Personally, I've always had to face casting directors or producers saying, 'You're right for the part, but nahh, you're not quite what we're looking for.'

Casting directors tend to be the unsung heroes in this business.

There are casting directors with lots of imagination, but also some with not as much imagination.

In some cases, the casting directors have casted blindly and have not looked into my ethnic background.

Casting directors now just see me as the hard-core sniper or prison guard.

I had a role in 'Crossroads' when I was about 21, and then I went on to perform in 'Small Change' and then 'Piaf' in the Donmar Warehouse, London, and it was when I was there that some casting directors spotted me.