You've heard of Ewan McGregor, but what about Scotland's latest man of the moment, Douglas Henshall?
The 32-year-old Glaswegian is about to see his career take off, with the lead role in the British film This Year's Love and the forthcoming black comedy Orphans which has already scooped four awards at the Venice Film Festival.
He is also the star of Psychos. Channel 4's new drama about life on a Glasgow psychiatric ward which starts on May 6th.
But things haven't always looked rosy for the tall, distinctive shaggy-haired actor.
" When I first came out of Mountview Theatre School in North London I was out of work for a year," he reveals. " I used to get really happy if I got a letter back saying 'No', because sometimes they would just send the stamped addressed envelope so you didn't even know who was rejecting you.
" Later I got very down if it was between me and someone else for a part I coveted hugely. If I didn't get it, then I would be incredibly down and beat myself up over it."
He must have felt something like that when, in 1993, he appeared alongside another unknown Scottish actor Ewan McGregor in Dennis Potter's Lipstick on Your Collar. McGregor's career later took off into the stratosphere, while Henshall was still strugglimg to be recognised.
Still, he insists the two actors are friends-and that he is much more relaxed these days about his career. The change could have something to do with the death of his mother, who was a psychiatric nurse , two years ago.
" When my mother died it suddenly put things into perspective. I don't worry about things like that any more. If a job doesn't come up, it doesn't come up- I'll get another one."
Being laid-back about work prospects is one thing, but Henshall does admit that he still finds it hard to fill in his time when he is not acting. He was recently linked to the model Sophie Dahl, but refuses to be drawn on his personal life.
" I'm passionate about sport in general, soccer, tennis, even chess. The biggest problem I had as St. Mirren's fan was to play a Celtic supporter," he confesses.
" I won't be able to go to Love Street for a long time! But even with football and seeing your mates not working can get very boring.
" I had to stop playing chess after a wee while because I staretd buying books about it and a chess computer. I found myself pacing about at three in the morning swearing at the thing. Even when I beat it there was no gratifying human reaction, just a beep!"
In Psychos Henshall plays manic depressive psychiatrist Dr. danny Nash, which makes his pateients look well-balanced.
His maverick approach to treating people on the fictional Glasgow psychiatric ward where the series is set, puts him on a collision course with the powers that be.
In fact the title of the series refers more to the doctors rather than the patients.
" People with mental illness are usually wielding an axe," Henshall says . " they are never seen in a positive light and we hope this series will change sll that.
I've not see this sort of subject matter before. I am very much aware that there are people who may be watching who are suffering frtom some sort of mental illness. The idea of not patronising or insulting them is where my sense of responsibility lay.
" I had to try and get it as right as I could." In fact Henshall immersed himself in the world of psychiatry to prepsre for the role, studying books and even making an appointment with a psychiatrist.
" An acquaintance of mine is a psychiatrist and I took the scripts along," he explains. " I needed him to evaluate Danny Nash - and it was a good session.
" He asked small, pertinent questions, as psychiatrists tend to do: they don't come up with big revelations. He was very helpful for me, leading to insights for me personally about why Danny does the things he does."
Now Henshall is hoping that a second series of Psychos will be made and that his film profile could lead to more big screen work.
As a friend of McGregor, Henshall knows first hand just what power a good film can have . " I've got an agent in Los angeles and New York and I get sent scripts, things sre starting to move," he says confidently.
" If an offer came through from the States involving people I would like to work with I would jump at it. But if someone in Estonia sent me a good script, I'd go there as well. I wouldn't even mind a Hollywood action role, I like going to see big, popcorn movies every now and again."
Article from freeserve entertainment May 1999.