You've just finished the movie – how was the experience?
There’s an army of brilliant actors in that film. Bryan Singer is back at the helm. Potentially it’s going to be the biggest, most epic X-Men they've ever had. I think it’s the second biggest production Fox have ever embarked upon, behind Avatar. So they're definitely going for it.
What has Bryan brought to proceedings?
Bryan’s very protective of the series. He did create it. He did help form that environment that allowed subsequent superhero movies to exist and thrive like they have done for the last however many years. Not to say that there weren't other superhero movies out at the time, but of that ilk, where it was OK to take it really seriously. He does take it really seriously. There’s a kind or reverence about it, which I like. You want people to take it seriously. That’s what he brings to it I think. And a safe pair of hands – you know you're in good hands.
What was it like getting to share the screen with Patrick Stewart?
His last day was my first day and that was it. Then we were done. But we did crossover and we do get a scene together. Getting to work with Hugh [Jackman] – who I christened Hugo Boss – was great. What he’s like on camera when he’s getting interviewed and you think he’s the nicest man in show business – he is. He’s amazing. The guy’s got grace coming out of every single pore. If we could all be a bit more like Hugh it would be a very happy planet.
What about the rest of the ensemble?
Getting to work with Michael Fassbender again was great. I spent a hell of a lot of time with Nicholas Hoult. Weirdly the people that I spent the most time with acting-wise was not Michael this time, it was Hugh and Nick. And whilst I bemoaned the loss of my buddy Michael, it was more than made up for by the fact that Hugh and Nick are such amazing people.
Ian McKellen recently officiated at Patrick Stewart’s wedding – do you and Michael have a friendship like that?
Oh really? [Laughing] That makes me sick. It makes me f**king sick. Put it away. I'm only joking – it’s nice, it’s really nice. One of the things about this industry is that relationships can be quite transient – they come and go. Just by the nature of the fact that your job changes every three months. And to see that they've been friends for the last 14 years because of a job makes me feel a lot more hopeful about the relationships that I create.
So might you officiate at a Fassbender wedding someday?
I don't know. You'll have to ask Michael about that!
The ultimate X-Men ensemble fights a war for the survival of the species across two time periods in X-Men: Days of Future Past. The beloved characters from the original X-Men film trilogy join forces with their younger selves from X-Men: First Class in an epic battle that must change the past – to save our future.
The cast features characters from the original trilogy of X-Men films and the prequel X-Men: First Class. James McAvoy and Patrick Stewart as Professor X, Michael Fassbender and Ian McKellen as Magneto, Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique, Nicholas Hoult as Beast, Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Anna Paquin as Rogue, Shawn Ashmore as Iceman, Ellen Page as Kitty Pryde, Peter Dinklage as Bolivar Trask, Omar Sy as Bishop, Halle Berry as Storm, and Daniel Cudmore as Colossus.