Ray Winstone says he stars in films he doesn’t ‘want to do’ because he needs to ‘pay the rent’

‘Sexy Beast’ actor says he has to take on projects if he ‘hasn’t worked in a while’

Ray Winstone has claimed that he agrees to star in films he doesn’t “want to do” because he needs to “pay the rent”.

The London-born actor, 67, is known for his roles in projects such as Sexy Beast, The Departed, King Arthur and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Speaking to The Guardian in a new interview, Winstone opened up about his life and career, and revealed that he has been less than enthusiastic about some of his roles in the past.

“You go have fun for six weeks, see how it turns out,” he said, referring to the filming process. “If it turns out great, it’s a plus. If it don’t, it don’t. But you’ve had a great six weeks.

“You do do films you don’t want to do,” he added. “But you’ve got to do them because you haven’t worked in a little while and you’ve got to pay the rent.”

Across the course of his career, Winstone has starred in nearly 150 different film and TV projects.

Elsewhere in the interview, Winstone also gave a swear-laden take on the current UK political sphere.

“These c**ts who’re running the country. Conservative or Labour or Liberal – they’re c**ts. They’ve no idea what the people want,” he said. “They don’t give a f***. I wouldn’t vote for one of them. I will not vote – my right is not to vote. People say, ‘Oh, you must vote.’ Vote for who? Give me someone to vote for!”

“In any other kind of work, if you promise to do something in the workplace and you don’t do it, you get the sack. If I turn up on set and I don’t know my lines, I get the sack, and rightly so. So when these c**ts promise to do something and get into office and don’t do it…”

Ray Winstone pictured in December 2023 (Getty Images)

The actor then called for improved NHS funding, stating that nurses in the UK “don’t get paid f*** all. These people save our lives!”

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Winstone previously threatened to leave the country after criticising the UK’s tax rates. “I can see myself leaving. I love this country but I’ve had enough,” he told talkSPORT radio. “I don’t see what we are being given back.”

His latest film, Damsel, is out on Netflix on 8 March, while he can also be seen in The Gentlemen, a new TV series out on Netflix on 7 March.