Colin Farrell says he was 'sweating' while reading script of new film

Colin Farrell has given another Oscar-worthy performance in Ballad of a Small Player, and the actor is detailing why he chose to do the film.

In Ballad of a Small Player, Farrell plays a British lawyer who dubs himself Lord Doyle and gambles away the money of his clients in Macau.

Revealing why he picked the film, The Penguin star told Deadline, "Well, the script I found was extraordinarily beautiful moving, all those things that you kind of dream of being involved in, things that touch you as a reader." he says.

"If it doesn’t touch you as a reader, you might as well just walk away unless you have to go to work," he declared.

He acknowledged that oftentimes actors have to say yes to projects because they need work, and noted that when he has a choice, he looks for feeling in a script.

"I need to feel it when I read it. That’s all. And I need to feel what, I don’t know? Anger could be enough, sorrow could be enough. Joy: if it’s a comedy. You just need to feel something," the Banshees of Inisherin star explained.

"So this film was, as you saw, is awash in feeling, like saturated," he went on. "I was sweating as I was reading the f***ing thing." 

Colin Farrell is joined by Tilda Swinton in Ballad of a Small Player. The film will stream on Netflix from October 29.