|
Ralf
Little continued ....
So
what changed then?
I'd
never really considered acting as a career, even though I got my
first TV job when I was 13. It was only a hobby, just like playing
football. Then, when I was 17, I took three months out of my final
A Level year to do the Royle Family. I went back to school and got
the grades I needed and started at medical school nearly a year
later. But I literally started medical school in the same week that
The Royle Family came out in September 1998.
 |
| Ralf
Little as Jonny and Sheridan Smith as Janet in Two Pints of
Lager and a Packet of Crisps |
And
all of a sudden, within four weeks, instead of having to turn up
for auditions on spec and hoping for the best, my agent was getting
phone calls saying "We'd like to see Ralph for this.' I was
still having to audition though, but I was being asked to go for
them.
I thought
that I would wonder for the rest of my life what would have happened
if I didn't do it, so in the end it was almost like there was no
choice. But at the time I agonised over it for a long time. It's
only with the benefit of hindsight that I don't really think I had
a choice!
The
Royle Family became so successful so quickly. Were you surprised?
Ralf:
Yeah - but the implications for my career weren't as sudden as you'd
think. I didn't even quit medical school outright - I deferred for
a year. I told them I was ill!
But
I had to be very careful. In the first four weeks I was disappearing
for three days at a time to go to London so I had to keep on telling
them that I was ill. That's the only reason you're allowed to keep
missing that much university.
But
of course, when it's medical school, all the lecturers that you're
having to excuse yourself from are doctors - so you can't just reel
off a list of symptoms! I reckon that I learnt more than any other
medical student in those first four weeks because I was having to
study medical dictionaries to find plausible illnesses!
I deferred
for a year because I was still a bit cynical and a bit sensible
and I thought that if things didn't work out in a year I could go
back to medical school. The year came round and then I made a brave
decision that I probably didn't give as much thought to as I should
have - thank god!
What
happened?!
Ralf:
The deadline came round for renewing my place and I left it until
the last day. I was doing bits and pieces but things hadn't really
taken off and I thought 'sh*t I've got to make this decision'!
In
the end I had to turn down medical school. I sent the fax and as
soon as I pressed the button I felt this weight lift off my shoulders.
It was the biggest decision of my life.
Ten
minutes later (literally) my agent phoned and said she'd just had
a phone call from Coronation Street saying they wanted me to do
a permanent part! She said 'I'll tell them no shall I?'!
Blimey!
To go from the chance of certain employment to the possibility of
no employment? Why?
Ralf:
With hindsight I think 'well of course tell them no'. It would have
been a terrible decision to do Coronation Street. With Corrie you
either want to be in it for years or use it to make a name for yourself
and hopefully use that to take a step in another direction. Having
already made a name in The Royle Family it would have been a step
backwards to do something like Coronation Street at that point in
my career. Maybe in a few years time - yes - I'd love to do it.
But
at 18-years-old, all I could think of was security and more money
than I'd ever dreamed of and fame.
 |
| Ralf
Little as Jonny in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps |
I thought
'I know I'm supposed to say no but I can't'. In the end I did say
no so I made two of the biggest decisions of my life on the same
day. Luckily it seems as though they were the right ones.
What
on earth did your parents say about all this?
Ralf:
They were brilliant. In fact they are the absolute antithesis of
Billy's parents. They never pressured me to do anything. They said
I could do anything I want, that was the way they worked.
So
I've never really had a fear about anything which is exactly the
opposite of Billy, which is why I find him fascinating.
As
far as medical school goes, I didn't ask them [my parents] for an
opinion and they didn't give me an opinion because they knew that
no matter how supportive they tried to be, whatever they would have
said would have influenced me in some way and they thought that
it had to be my decision.
I think
that they were trying to make up for the fact that they stopped
me from playing football from when I was 12 to when I was 18!
I
was going to ask you about that because wasn't football a third
possible career option?! Rumour has it you're quite good!
Ralf:
I can play a bit!
You're
semi-pro aren't you?!
Ralf:
Yeah - I am! But it was never a decision as such in terms of
career. But it's always been a bit of a thing of mine - could I
have been a pro?
When
I was 12 I was a really good player and maybe I could have been
a much better player. But I'm not saying that I'm amazing or that
I could have played for Man U.
I did
a documentary with my home town team Bury FC and they said you can
obviously play a bit but you're too old at 23 - you're not going
to make it. That was fair enough.
But
they did say that if you'd got in the game at 16 it might have been
a different story.
Did
your parents not want you to play then?
Ralf:
The biggest and only mistake that my parents ever made, and bless
them, they are eternally sorry for it, was that they had this idea
that rugby was much more of a thinking, intelligent man's game.
It was snobbery basically!
They
thought that that was what I should be playing even though I was
passionate about football. But they made me play rugby.
I'm
not too bitter about it but I wish they hadn't!
It
has left me with a burning desire to prove to people at every turn
that I can actually play footie!
So
you could have been playing for your team Manchester United - which
we'll skim over - but it's OK because they're a bit rubbish now
aren't they?!
Ralf:
Cheers! How can we skim over them?! No - I never thought I was
that good!
Anyway,
I still don't think I'd have given everything up for it. If I was
a pro I'd play less football than I do now anyway, but more than
anything else, even if I made it as a footballer, I was never going
to be top flight or properly admired for my ability.
 |
| Ralf
Little as Jonny with Will Mellor as Gaz in Two Pints of Lager
and a Packet of Crisps |
Whereas
doing what I'm doing now, I love it just as much. I don't think
I'm a superstar or anything but I think I'm good at this.
If
I work hard and learn as I go along and do the right things then
I could be right up there as a well respected actor and I could
be top flight in this game.
Have
you noticed how I've glossed over Man United being rubbish?! I suppose
you're an Arsenal fan?!
No
- Liverpool!
Ralf:
Well you can't exactly talk can you?!
No
but I don't pretend.
Ralf:
At the end of the day, what can you say? It's a big club that can
say they've had a disapponting season when they've only won the
FA Cup!
Well,
we'll just stop there shall we?
Ralf:
At least I'm from Manchester!
Do
you get to go much?
Ralf:
No I don't. I'll probably p*ss off a lot of full on Man U fans when
I say I like Man United and I want them to win but quite honestly
watching football - I can take it or leave it although I do get
into the big games.
But
I love football so much, I love playing so much that going week
in and week out and watching 22 strangers on a field just frustrates
me. I can't do it - I'd rather go and kick a ball against a wall
for 90 minutes than watch other people play.
So
you don't get upset when they lose all the time then?
Ralf:
Tell me about it!
Back
>>
| Pamela
Mooman-Outz, San Antonio, Texas, America |
Tuesday,
29-Jun-2004 14:03:40 BST |
 |
| Thanks
for this story. It's good to read about someone like Ralph Little
who has the courage to go for what he really wants. Bravo, Ralph!! |
|
