Ray Winstone

A strong character actor known for his multi-dimensional portrayals of hard men on the wrong side of the law, Ray Winstone burst onto the scene with a riveting performance in the British-made "Scum" (...
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Russell Crowe was left with bruised ribs on the set of Noah after fellow Hollywood hardman Ray Winstone repeatedly elbowed him in the chest. The pair stars in the upcoming Biblical epic and Crowe has previously told how he developed hypothermia during the tough shoot as he was filming in freezing water for hours at a time.
Now it has emerged it was not the only health issue Crowe suffered during filming, as British actor Winstone took joy in striking him in the ribs during a fight scene.
Crowe tells British magazine Event, "He's acting royalty, that man. All the way back to Quadrophenia and Scum. We did this fight sequence where Ray is lying on top of me - and there's a bit of weight to Ray - and every time we did a take, just prior to 'Action!', he would drive an elbow into my ribs. I said, 'Mate, why are you doing that?'. And he goes, 'Because you're younger and I'm old and you should know to look out for a bloke like me.' It was great."

British actor Ray Winstone has suffered a setback in his attempt to give up smoking after struggling to get to grips with an electronic cigarette. The Departed star has decided to kick his longtime addiction and opted to swap real smokes for a battery-powered device.
However, the actor was dealt a blow when he realised he didn't know how to work his e-cigarette.
Winstone tells Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper, "I bought one of those false ones and I put the oil in the wrong end. I puffed on it and all the oil went in my mouth. It's like I was not destined to give up (smoking)."

British actor Ray Winstone was furious when he found out about his daughters' secret tattoos. The Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull star was apoplectic with rage when he discovered actress Jaime, 28, and her elder sister Lois had gone under the needle and kept the inkings hidden from their protective dad.
He tells Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper, "They wouldn't tell me, but I found out and went berserk. I actually wanted to find the tattooist and kill him for scarring my daughters."

British actor Ray Winstone struggled with soaring temperatures while shooting biblical epic Noah and almost fell down some stairs after he was overcome on set. The film - in which Winstone stars as Noah's nemesis Tubal-Cain - was shot in New York at the height of summer and he suffered through the heat in a heavy costume and make-up.
His co-star Emma Watson describes his ordeal to Wonderland magazine, "We started filming in the summer in New York. It was so hot that Ray Winstone at one point, who wore a beard and heavy make-up, nearly fell down a flight of stairs. His make-up was literally melting off his face."

Actor Ray Winstone vowed to avoid boozing on the set of new British drama Moonfleet in Ireland after spending weeks in a drunken haze the last time he was shooting on the Emerald Isle. The Departed star plays an 18th Century smuggler in the upcoming two-part Sky TV drama, and he headed to Dublin, County Kildare, and County Wicklow to shoot scenes for the swashbuckling show.
The trip brought back memories of his last time filming in Ireland, when he starred in 2004 movie King Arthur alongside Keira Knightley, and he was determined to avoid the local bars after becoming sucked into the country's legendary drinking culture.
Winstone tells the Irish Mirror, "When I was on King Arthur, we were out all the time. I think everyone was drunk on that job for four and a half months. I actually moved out of Dublin - I was staying at the Four Seasons - and I went: 'I've got to get out of Dublin because I'm just p**sed all the time'.
"I said: 'I've got to go', so they found me a little place... I said: 'I'm going to live there, on an old farm place, I'm going to live there for the duration of filming'. And nothing changed. I was on the p**s (drinking) but the only difference was that I was looking at mountains instead of the town of Dublin... But I'm getting older now, I can't do that so much anymore, can't be out working in the morning if you do that."
Asked if he had been boozing while filming Moonfleet, the 56 year old replies, "Not this time, we haven't had the time... For this film, it was the time (that prevented drinking), but if I'd been younger, I think I would have made the time. That's probably where I made a mistake in the past, I just couldn't wait to get out and probably stay out all night, and go straight to work the next morning. But I just can't do that no more (sic), physically and mentally."

Actor Danny Dyer decided to accept a role in longrunning British soap opera Eastenders over fears his career had become a joke following a string of film flops. The Business star will join the beloved show at Christmas (13) after spending several years snubbing offers from BBC bosses to become a member of the cast.
Now he reveals his floundering film career pushed him to take the leap to the small screen, and he hopes he can turn his fortunes around like his idol Sir Michael Caine.
Dyer tells Britain's The Sun newspaper, "Back in the Eighties, Michael was known for making terrible films and now he's been knighted. I can hope!
"I did too many people favours (accepting film roles). I realised, 'F**king hell, I'm becoming a bit of a joke here.' I'm my own worst enemy. I don't blame anyone but myself."
Dyer's most recent big screen release, Run for Your Wife, which also features Ray Winstone and Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding, was deemed a massive failure after it earned just $963 (£602) from U.K. ticket sales in February (13).

