but I watched the series that starts in May.

I think it starts May 12.

And there's only five of them, right?

There are only five, yeah--

OK, so I--

--based on the five novels.

So yeah.

--watched the first one last night.

I can't watch the second one.

I am going to be sad that there's no more than five,

because it's amazing.

It's a good story.

Yeah, it's--

Tell everyone what it's about.

So it's called Patrick Melrose, and it charts

the story of this man's life.

And it's a loose alter ego for the author himself,

which is a miracle, when you consider the subject matter.

It's a sort of impossible, I guess,

kind of contradiction in terms.

It's both a tragedy and a very rich comedy.

I mean, you've seen it, so-- but it's great.

Oh my god.

And it's so hard to play drunk or high without looking

like you're overdoing it.

I mean, you're so good.

Oh, wow.

You're just brilliant in this.

Thank you.

Every scene, Portia and I were just watching it, just going--

I just-- I want more of it.

I want more of that.

And like you said, it's tragic.

But it's just, you're so good.

Yeah, it's sort of a paradox.

It does 180 degrees.

It's to do with the nature of the deft writing,

the incredible director, as well, Ed Bergman,

this extraordinary author who's been bold enough

to share his life in fictional form with prose that I think

is some of the best in the 21st century.

If you like the series, buy the books,

because they're a whole other experience.

And it moves in a scene from a moment

of hilarity to, you know, heart-wrenching pain

and pathos.

Yeah.

Well, congratulations.

I'm so glad you're doing that.

So The Avengers-- this is your first time in one

of these movies, right?

In a big collective movie like this, yeah, the big ensemble.

And how was it for you?

It was weird--

I mean, fantastic, daunting.

My first day on set was with two icons,

with Iron Man and Robert Downey Jr.

And that's kind of unnerving, especially

because this character has to sort of stand

beard to beard with another egotistical narcissist

in the MCU.

And I have a similar status in the story.

So that was a weird thing to pull out

of a hat on the first day on set with Robert.

But he's fantastic, as you know, and very big.

Did you know anything about-- they're so secretive, though.

Did you know anything about the script?

I did, as has been much talked about.

And I think, yeah, it's slightly--

it's invoked a bit of jealousy.

I did read the script, yeah.

I did.

How is that possible?

This is your first--

I just took the pages, and--

No one else got a script.

I don't have glasses yet, but I just cast my eyes over--

No, how did you do that?

I read words.

But no one else got scripts.

I know.

And it was a hard copy.

And it was sort of chained to a person that

then was taken back on some kind of police transport over to

[INAUDIBLE]

Wow.

No, you have to understand.

Like, nobody in the cast got a script-- no one.

It was a super privilege.

But when it was pitched to me, what he does in this film--

and Strange is kind of--

he kind of guards the brackets of reality.

So that kind of covers quite a lot of territory.

And I thought I just--

I need a little bit more than my scenes to know what else

is going on.

Well--

So wait and see.

--then you've got it.

That's how you do it.

You say, I need more.

That and really good reps.

Yeah, clearly.

Those other people are changing their reps right now.

They needed to go to my agency, exactly, yeah.

For sure, for sure.

So you have done just about everything.

You've not done a horror film, right?

No.

Do you want to do a horror film?

Kind of.

No, I heard that you did, no?

As in, if somebody was saying to me,

what haven't you done that you'd like to do,

and I would be like, I guess I'd like

to do a horror or a musical--

maybe both, maybe a horrifying musical.

A horrifying musical.

It might be if I sing.

- That would be really-- - A horrifying sight to see.

Do you sing?

To a degree.

Uh-huh.

Yeah.

No, but it would be good.

Do you like scary-- do you, in general, like

to go to scary movies?

I scare very easy.

Uh-oh.

I have a rampant imagination.

But when you're in a scary movie--

Presumably, that--

--it takes it away.

Exactly, right?

You know it's-- oh, it's OK.

That's fake blood.

Right, yeah.

Right.

Although I'm still very susceptible.

Aah!

Oh, [BLEEP] off.

[LAUGHTER]

Oh, [BLEEP]-ing hell.

Oh.

Robert, you've got to stop doing that.

It's getting tired, but clearly not on me.

Wow.

Good.

I am still alive.

This isn't heaven.

Although it would be nice to be in heaven with you, but--

Oh, I'd love to be in heaven with you, as well.

--I'm still alive.

Thank Christ for that.

Yeah.

That was really good.

That was--

Yeah, that definitely frightened--

what else is hollow here that might suddenly--

I should know, this happens on this show.

I know.

So I--

I know.

See, honestly, now you've got me on a real high-alert

Uh-huh.

That would be great, to drop someone from the ceiling.

My nose is running.

I'm showing all the kind of fight-or-flight responses now.

All right, now, you actually handled it very well.

Did I?

Can we see it?

--susceptible.

Aah!

Oh, [BLEEP] off.

[LAUGHTER]

Wow.

It's just really good that I'm not

a trained assassin on martial arts expert,

because he'd be dead.

Right.

Or she.

I don't even know.

I didn't get the gender.

It was just like, ah!

Yeah.

I need to lie down.

OK.