Looking the Hollywood Part 2005

Sep 9, 2005

Luke Goss is firmly shaking off memories of Bros as his acting career goes from strength to strength. As his new movie The Man opens on Friday the US-based actor talkes to Ben Falk about missing the UK.

The blue eyes are just as piercing and the voice still has the traces of a Peckham accent, even though it’s starting to get that David Bowie transatlantic lilt. Despite moving to Hollywood in a bid to distance himself from his roots in one of the biggest pop boy bands of all time, Luke Goss is still himself.

“I need to go back to Britain, spend a few weeks in London,” he says gently. “You know, drive around, have breakfast in the West End, be there with my friends and family.” For Luke – who, of course, was one third of legendary pop combo Bros – it is fair to say he can return with his head held high. After quitting the country and his musical career to make it as an actor in Tinseltown, he’s now playing lead roles in movies, most recently starring opposite Samuel L Jackson in new big-budget comedy actioner The Man.

It’s been 12 years since he put down his drumsticks and sealed the lid on that most exciting of times, when he sold millions of albums and was regularly voted one of Britain’s sexiest stars.

At 36, it’s been a long slog to establish his thespian credibility, but his hard work appears to be paying off.

“I used to be a capable drummer in my day, but I don’t think I could do it any more,” he says with a shrug.

“But I never had much of a plan. Now, getting lead roles and whatnot, that’s when you really think that the patience and the fight and the bull you put up with at the beginning was all worth it.” That angular face and softly-spoken temperament has since been put to good use as the handsome baddie, the guy who has rage bubbling beneath the surface. We saw it (under several layers of latex creature make-up) in the smash sequel Blade 2 and it’s back in The Man, opening tonight.

Luke is Joey, a gun runner who mistakes geeky dental supplies salesman Eugene Levy for his contact. Suddenly, he finds himself being chased by tough nut cop Sam Jackson.

“I suppose I am normally a bit method,” he admits, suddenly reminded of his breakout starring role as Brit gangster Charlie Richardson in 2004′s Charlie.

“On that set, everyone called me Charlie, I’d be Charlie all day long.” He laughs: ” The Man was slightly less gruelling.” Less gruelling maybe, but it will be another important notch on his Hollywood resume. Residing in Los Angeles with his long-time wife Shirley, Luke is keen to establish himself as a viable leading man.

Although he deserves telling off for inspiring some of the more unpleasant fashion trends of the early ’90s, he still has the good looks and charisma that propelled songs like Cat Among The Pigeons, When Will I Be Famous and Drop The Boy to record-breaking sales (along with twin brother Matt and Craig Logan).

“I’ve just finished filming my 16th movie and I start a new one tomorrow,” he says proudly.

“I’ve been in India playing a Persian king with Peter O’Toole and Omar Sharif. I got tanned and grew my beard. Who would have thought it, a blonde guy from London playing a Persian king?” A Londoner through and through, Goss was shocked and appalled when he heard about the bombings in the capital in July.

“I heard about it on satellite radio,” he remembers, with a shiver, “because I was filming in the desert. I said to them that I couldn’t do another frame until I got to a phone, so they drove me half an hour to a Ranger post where I called everyone I know.

“I love the city so much and it was very upsetting.” He says he joined millions of others in turning to celebrity gossip in a bid to keep his mind off the tragedy. Yes, would you believe it, Luke Goss reads OK! magazine.

“I’ve never been very voyeuristic, but when I went back to Britain to promote Charlie, I sat down with a publicist and the celeb mags so she could tell me who everyone was.” One thing he doesn’t need help with is football. Or does he? “I’m a big footie fan,” he admits, “but when you are away like me, you get out of touch.” Nonetheless, he’ll be too busy focusing on acting to pay much attention to the football season. Having just handled Samuel L Jackson on-screen, he is moving on to pony-tailed martial artist Steven Seagal in new movie Mercenary.

“I’m an Englishman and I’m making it in Hollywood,” he says firmly. “You’ve got to say I want it enough? And you know what? I do.”

Luke Goss: most definitely The Man.

l The Man opens in cinemas on Friday 2005