He has played all manner of parts, from cad to croupier to bank robber. But Clive Owen’s latest role is far more sobering. He stars as dad Joe Warr who brings up his two children alone when his wife dies in The Boys Are Back.

“The loss of a parent and having to tell the little ones that mum might not be around for much longer I found a devastating idea and a really upsetting thing,” said Owen.

“In some ways it was the hook for me to make the film,” he added.

” As soon as I read those scenes I wanted to find out how this young kid and this father coped and navigated their way through and got their lives back on track.”The British actor took his own family with him to Australia for the shoot.

The 45-year-old said: “They had a fantastic time. If I’m going away for that length of time they have to come out. You try to work it around school times, but at other times I’ll have to talk to the school, as it’s too long to be apart.”

The Boys Are Back is directed by Scott Hicks whose previous credits include the Oscar winning Shine. It is based on the memoir by journalist Simon Carr.

Source: ITN