They got in touch last week to offer me the job of the villain’s double during the month of reshoots of a Hollywood production. They said the job was between me and someone else. My first thought was: wow, but I don’t really look like that actor. After watching the trailer my second thought was: holy shit, really?

I travelled this morning to the studios outside London to meet the team and I was introduced to the other potential double who was there too. He didn’t look like me nor like the Hollywood villain. I thought: Really, is it really necessary to have us both at the same time?

The costume designer handed us each a costume from a rack and took us to separate rooms to get changed. Oooff, for a second I thought we were sharing the changing room- generally, nothing wrong with that, but not in a situation like this. Everything fit perfectly and the boots felt really nice. I walked out of the room to discover the other look-a-like in the same clothes as me and then quickly checked the rack to confirm that it only held replicas of the same costume that we were both wearing.

Out loud a disdainful voice announced it was clear who was right for the job and why. Seconds later the room filled up with people gathering around my antagonist -like when they proclaim the winner of Miss Universe. Different departments started asking questions, taking measurements and touching his hair, as they all moved away like a shoal of herrings. I was left on my own, dressed up like the Hollywood villain, standing in the middle of the room for at least ten minutes.

We got changed and waited for each other. His name is Henry and he is a dancer from Suffolk. He had an injury on his left shoulder last year from which he has recently recovered. He said he'll be able to pay his sister back with the money from this job. All this he told me on the train back to Euston Station.