Michael Pitt talks 'dark' comedy

Michael Pitt was drawn to the "absurdity of the situation" of his new movie.

The Boardwalk Empire actor is starring in Rob the Mob about a couple who are small-time crooks that bring down the mafia. The film is based on a true story and it is one of the main reasons the 33-year-old signed up.

"I think people will be surprised how true it is!" he revealed to Total Film. "That's one of the things that really interested me - the absurdity of the situation. I looked at the whole film as a comedy... a dark, dark comedy!"

After working on major TV shows like Hannibal in recent years, Michael could be forgiven for finding the switch back to movies hard. But the star doesn't see a huge difference between the mediums and judges a project on the material rather than where it will be shown.

"I don't distinguish between the two to be honest. I really do base it purely on the work," he said. "I think in the future the walls between TV and film are going to be broken down even further."

Michael likes method acting and immersing himself in a role. The TV shows he worked on gave him a chance to live and breathe the characters but it can be hard to leave them behind once a series is over.

"I always found the idea a little hokey, but now being a little bit more experienced, I do think it's important to shed your characters as soon as you're done with them," he explained. "I like to stay in character as much as possible. I know that sounds cryptic or silly, but the more you focus on something, the better result you get. So yeah, it's difficult."