Few living actors have demonstrated the versatility of Brian Cox. From his turn as the screen’s first Hannibal Lecter in Michael Mann’s Manhunter to his role as charismatic Doctor Who creator Syndney Newman in An Adventure in Space and Time — with scene-stealing performances along the way in Rushmore, X2, Her, and Matt Damon’s Bourne films — Cox has given us more laughs, scares, and lumps in our throats than almost any actor working today.

In this exclusive Nerdist interview, editor-in-chief Brian Walton catches up with the multi-talented performer at the premiere of Legendary Pictures’ latest fantasy epic Seventh Son; and he gives us an update on the long-awaited Super Troopers 2 and describes the “unfinished business” he’d like to take care of in a Deadwood revival. He also discusses his role in NBC’s new miniseries The Slap and his other upcoming projects — The Carer, The Autopsy of Jane Doe, and the BBC version of War and Peace. And the thespian even weighs in on Eddie Izzard’s potential mayoral run in London!