Helen McCrory praises MotherFatherSon co-star Richard Gere

Helen McCrory thought Richard Gere was a "fascinating choice" for her \'MotherFatherSon\' co-star.

The \'Peaky Blinders\' actress has praised her cast mate - who will make his major TV role debut in the upcoming BBC drama - but she admitted she was surprised to find out she would be performing opposite the \'Pretty Woman\' star.

Speaking to the Mail on Sunday\'s EVENT magazine, she said: "I thought it was fascinating to choose as an alpha male someone who is naturally softly spoken and gentle in movement.

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"Richard has a steeliness, but he also has a very soft quality about him, which is why he was the young girls\' pin-up. The little girls don\'t fall in love with guys who look like they could strangle you. They like \'An Officer And A Gentleman!\' "

However, Helen, 50, admitted she wasn\'t as infatuated with the star, now 69, as other girls seemed to be when she was growing up.

She revealed: "I knew who he was, of course. But I had a crush on Adam And The Ants back then. It was all London, it was all street, it was all edgy, it was all the smell of carbon monoxide and marches and DMs."

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She added that there was a certain feel when Richard appeared on set, which she compared to his charismatic and successful businessman character of Max Finch in the show.

Helen - who plays his ex-wife Kathryn Villiers - explained: "\'Oh, yes - there\'s definitely an acknowledgement that when he walks on set, no one else has made that much money. Who else is standing there whose films have grossed that much?

"And even if it\'s not about the money, he\'s a film star. Of the old guard. So the role is perfect for him... When Max walks in the room, everybody goes, \'Wow, it\'s Max!\' "