"People throw around the word 'evil,' but that's such an abstract concept," Michael says. "I'm not even sure what it means. I don't think Connor is a predator, and I don't think he's premeditating. He definitely abuses a position of trust, but I didn't want to portray him simply as a bad guy."

"He brings a lot of positivity into Mia's life. He gives her confidence and encourages her to follow her dream to become a dancer. She's not getting that at home. But he crosses a line. I wanted to make him seem like a normal guy, not a monster. He makes a terrible decision, and we're all capable of that – it's in all of us. If people are shocked or repulsed, maybe it's because they're afraid they could do something like that themselves."

On accepting his role in Fish Tank, script unseen:

"It comes down to the director. I'd seen what Andrea was capable of in Red Road, and what I really like about that film is that she doesn't judge her characters at all. She doesn't put them into safe boxes, making obvious heroes and villains. Her characters are more ambiguous than that, and her stories leave you with something to think about. I knew I had to work with her, regardless of whether I'd read the script."

On working with Jarvis, who had no prior acting experience:

"We didn't do any rehearsals. Andrea prefers to film her rehearsals because she likes working in some sort of chaotic and unstable atmosphere. And in that environment, Katie was incredible. She has naturally what a lot of actors work very long and hard to find, which is the ability to grasp the truth in a scene. She works without vanity or pretense. She has a very intuitive approach that serves her well."

On mentoring inexperienced actors:

"I think it's a very dangerous thing to do. The most important relationship is between an actor and a director, and if any coaching is to be done, that's the director's job. It's not my place to offer advice, and Katie certainly didn't need any."

On the similarities between Arnold and Tarantino:

"Besides being very passionate about their work, they both create a very liberating environment for their actors. They're very clear about what they want, but they afford you the opportunity to try new things and see what works."

On the movies that inspired his passion for cinema:

"It was the American cinema of the 1970s that made me want to become an actor – The Godfather, Dog Day Afternoon, Raging Bull, The Conversation. You can't go wrong with any of those. I've always been a huge [Martin] Scorsese fan, and I’d love to work with him. Or, more recently, Paul Thomas Anderson, or the Coen brothers – The Big Lebowski is one of my all-time favorites. There are so many directors I'd like to work with. Can you put in a good word?"