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You must have balked at this role at first, Id have thought.

I did, yeah.

It was a really tricky decision as to whether or not I wanted to take it.

So after they offered me the part, I went for dinner with him to find out more.

My main reasoning was, I want to know why you want to make this film.

I also thought, youre a really interesting person, I think youre really compassionate about the subject matter.

I felt it was going to be something difficult but really worthwhile to explore, hopefully.

And yeah, Im really proud of how its turned out.

Its a really different film.

He doesnt let you get away with anything he has really high standards.

I made my peace with it, so when I got offered the job I was really surprised.

I realised he was really going to put me through the mill.

This was really going to change me as an actor.

Did he tell you why he decided to make this as a feature film rather than a documentary?

He spent more and more time in Bridgend, and he became close friends with the community.

I think in the beginning, he didnt know what this was if it was anything.

If it was just his own personal desire to explore this further or if there was a documentary there.

Were not playing real people.

It is a fiction.

Im not depicting a real person.

I think it can stand alone as a narrative.

I didnt know a great deal.

I think that might be why it had such an impact on me.

Whatever the opposite of compassionate is!

I think theres something that fiction can do that fact-telling cant; theres a reason why we tell stories.

So yeah, I think it is important.

Personally, I dont believe in censorship, and I dont believe in not talking about things.

Because otherwise, were never going to figure out a way to stop these things from happening.

And what was it like to put this character away at the end of it?

It was physically and emotionally the toughest job Ive ever done.

It was a joke how many bruises I had on my body every day.

Id go into costume and makeup every morning and go, Look at me!

Because my arms were covered [in bruises].

Because you want everything to be real.

That was the other thing with Jeppe from day one: were not going to fake anything.

Its got to feel real, and its got to feel true.

I was being dragged around by Steve Waddington.

I banged my head against a wall for real.

I was swimming in a lake in November.

But most actors are like, Look at my scars!

Me and Josh were comparing scars.

Im a really good actor because Ive got a bruise on my wrist!

But yeah, it was just exhausting in all those ways.

I know people say this a lot, but we were like a family, the cast and crew.

And I felt really safe and supported by that, and I think everyone really looked after each other.

Saying, Are you alright?

Im not a method actor I dont like to go home and stay [in character].

You just need to stoke the fires of emotion.

But emotion can go in any direction.

To do my job well, I need to be really free and playful.

So theres a strange kind of friction.

So I felt like, after it ended I needed a break.

Like, in my life how many parts like that I could do.

I sort of see them as a trilogy about obsessive love one of thems a play in London.

And Im really, really longing to do something light and fun and silly.

And I think I do need to balance that, in terms of going back and forth.

Human nature can be beautiful, and parts of it can be bleak and hard.

I think I want to explore both directions.

Dont let yourself live in it for a year; recognise youve worn yourself out emotionally.

Recharge your batteries, I suppose.

I sound like an old man, but have you seen this film with any young people?

Have you had any reaction from teenagers?

I dont remember the age demographic; I havent spoken to any teenagers.

I cant answer your question is what Im saying!

No, thats fine.

I was talking about that to someone yesterday, actually.

You dont see a mobile phone in the whole film.

The question of when its set is slightly non-specific.

In this context, its just as easy to knock on a friends front door as send a text.

I think in a lot of ways, technology can be really alienating.

It was interesting, I shot onGame Of Thronesin the middle of doingBridgend.

It was really difficult.

Id already done a week onBridgendat that point, and it was really, really low-budget filmmaking.

I was just like, there are very different ways of making narrative art!

[Laughs]

I went back to traipsing around in a muddy field [forBridgend].

Actually, mud is a link between the two.

It couldnt be more different.

But its amazing what they have the luxury of doing onThronesin terms of money and time.

How fully realised that world is able to be.

The detail with which the costume, makeup, hair, prosthetics, special effects is phenomenal.

It really takes my breath away, to be honest.

I remember, I think I stole some waterproof socks.

[Laughs] Its definitely a bit comfier on a big HBO series.

Hannah Murray, thank you very much.

Bridgendis out on DVD and Blu-ray now.