DANIEL MAYS: I've Worked with Hollywood’s Biggest Stars But I Still Sometimes Feel Like an Imposter

Daniel Mays has been in our living rooms for decades. From EastEnders and Line of Duty to Mrs Biggs and Thursday Murder Club, he’s become one of the most familiar and loved faces in British TV and film. But long before he shared the screen with the likes of Michael Douglas and Stephen Graham, Daniel was the middle child in a working-class Essex family, desperate to be seen and heard. He found his voice through performing and never looked back. In this conversation, Danny shares: Growing up in Essex with dreams of becoming an actor Why he nearly didn't go to stage school The unforgettable advice Michael Douglas gave him Taking on the role of the 'Black Cab R*pist' John Worboys and how it affected him What it was like performing in front of Daniel Day Lewis Daniel was a joy to talk to and he’s a reminder of what's possible when you back yourself and never let go of the dream. Daniel Mays is Great Company. Watch ‘Believe Me’ on ITV here: https://www.itv.com/watch/believe-me/... Check out Daniel’s new podcast ‘Gangster Presents: The Story of Ronnie Biggs’ here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0... 00:00 Coming Up 01:33 Jamie’s Intro 02:20 Daniel’s big break on Eastenders 05:30 How Daniel got spotted 06:59 Daniel on growing up in Essex 09:40 The moment Daniel knew performing was his dream 12:48 ‘I left my life behind for a dream’ 15:49 Daniel on his biggest inspirations 21:42 Performing in front of Daniel Day-Lewis 25:00 Daniel on going to RADA 26:12 Daniel recites Shakespeare 29:58 Was RADA a posh boy club? 32:30 ‘I still get imposter syndrome’ 36:30 Michael Douglas encouraged Daniel to do Guys and Dolls 39:11 Losing at award shows is a double edged sword 42:11 Playing Britain’s most chilling predator 54:10 What Daniel loves about acting 1:02:00 Gangster Presents: The Story of Ronnie Biggs 1:06:00 Final 8 Questions If you enjoyed the show, you can also follow us: Instagram -   / greatcompanypodcast   TikTok -   / greatcompanypodcast   Jamie -   / jamielaing   And if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at: [email protected] THE CREDITS Producer: Helen Burke Assistant Producer: Issy Weeks-Hankins Video: Josh Bennett Senior Social Media Manager: Laura Coughlan Audio: Rafi Amsili Geovannetti Executive Producer: Ewan Newbigging-Lister Shot on Sony Cinema Line cameras FX6 , FX2 with Sony G-Master lenses 16-35GM, 24-70GM. Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot.