Pals teased him over dropping his Scottish accent after heading to tinsel town almost 20 years ago.
But Tony Curran showed he’s not lost an ounce of his Caledonian spirit playing a gangland enforcer in television hit Your Honor.
The 51-year-old reverted to his native Glaswegian brogue to play a henchman for a Scots crime gang in New Orleans.
The hit Sky Atlantic show stars Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston as a judge who becomes embroiled with the gang to protect his son.
Tony’s brooding menace contributed to the Your Honor's global success and it was a treat to use his normal accent after 17 years in Los Angeles.
He said: “It’s a long way from where I was born, Robroyston. It is affectionately referred to in the Gaelic, The Garngad, the Garden of God, I think somewhat ironically these days.
“I don’t get to speak like a Glaswegian often, so it was nice to use my own brogue. Scots pals back home say, ‘You don’t sound like you used to’. I tell them I get that after being in LA for quite a while now. But I hope I’ve not been diluted too much.”
And the star of The Outlaw King and Deadwood is not entirely ruling out a second series of Your Honor.
Tony said: “We were told it was a one-and-done but if Bryan fancies another go, there’s certainly plenty of scope.
“With the Scottish gangster Jimmy Baxter and the big rival Desire gangs running the New Orleans underworld, there’s plenty of drama to be had when you consider you still have a judge in the gangster’s pocket.”
Playing Baxter’s right-hand man, Tony was a very easy addition to a cast that became well acquainted during a marathon 15-month shoot affected by the pandemic.
Tony revealed some of the back story of gangland kingpin Baxter, partly devised by the stars, that never made the final cut.
He said: “Jimmy was one of seven kids whose parents broke up and he left Scotland to find his fortune. It’s an immigrant story. Myself, Bryan and Michael Stuhlbarg, who plays Baxter, all got together and discussed where we were with our own characters.
“Frankie was probably a good friend of Jimmy back in Scotland and he’s called me and said he is in a legit hotel restaurant business.
The relationship between Frankie and Jimmy was fleshed out this way, where we’d reach an understanding that I’d do anything for him, as a trusted confidante but also a ruthless one.”
The long production was a chance to add topical elements which helped Your Honor strike a huge chord with viewers.
Tony said: “The plot did tap into a lot of very current issues that erupted in the pandemic. We had a young black man taking the fall for a crime done by a white person. The strong echoes of BLM issues made Your Honor emerge as something topical and quite powerful.”
Despite Glaswegian actors playing gangland enforcers in UK productions being regarded as a stereotype, Tony’s varied career has meant he’s been more likely to play vampires or aliens than Scottish baddies.
But his ability to conjur an air of brooding menace has stood him in good stead in the States.
The actor’s real life nature is generally far more contemplative, a side he’s explored fully as the lockdown hit the USA in the same way it has the UK.
He’s been affected by the isolation from his family - unable to travel back to Scotland and at one point stuck in New Orleans filming Your Honor for two months while wife Mai daughter, Beau, eight remained at their home in LA.
Tony said: “I had such high hopes for 2020. The year seemed to have a good ring to it but little did we know.
“I think one of the incredible, sad and moving things about lockdown is that you could be in LA or Glasgow or Italy or Asia and everybody was going through the same struggle and uncertainty.
“Personally, I’ve found this an incredible time to be contemplating the meaning of life.
“For me, it seemed like Mother nature was telling everyone to take a step back and slow down for a bit and take stock and weight up what life is all about. It was a massive exhale.
“The freeways over here or the M8 back home were deserted and you could land a plane on the High Street.
“The biggest takeaway from it is valuing our freedoms and being grateful for what we’ve got and appreciating it when life comes back to where it was.
“My mum, Mary, is 87 but she was living with my sister for seven months but she says that was never like some of the stuff she’s had top put up with in the lockdown in Scotland.
“My niece had a baby, little Harris, recently, and his gran hadn’t seen him for ages. When I called the other day they were out in the back yard and there were blue skies and I could see some of the family gathered. So that was progress.”
Tony’s enforced home detention has made him a useful addition to daughter Beau's home teaching staff, which was usually marshalled by Mai.
He said: “Mai has made me useful because this home schooling is a job and a half. She calls me Daddy Doubtfire.
“But, as much as we love each other, being stuck with each other in such close quarters for such a long time has been hard and Beau is now finally getting back to seeing her schoolmates, which is a big step forward.”
In Your Honor, Cranston’s character refers to Frankie as a “Celtic goon” on account of his Scots roots. Tony is part of a cohort of Celtic fans in LA that includes one of his best mates, Line of Duty star Martin Compston.
However he suffered watching his heroes lose the league title.
He said: “Watching Celtic’s season was painful. Both sides thought it might go to the wire but we didn’t really put up a challenge, so take the hat off to Rangers, they deserved to win it.
“There’s a supporters club here that gets well-known faces in. I’ve met Billy Connolly and Rod Stewart pops in quite often. Kevin Bridges, Paolo Nutini, whoever’s in LA and supports Celtic.
“The season has been flat. Jock Stein said football is nothing without fans so I hope it gets back to normal soon.”
