September 6, 2010 15:19

Ray Winstone admits headbutting director

British actor recalls his wilder days on set

Ray Winstone has admitted to headbutting a director, nearly ending his career before it had properly started. The actor star says his early career was in real jeopardy following an altercation with a director he felt had manhandled him.

Winstone did not reveal the name of the director, but explained the incident happened while he was an extra.

"I remember years ago I was an extra, just an extra, and instead of asking me to move - he was a big fella - the director just picked me up and moved me," he told The Guardian. "And I headbutted him. You know, he shouldn't have done that, but I shouldn't have done that either. I just done it."

He added that he was generally quite violent in those days, explaining: "I mean, I was punching people and everything. They deserved it, don't worry. A couple of things happened on set where I thought people were rude and that, and they got a clump."

This month Winstone begins shooting a new British independent film called The Hot Potato, made by Wardour Pictures, based on a true story which is set in the east end of London in the '60s.