TOP Scottish actor Robert Carlyle has turned on his own publicity machine – suggesting sections of an interview with him were made up.
The 51-year-old actor said the attempt by American broadcasters to drum up publicity for his latest US TV series, based on the Rumplestiltskin story, was “awful”.
Carlyle is currently starring in hit US fantasy drama ‘Once Upon a Time’ in which he plays a gruesome Rumplestiltskin character.
To promote the release of the first series on DVD, studio bosses ABC distributed an interview with the actor.
But Carlyle went on Twitter to complain: “It’s been fleshed out so much with someone else’s words it’s really no longer me.”
The star rarely opens up in interviews and recently said he could see himself becoming a “grumpy old man”.
But the new interview contains effusive quotations from the Trainspotting star such as: “With everything going on in the world today, people need hope.
“That’s why fairytales were originally written: to encourage children to dream and to have hope.”
He adds: “Whenever the name [Rumplestiltskin] came up in my life, I always reacted to it – and suddenly I discovered it right in front of my eyes as a character to play in Once Upon A Time. Immediately, I knew this was the part for me.”
The actor, who is known for his intensity off and on the screen, made his feelings on the alleged fake interview on Twitter this week.
When Starry Mag – a celebrity focussed website in America, shared a link to the interview with Caryle, the horrified actor replied: “Don’t know who put this together but it’s awful. It’s been fleshed out so much with someone else’s words it’s really no longer me.”
Starry Mag were quick to point out that the interview was part of the official publicity for his new show, writing: “Our apologies, it was something sent to journalists by the studio to use in support of the show’s DVD release.”
Created by the makers of Lost, Once Upon a Time stars Hollywood beauty Ginnifer Goodwin, and follows a host of fairytale characters including Snow White, Prince Charming, Pinocchio and Red Riding Hood.
Carlyle plays a version of Rumplestiltskin, an evil fairytale character famous for blackmailing an innocent girl into handing over her firstborn child.
The actor is known for his intense method acting, once sleeping on the streets near London’s Waterloo station for five nights to prepare for playing a homeless man.
