The footballer-turned-movie hard man is back, starring in a new Footsoldier film. He talks about how his film and TV career exploded and refinding his dignity
![Vinnie Jones: ‘My career flew off the rails. The wheels were going. There wasn’t a spare seat!’](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/c2aadd669336c822d2f19d3c302396165f3e60b9/432_1051_2856_1714/master/2856.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=d2c25bd00ccad377d527c93070d24397)
I am, obviously, scared of Vinnie Jones. Even though he is calling from
New York, 3,000 miles and five hours away, I keep expecting him to click his neck three times and pull me into a breathless headlock. But instead, he is sleepy and then charming, and doesn’t threaten to kick my face in once.
He is sleepy because he was up until 2.30am
shooting Law & Order: Organized Crime, in which he appears in the recurring role of Albanian gangster Albi. “Going toe-to-toe with Christopher Meloni,” he smiles, “a legend in the acting world.”