Ashes to Ashes A quick chat with Ashes to Ashes star Daniel Mays

Daniel Mays, AKA Gene Hunt’s new nemesis DCI Jim Keats in Ashes to Ashes, talks painting, glasses and Tintin...

So what’s it like playing DCI Jim Keats in Ashes to Ashes?
“I love the fact he really mixes things up. He’s driving a wedge between Gene and Alex, and there’s an underlying sexual triangle and power struggle going on. Keats’ journey is the dark underbelly through the series. He is a brooding presence.”

Will we find out more about him as the series progresses?
“Yes, it becomes clear there’s something else going on and the stakes of the game are cranked up. The last few episodes are spectacular and will really spin people out.”

Were you nervous about joining the series?
“On my first day I had a scene with Philip Glenister and I was so tongue-tied that I couldn’t remember my lines. I thought, 'Wow, that’s Gene Hunt and I’m in Ashes to Ashes!'"

Did you have a say in Keats' look?
“I came up with the idea of him wearing black-rimmed glasses like Ronnie Kray used to wear. Keats has really got that classic 1950s detective feel to him.”

How do the cast feel about the show ending?
“At the end of filming, they showed a montage of clips and a lot of the cast were very emotional. It has been a massive part of all of their lives – particularly Phil’s, because it has changed his career.”

What was it like working on Steven Spielberg’s upcoming Tintin movie?
“It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. To work with someone as brilliant as Spielberg was a wonderful experience. The movie has been shot on motion-capture and it was a completely different way of working for me. Fans of Tintin are in for a visual treat.”

One of your earliest roles was as Kat Slater’s boyfriend in EastEnders. Did you enjoy that?
“I did a couple of episodes and it was weird getting recognised in the street. The level of attention from a soap is massive, and people think that they own you. I’d often wonder how people like Jessie Wallace could cope.”

Do you still get recognised?
“Now and again. People normally think that I went to school with them. But my intention isn’t to be famous. I just want to be a good actor.”

If you weren’t acting, what would you have done?
“I would probably have been an artist. I still do a bit of oil painting. It’s another notoriously difficult job, so I would probably have ended up with no money.”

What’s next?
“I have just finished filming Made in Dagenham about the female Ford workers in Dagenham who went on strike in the 1960s. Then I am going to South Africa to film a high-concept BBC drama from the makers of Ashes. It is top secret, but it is incredibly bold and completely out-there.”