MAX Beesley was sipping from a glass of milk at the launch of his new TV drama earlier this week.
“I’ve got a stomach ulcer,” he explained.
The Burnage-born Hotel Babylon star looks very different as bearded Afghanistan aid worker Michael Ezard in The Last Enemy.
Due on BBC1 next month, the five-part thriller is set in a near future where our every move can be tracked.
He said his false beard became irritable from the very first fitting in London, before filming on location in Romania.
“It was seven pieces and two hours in the make-up caravan – in 105 degrees heat at seven in the morning. It was really annoying, but perfect for the part.”
Did Max not want to grow his own beard?

“I don’t think I can. I don’t think I’ve reached puberty yet.
“With every part, costume is very important and the look is extremely important.
“And the beard – immediately you’re kind of in that world. Those things help a lot.”
Bearing in mind the subject matter of the new drama, I asked him if he’d ever looked himself up on Google.
“Yeah, if I was a chocolate I’d eat myself. I have looked myself up,” he laughed.
“What’s weird about looking yourself up on Google are the websites that are apparently your own, that aren’t.
“My Space – thousands of people thanking you for having them as your friend. It’s quite strange.
“I think I’ve got about 1,272 pages on Google.”
Max is back later this year as manager Charlie (pictured) in a third series of BBC1’s Hotel Babylon – his character checks out half way through the run.
He’s returning to Hollywood soon, chasing the American dream.
But Max says he’s given up any hope of one day following in the footsteps back here of Daniel Craig as 007.
“I’m too working class. I’ll never get cast as Bond.”
He is, however, working on one big screen project.
Max is set to co-produce and star in a new Manchester gangster movie called Mr Goodnight.
You can read more about that here:
Max Is Manc Godfather