I'm trying to de-Frost, says Sheen

12:35am Thursday 16th October 2008

Actor Michael Sheen said he was attempting to "de-Frost" following his portrayal of the renowned interviewer in his latest film.

Frost/Nixon premiered on Wednesday night in London's Leicester Square amid early speculation that it could be heading for Oscar success.

Among those attending the red carpet event was Sir David himself, who said he was "delighted" by the film, describing it as "powerful".

The movie depicts the tense meetings between Sir David Frost and disgraced US president Richard Nixon in 1977.

It follows the two men as they spar in the course of a series of interviews culminating in Nixon's seeming admission of guilt over the Watergate scandal.

Originally turned into a play by British writer Peter Morgan in 2006, the transition to the screen sees Sheen and Frank Langella reprise their West End roles.

Langella, who plays the former commander-in-chief, said Nixon continued to figure in his thoughts long after the cameras were turned off. "I do not think I will ever say goodbye to him. I think about him every day," he said.

Despite the timing of the film's release - as the US prepares for its next presidential election - Langella said: "It is not a political film but a human film."

Sheen, who won praise for his portrayals of Tony Blair in both The Deal and The Queen, also had difficulty shaking off his character when filming ended. He said: "David Frost is not a character, he is more of a way of life, so I started to get worried when I found it more enjoyable being him than I did being me. So now I'm starting to kind of de-Frost, come out of character and let it go."

As for Frost himself, he said of the film: "I am delighted. It really is good, it really is powerful."

Theatre, Art & Cinema