Irish actor Colin Farrell refused to star in new movie In Bruges because he feared his bad boy reputation would ruin the film.

The Alexander star was approached to take the leading role by writer and director Martin McDonagh and immediately loved the script, but he insisted they cast someone else as he worried his Hollywood persona would overshadow the movie.

Farrell tells the Hollywood Reporter, "I was chuffed (very happy) to be part of it. It was just the best thing I ever read. But your public persona, people bring that in. And I met (McDonagh) in New York at the Hilton Hotel one afternoon and I tried to convince him he should cast an unknown in the part ... It was so good, I thought it would be good not to cast me."

But McDonagh was determined to sign the star to the project and eventually convinced him to take the part, even changing the nationality of Farrell's character to Irish, so he wouldn't have to adopt an English accent.

Farrell stars alongside British actor Ralph Fiennes in the forthcoming film which centers around a pair of hitmen forced to hide out in Belgium after a botched assassination attempt in London.

- Colin Farrell Pictures
- More on 'In Bruges'

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)