Steve Coogan stars opposite Dame Judi Dench in Philomena, a film based on the true story of an Irish mother who was forced to give her newborn up for adoption by the Catholic Church. Journalist Martin Sixsmith (Coogan) hears the story of Philomena Lee (Dench) and helps her track down her lost son in a journey that takes them to the U.S.

Coogan was impressed by his experience working with Dame Judi. He was struck by “how un-precious, unpretentious and easy she was to work with [she was],” Coogan told Uinterview exclusively. “She is very un-grand; she is very workmanlike. She showed up in the morning she had to, to do a day’s work and did it very festively, very studiously, never complained and was very open to talking about things. Just a dream!”

Interview by Erik Meers

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Q: What attracted you to the story of Philomenia? - Erik Meers

Well I read a newspaper article four years ago, in the Guardian newspaper online. My eyes were drawn to the article, 'The Catholic Church Sold My Child' it says. And I thought that was odd and I start reading the article and the more and more facts that came out as I was reading the story it was just breathtaking. The story was very moving, it gripped me from the outside, so I battled for the option on the book and that'€™s where it started.

User Erik Meers
Q: What was the most surprising moment working with Judy Dench? - Erik Meers

How un-precious, unpretentious and easy she was to work with. She is very un-grand she is very workman like; she showed up in the morning she had to do a day's work and did it very festively, very studiously never complained and was very open to talking about thing. Just a dream!

User Erik Meers
Q: You are known for doing comedy. How did it feel to act in a drama? - Erik Meers

It'€™s what I wanted to do, lots of people always want to do something different. If you are as successful as I am in the UK with comedy, people tend to pigeonhole you, and it's very difficult to break out of that. If you want to break out of it, you have to do it yourself. I wanted to look for something that was dramatic but to keep the comedy too. What I love about the film is that we use comedy in the film but we are talking about a serious subject.