Michael Shannon's acting therapy

Michael Shannon thinks of acting as therapy.

The actor – who will soon have one of his biggest parts to date in the role of General Zod in Superman movie 'Man of Steet' – loved starting out in the business because it meant he could be idiotic and still be praised.

He said: "It was basically a way to make feelings and impulses I was having appropriate.

"Onstage it's like 'Please, go ahead. Scream. Run around, Beat your chest' and everybody says how wonderful you are."

The 'Take Shelter' star added that despite the release felt through his acting, it doesn't always feel natural and he feels like he "faked" a scene".

He said: "Occasionally I'll catch myself and I'm just like 'I don't think you really knew what you were doing in that scene. I think you were just faking it'.

"The other half of my brain is like 'Well who gives a s**t? If they'd wanted me to do it again they'd have asked me to."