MICHAEL CULKIN

IRON LADY so the young Margaret, played by Miss Roach turns up for a grilling over dinner at my place. Here she crucially meets Denis for the first time, a marvellous turn by Harry Lloyd. Anyway lots of dinner banter and cross examination. Margaret was selected but lost her first election. Working with Phyilida Lloyd was a true pleasure!

SHANGHAI this was an extraordinary project which has since vanished. Maybe China interfered with its release, they did cancel the shoot permit and it was shot in Thailand. Me? Oh I had to make do with a warehouse in the East end doubling for Billy the forgers lair. In comes John Cusack and I sell him some fake passports. All good smutty fun, Billy had a sideline in naughty pictures....

Boogie Woogie was old home week for me, stuffed full of old comrades, and me, Heather Graham's dad, appalled by her very questionable art. All nudity and sex! Great fun and Heather's absolutely stunning...

Serendipity plays a role in all that happens but often in this biz. I was at Twickenham Studios to talk about a project now forgotten when they asked if I would quickly read something from Olly Parkers latest Dorian Gray, I was thrilled to oblige and glad I did when they called and offered me Lord Radley. Dangerous, hypocritical, and a bully Radley is Wilde's harbinger of all that offended and angered him. This was a luscious time in the very finest costume of the period surrounded by incomparable beauty and talent. I am still dizzy writing this...

Peter Greenaways bioppic of Rembrandt starring Martin Freeman, Jodhie May, Toby Jones and much of the cream of British acting talent. I finally had onscreen sex whilst negotiating investments with Rembrandt.

Having finally arrived on the Island the incandescently beautiful Alice Taglioni and I discover another film crew making series 4 of LOST! Shot entirely on location in Thailand, and in French, yes I can, an actors life is so hard, this is my ship of which I actually had two one in Thailand and one in Cornwall standing in for Bristol.

Taking a stroll on the beautiful Dalmatian coast in Croatia. Don't worry we don't see the boat in 1212 it's actually the police keeping the pleasure craft at bay.

The wet beginning of the wet end for Anselmus. This was the most fun I've had drowning in a long time.

The delightful talented Dan Ireland asked me to join him on the adventure that was/is Mrs Palfrey At The Claremont. Filmed entirely on location in London this film starredJoan Plowright as Mrs Palfrey with Rupert Friend as the gallant young man who comes to her aid. A stellar cast was joined by Bob Laing a contemporary of Laurence Olivier's and Joan's, sadly this was to be his last film and is dedicated to him.

Stephen Frears and I had met in LA with Hans Zimmer and here he was directing this extraordinary story about the woman who made The Windmill Theatre. Judi Dench and I clashed swords as she sought permission from the Lord Chancellor for her nude review. In the end The Windmill triumphed and gave rise to the showbiz phrase we never close. It was a haven for soldiers on leave from the War.

I got my own my own horse and we got on famously. Richard E Grant, having grown up on a horse, was quite a show off on his steed, sadly he was not quite as good on the Movie Quiz game to which we became addicted and which I always won.

The production had hired two hundred acres of farmland on which they built a replica of Napoleon's St Helena compound. Both interiors and exteriors in meticuous detail including the extensive gardens he had cultivated in his time on the island. Napoleon is played by the incomparable Phillippe Torreton.

Stephen Daldry is an incredible talent and friend. He has followed his huge success with 'Billy Elliot' with this adaptation of the best selling book of the same name.

The much lauded film stars Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, and Julianne Moore. Nicole plays Viginia Woolf and I turn up as one of the doctors Virginia hated so much. Incidentally the premiere in London was a great night and the wonderful party rounded off a marvellous award winning streak for this unique film.

They asked me to play Oscar Wilde at last.

Wilde the movie had just come out with Stephen Fry as Wilde and I was determined to create another facet of this complicated and brilliant man. Mini Driver and I had a ball at the premiere - she's a hoot and very talented.

I had met Ridley Scott while living in Los Angeles. My good friend Hans Zimmer had written music for several of his films, and I had also met his son Jake briefly, so I was delighted to go back to Prague to work with Jake on his first feature.

It is strange but I am often recognized for these moments, as the Judge condemning the hapless Johnny Lee Miller to "hang until he be dead, dead, dead."

