

I've never been burgled. I don't quite know what I would do if it was the dead of night and there was someone in the house, and my kids were asleep upstairs.

At drama school I learned the Stanislavski technique, which uses sentimental memories and bits of your past to put real emotion into the scene.

I got an American agent. I don't know what to think about that.

I always liked 'Doctor Who' but I wasn't a crazed fan when I was a kid.