Interview: Arena Magazine (Dec 2006)

The Dark Side of Darcy (Arena, Dec 2006)

Actor Matthew Macfadyen casts off kissing Keira for funerals and bible-bashing

"Last night he was a bad boy, so today me and my wife are totally fucked," says Matthew Macfadyen, the 32 year old English actor, who's just had a second child with fellow thesp Keeley Hawes.

The two met while in BBC drama series Spooks, but he quit to pursue other ventures - such as playing knicker-dampener Darcy in Pride & Prejudice, and starring in the Frank (voice of Miss Piggy) Oz-directed farce, Death at a Funeral, which is out next year.

But the film that's caught Arena's eye is Middletown, a dark tale in which he plays an unforgiving priest returning to his Irish home village for some fire-and-brimstone spring cleaning.

"It's that kind of weird bible belt," he says. "There are loads of areas like that in the States, and they still have places like that in Ireland too. It's like a time warp. You're either going to hell or you'll be saved. I felt for the character, even though he turns into a monster. But I think I'd be more live and let live. I'd have a pint and put a bet on the cockfighting."

Middletown is at cinemas from November 24



Matthew wears suit and shirt by Dunhill