Toby Kebbell interview

"If you don't already know his name, memorise it now, because Newark's Toby Kebbell seems set to become an A-list film star and a household name. Having cut his teeth on Dead Man's Shoes, Alexander and Match Point, he's currently starring in the title role in Guy Ritchie's RockNRolla. Soon to appear in Cheri alongside Michelle Pfeiffer and The Prince of Persia with Jake Gyllenhaal, the former Carlton Television Workshop student speaks exclusively to Jo Roberts about fame, women, family
– and giving Michelle Pfeiffer a rub down.

Where are you living and working at the moment?

In London, working on The Prince of Persia. After RockNRolla I was out of work for 11 months, to shoot down the idea of the glamour. Then I was in Morocco for two and a half months learning to ride on a horse and fight with an axe for the Prince of Persia, but these big projects go on and on, so I'm shooting at Pinewood now. My co-star Jake (Gyllenhaal) is a lovely fella. He's been training hard and pumping iron; he's all about doing his acting right. It's more like doing a marathon than it is like acting, you're delivering these lines that are a bit obscure and you wouldn't normally say like (adopts OTT theatrical voice) 'The mystical dagger of time is going to save us all!' So it's a tricky one, but Jake's got the bull by the horns. We sat around and had a bite to eat a couple of times. He's a typical Yanky chap.
Is there any truth in the rumour that you're dating Gemma Arterton, your co-star in both RockNRolla and The Prince if Persia?

No. I wasn't in any scenes with Gemma and we weren't on set together at any time, but we did spend time learning to horse ride together for The Prince... The press love to whack out a story and that's fair enough, but my girlfriend, Ruzwana, was a bit miffed about it. She's a lovely girl and, of course, she's upset when someone says you're having an affair out in Egypt, but I'd never been to Egypt so she knew it wasn't true. [...]

You've starred in films with Angelina Jolie, Scarlett Johanson, Michelle Pfeiffer and Jake Gyllenhaal. Do you feel like you've made it now, or do you want to become a household name yourself?

It would be lovely to be a legend of the screen. I don't know if I'll ever get there; you've got to thank your lucky stars and say 'I've been blessed for where I've got to'. I'm at a lovely place now, I'm very happy. I don't have to paint walls or serve tables, I just get to act professionally. But if I go back there, then that's what'll happen. It would be heart breaking. I've not achieved what I want to achieve, I have my own big aspirations. I'd love to be considered a very versatile actor like Alec Guinness, a man who can play many, many parts. I'd love to do a 1920s gangster flick with trenchcoats, trilby hats and tommy guns, but I'd also love to do a Western. I'm doing Prince of Persia at the minute so I'm riding horses and am very lucky to be doing an action film, but I still have lots of dreams".

Source: www.thisisnotthingham.co.uk