Are you quite bookish in general?

No, that is a New Year’s resolution that I never fulfil… [laughs] My sister always loved reading but I didn’t get into it until I was about 10, so I was quite late. I should do it, I do have a lot of time when I’m on planes, but I just love sitting there and watching movies.

There are so many themes that run through Shakespeare that are so pertinent today. Was there anything that resonated for you in Macbeth?

There was the post-traumatic stress disorder angle that we went for. From the beginning [of the play] we meet a man who’s already not completely with his faculties. He’s a soldier who has crushed someone’s skull, he’s engaged in battle daily. That form of combat and the scars that it leaves mentally, all made sense. A couple of gentlemen came to see us on set including a fellow that was suffering from PTSD, he was very candid about the condition and his experience of it, which was very helpful.

You’re not the only actor playing a famous Shakespearean king at the moment, there’s also Benedict Cumberbatch in Hamlet…

I know. I didn’t realise that until fairly recently! I thought, ‘I’m going to take Cumberbatch on!’

Watching Macbeth is a powerful experience. Were there many laughs between scenes?

Totally. I mean we filmed it on Skye in February, it was raining. I know it’s like, “So what?” Plenty of people are out in the rain working. But the whole machine has to move around in that condition. Everyone’s in the same boat, well not really, actors do get looked after… but pretty much everyone was in the trenches together - excuse the pun! I really was very proud when I saw the film in Cannes.

Was Cannes an enjoyable experience?

I was surprisingly relaxed. Other than Marion [Cotillard] telling me that I smelt of fish. I was sitting next to her, and she was like [imitates a French accent] “Did you have fish for dinner?” I said, yes and she was like, “I just want to tell you because I’m your friend that maybe you should have some chewing gum.” And I was like “I’m eating chewing gum!” So then I had to [mimes breathing into his cupped hand] to see if I stank of fish! This was not how I imagined that moment to be [laughs].

Are you tough on yourself when you watch things back?

It makes you squirm a bit. I watch it sort of as a critic. I’ll be watching my performance and seeing the mistakes or things that worked. I’m honest with myself. It’s quite tough to admit your own faults though, especially when you see them writ so large. But then you just say, “Get over yourself, you’re just telling stories. People are doing much more worthy things around the world.” I’m just happy to be allowed to have another go.

"I'm going to take Benedict Cumberbatch on": Stylist meets Michael Fassbender