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Lock, stock & two smirking barrels

Movie hardman Vinnie Jones turns to comedy... yes, really

MOVIE hardman Vinnie Jones may be best known for his menacing screen roles but
he is now going all out to make it in COMEDY.

The former soccer tough nut is on a high after landing a lead role in
Galavant, a new primetime US sitcom set in the UK.

And he is making it a hat trick with roles in an Adam Sandler comedy and US
comic Kevin Pollak’s next project.

Footballer turned actor Vinnie Jones in the new British film Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels.

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Galavant — a US spin on Blackadder — begins filming in August in England and
Wales and is due to air in January.

Vinnie says he landed the part of evil henchman Gareth thanks to his portrayal
of hard-nut characters such as Big Chris and Bullet-Tooth Tony in the early
Guy Ritchie gangster movies — roles which he claims showed off his comedy
skills.

He says of the show: “It is like Monty Python. It’s a medieval comedy and very
different to what’s out there.

“It is very hilarious. I am having a run on the comedy at the moment, it’s my
thing. It is an adventure.

Vinnie Jones stars as "The Sphinx"

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“If you look back at my first films, Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels and
Snatch, they were both comedies.

“I sort of drifted away from it, but now I’m doing the project with Adam
Sandler, which will be shooting in August and September.

“And I’ve just shot a comedy with Kevin Pollak down in New Orleans. So I’m
driving down towards the comedy a bit more now — I love it.”

Back in the Eighties the former Wimbledon, Leeds and Chelsea midfielder became
notorious as one of the practical joke-loving Wimbledon FC pals known as the
Crazy Gang.

One of his most famous stunts involved him grabbing Paul Gascoigne’s privates
during a Newcastle v Wimbledon match.

Football - Division One 87/88 - Newcastle United v Wimbledon

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Vinnie particularly loved filming one scene in Galavant which recalls his
Crazy Gang days.

He says: “There’s a scene when I’m dancing with the king and queen, it’s just
hilarious. It’s great and I love throwing myself in there and getting some
laughs.”

Vinnie, who nowadays lives in the Hollywood Hills, is also a keen comedy
watcher and is currently hooked on US sitcom Modern Family, which airs on
Sky1 in Britain.

Snatch, PICTURED: VINNIE JONES,

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He says: “It’s a good classic at the moment. I really hope they can manage to
keep it as funny as it has been over the last couple of years.”

In the 15 years since he left football Vinnie has built a Hollywood career —
and a £9million fortune.

He has starred alongside A-listers such as Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, Nicolas
Cage and Dennis Hopper in action films and has also been a regular on US TV,
although his big primetime drama The Cape was axed in 2011 after just a few
episodes.

Hard act to follow: Vinnie Jones takes his first leading role in Mean Machine

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Despite hitting the big time, Vinnie — who worked his way up from building
sites to football’s top flight to Hollywood — dislikes schmoozing in
Tinseltown.

He says: “I don’t like going to dinners and lunches, to be honest. It’s a bit
formal for me. I prefer having a game of golf or going to a baseball game to
talk stuff over.”

Vinnie, who recently played alongside a string of stars including Tim Allen,
Andy Garcia and Joe Pesci at the Screen Actors Guild Foundation’s Actors
Fore Actors charity golf event in Los Angeles, says: “I sort of messed
around in England with golf because of the weather.

“Now I am out here I take it a lot more serious.”

The Final Stand

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He is just as straight-faced when discussing his decision last November to go
public about being treated for melanoma, or skin cancer.

Back then he told The Sun he had several lumps removed after being diagnosed
in February last year.

He says: “I wanted to make awareness of it. Melanoma is a killer, people have
got to take note of it.

“Lads have got to get checked up, little moles and stuff like that. I’m well
on top of mine but I’m lucky, I’m in the right place.”

dancingdogs.

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He adds: “It’s funny, because if you talk to guys and they tell you they’ve
got this little something and you tell them to get it checked out, they’re
like, ‘Wow’.

“Then they talk to someone that’s actually had it cut out. It’s not something
you want to carry with you.”