Danny Dyer has opened up about how his “lad” attitude has given many people the wrong impression of him.
The EastEnders favourite said he’s been called “misogynistic, racist or homophobic” in the past, but insists this isn’t true at all.
Speaking about landing his role as loving father Mick Carter in the BBC soap, Danny praised former EastEnders executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins for understanding who he was.
Read more: EastEnders star quits to become a Hollywood superstar
The actor said Dominic understood that there was a depth to him behind his alpha-male stereotype.
“When they asked me to possibly do EastEnders I assumed it was going to be a gangster, go up against Phil Mitchell, come in with a sawn-off shotgun,” he told the Daily Star.
“It was the complete opposite. One of the first things Dominic said to me was ‘you’re going to be an alpha male, love your family, you’re going to have a gay son, he’s going to come out to you and you’re going to be fine with it’.”
“I loved that. He [Dominic] got me [despite] never meeting me before,” the Cockney favourite continued.
“He read some interviews. And I have got this perception of me. I have been called a misogynist, some people called me homophobic or racist because I am a lad. None of it is true whatsoever.”
Danny joined the cast of EastEnders in 2013 and has had his fair share of gripping storylines.
The actor said the most powerful storyline for him was when Mick’s son Johnny (played by Sam Strike) came out as gay to him in 2014.
The beloved star, however, has run into some controversy during his time on the soap.
Read more: Fans call Mick Carter ‘the new Gary Cooper’ after High Noon-style showdown
Back in January, Danny’s alter-ego found himself in hot water for his “casual racism” when he roped Masood in to help him cook a special curry for wife Linda.
Mick told his mate that he was the person to speak to about “anything Indian”, and brushed off Masood’s protests that he was actually from Pakistan.
Viewers were cross with Mick’s attitude – as was Masood, on screen.
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