Jude Law says he was given a ‘crushing piece of British advice’ as a child

Actor reflects on stuffiness and traditionalism in a new interview

Jude Law has revealed the “appalling” and “crushing” piece of advice he was given as a child.

The actor can next be seen in the 1980s-set film The Nest, in which his character Rory experiences a clash of stuffy British traditionalism and efficient American pragmatism.

Speaking to The Guardian about the stuffy mentality of the Eighties, Law said: “I certainly have memories as a child, not from my own family but people around me, of being given that appalling piece of British advice: ‘Don’t get above yourself.’

“You know: ‘Don’t be too enthusiastic. You might actually be seen to be liking this.’ Which, for someone who is a born enthusiast, someone who’s constantly thinking: ‘How can we do this bigger and better?’ was quite crushing.”

The Nest stars Law and Carrie Coon as a couple whose lives begin to take a twisted turn after moving from America into an English country manor.

In the interview, Law said that when he first read about his character he “didn’t like him very much”.

He said he asked himself: “How do you make him appealing, even if sometimes his actions are misguided? It’s not often this kind of a part in this kind of a piece comes along.”

The Nest is released in cinemas on 27 August.