Jude Law says British and American cultures are increasingly similar

Jude Law credit:Bang Showbiz
Jude Law credit:Bang Showbiz

Jude Law thinks the gap between British and American culture has "narrowed".

The 48-year-old actor remains in demand on both sides of the Atlantic, but he thinks the two countries have grown increasingly similar since the turn of the millennium.

He explained: "The gap has definitely narrowed. Let’s not forget, there are other elements that influenced that, like 24-hour news and communications, or in the last 15 years, the overuse of phones.

"Everyone is on the same timeline now. And so we’ve all sort of risen to this very familiar homogenous kind of cultural … souffle, which is slowly sinking, spiritually."

By contrast, Jude admits that the US felt more like a fantasy than a real place during his childhood.

The London-born actor told the Guardian newspaper: "The memory as a kid was always, we were waiting for what happened in America.

"So, you know, films were always shown in America first. I remember hearing about 'Indiana Jones' or the next 'Star Wars', and you’d see pictures on the news of people queuing for the cinema in the States and you’d think: ‘Well, when are we gonna get it?’ There was always this sense of it being ahead. They did a phenomenal job of selling us this lifestyle that just seemed so other and glamorous and cool."

Jude also suggested that some Brits used to preach the wrong message to their kids.

He said: "I certainly have memories as a child, not from my own family but people around me, of being given that appalling piece of British advice: ‘Don’t get above yourself’.

"You know: ‘Don’t be too enthusiastic. You might actually be seen to be liking this.’ Which, for someone who is a born enthusiast, someone who’s constantly thinking: ‘How can we do this bigger and better?’ was quite crushing."