Sweeney actor criticises film investors, describing them as ‘scumbags’

Published on 04/09/2012 00:00

ACTOR Ray Winstone has attacked the “scumbags” he says are damaging the British film industry.

The 55-year-old, who stars in a big-screen remake of 1970s TV favourite The Sweeney, slammed the use of private investors in movies.

He told the Radio Times: “I think there’s a lot of scumbags in our game. You used to sit down with a man and shake his hand and it was done. Or if it wasn’t done, no-one was screwed over.”

Winstone, who also stars in the Kristen Stewart movie Snow White And The Huntsman, said: “Maybe I’m being a bit of a romantic. But now there’s people coming into this game who are using private investors – 30 grand here, 100 grand there – and they all want to be in the film.

“And that money’s gone before the film’s even made. It’s gone into someone’s pocket.”