Shame reunites you with the team from Hunger – what was it like going back to that group after just completing a massive, multi-cast franchise like X-Men: First Class?

“On X-Men we ran over schedule so it cut into my preparation time. I just had to get busy quick in the five weeks we had to film it, which is quite a condensed time frame. But it was great because it was just like picking up from where we left off at Hunger, with Steve [McQueen] and Sean [Bobbitt, cinematographer] behind the camera.

“We just got on with it. The end of Hunger was a continuation into this. It was always a special experience working with Steve and that team.”

Did the team, and feeling safe with them, help you take on such a controversial project?

“I don’t think I would have taken it on with just anyone. It felt like it didn’t matter what we were trying to do, I knew that Steve would be asking serious questions and it would be an interesting project.

“Things changed for me after Hunger and to have the opportunity at that time to do something like that with somebody like him – it felt like we’d sort of formed a union then. So whatever [this project] was, I was going to be involved with him if he wanted to have me.

“Obviously when he told me what the subject was about my imagination started to do its thing, so I was prepared for compromising positions and nudity and all that. Then when I got the script I was really impressed by how beautifully written it was.”