When I went to see Nick Willing about this project, they had wanted a north country publican for the village which Toby Stevens takes over. By the time I got to the meeting he had become a west country publican.

I was excited about this project, not least because I had enjoyed watching Toby's burgeoning career. We had great fun and enjoyed working together. I have worked with Toby since, and with his mother Maggie Smith, who remains some kind of indelible hero.

I spent five weeks in Rome making this wonderful film.

It became known in the US as Dangerous Beauty and starred the incandescant Katherine McCormack and boistrously talented Rufus Sewell. We had great fun in Rome and working at Cine Cita among the Roman ghosts of La Dolce Vita.

I have many friends from this movie, always a good sign of happy times.

There are no records of this performance other than that committed to film thank goodness.

The sight of me bare chested in a grass skirt even for these few seconds is enough to put anyone off their dinner.

The amazing Phil Agland, who directed 'The Woodlanders', is at the back of the photo on the right, looking down at a little monitor. He had constructed a perfect replica of a woodman's village. All the houses and sheds were authentic to the last detail and every cable wire and light(of which there are hundreds in the movie) were buried or hidden.

was in New York writing a screenplay with the internationally acclaimed modern dancer Twyla Tharpe (again for Dan Melnic) when one evening I passed a book shop, where Clive Barker was signing copies of his latest horror. I went in and said hello, and Clive mentioned that as of the latest draft, Philip Purcell was the only character who returned in Farewell to the Flesh.

I called my agent and a few weeks later, sure enough I got a script and there was my old friend Philip Purcell a few years on, having written a book about the Hook Man. 'Farewell to the Flesh' was set in New Orleans, a town I adore, so that was perfect. A few days before I was due to travel down, Bill Condon the director called me to discuss the role. Bill was wonderful on the phone. He deferred to my understanding of the part and my take on the whole script. Even on the phone we became firm friends. The shoot was no less a pleasure and Bill and I enjoyed our time together enormously.

Bernard Rose was obsessed with Beethoven.
His script for Immortal Beloved was an incredible read both as a historical document and as a whodunnit. Who was Beethoven's immortal beloved?
Bernard had appreciated my work on Candyman so much that I was able to ask him if I might play Hoskevar the Lawyer. He was delighted by the idea and a few months later I was in Prague working with Gary Oldman, Joroen Krabbe and co. I loved the work, the movie, and most of all the new Czech Republic. It was somewhere I felt I would return and sure enough, courtesy of Jake Scott and Plunkett and McCleane, I did.

I was now living in Los Angeles and working at Tri Star Pictures with Dan Melnic, the producer of Footloose, Roxanne and Air America. Bernard Rose had just made an incredible film, Paper House, for which my friend Hans Zimmer had written the music. I got to know Bernard and when he was casting Candyman he asked me if I would play Philip Purcell.

The rest, as they say in Hollywood, is history.

This was a thrilling play by Jacqueline McCarrick directed by the marvelous Svetlana Dimcovic it played to sold out houses and earned us a whopping 4 stars. I long to work with either anytime!

Me and Mark Hadfield getting to grips with the words. Mark was nominated for an Olivier Award for his performance.

I have amazed the gloriously talented and gorgeous Director: Marianne Elliot about which I am mighty relieved.

This was an Hungarian play in a visceral translation by Che Walker. Paul Jepson directed what was at times a confusing and fragmented vision which finally coalesced into a sell out run at the Birmingham Rep produced by Fireraisers. Paul Jepson and I worked again on a Kate Hepburn - Spencer Tracey biography play in which I gave my Louis B Mayer, great fun!

Mick Gordon, the extrememely energetic and talented Director of The Gate in London had asked me to work on his workshop of this play at the National Studio. I enjoyed doing this and was thrilled when he called from Argentina (where he was directing My Fair Lady in Spanish) to ask whether I would consider doing the play with him at the Royal National. I agreed and delighted in every performance of this extarordinary and even bizarre play. The National Theatre is a wonderful place to work and one always feels priviledged to return.