Hollywood star Sean Penn stopped traffic in London over the weekend (07-08Sep13) as he filmed scenes for new movie The Gunman. The actor spent Sunday (08Sep13) shooting footage for the upcoming thriller on the famed Tower Bridge as a low-flying helicopter zoomed overhead and passers-by crowded round to watch.
Penn stars as Martin Terrier, an international spy trying to clear his name so he can retire to be with his longtime love.
The Gunman, which also stars Idris Elba, Javier Bardem and Ray Winstone, is due in cinemas next year (14).

Ryan Gosling is undoubtedly one of the most crushed on celebrities of the 21st century. Girls' hearts exploded when they watched him kiss Rachel McAdams in the rain in The Notebook, and ever since then their opinions have not wavered. But if you take a closer look, you'll see that since the beginning of his movie career, he has steadily played psychologically unsound weirdos film after film. So what is it about the Gos that makes girls swoon, no matter how creepy he is on film? Oh yeah, it's probably because he's really, really ridiculously good-looking, with or without a pedo 'stache.
GALLERY: Ryan Gosling's Creepy Roles
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These actors have a history of playing bullies, ruthless killers, evil masterminds, and all-around badasses. Their distinct physical appearances (weathered, dark-haired, unsmiling) and general demeanors (quiet, menacing, and angry all the time) make them the perfect villain or antihero type. Unlike some actors who can play both the tough guy and the big, loveable goofball (we're looking at you, The Rock — you, too, Vin Diesel), these guys are just too fearsome to play mannies and tooth fairies. You might want to avoid direct eye contact, as we present to you the six most badass badasses in Hollywood.
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If presented with a picture of Ray Winstone, you'll probably think to yourself, "Oh yeah, that guy." He looks familiar because there's a good chance you've seen one of his movies. The character actor has been in some major films over the last 10 years, such movies as Cold Mountain, The Departed, Hugo, and Snow White and the Huntsman, but you've probably never heard of him. Well here's your chance to get to know him with six fun facts about the British chameleon, who you'll no doubt be seeing plenty more of on the big screen.
You Probably Know Him Best From Sexy Beast
His most prominent role was in Sexy Beast, in which Winstone played the lead, Gal Dove, opposite villain Ben Kingsley. Winstone's performance in Sexy Beast as a loveable but hapless retired ex-con is solid, but he was unerstandably upstaged by Kingsley's rapid-talking, short-tempered psychopath, a role that garnered Kingsley an Oscar nomination.
Or Maybe The Departed
Martin Scorsese's wildly successful The Departed put Winstone on the map once again as tough guy Mr. French. His character is one of the most memorable in a stellar ensemble cast that includes Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Matt Damon. To audiences, he's the guy who slams Billy's (DiCaprio) arm cast on the table so hard it breaks, while Billy screams in pain, and as the guy who wryly repeats the film's infamous line, "What is it, your period?" when Billy orders a cranberry juice.
He Played a Dwarf
In a departure from his tough-guy roles, Winstone played one of the dwarves in 2012's Snow White and the Huntsman. Perhaps it's his physical stature, or just his incredible range as an actor, but he really made his character, Gort, come to life, and he gave him that rough-and-tumble edge that he gives all of his characters. So I guess his dwarf was a tough guy after all.
Scorsese Seems to Love Him
After his turn in The Departed, Scorsese decided to cast Winstone in Hugo, in which he plays the title character's alcoholic uncle Claude. Though this was a smaller role for the British actor, we feel safe betting that the legendary director will seek him out again in the future.
He Does Action Movies Like The Sweeney
Even at the age of 56, he still gets down and dirty in gritty action movies like 2012's The Sweeney, in which he plays Detective Inspector Jack Regan, who leads the London Metropolitan Police department's Flying Squad, aka the armed police. Not only does Winstone beat people up and partake in car chases, but he also gets raunchy with Hayley Atwell's character. Not too shabby.
His Voice
Winstone has the kind of gritty voice and Cockney accent that lends well to the screen, so much so that it's often just his voice. Winstone has done several voice-over roles, including Rango, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, and Beowulf. So even if his face doesn't look familiar, you've probably at least heard him on screen.
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Title

Featured as a loan shark in Anjelica Huston's 1967 Dublin-set drama "Agnes Browne"

Cast in the fourth Indiana Jones film series, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"

Portrayed a working-class father who, along with his wife, must cope with the accidental death of their young son in the British telefilm "Our Boy" (screened at Toronto International Film Festival)

Starred in "Births, Marriages and Deaths," a four-part BBC TV series

Played recurring role of a gangster in the British series "A Fairly Secret Army"

Cast in Anthony Minghella's ensemble "Breaking and Entering"

Portrayed the title character in Robert Zemeckis' big-budget film version of "Beowulf"

Acted in "My Father, The Liar," a Bob Hoskins-directed segment of the omnibus film "Tube Tales"

Played leading role as a family patriarch in "The War Zone," an incest themed drama marking Tim Roth's directorial debut; screened at both the Sundance and Cannes Film Festivals

Appeared in the romantic comedy "Martha, Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence" (released in the USA as "The Very Thought of You" in 1999); film starred Monica Potter, Joseph Fiennes, Rufus Sewall and Tom Hollander

