A prominent Hollywood actor has spoken about his early life and upbringing in Norfolk. 

Rupert Everett, who is known for films including Stardust, The Chronicles of Narnia and Shrek, has reflected on growing up in Brancaster and Burnham Deepdale and how it influenced his life.

The 64-year-old said that he "hated all men" as a child and he did not want to join in the family tradition of being in the military.

Eastern Daily Press: Rupert Everett has strong links to his home countyRupert Everett has strong links to his home county (Image: Archant)

He said: "In this house in Norfolk we lived, every Saturday, every Wednesday, we all set off at 10 o'clock to go sailing.

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"We'd all have to carry these horrible bags, full of sails and batons and rollocks and oars and things like that and it was always cold.

"I wanted to stay with the ladies and lick out the pudding bowl and things like that."

Everett has previously said growing up in Norfolk has meant the county has been a "constant" throughout his life and that he considers it home. 

In 2021, he was named patron of Norfolk Screen alongside A-lister Bill Nighy, saying the county had "endless possibilities" for filming locations, having been named a patron of Wells Maltings two years earlier.

Eastern Daily Press: Shrek The Third cast members, from left, Antonio Banderas, Justin Timberlake, Mike Myers, Rupert Everett and Cameron Diaz at the 2007 UK premiere of the filmShrek The Third cast members, from left, Antonio Banderas, Justin Timberlake, Mike Myers, Rupert Everett and Cameron Diaz at the 2007 UK premiere of the film (Image: PA Wire)

Speaking on Gyles Brandreth's podcast Rosebud, Everett spoke about his sometimes strained relationship with his father, Major Anthony Michael Everett.

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The three-time Bafta nominee continued: "My grandmother, who was a very frosty lady, actually… the only people she could really identify with were little children and she was absolutely sweet to us when we were children.

“And so I loved her, I loved my aunt and I loved my mother and I hated all the men, which is strange.

“I have asked myself ‘how does homosexuality arise from loving women, and not hating men, but feeling very distrustful of men’ because I felt very stand-offish with my father.”