Post by Leanne on Jan 8, 2009 3:52:37 GMT -5
old interview but an intersting read
Aberdeen Press and Journal
February 15, 2006 Wednesday
Film star Kevin McKidd relived his days at primary school in Elgin yesterday - including the time he was told off in front of his classmates for stealing a penny chew.
The Elgin-born artist said he can clearly remember the words of the headteacher at Seafield Primary as he was made to stand in assembly and his fellow pupils were told "That boy is a thief - don't trust him".
Mr McKidd, 32, said the sweet in question had come from the local shop.
He said: "I was greeting, but I certainly learnt my lesson."
Since then, he has risen to critical acclaim having starred in more than 20 films and dozens of television dramas.
His return visit to Elgin was organised as part of the school's 50th anniversary celebrations, and youngsters in P7 said they were thrilled the actor spent nearly an hour answering their questions.
Ben Gilchrist, 12, said: "I've never met anyone who has been in films or anything like that before now, so it was really quite exciting."
Mr McKidd, who is preparing to return to Italy to film the next episodes of the hit television series Rome, in which he plays the character Lucius Vorenus, told the children his desire to become an actor was born in P5 when he was cast as a hiccupping King in a school play.
"That was when I first realised that you can make people enjoy themselves and make them laugh," he said.
Other topics the P7 pupils were keen to learn about were the size of his house, his favourite roles and preferred subjects at school.
Mr McKidd, who has just appeared as the evil Duke of Norfolk in the television drama The Virgin Queen, said his house is an average size and that he had the most fun filming the movie Dog Soldiers, where he played a soldier carrying out a military exercise marred by the presence of werewolves in the Scottish wilderness.
He said his favourite subjects were English and drama, but not maths.
Headteacher Ken Skelton gave the actor full marks for his attendance, and said it was particularly fitting he had visited in the school's anniversary year.
He said: "He is a good role model for the pupils to aspire to. It's great for them to see a former pupil - a local lad - doing so well."
And, although lessons may have moved forward since Mr McKidd left, he said not much about the building itself has changed.
"It was a good laugh coming back here and it is just exactly the same as I remember it.
"The children are more switched on than I was at their age though."
Mr Mckidd, who attended Seafield Primary from 1978 to 1985, has agreed to return for the 50th anniversary prize-giving ceremony next term.
The actor got his big break in 1996 when he was cast as gang leader Malky Johnson in Small Faces. That was followed by the role of Tommy in Trainspotting, before appearances in films such as Hideous Kinky, Topsy Turvy and The Kingdom of Heaven.
Aberdeen Press and Journal
February 15, 2006 Wednesday
Film star Kevin McKidd relived his days at primary school in Elgin yesterday - including the time he was told off in front of his classmates for stealing a penny chew.
The Elgin-born artist said he can clearly remember the words of the headteacher at Seafield Primary as he was made to stand in assembly and his fellow pupils were told "That boy is a thief - don't trust him".
Mr McKidd, 32, said the sweet in question had come from the local shop.
He said: "I was greeting, but I certainly learnt my lesson."
Since then, he has risen to critical acclaim having starred in more than 20 films and dozens of television dramas.
His return visit to Elgin was organised as part of the school's 50th anniversary celebrations, and youngsters in P7 said they were thrilled the actor spent nearly an hour answering their questions.
Ben Gilchrist, 12, said: "I've never met anyone who has been in films or anything like that before now, so it was really quite exciting."
Mr McKidd, who is preparing to return to Italy to film the next episodes of the hit television series Rome, in which he plays the character Lucius Vorenus, told the children his desire to become an actor was born in P5 when he was cast as a hiccupping King in a school play.
"That was when I first realised that you can make people enjoy themselves and make them laugh," he said.
Other topics the P7 pupils were keen to learn about were the size of his house, his favourite roles and preferred subjects at school.
Mr McKidd, who has just appeared as the evil Duke of Norfolk in the television drama The Virgin Queen, said his house is an average size and that he had the most fun filming the movie Dog Soldiers, where he played a soldier carrying out a military exercise marred by the presence of werewolves in the Scottish wilderness.
He said his favourite subjects were English and drama, but not maths.
Headteacher Ken Skelton gave the actor full marks for his attendance, and said it was particularly fitting he had visited in the school's anniversary year.
He said: "He is a good role model for the pupils to aspire to. It's great for them to see a former pupil - a local lad - doing so well."
And, although lessons may have moved forward since Mr McKidd left, he said not much about the building itself has changed.
"It was a good laugh coming back here and it is just exactly the same as I remember it.
"The children are more switched on than I was at their age though."
Mr Mckidd, who attended Seafield Primary from 1978 to 1985, has agreed to return for the 50th anniversary prize-giving ceremony next term.
The actor got his big break in 1996 when he was cast as gang leader Malky Johnson in Small Faces. That was followed by the role of Tommy in Trainspotting, before appearances in films such as Hideous Kinky, Topsy Turvy and The Kingdom of Heaven.