Michael Sheen on New Moon

Reported By: Empire Magazine

In The Twilight Saga: New Moon, due out later this year, Michael Sheen takes the role of Aro, head vampire of an ancient coven that rules the vampire world. We talked to him recently, and asked for the lowdown on a bloodsucking role that's a far cry from his recent run of real-life figures.

"I'm all done on it; I had a great time," he told us. "It was nice to go in and not be playing the main part, just go in for a few days and play this really really extraordinary character. I remember I was thinking, 'Oh, there's a bit of a Child Catcher here [from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang]; bit of the Blue Meanie from The Yellow Submarine; bit of Olivier from Richard III. There was a bit of all kinds of stuff."

He also talked about director Chris Weitz.

"It was great to work with Chris Weitz; it was a really funny set, really relaxed. We had a lot of things in common, and hopefully we're going to work together again soon doing something. That might be the thing that I direct, I don’t know yet, you never know."

And the rest of the cast? "It was quite intimidating being on the set with so many young, beautiful people. That was quite extraordinary being the old, ugly one amongst loads of young, beautiful ones. It's not something I'm used to really. Not because I'm young and beautiful but usually there's loads of old, ugly people around me. It was quite encouraging to see how Robert and Kristin are committed to it, how much they put into it and how serious they are about it. They don't take it lightly at all so that was great to see."

So, from playing a werewolf in the Underworld movies to a vampire here, it sounds like Sheen's got the undead pretty much covered. One thing's for sure: his description of his character has got us interested. What do you think? Is he your Aro?

Michael Sheen's Impersonations

Reported By: Press Association

Michael Sheen revealed he perfected the art of impersonations - by putting on voices for his daughter.

The actor - who has played real life people such as Tony Blair, Brian Clough and David Frost - has a 10-year-old daughter from his previous relationship with Kate Beckinsale.

He said: "When she was much younger and she was in the bath she'd want me to play all the characters from the films that she watched - slowly over months and months and months of me playing all seven dwarfs or whoever it might be, Monsters Inc, I realised that I was actually getting quite close to the voices."

He added: "It was because she was so non-judgmental about me and she wouldn't say 'that doesn't sound anything like the character', that it gave me the opportunity to practice."

Although Michael doesn't consider himself to be an impressionist, he said the skill helps him play real life people.

The actor also said he finds he needs to research real characters more, because audiences are more familiar with them.

He said: "If you're playing a fictional character you have to try and meet the requirements of the writer and the demands of the story, but with a real person you have to do a little bit more than that as well and that's what I enjoy about it."

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Sheen 'thrill' at OBE from Queen

Reported By: BBC News

The actor from Port Talbot, has played a host of real people - David Frost, Brian Clough and Kenneth Williams.

Awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours, Sheen said he was looking forward to meeting the Queen for the first time.

"This is a huge honour," he said. "I am both thrilled and slightly mystified. But very grateful."

Sheen has played the former prime minister on two occasions - in The Queen and The Deal - which charted his rise to 10 Downing Street.

He added: "The Queen asked me what I was doing next and I was in the slightly tricky situation of saying 'I'm playing the prime minister again in a film about Tony Blair and Bill Clinton' and she said 'that must be a terribly difficult thing to do'."

Last month on a visit to Wales the actor, who recently turned 40, said he was returning to the role for a third time for The Special Relationship, about Mr Blair's time with ex-US presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush.

He has also appeared in other Hollywood films including the Underworld series and the upcoming sequel to the vampire drama Twilight.

Sheen was born in Newport but grew up in Port Talbot, where his parents still live.

He attended Blaenbaglan School and then Glanafan Comprehensive before moving on to Neath College.

He was also a member of both the West Glamorgan Youth theatre and the National Youth Theatre of Wales.

Last year he was awarded the Freedom of the Borough of Neath Port Talbot.

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Actor Sheen off to the Palace

Reported By: WalesOnline

ACTOR Michael Sheen will officially receive his OBE at Buckingham Palace today and says it will be nice “to meet the real Queen at last”.

Sheen, 40, the latest of the Port Talbot production line of top actors after Richard Burton and Sir Anthony Hopkins, was made an OBE in the New Year Honours list.

The actor has turned in a string of intense and moving performances.

He has played a host of famous names to great critical acclaim, including two appearances as ex-prime minister Tony Blair.

He portrayed Blair in Stephen Frears’ TV drama The Deal and later on the big screen in Frears’ award-winning film The Queen.

Having met the Queen as played by Dame Helen Mirren, Sheen will now come face to face with the monarch herself when he picks up his OBE today.

Sheen said after hearing of his award in the New Year’s Honours list: “This is a huge honour. I am both thrilled and slightly mystified. But very grateful. It’ll be nice to meet the real Queen at last.”

His proud father Meyrick said all the family, including Michael’s daughter Lily, 10, will be at Buckingham Palace.

Sheen senior, who lives in Baglan, Port Talbot, said: “Lily’s flying out from America to be with her dad on the day and we are all looking forward to it.”

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