Ralf Little has revealed the brutal yet witty comeback he received from his younger brother following a recent acting role. After leaving Death in Paradise, the actor portrayed Alec Leamas in the espionage thriller The Spy Who Came In From The Cold.
The character was hugely different from the parts fans typically associate with him. Yet, according to Ralf's brother, the role was actually more aligned with his true personality.
Brother's blunt verdict
Discussing the part on Joel Dommett's BBC Radio 2 programme, the 46-year-old said: "It was really kind of dark and twisted and my brother, who is 10 years younger than me said to me, 'Oh, it's really good'.
"And I said, 'Oh, thanks' and he said, 'It must be nice to finally play yourself'."
Chuckling, Ralf confessed he was caught off guard by his sibling's harsh observation, noting that the character was "a 45-year-old burnt out functioning alcoholic" who was also "grumpy" and "disaffected".
"He said, 'It was much more you'. I was like, 'Alright, well don't tell everyone! At least soften the blow a little bit'," he laughed.
Love of darker roles
Ralf, whose latest work has also featured the Channel 4 psychological thriller Hunting Alice Bell, explained that portraying Graham Hunter was fun as it enabled him to embrace a character different from his previous roles.
"Doing Hunting Alice Bell was a real joy because again I get to play somebody that's very far away from who I am and what I'm known for, what I'm like, unless you ask my brother in which case, I'm playing myself," he continued.
"I love darker characters and I understand why I rarely get the opportunity to but I really enjoy it."
What's next for Ralf Little
Ralf is now preparing to feature in the new Agatha Christie drama Hercule, joining an impressive ensemble cast.
These latest roles arrive two years after he departed from the BBC drama Death In Paradise, where he portrayed DI Neville Parker. Publishing an emotional statement when announcing his exit, he said: "My time on Saint Marie has come to an end - what an end! New adventures await Neville, and he got to sail away into the sunset with his best friend. Who knows what happens for them next!"
When previously explaining his reason for leaving, he told BBC Breakfast: "I had talks with the BBC, and with Red Planet, the production company, and we all agreed that it just felt... if it was in my heart, like if it was just a heart decision, I'd have wanted to do it for 20 more years.
"For my character Neville, it just sort of felt like his story... it deserved to be finished and his journey... deserved to be completed and he deserved a nice happy ending and so it just felt right."
