On playing William Wallace He was something like 28 when he died. And I was already ten years older than that when we started shooting. But it doesn’t matter really, if you can sell it. At least my knees weren’t wrinkly.

On the blood and guts A lot of the stuff that we filmed we couldn’t put out on the screen. Somebody said I couldn’t show this to my kid because he was too little and there was too much blood-letting in it. But now that he’s 15, let’s get the butcher shop out! My assistant actually did a gag reel of all the most violent bits in the film, set to Julie Andrews singing My Favourite Things. It’s horrible. It’s hideous.

On rumours that the film was used as inspiration by extremist groups You’ve got no control over what happens to stuff once it’s out the gate. Hopefully it gets used in a good way, but, you know, I’m glad I’m not my brother’s keeper.

On the most emotional moment The most emotional moment was the last day we shot [laughs]. I think I went and had a little cry in my tent.

On growing up The choices you make are just totally different because of maturity, male menopause, whatever outside influence is acting on you. You just look around and see, sometimes, that what you’d laugh at in 1970 is totally not funny now.

On the movie business Is it frustrating? Sometimes, when you get knifed or something. But everybody gets knifed — it’s a hard game. But what has become more and more clear is that it’s not rocket science.

On self-improvement Some of the best advice I was given, a long time ago, was from a guy who said: “You want to make yourself better, go and dig a ditch.” So, a lot of that’s been going on: ditch-digging, vegetable-growing.

Braveheart Collector’s Edition from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is out now on Blu-ray

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