Cast as one of the eight dwarfs in "Snow White and the Huntsman" opposite Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron

Played a CIA officer covering up a murder in the film adaptation of "Edge of Darkness"

Appeared in "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains," starring Diane Lane as a teenage punk star

Was in the ensemble of the drama "Last Orders"

Voiced Mr. Beaver in "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," based on the children's novel by C.S. Lewis

Starred in Patrick Marber's play "Dealer's Choice"; transferred to the West End

Discovered by director Alan Clarke and hired to play reform school terror Carlin in the BBC telefilm "Scum" (shelved by censors for content)

Appeared in Ken Loach's "Ladybird, Ladybird"

Returned to the stage in the Royal Court production of "Some Voice"

Cast in Martin Scorsese's mob drama, "The Departed"

Had title role in the British TV series "Fox"

Starred in the BBC sitcom "Get Real"

Had first real romantic lead opposite Kerry Fox in "Fanny and Elvis"

Starred in "The Proposition," an Australian western written by musician Nick Cave

Reprised his role for Clarke's feature remake of "Scum"

Was a championship boxer, losing only eight of 88 bouts

Starred alongside Robert Carlyle as a career criminal who betrays his cohorts in "Face," helmed by Antonia Bird

Starred in Jez Butterworth's stage play "The Night Heron" at London's Royal Court Theatre

Starred as Will Scarlett in the British TV series "Robin of Sherwood"

Played Teague in the drama "Cold Mountain"

Appeared in "King Arthur" with Clive Owen and Keira Knightley

Portrayed rocker Kevin in "Quadrophenia," a Mods vs Rockers tale inspired by The Who's album of the same name

Starred in "Sexy Beast"; screened at Sundance in 2001

Starred in "Tank Malling" as titular investigative reporter

Attended drama school; was asked to leave because of an incident involving his sabotaging of the headmistress' car

Cast in Martin Scorsese’s family adventure "Hugo"

Made a a triumphant return to form with a starring role as the raging Raymond in Gary Oldman's "Nil By Mouth"

Appeared in the Donmar Warehouse production of "To the Green Fields and Beyond," directed by Sam Mendes

Initial collaboration with Kathy Burke, starring in the stage play "Mr. Thomas," written and directed by Burke

Summary

A strong character actor known for his multi-dimensional portrayals of hard men on the wrong side of the law, Ray Winstone burst onto the scene with a riveting performance in the British-made "Scum" (1979), only to spend the ensuing decade wallowing in lesser roles unworthy of his talents. Forced into bankruptcy and on the outs with acting by the end of the 1980s, Winstone re-emerged with an acclaimed performance in friend Kathy Burke's stage play, "Mr. Thomas," which not only helped relaunch his career, but also invigorated his confidence. Ever since that play, Winstone developed into a highly-sought performer who - with age and experience - gravitated towards more complex characters, portraying often violent men with a strong degree of sympathy, as he did playing an abusive alcoholic in his breakthrough performance, "Nil By Mouth" (1997). But it was his turn in "Sexy Beast" (2001), as a reticent ex-con beset by a rabid ex-colleague trying to recruit him for a job, which earned Winstone some of the highest praise of his career. From there, he entered into the realm of the high-profile Hollywood feature, appearing in "King Arthur" (2004) and "The Departed" (2006), before co-starring in perhaps one of the most anticipated summer movies of all time, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" (2008). Acclaimed projects like "Hugo" (2011) and "Great Expectations" (PBS, 2012) only solidified Winstone's reputation as one of the most prolific and acclaimed actors of his generation to cross the Atlantic.

Name

Role

Comments

Elaine Winstone

Wife

Married c. 1978; separated briefly in the early 1990s when Winstone declared bankruptcy

Education

Name

Edmonton County School

Corona Stage Academy

Notes

Winstone on the aftermath of his intense and startlingly realistic portrayal of a violent husband in Gary Oldman's "Nil By Mouth": "Well, I didn't emerge unscathed. That's the truth of it. I mean, 'Nil By Mouth' is a very harrowing film. But it wasn't harrowing to make. We had a ball doing it. Lots of laughs. It was only when the filming was over that I started asking myself was there something in me that was like the character? Was I capable of showing that kind of rage myself? It can be quite frightening when you start worrying about stuff like that. But it soon passes. You get offered another role and start getting into that." – quoted in Loaded, December 1997

"You know directing is a hard game and life is too sweet for all that aggravation. When I finish a film I go home. Sit in an editing suite for three months? Sod that. I've been paid, thank you very much, see you at the premiere." – Winstone on following in the footsteps of actor-directors Gary Oldman and Tim Roth, quoted in The London Times, Jan. 8, 1999

Winstone on his character on the BBC's "Births, Marriages and Deaths": "Even though he's the baddie, I play him as the goodie. I think it's more interesting to play it the opposite way. Even Hitler had someone who loved him" – quoted in Inside Soap, Feb. 19-March 5, 1999