A mellow piano theme plays during a heavy downpour. In the centre of it all, walking through the urban street is a man with his arms spread wide like Jesus. He has hints of a mohawk and wears a multi-coloured blanket as he paces the street talking and chanting to himself. This is how The Dark Horse begins, promising a drama, a poetry and a little bit of madness ...

Joining us in central London to discuss this lead-role, and talk us through the film is actor, Cliff Curtis. Who, although you may not know by name – you certainly would by face. As during his expansive career he has played opposite Johnny Depp (in Blow), Bruce Willis (in Die Hard 4.0) and even Arnold Schwarzenegger! (in Collateral Damage). He pops up in films as often as Samuel L. Jackson does, yet despite this – and as well as many big successful films under his belt, he is still unknown to many audiences!

Now, in one of his first lead-roles, he plays Genesis Potini, a small-time hero from New Zealand, that although suffering from a serious bipolar disorder, is credited to have taught over 15,000 people how to play chess. Again, the true-life character Genesis is relatively unheard of and more of a local - or New Zealand icon - rather than an international one. That is not to say that his story is low-key or unimportant though. It is quite the contrary and charming to experience. Crafted by newbie director, James Napier Robertson, The Dark Horse is powerful, raw and sensitive in every way. Each gaze, or remark that Cliff makes is readable and genuine. But it's not just a story about chess, but also a mixture of personal struggles with the awful illness and more so about two brothers who are trying to care for each other.

Without further ado, here is our exclusive video interview with Cliff as he talks about creating The Dark Horse, his previous films roles and a little television spinoff series that is coming out quite soon, Fear The Walking Dead ... Enjoy!