Ray Winstone has claimed he ‘hit and threatened’ a director who once ‘groped’ his female co-star on set.
The actor, 69, spoke in a candid new interview in which he recalled the incident but did not mention who the director was.
His major film credits include Scum (1979), Nil By Mouth (1997), Sexy Beast (2000), King Arthur (2004) and The Departed (2006).
Speak with The times Culture Magazine he said: ‘I had this director once. I was in a scene where I had to pick up this girl, and the director wanted to show me what to do. But he groped her…
‘That’s it. I said, ‘Don’t you dare.’ He abused his power, took advantage of it, and she was a good kid, you know, who seemed a little lost. Anyway, it’s dealt with.’
Asked to clarify what he meant by “handled,” the film hardman added: “Well, back in the day, if there was a wrong ‘un’ on set, 99 times out of 100 it was fixed, either by the hairy riggers or by sparks. [meaning members of the film crew]
Ray Winstone has claimed he ‘hit and threatened’ a director who once ‘groped’ his female co-star on set
The actor, 69, spoke in a candid new interview in which he recalled the incident but did not mention who the director was
‘I’ve done it myself, pulling someone over to slap them or telling them in no uncertain terms to behave themselves. But it’s a different world today.’
Ray will next star in season 2 of Netflix’s The Gentlemen, where he plays another hardman character Bobby Glass alongside co-stars Theo James and Kaya Scodelario.
When The Times asked in his interview whether he has plans to slow down his career, he simply joked, “Well, you’ve got to pay the tax, haven’t you?”
It comes as earlier this week The Gentlemen dropped a full trailer for the new series – days after the offer for Meghan Markle to join the cast was ‘withdrawn’.
Meghan’s return to acting was reportedly ‘cancelled’ amid criticism over plans to cast her in the third season of the Guy Ritchie-directed series.
It was confirmed that the third series has been given the green light, just as the trailer for the second series dropped on Monday, ahead of its September 3 release date.
The new look at the upcoming series sees Theo’s character Eddie take on the Glass empire as he attempts to resume full control of his estate.
At the start of the clip he says: ‘400 years ago this estate stretched as far as the eye could see’, over beautiful footage of its vast grounds. “I want it all back.”
However, the path to total domination is never smooth, especially when the opponent is Bobby (Ray).
But Bobby is aware of Eddie and Susie’s (Kaya Scodelario) ambitions to expand their criminal empire, as he tells them he knows he hopes he could support their efforts to “decriminalize marijuana.”
Ray will next star in season 2 of Netflix’s The Gentlemen, where he plays another hardman character Bobby Glass alongside co-stars Theo James and Kaya Scodelario
Giancarlo Esposito also returns to further fuel Eddie’s desire to rule, telling him to “Pave your own way.” Get away from Bobby Glass.”
As the series begins, it has been a year since Eddie and Susie joined forces to work together abroad as part of Bobby’s operation.
But it soon becomes clear that neither of them agree with the recent decisions that kingpin Bobby has made.
With Bobby standing in the way of the criminal empire’s expansion, Eddie and Susie must decide whether to stand in line or make their own moves.
The trailer also introduces Hugh Bonneville’s character Lord Hawthorne and Maya Jama as a gangster smoll, after they both participated in the series’ second season.
Last weekend it was claimed that former British royal Meghan had been cast in a role in the third part of the show.
But just as quickly as the news broke, it was claimed the offer had been withdrawn after the reaction in Britain became too “intense”, according to royal author Tina Brown.
Ms Brown said: “I have heard that Meghan Markle’s casting has been withdrawn. The setback was so severe that it became untenable to continue.”
In her Substack newsletter “Fresh Hell,” the author wrote, “This doesn’t bode well for Meghan’s acting comeback.”
Just four years ago, Meghan insisted she had no plans to return to acting. In 2022, she told Variety magazine, “I’m done. Never say never, but it is my intention to definitely not do that.’
Now, however, her return to screen is being touted by sources ‘close to the Duchess’ as one of the reasons why she and Prince Harry are returning to Britain.
