60 SECONDS: Vinnie Jones

Vinnie Jones made headlines by grabbing Paul Gascoigne between the legs during a Wimbledon/Newcastle match in 1988. He earned a reputation as a football hardman and C-list celebrity before becoming an actor, appearing in Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels and Gone In 60 Seconds. In X-Men 3, he dons an unconvincing muscle-suit to play villain Juggernaut.

What was the Juggernaut make-up like to wear?

It was four hours every day so it wasn’t fun. The suit was very heavy, like wearing a thick straitjacket. You’re sweating all the time, losing three or four pounds a day. You don’t want to eat or drink. It drains you physically. I had to work really hard to get fit beforehand and eat properly. No cakes.

Was the suit made to measure?

You could say that. I had to get totally naked and they put plaster of Paris all over my body to make a mould.

Did you ask them to make any bits of you bigger?

I don’t know if they’ve done it for a laugh but they’ve given me a big codpiece so it looks like I’m very well-endowed. My wardrobe girl Laura, bless her, every time she put it on she was giggling like a schoolgirl.

What about toilet access?

We changed it so that the top was one piece and the legs were like trousers, so I could unhook it, pull it down and have a pee. Thank God.

Are you a fan of comics?

No. I wasn’t until this came up. I love the superhero movies. Superman is my favourite movie. I was always out fishing and playing football as a kid so I missed out on that stuff. I loved my Roy Of The Rovers annuals.

What do you do to pass the time on film sets?

I told my assistant on X-Men 3 to buy us a poker set and I got one of the crew boys to make us up a poker table. It started creating a lot of energy on the set and it was like Total Recall with all of us sitting there in our crazy gear. I needed two kings to win one day and I think every single person on the set was there, waiting for these last cards. And, bang, it was two kings.

How much did you win?

A lot but I donated it to the Friday fund. Every Friday everyone on the set writes their name on a five-dollar bill and puts it in a jar. So there’s a couple of grand in there and then someone draws out a bill and whoever’s name is on it wins all the money. Sometimes someone like Hugh Jackman or Brett Ratner would say they’d double the money. So if there was two grand, they’d make it four.

Have you got used to your Hollywood success yet?

I don’t know how it keeps going, to be honest. You’ve just got to ride it and take it as it comes. I like doing the independent films, it keeps your feet on the ground. When I made Gone In 60 Seconds, we made 62 trips to the airport in LA to pick up my mates, my family. I have to have them all round me. I like taking the mates I grew up with and my family on this incredible journey. I had it written into my Snatch contract that I had to have 50 tickets for the premiere.

Didn’t you pay more on air tickets than you earned for Gone in 60 Seconds?

Well, when I did that film, I thought it might be the first and last time. So we really lived the Hollywood style. We rented a magnificent house. It did all cost me a lot. And I didn’t earn a lot of money for that film, trust me.

Are you as keen on acting as you were with football?

I am. I absolutely love it. When I got into football and when I signed the pro forms, I was like a kid with a new toy. It lasted for years. Now I’ve got it for the acting. I love being on and around film sets. I love involving the crew. I’m a big crew man. They’re all in my trailer, usually. There were a few English lads on the X-Men set and we’d have elevenses in my trailer with Tetley’s tea and they’d all come in and watch the football highlights.

So now you divide your time between England and LA?

I do have a house here in LA but I can’t live here all the time. I’ve spent four nights in my bed in England since Christmas. I’ve been to Thailand, Belfast, Canada.

Are you going to the World Cup?

I’ll hopefully go to the final, yes. I have contacts. Every now and then you call up for a little favour.

Who do you think will win?

Before Rooney got injured I thought the final would be England and Brazil. Now I don’t know. We’ll see. I’m not even that enthusiastic in talking about football now. I’ve been talking about it for 15 years. My new thing is definitely the movies and acting.

Do you have a Hollywood dream?

Yes, and it’s coming true because I’m working with Robert De Niro next month on Matthew Vaughn’s Stardust and I’ve just done an independent with Derek Jacobi. I was a sports reporter in that. Certain things happen and my character ends up being a crime reporter and solves the mystery.

When did you last play football?

Here in Hollywood on Friday night. I play for [showbiz football team] Hollywood United and I’ve scored two goals in the last two games. I don’t just stand around scratching my arse.