Red Eye star Richard Armitage feared ‘being fired and sent home’ from major role
Richard Armitage is currently starring in brand new thriller series Red Eye, which debuted on ITV last weekend.
Red Eye star Richard Armitage has recalled fearing being fired from one of his first big roles on the silver screen. The 52-year-old starred in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in 2012 as Thorin Oakenshield, before going on to appear in the next three films in the JRR Tolkien franchise.
However, the Hollywood actor didn't think he would last in the film, as he couldn't quite believe he had bagged the role in the first place - after being such a big fan of the books growing up.
Speaking to Radio Times, Richard explained: "I remember getting to New Zealand to shoot The Hobbit and not unpacking. I genuinely thought I was going to get fired and sent home because they had made the wrong choice.
"Not in a million years would by nine-year-old self, reading the books, ever have imagined that he'd be starring in the films!" The British star has had a varied career - having starred in film, television and theatre since he began in 1992.
He has appeared in some of Hollywood's biggest movies; including Captain America: The First Avenger, Alice Through The Looking Glass and Ocean's 8.
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Richard, who said he couldn't look a co-star in the eye, previously opened up about rumours he might be starring as the next James Bond after plenty of speculation about who would be taking over the iconic role after Daniel Craig.
During an appearance on Loose Women in December, the panel asked him if he was in the running for the job.
He responded: "Apparently. My little nephew, every time I go home he’s like, 'Are you going to be James Bond, Uncle Richard?' And I’m like, ‘No you’ve just read it in the papers'.
"I think James Bond with a Zimmerframe is probably not apt," he joked before admitting: "I’d cast a guy in his 20s."
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However, he hasn’t entirely ruled himself out of appearing in the franchise, revealing: "I’d be up for playing a Bond villain."
Richard is currently starring in new six-part ITV series Red Eye, which debuted on the channel last weekend.
He stars as Dr Matthew Nolan who arrives in the UK from a business trip in China, only to be immediately extradited back there for a crime he didn't commit.
Viewers have been kept on the edge of their seats as most of the series is filmed aboard a plane as mystery and thrill ensues as Matthew attemps to protest his innocence.
You can tune in to ITV1 tonight at 9pm to watch the next episode of Red Eye, while all episodes are also available to stream on ITVX.