The most unusual one was the one I’ve just done, probably, where I played a psychotic split personality transsexual. It’s for Waking The Dead and it’s one of the best roles that I’ve ever done, I’ve not seen it yet but I certainly have never been so excited and nervous about a role. It was a massive challenge.

That is in a way the oddest thing to do because you know it’s not every day that you actually shave your legs, pluck your eyebrows, wear Chanel No 5, and genuinely try and portray a transsexual as not a freak of nature but as a dignified human being. I figured they're probably unhappier as the man and I made the man a little more dangerous and I made my character as the woman very elegant and dignified and happy.

These people do genuinely believe that they are born in the wrong sex, so once I made the decision to do it I absolutely threw myself into it. I’ve never been so focused on a role. I’m not sure if I pulled it off, we shall see, only time will tell. I had to sing at the beginning a little bit as well. I was in full Maria mode singing You Make Me Feel like a Natural Woman, so that was quite odd.