EXCLUSIVE: Straightheads interview: Danny Dyer

We caught up with controversy loving actor, Danny Dyer, to talk about the making of his new film Straightheads. Starring alongside Gillian Anderson, Dyer plays Adam, a young man who inadvertently enters a dark world of revenge and death. He told us why Straightheads has been his biggest test yet and why he desperate to be taken seriously.

LOVEFiLM: How are you feeling about the film?

Danny Dyer: I'm over the moon with it. This is for me, personally as an actor, I feel that this one has tested me more than anything I've done before.

LF: Your character really does come on an intense journey during the course of the film?

DD: I do go on a real journey. No disrespect to any of the other work I've done before, but this role really gave me a kick up the arse. I went to some really dark places on this film, which I needed to. I needed to get depressed about things and feel sorry for myself for a little bit. It's quite hard to snap out of it at the end of the day. But that's what you want as an actor, I want to be confused when I get home, I want to get in the bath absolutely shattered, but in a constructive way - to feel like I've really achieved something.

LF: What was the mood like on the set, I can imagine it was possibly quite grim…

DD: It was weird. I love Dan (Dan Reed, the director), I love being around him and the same with Gillian. It was actually alright. It was a 6 week shoot and some days you've got so much to shoot, you start to get tired and a bit snappy, I thought I was really miserable on the job, but Gillian keeps on telling people I was really funny - I don't remember that to be honest, I really thought I wasn't!

LF: How did you get involved in the production?

DD: I got sent the script, I read it and thought, 'wow, I love it' and then I had to go and meet Dan. Y'know it wasn't an offer, I had to audition. He told me that he thought that I could do it, and it was out of me and a few other actors. I read it and I thought immediately, 'who are they gonna get to play Alice? There isn't an actress on this earth who's going to be able to pull this off. Who can be hard and be sexy and go through the rape trauma and come back again…' When Dan said Gillian was on board I thought that was such a good call.

LF: What was it like working with Gillian Anderson?

DD: Oh it was great, she's the best. I couldn't just walk in with this cocky attitude. I knew I had to be on the ball cause Gillian's brilliant, she knows her game.

She's so dominant for such a small woman. She weighs about 6 stone, but she's got this aura about her. When your working with her you can't slip up because she's so on the ball. Technically, she understands exactly what's going on around her, she know how it's lit and how its shot and I found that very sexy.

LF: What was it about the script that initially held your attention?

DD: The darkness of it, I really love anything that's dark. Controversy is very important to me; I really like to be part of something that raises debate. Also what really appealed to me was the love story, the twisted love story. I love the whole idea of two strangers meeting and f**king fancying each other, but not really having much to say. I loved that. So you initially think its going to be a love story, but then it takes a real turn…

LF: this does seem a more intense role perhaps then you've done before?

I need to open my fan base up. They don't like me the broadsheets, they don't get me really. There are people out there that despise what I do, but there are people out there that love what I do. I understand it's the game I'm in I'm just not used to criticism - as my profile is raised I'm starting to get criticised and I'm not used to it!

I think Straightheads will prove I can do something else; it's a real journey for me. And I'm just hoping I prove myself with this. Alright so I have a cockney accent, it's not all about accents; just because you can do accents it doesn't make you a chameleon.

LF: What was it like working with director Dan Reed?

When I met him I thought he looked like a f**king hooligan, he's massive with a big bald head, but he's a gentleman. He's a gentle giant who's got a really dark side to him. He really intrigued me.

LF: What other film roles would you like to play?

DD: I'm open to absolutely anything to be honest. I just want someone to trust me and take a risk with me. I'm going to go America, do that, see what happens. I'm not that excited about it to be honest with you. I'm going to go and to the American accent thing - I'm not going to go out as a cockney and do a Michael Caine, who's had the rarest film career you can ever have: do 150 films and not have to change your accent! [laughs] How lucky is that?

As an actor I don't think I've proved anything yet. I want to get a job where I don't know if I can pull it off, that's what I want. I want to think to myself each day 'can I do this? Am I right for this?' I want that pressure, I thrive on it.

Being on a soap for 16 years would be my worse nightmare, like Iain Beale or Ken Barlow, who've been in the same role all those years. I don't understand have you can play those roles for the same time, but then I do understand that they have a nice house and a family - they've got their security. I ideally want to try something new, but having said that I'll probably end up working in Eastenders now won't I? [laughs] Give it 10 years…

My worst fear is making a film that people go 'oh, it's alright'. I want them to either hate it with a passion or love it.