Danny Dyer has opened up on his kids reactions to his upbringings.
The EastEnders actor has revealed that his children were "petrified of getting out the car" when he took them to visit the council estate where he was raised. The 47 year old star, hailing from Newham in east London and famed for his distinctive Cockney accent, believes that classism has fuelled his ambition and determination.
Speaking to Sky News, he said: "I’ve been around for a long time, you know? So I’ve learned as I’ve gone along with it, and I’m very proud of where I’m from," He added: "I’m very proud of my roots. I’ve tried not to lose that. Unfortunately, I’ve got kids that are quite privileged, so they don’t really understand."
Danny and his wife Joanne Mas are parents to three children – Sunnie, Arty and reality TV star Dani, who appeared on the fourth series of ITV's Love Island. "Sometimes I drive back to Custom House, where I was brought up, and the kids (are) in the back and they’re petrified of getting out of the car, which is a real shame", he shared.
"They can’t believe that their dad lived on a council estate. But I think it gives you a good work ethic. And I think the classism thing is … there’s a lot of isms in the world, and I think everybody has to deal with it at some point in their life. And it just made me a lot more determined and ambitious really, I’ve always backed myself as an actor, and I’m not one for accents, you know, let Geordies play Geordies and Scottish people play Scottish people. That’s what I believe. That’s my thing. Let the Cockneys do their thing.
"And I’m lucky to have managed to have had quite a long career up to this point. So like I said, I do think it gives you some sort of steel inside you when you come from a very working-class background, you’re ready to take on the world as such. The actor also said that acting “wasn’t really encouraged” where he was from, adding that he “believed in myself” despite this.
Drama unfolded for his character on EastEnders, Mick Carter, who seemed to meet a watery end in the English Channel on Christmas Day 2022 while trying to save his sweetheart.
Rocketing to fame with the role of Moff in the iconic film 'Human Traffic' in 1999, Dyer then showcased his acting chops in movies like 'Mean Machine' (2001) and 'The Football Factory' (2004). Viewers can catch him more recently as businessman Freddie Jones in the Disney+ series 'Rivals', inspired by Dame Jilly Cooper's bestselling book.
A surprising twist in his personal narrative was revealed on Who Do You Think You Are? in 2016, where it came to light that Dyer has Royal ancestors including King Edward III, William the Conqueror, and even a connection to Henry VIII’s confidant, Thomas Cromwell.
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