suzewebb
18-05-2005, 08:05
The Bill`s TJ likes to get physical
The Bill`s TJ likes to get physical. And the actor has had plenty of opportunity to do so playing drug dealer Adi Mateen in The Bill, during the run-ins the gangster has had with the police at Sun Hill.
And even though Adi is about to be revealed as undercover cop DC Zain Nadir in a dramatic episode in the ITV1 drama on Thursday May 26, the rough stuff won't be stopping once Zain is wearing his badge again.
"I love the physical stuff, of course," says the 29-year-old. "It's James Bond stuff isn't it? But you should see Zain, he's crazy. Adi is nothing compared to Zain," he laughs. "He's worse and he's got a badge."
But TJ's fight scenes on The Bill are nothing compared to the ones the 6ft 2 performer had to film for the forthcoming Batman film Batman Begins, in which he plays the bodyguard of the film's villain The Scarecrow.
"All bad ass characters need bad ass heavies to look after them," says TJ, "and I'm a pretty big old unit so I played his bodyguard. I was a New York-Italian guy and I'm supposed to take care of The Scarecrow, make sure no one tries to kick his ass.
"I had dialogue as well, so it wasn't that small a role," he adds proudly. "And I was in a Batman movie and I got to fight with Batman, no one can ever take that away from me. You won't be able to miss me but I don't think I'll be getting any rave reviews for my performance, let's put it that way," he laughs.
TJ's excitement about seeing the film is such that he's turned down the chance to see it on DVD before release in favour of heading to the cinema with his girlfriend, unsigned singer-songwriter Annie McQueen, to watch it on the big screen with the rest of the film-going public.
"I just want to go and see it like everyone else," he explains. "I'm excited about seeing the new Batman movie anyway, because I think it's going to be brilliant. And then there's the added bonus of seeing myself in it.
TJ's enthusiasm for his role is fuelled by the fact the actor is a massive film fan. He says it was growing up as a child in the late 70s, when cinema was going through something of a fertile creative period, that inspired him to become an actor.
Film stardom is going to have to wait for TJ Ramini, however, for the actor is currently having too much fun playing the role of the mysterious Adi Mateen in The Bill.
The Bill`s TJ likes to get physical. And the actor has had plenty of opportunity to do so playing drug dealer Adi Mateen in The Bill, during the run-ins the gangster has had with the police at Sun Hill.
And even though Adi is about to be revealed as undercover cop DC Zain Nadir in a dramatic episode in the ITV1 drama on Thursday May 26, the rough stuff won't be stopping once Zain is wearing his badge again.
"I love the physical stuff, of course," says the 29-year-old. "It's James Bond stuff isn't it? But you should see Zain, he's crazy. Adi is nothing compared to Zain," he laughs. "He's worse and he's got a badge."
But TJ's fight scenes on The Bill are nothing compared to the ones the 6ft 2 performer had to film for the forthcoming Batman film Batman Begins, in which he plays the bodyguard of the film's villain The Scarecrow.
"All bad ass characters need bad ass heavies to look after them," says TJ, "and I'm a pretty big old unit so I played his bodyguard. I was a New York-Italian guy and I'm supposed to take care of The Scarecrow, make sure no one tries to kick his ass.
"I had dialogue as well, so it wasn't that small a role," he adds proudly. "And I was in a Batman movie and I got to fight with Batman, no one can ever take that away from me. You won't be able to miss me but I don't think I'll be getting any rave reviews for my performance, let's put it that way," he laughs.
TJ's excitement about seeing the film is such that he's turned down the chance to see it on DVD before release in favour of heading to the cinema with his girlfriend, unsigned singer-songwriter Annie McQueen, to watch it on the big screen with the rest of the film-going public.
"I just want to go and see it like everyone else," he explains. "I'm excited about seeing the new Batman movie anyway, because I think it's going to be brilliant. And then there's the added bonus of seeing myself in it.
TJ's enthusiasm for his role is fuelled by the fact the actor is a massive film fan. He says it was growing up as a child in the late 70s, when cinema was going through something of a fertile creative period, that inspired him to become an actor.
Film stardom is going to have to wait for TJ Ramini, however, for the actor is currently having too much fun playing the role of the mysterious Adi Mateen in The Bill.