Ron Donachie has starred on the silver screen as the captain in Titanic, played fan favourite Rodrik Cassel in TV sensation Game of Thrones, and even appeared in cultural staple Doctor Who.
Now he’s back on TV screens as world-weary, dry-witted prison officer Don Carpenter in brand new Channel 4 drama Screw.
And despite his star-studded CV, Dundee-born Ron is refreshingly grounded when it comes to his process for picking projects.
“Everybody likes a big movie!” he laughs. “The gloss and the glamour and the big stuff, of course they do. But ultimately, being in things means I get to work.
“So as with any freelance person, the first thing you think about is that you’re not going to be unemployed!
“That being said, there are some things you’re more enthusiastic about than others, and (Screw) is certainly one of them.”
The six-part miniseries, by Killing Eve writer Rob Williams, charts the lives of prison officers (“screws”) in the fictional Long Marsh Prison.
Derry Girl is dark horse of new drama
At Long Marsh, the arrival of new trainee officer Rose, played by Derry Girls‘ Jamie-Lee O’Donnell, sets in motion a train of mysterious events and hilarious antics at Long Marsh.
And Ron reckons new kid O’Donnell is one to watch.
“I think people will see her in a hugely different light,” he says of the 30-year-old Northern Irish actress, who rocketed to fame as mouthy Michelle in Channel 4’s Derry Girls.
“First of all, she’s working out of her own accent. She’s a Derry girl – but you don’t know that, when you see her working. You would be quite convinced that she came from the north of England.
“And then if you’d only seen her in a comedic role, you’d be astonished by how good she is in this.
“From the moment she walks on screen, you just go: ‘Wow’.”
As for his own character, ex-soldier and veteran warden Don is a man of few words – but seasoned pro Ron doesn’t need a huge script to tell a story.
“I like characters where you can reveal things that might not be standout in the script,” he says.
“You can maybe try to add layers of nuance and subtlety that aren’t immediately present in the writing.
“With Rodrik (Game of Thrones), I got to do that, and my other big role, the captain in Titanic, I think I managed to put a bit more into that than was actually on the page.
“That’s always a good thing, I think, if you can peel the skin off the onion and let the audience see a bit more.”
The ensemble cast is completed by Nina Sosanya (His Dark Materials) as head warden Leigh, and fellow officers Ali (Faraz Ayub), Jackie (Laura Checkley) and Gary (Stephen Wright), all of whom Ron dubs “fabulous actors”.
Glasgow carnival transformed into jail
Eagle-eyed viewers might notice that the outdoor shots of “Long Marsh” use the exterior of HMP Peterhead, but the interior has a jollier history.
Filmed at former carnival building Kelvin Hall in Glasgow, Screw has given the derelict landmark a new lease of life – even if that life is behind fully-functional prison bars.
Just last month, it was announced the remainder of the building would be transformed into a permanent TV studio, and for Scottish stalwart Ron, getting to work on his home turf was a rare luxury.
“I’ve been an actor for 41 years and I rarely work in Scotland. It’s a very unusual thing for me,” he reveals. “And that space in the Kelvin Hall, I remember still being a carnival!
“To see that fabulous building, which has been lying dormant for years and years, being properly used is excellent.”
Ron’s hometown ‘getting on its feet again’
Ron is equally optimistic about his home city of Dundee, although he reveals he hasn’t been back since the death of his mother last year.
“I think the way things have developed in Dundee has been absolutely fantastic,” he smiles.
“When I was a wee boy, it was a great place to grow up. The mills were still working, there was the Timex, it was a busy time.
“And then in the ’70s, when I was leaving, the city went through some very, very difficult years.
“So it’s fantastic to see the place getting on its feet again.”
Screw starts at 9pm on January 6 on Channel 4 and will stream on All4.