Ewan McGregor hates being branded a movie star

He told the Guardian newspaper: "You're not a film actor, and you're not a television actor, and you're not a theatre actor. You're just an actor.

"To me, coming back to the theatre isn't like: 'Oh, here's this movie actor on stage ...' I've always found that a little bit offensive. And I've always found the first few minutes on stage in London, I can feel that in the room. After a few minutes, you can feel the audience go: 'Oh, OK' then you can get on with it."

Ewan is returning to the London stage to star in a production of 'My Master Builder' at the Wyndham's Theatre - his first UK stage performance since 2008 - He last treaded the boards on Broadway in 'The Real Thing on Broadway' in 2014 and Ewan admits he found the New York audience less intimidating than the London crowd.

He added: "That's partly why I wanted to work in New York, because I thought they might be different there. And I did achieve that ... Because half the audience were asleep half the time. So it wasn't quite as scary somehow."

'My Master Builder' is a new play by American playwright and screenwriter Lila Raicekbut which is based on Henrik Ibsen's 1892 play 'The Master Builder' and it will run between April and July 2025.

It marks a reunion between the 'Moulin Rouge!' star and the production's director Michael Grandage, as Ewan starred in 'Othello' and 'Guys and Dolls' when Grandage was the artistic director of London's Donmar Theatre.

Speaking to the BBC, the 'Star Wars' actor admitted he has "missed" being on stage and explained that his return wasn't planned.

He said: "The funny story is, I had literally just finished reading Ibsen's The Master Builder for pleasure - an extraordinary read.

"Michael got in touch out of the blue and I mentioned how much I'd love to get back on stage."

The 'Down with Love' star admitted theatre is "very good for the soul", adding: "Theatre teaches you so much about acting, the audience teaches you. What works, and what doesn't. It's very good for the soul.

"The live experience. The power of storytelling. Also I love the routine of it, waking up in the morning with the day aiming towards this event, this electric experience."