Colin Firth Plays The Master 

He wooed thousands as the dashing Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, now he's back in period costume to play the charismatic Master in Henry James' famous ghost story. 

"The characterisation of the Master is very much a creation of this adaptation. In the book he is a presence by implication. But the young governess is so motivated by her feelings for him that we have tried to establish that relationship in this adaptation," explains Colin. 

"It is one of the most argued over books of this century. Are the ghosts real, or is the governess psychotic. The Master manipulates this girl and tries to make use of what he perceives as his power to exploit her vulnerability." 

But he admits he is not a fan of watching costume drama. 

"Despite my reputation for costume drama, I am not drawn to watching it on television. But I have not steered away from it as a result of playing Darcy. I don't want to be held hostage to that. If I am offered something irresistible, and it means wearing a costume like Darcy's, then I will do it," says Colin. 

"In some ways there is more artifice in wearing modern dress than period costume. If I am putting on breeches, I know I am putting on a costume. If I am putting on jeans and a t-shirt for a role you have to be more specific. They're not my jeans and t-shirt. When we made Fever Pitch for instance we had to decide whether black jeans were in vogue at that time." 

Colin says he certainly found the Henry James story irresistible. 

"I love The Turn of the Screw. I love the mystery of it. When ghost stories are told well, they are brilliant. But they are incredibly rare. It is a perpetually misjudged form of story telling. 

"The Turn of the Screw is one of the models of ghost story telling. It is a gripping portrait of a person's psychology. The overwhelming majority of people who attempt such stories fall into the trap of wanting to explain everything. The golden rule of ghost stories is don't reveal all. And that is the beauty of this Henry James story." 

Colin recalls reading the book, and watching the chilling film The Haunting. The terrifying Don't Look Now, is one of his favourite films, he says. 

"I like the mood of a ghost story. It is perfect for a wintry night, sitting by the fire, watching a ghost story which gives you a chill and provokes the imagination. If I am here at Christmas that is what I will be watching,"says Colin. 

He says he doesn't believe in ghosts, but admits he had some "uncanny and inexplicable" experiences. "When I was a teenager I dreamt up all sorts of things, but as I've got older I've found explanations for those experiences." 

The son of two university lecturers, Colin spent the first four years of his life in Nigeria, before the family moved to England. He has a younger brother and sister, Jonathan and Kate, who are also actors. Inspired by his grandmother's performances in amateur theatre, Colin decided as a teenager to become an actor. He trained at the London Drama Centre. When he left he was cast as Tommy Judd, in the stage and screen versions of Another Country. 

Colin quickly earned a reputation for versatility and has played a wide range of roles including a Falklands veteran in Tumbledown, John McCarthy in Hostages, an Arsenal supporter in Fever Pitch, Lord Wessex in Shakespeare in Love, and the cuckolded officer in The English Patient. 

Colin has had a busy year making four feature films, due for release in 2000. He plays the title role in Donovan Quick. His other films are My Life So Far, Londinium, and Relative Values. 

He is currently starring in Richard Greenberg's Three Days of Rain at the Donmar Warehouse with Elizabeth McGovern and David Morrissey. 

Away from acting Colin has developed a passionate concern for the plight of refugees, and offers his help to support groups all over Britain. 

"The arbitrary detention of refugees is a source of appalling shame. It is shocking that refugees should be arrested when they have committed no crime. They should be treated as heroes when they have managed to flee their own countries and cross several continents to find refuge,"says Colin.