Ray Winstone met with Hatton Garden robbery ringleader Danny Jones to prepare for his forthcoming movie.
The 60-year-old actor is set to star in a new crime film based on the infamous multi-million pound heist at the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit in central London’s Jewellery quarter in 2015.
The ‘Sweeney’ star went to Belmarsh Prison in south-east London on Tuesday (30.05.17) to learn more about the biggest crime in British history.
Winstone was spotted arriving at the jail at around 7.30am ahead of a 9am visit to the 59-year-old robber – who he attended Edmonton County School in Enfield, north London with – who is serving a seven year prison sentence.
A source told The Sun newspaper: "Ray takes every role very seriously so wanted to ask Danny if there was anything he should do in particular to get into character.
"He’s known Danny for years as they used to knock about together at school at Edmonton County.
"It’s not often that an actor finds himself in a position to be able to spend time in the presence of such a well-known criminal ahead of a job."
The ‘Point Break’ star is reportedly planning to return to the prison to quiz the criminal mastermind some more.
The insider added: "His visit to Danny was supposed to go under the radar. He turned up really early and spent about two hours chatting with him before saying goodbye. He hopes to make the trips more regular as filming continues."
Filming for the feature has begun and Winstone is set to star alongside Michael Caine, 84, Jim Broadbent, 68, Paul Whitehouse, 59, and Michael Gambon, 76.
The script is expected to be centred on the real-life version of events, which saw the culprits drill through thick concrete to climb into a vault before cracking open 73 boxes containing cash, diamonds, sapphires and gold.
The new movie from Working Title Films is directed by James Marsh, best known for ‘Man on Wire’ and ‘The Theory of Everything’ starring Eddie Redmayne.
It will be the third version of the story to hit the big screen – the last was ‘The Hatton Garden Job’ starring Larry Lamb and Phil Daniels, which was released earlier this year. And Gabe Turner is helming ‘Hatton Garden Heist’.
Ray Winstone’s prison trip for Hatton Garden heist movie
