Straight from St Trinian's to producing a documentary about a man on death row, Colin Firth is nothing if not versatile but is so much variety the spice of his life?

Speaking at the recent Sundance Film Festiva, where ‘In Prison My Whole Life’ co-produced with wife Livia (might explain the delay in the opening of Eco Age), premiered, he said, "To get out of my spandex suit, interview Snoop Dog (for In Prison My Whole Life), go back, get into my spandex suit again, do St Trinian's and be humped by a small nylon dog, then off to do a little piece of work with Michael Winterbottom (upcoming film Genova) and then back to death row! It's the most natural thing in the world!"

Both he and his wife have strong feelings on the death penalty. "Without any hesitation or question, there's no argument for it at all," he said "I've heard it argued for vigorously but I don't think any of those arguments touch the sides. It's an utter obscenity in every conceivable case.

"It's nothing to do with how heinous the crime is. It's wrong for the state to kill - to be given a licence to do that is just wrong. It's wrong for us to be a part of that and to use that as an instrument of justice."

So what’s next for the resourceful Mr Firth? "I'd like to do something probably a little safer and cosier really," he admitted. "This is all a bit scary for somebody from Chiswick!"

January 31, 2008