Monday, 11 August 2008

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John Hannah: Fans think I'm James Nesbitt

People recognise the Four Weddings And A Funeral star 's face - but not where from

Former John Hannah had trouble dealing with instant fame

John Hannah's trademark twinkle is instantly recognisable but fans just can't seem to place him.

‘I’ll be in a café and someone will come right up and say. “Where do I know you from?”’ he smiles. ‘Sometimes, if I’m in a bad mood, I’ll be short and I’ll say, “Just tell me what you watch and I’ll tell you if I’m in it”.

‘Sometimes they think I’m James Nesbitt, so obviously I tend to only do it when they think I’m him. Might as well exploit the confusion.’

John, 46, a former electrician, found overnight fame as one of Hugh Grant's gay friends in Four Weddings And A Funeral - but the glare of the spotlight turned him into 'a madman'. He battled depression for 9 months with therapy.

'I don't think anyone is really brought up to deal with that kind of shift,' he tells Weekend magazine. 'It felt like I was on a train that was hurtling along and I didn't know where it was headed.'

The dad-of-two got over 'the hump', was cast as the romantic lead in Sliding Doors and is now starring in The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor, the 3rd movie in the series.

'Filming The Mummy movies has been quite streuous as there are lots of stunts,' he explains. 'But I'm not complaining. We've had a lot fun.'

Rachel Ingram