When I was offered the role of Rufus in this West End smash I was over the proverbial moon. I had always admired and loved Maggie Smith's work, I knew Nick Farell and his gorgeous wife Stella Gonet and we were to play the Queen's Theatre (one of my favourites). The play was to run for three months, but it was extended to six. It finally closed in July 1999 after ten months of sell-out business. It was a remarkable success, once again for Alan Bennett, and Nick Hynter the new Director of the Royal National Theatre. Every moment was a hugely enjoyable experience.

I was lucky to be asked to play Daddy in this play by Katherine Burger and directed by the inspirational talent, James Kerr.

My agent had faxed me the offer of this part while I was on holiday in the Seychelles, and it was the best reason for flying home to four weeks of intensive roller skating training. Daddy appeared several times in the play on roller skates and they had asked me could I skate? Of course I said yes, so when I asked me to play the role I just had to make it so and I did. With the help of a great coach Andrew Wheelton no one knew it was my first time on wheels.

The amazing photographs are taken by the incredible photographer Brian Angel. They are some of the finest photographs taken of me. The twig antlers were all part of the play but what a great shot. Thanks Brian, you are truly an angel!

Hanz Zimmer the Oscar winning film composer and I at an award ceremony in Los Angeles, where we both lived at the time. Hans is a good friend and it was to him I turned for advice when I agreed to star in Between Two Worlds in 1999. This was a biographical play about the composer Korngold, a man largely responsible for much of the foundation of the Hollywood film score. The play, for actor, singer and pianist was written by my old friend and collaborator Ian Burton and it played both in London and in Brussels.

And a third! Whole series up a notch and the fantastic Bryn Higgins at helm. Sad to loose our Sooty but good to welcome the indefatigably talented Harry Melling! We beat Brad Pitt and Co, in town in our wake...

A second series, what a joy. Wonderful to see everyone again. Working with Ashley Pearce for a second time, firstly on Murder City. Glasgow fast becoming a second home. What a great City!

With blistering scripts by Tony Marchant and directed by the illuminating Peter Lydon this was the only way to spend eight weeks during a Glasgow heat wave. Incredible art department peeps had built me the Old Bailey circa 1776 and what trials we had. A cast of top legal minds in Andrew Buchan, The Aidan, and the indefatigable Alun Armstrong (the vessel of much of the kindness left in this business) all pitched wits and argument at each other and yours truly. BBC1.

Now back as Web Series. I got to be a bad and as supercilious as I wanted. This was shot in the lap of luxury in Sofia. Effects were amazing on the budget and the masterful Mat King made every cent and minute count. I'd work with Mat anyday!

So there I was back in Rome presiding over a trial, of sorts. If you have to be on location Rome is the best city to do it, I've been luck enough to work here four times and each time it's bliss. It is the eternal city, and movies have made it so!

Suddenly everything was Roman and gloriously in Rome. EMPIRE was perhaps the smaller of two major US TV series covering all matters roman including rising and falling. Of all places I have worked, Rome most frequently, has to be top of the list. I gave my Games Master, responsible for dubious entertainments in an early wooden Coliseum, some involving Jonathan Cake as a fine gladiator! I returned home only to return to appear in Rome, the other series, in Rome. I love it!

So the inspector called and i joined him in a mystery, as the murderer! not being au fait with such behaviour i had to go with the tale told. these scripts are always excellent and this episode of a hugely popular series was no exception.

Here I am fiddling with my hair, or in this case, horse's hair. Judges' wigs are made from horse hair and always have been. Tradition being what it is in the judiciary, getting a wig to sit right for a courtroom is both important and perhaps a bit obsessive.

It was good to work on so well and developed a series as In Deep with two marvellous stars: Stephen Tompkinson and Nick Berry

Another hugely successful TV series finds our two intrepid heroes wandering the globe solving mysteries all in the realm of the relica and the occult. In this I was the aristocratic collector, Lord Hubbard, who had all the answers, a fabulous Bentley, and finally King Arthur's lost cross. Enormous fun with Tia Carrere and Christien Anholt.

Celestia Fox, who cast this white out epic starring Kenneth Branagh and my Lady in the Van compadre Kevin McNally, asked me if I would do Charles Sturridge a great favour - go in for just one day to play JP Morgan the American billionaire industrialist. I am a great admirer of Sturridge's work and the chance to share a moment with Kenneth Branagh and co was too much to resist.

