Theo James praises Hopkins

Theo James found working with Sir Anthony Hopkins an "eye opener".

The 29-year-old actor currently stars in action flick Divergent, but his first film role was in Woody Allen’s You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger in 2010. It gave him the chance to work with fellow Brit Anthony - an experience that left a big impression on Theo.

"I asked Anthony Hopkins what he was doing the following week," Theo recalled to British newspaper Metro. "He said: 'I’m popping over to Italy where a concerto I’ve written is being performed. After that, I’m off to New York because one of my paintings is on display so I’m quite busy.' I thought: 'F***ing hell, I need to start working on other stuff.' It was an eye opener."

Theo has also had a small role in hit TV show Downton Abbey and made an appearance in The Inbetweeners Movie. While he enjoyed these parts, Theo still appreciates the opportunity to work with Anthony the most.

"It was a small role but he was the first big actor I interacted with and he had an easy charm and a lack of familiarity," Theo added. "He’s quite warm and friendly, and he’s just himself – which is a good way to be around people."

Another star who has helped Theo hone his craft as an actor is Richard Gere. The two will be appearing on screen together in upcoming movie Franny alongside Dakota Fanning.

"He really upped my game," Theo mused. "He’s a great actor and is very passionate about it."

Theo now aims to be as diverse as possible, mixing big budget films like Divergent, which looks set to be a trilogy, with smaller features.

"I wasn’t looking for a big franchise but it was a lot of fun and can potentially open doors if you’re smart with it," he smiled.