- Title: FILM-TRANSPORTER Ed Skrein takes over driving seat in 'The Transporter Refueled'
- Date: 2nd September 2015
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (RECENT) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR, ED SKREIN, SAYING: "But I really never think about what people think of me or how they would compare me to other people. I'm not sure. Let's let the people decide."
- Embargoed: 17th September 2015 13:00
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- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA7ZC7LAZZ1TL6NH0J5OV1AOWER
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The Luc Besson produced 'The Transporter' films saw British actor Jason Statham go from being a co-star to leading action hero. But now, the franchise has undergone a reboot and little-known actor Ed Skrein has stepped into the black suit of the character of Frank Martin.
"It always felt like a pair of shoes that would be comfortable and I could fit into. It didn't seem too much of a stretch," said Skrein during a promotional day for the film in London. "I remember I did three auditions which was the longest audition process I've ever done and I felt very relaxed with all of them. I was super-calm. I remember going to Paris on the Eurostar and thinking 'I should be nervous now but I'm just not'. I felt so relaxed about it and I carried that into the shoot."
In 'The Transporter Refueled', ex-Special Forces agent Frank Martin is hired by four ex-prostitutes attempting to bring down the Russian gangster who held them against their will. Together they plan to rob the gangster and all his henchman of the money that they procured from them over the years.
In order to get into the character of Martin, Skrein studied the previous films to ensure that he put the correct stamp on the reboot.
"It was very important to watch them and understand them and understand the texture of them and what's behind them and what's driving them and what fans expect from them, most importantly," he said, adding "And then as soon as I'd seen them it was important to just put them away, try and move on and reflect on each scene as I would with every job whether it was preceding someone else or not because, you know, after me, probably someone else might take over me and then someone else after that - it's a possibility. Every role is this conveyor belt and this jumping seats and stuff so that to me is nothing out of the ordinary but there was an importance to the fans, you know, to represent the franchise properly for them, you know."
But Skrein isn't worried about any comparisons critics or fans might have of him to Jason Statham, saying "I really never think about what people think of me or how they would compare me to other people. I'm not sure. Let's let the people decide."
Skrein is starring in a number of high-profile movies in the next twelve months, including 'Kill Your Friends' with Nicholas Hoult and Marvel Comics' 'Deadpool' alongside Ryan Reynolds.
"Fame and all that side of things, that means nothing to me," he stated. "My friend, Neil Maskell ('Kill List', 'Atonement') once said to me that the dream is to have an extraordinary career and a very ordinary life and that's my life, you know. On Monday to Friday, I'm fighting seven guys in a car park and doing handbrake turns or beating up Ryan Reynolds with two axes as a superhero but then on the weekend I'm in the playground or I'm going up to take my son up to my mum's house and we're just sitting there or going for a Sunday roast or whatever - very ordinary but this is a job and I'm so thankful and so blessed and so lucky to have it but it's a job."
Although Skrein looks set to become a big name in movies, not many people pronounce his name right. Skrein is an Austrian name and rhymes with 'wine', he explained.
"People have been getting it wrong all my life. All my teachers got it wrong and I remember when I was swimming and I'd get up on the podium and they'd say 'The bronze medal goes to Ed 'Screen'' - you know it's always wrong - or 'Skerin' and it happens all the time but I don't like to correct people because I don't like people to be awkward or anything like that because I don't feel awkward, I don't mind, I've been called a lot worse and I'll continue to be so it's all good."
'The Transporter Refueled' goes on release in most territories internationally from September 3. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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