This is the very finest example of there being no small parts only small actors. Take a look - just one line but one hell of a moment.

More sun and sand, this time in Spaghetti Western land, in amongst the old Sergeo Leone sets for all those wonderful Fistful movies with young Clint. All standing in for Spanish California pre statehood. I worked with Ed Stoppard and though hard work and tough on the rain and dust front, it was a fun experience and two days in Granada provided all the culture needed to make this memorable.

Sometimes the fates, which play a great part in an actor's life, conspire to smile, not frown upon us.

So it was one week before the West End smash 'Lady and the Van' starring Maggie Smith and yours truly, closed, that the incredible and daring Stephen Poliakoff asked me to play Sydney. I was thrice blessed. An incredible script and role, a truly stellar cast(Michael Gambon, Lindsay Duncan, Toby Stephens me old mucker from Photographing Fairies) and a job to go straight to. It was very hard work, but I relished that and the challenge of Sydney. I would walk across spiders to work with Poliakoff again. No not little ones, great hairy ones! I am very proud of this work.

I dashed up to Manchester to meet Russell Davies and the producers for Queer as Folk. I had just read the episode we were to discuss and realised that this was something quite special. That night back in London at a dinner honouring George Martin I heard they wanted me to go back two days later to start shooting episode 5.

I have several friends from that shoot. Aiden Gillan and I keep in touch and I continue to admire his work. Young Charlie Hunnam, who starred as Nathan, now a big star in Hollywood, remains a very good friend.

I just couldn't seem to stop working with John Thaw.

Now it was me, in 'The Wench is Dead'. Morse was very ill in hospital and solved this miscarriage of justice from his bed. I was a prosecuting lawyer from the old story. We shot this in the last remaining original Victorian County Courts in England, Slough I think.

A hugely successful series from the La Plante stable.

He was a nob and a bit of a rogue - no, he was a bastard who finally thought nothing of shoving the girlfriend downstairs. I insisted he get his comeuppance. I had enough of domestic violence as a child to last a lifetime, but a happy job nonetheless.

My first Linda La Plante adventure, starring the deliciously talented Tam Williams with the suave sophisticate Simon Williams as his father..... and he is his father....boy did I get in a muddle.

I enjoyed it so much we went to work together again on her next series, Supply and Demand.

This was an extremely sensitive and well developed adaption of Dickens by the talented Catherine Wearing.

I loved the scripts so went off to be Mr. Vaneering. It was my suggestion to be shiny and this fitted well with Vaneering's brand-newness. The series was directed for the BBC by Julian Farrini, an amazing talent.

I dashed out to Morocco for a delightful week in the sun.

I played King Solomon's architect, and there was Solomon played by Ben Cross, a Chariots of Fire hero of mine. The music for that Oscar sweep was written by another old friend, Vangelis.

This was a John Thaw special, a made for TV movie.

I played a wheelchair bound hotel owner. My wife was played by the incandescently delicious Celia Imrie - what fun we had! I based my work in part on my old friend Quentin Crewe who was in a wheelchair most of his life. That didn't stop him.

This highly popular TV series was new to me, though once I got the hang of it I was pleased to find myself playing an immortal (Can someone tell me what they are called?). As a result I turned up twice in the same story at different times. Confused?

This was a very prestigious episode of Kavanagh.

It was in several parts and concerned the first British War Crimes trial. The cast was stellar and I was delighted to be asked to join such stars as Bill Nighy, Sara Kestelman, Peter Firth, and of course the wonderful talented and kind John Thaw, sadly no longer wirh us.

I came back from Los Angeles in '95 to play the role of Inspector General Challender in the last piece of writing by the great Dennis Potter. It was an incredible cast - Albert Finney(or rather his head), Frances De La Tour, Henry Goodman and me. It occurred to me that we were making something remarkable in many ways, not least the design and costumes, so I asked the artist Chris Stevens if he might be interested in taking a look. I had collected a number of Chris' paintings and we had always chatted over the possibility of him painting me one day. Well these two extraordinary paintings were the result, and I was very flattered. Even more so when a close friend bought the larger of the two for his apartment in New York.