In Person - Empire Magazine February 2001

by Mark Dinning

Steven Mackintosh

One of our most underrated actors hits the frame in The Criminal

Breakfast, in an exclusive London club, and we're having one or two issues with the tea. Bone china, ornate silver platters, have all been knocked over in one fell swoop. "Sorry, I'm being a real pleb," apologises Steven Mackintosh. "It's just that I'm not used to drinking tea in posh places."

He pauses, "I'm really showing up my ordinariness, aren't I?" Ordinary? Perhaps. Then again, for the man who has been called "one of the finest character actors at work today" and "the British Kevin Bacon" (a comparison which makes Mackintosh blush), ordinary' hardly cuts it. Consistently versatile, always engaging, Mackintosh may not be Britain's most recognisable actor, but he is among our hardest working, most reliable performers. If that's ordinary, then lucky for us.

Although he has worked steadily on film, from 'Sean the rookie' in Memphis Belle (1990), to the lucky farm hand lusted after by Rachel Weisz, Anna Friel and Catherine McCormack in 1998's The Land Girls ("Yes, yes, rather nice," he murmurs), it's only recently that people have begun to associate the face they know so well wit the name Steven Mackintosh. "Lock, Stock was a huge part of that, " recalls Mackintosh, who nailed the brilliantly stoned Winston in Guy Ritchie's 1998 hit. "I always knew it had great
potential, but before we could get underway there was much hedging of bets, a lot of, 'Hang on, who is this Guy Ritchie? What's his track record?' Thankfully, of course, it got the last laugh."

Typically laid back, family man Mackintosh enjoyed the last laugh from afar, refraining from joining Lock Stock's non-stop party caravan, and unconcerned that he didn't return for Snatch. And the fact that of all the Lock Stock cast, it is an ex-footballer who is power lunching in LA? "Oh, nothing surprises me anymore," he laughs. "There is that element to this industry, where a director might be walking down the street and say to someone, 'I like your face...want to be a film star?'"

With his own mug somewhere between pretty boy pin-up and mummy's boy vulnerability, Mackintosh should know. Starting out as a "stunning" (according to his mum) Dopey in a school production of Snow White, he soon moved on to the Sylvia Young Theatre School. "I had to dash a mouse's brains out," he recalls of his first role there. "Then I had to shove it in my mouth and run around shouting abuse at people." Spotted by Sir Peter Hall, he was swiftly enlisted into the National Theatre. Then there was TV. Early roles - a fling with Pandora in The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4, and a stint alongside Colin Baker's Dr. Who - have led to almost constant work, most recently the hard-hitting BBC drama, Care.

As a result, Mackintosh's return to movie action comes something out of left field. "For once there wasn't this sort of 'inward journey' thing going on," he nods. "Just lots of running down dark streets, guns and fun, boys-y stuff." The Criminal - an entertaining romp through the London underworld - casts the adept 33 year old as J, an unfortunate soul who finds himself framed for murder. "In his situation I'd be wetting myself, I have to admit," laughs Mackintosh. "But I didn't really have to do research for
J's feelings of paranoia. When I was younger I always looked guilty. Every time I went through an airport security system it was me they took apart. Mind you, that doesn't happen so much anymore... maybe I look more like a dad now."

Not that dad didn't have a ball on The Criminal, his co-stars including Eddie Izzaard - "I got treated to 'Eddie Izzard Live' every day", he grins - and his wife, Lisa Jacobs. The two met in 1986 and tied the knot three years later - "Blimey! Our 12th anniversary's coming up," he notes - and the family now includes Blythe and Martha. In fact, for all the newfound action-hero status, Mackintosh's priorities lie firmly with the family. "And I'll always listen to their opinions, 'cause while I think most people
don't know if they're watching a load of old crap," he chuckles, "my lot can spot it a mile off." How perfectly ordinary.

True but strange - His hobby is skateboarding. "I tried a few stunts and fell dreadfuly, I was like "Okay, I'm definately 33."

Next Project - A theatre production of Gone to Earth directed by Martha Miller (daughter of Arthur Miller).