Life after Logan Roy - Brian Cox takes up directing just before turning 80

Brian Cox is best known as the media mogul Logan Roy in the TV series Succession – a role he won in his seventies after decades in the business.

Complete strangers still ask him to repeat the kind of expletive-peppered speech he blasted at his rivals and children in the show.

But according to the Dundee born actor, it's the character he plays in his latest film Glenrothan which is closest to the real Brian Cox.

"I've played all these hard, heavy guys, and it's not who I am," he says. "I can be tough and I can be unremitting, but I try not to do it every day of my life.

"And Sandy is a beautiful person and a tragic person too."

Glenrothan is about two brothers whose family run a whisky distillery in the Highlands.

The younger brother, Donal (played by Alan Cumming) leaves for a new life in America after falling out with his father on the day of his mother's funeral.

He returns home 35 years later, where his brother Sandy (played by Brian Cox) faces the possibility of selling the distillery if Donal doesn't take over.

Filmed in various locations around Scotland, including the Stirlingshire village of Gartmore, it's described by Brian Cox as "a love letter" to Scotland, and some much needed lightness in troubled times.

"I think we need it desperately," he says. "To remind ourselves that we're human beings and not war machines.

"We're in a terrible state at the moment and we need to be reminded of our own humanity and what we are capable of, other than just being at war."

The film was written by David Ashton, who wrote the radio series McLevy, which also featured Siobhan Redmond who has a role in Glenrothan.

Ashton had a long-standing creative partnership with veteran producer and actor Neil Zeiger, who persuaded Brian Cox that he should not only star in the film, but direct it.

"I never even thought about being a director," Cox says. "I'm so busy being an actor and enjoying acting.

"But Neil Zeiger, our producer, said you're going to be directing this film.

"He didn't ask me to direct it. He just told me I was going to be directing the film.

"So it was sort of force majeure."

He says he was able to draw on his 60 years as an actor, and take a gentle approach with his cast and crew – seasoned actors and brand new talent alike.

"I realised I'm an enabler," he says. "It's my job to enable people to do what they do best rather than stand in the way and say 'you must do this'.

"I don't believe in all that. I believe you've got the talent, let the talent be.

"A lot of directors are too busy trying to steer you in a direction instead of understanding what that relationship is between a director and an actor."

Unlike actors Margot Robbie, and his Succession co-star Jeremy Strong, who he criticised in recent interviews, Cox had only praise for the Glenrothan team.

"I'm more than happy with this film," he says. "It's great work because it's everybody's work."

He singles out 11-year-old Alexandra Wilkie who plays his great niece, and joined him on the red carpet at the UK premiere in London last week.

"I want to do another film with Alexandra Wilkie because she is astounding," he says.

"Everyone thinks she's American but she's actually a farmer's daughter from Blantyre.

"She is truly gifted and a joy to work with."

Cox says it's "brilliant" that co-star Alan Cumming has taken over as Artistic Director of Pitlochry Festival Theatre, but his own packed schedule means he's unable to appear in any future shows.

His next job is in the second season of the sequel Dexter: Resurrection which reunites him with Michael C Hall.

"I last worked with him nearly 30 years ago," Cox says.

"We were in the David Hare show Skylight and the reason I remember it so well was that we were having lunch in 1997 in a place on Sunset when we heard Princess Diana had died."

Later this summer, he'll play Johann Sebastian Bach in the US premiere of the play The Score, directed by Trevor Nunn, who at 86 is also keen to fly the flag for older talent.

Cox doesn't need much encouragement. In one scene in Glenrothan, he rugby tackles Alan Cumming's Donal to the ground and wrestles him.

"We're too old for this," moans Donal.

"Says whom?" says Cox as Sandy.

He chortles. His only regret was failing to capture the reaction shot.

"I stupidly didn't take the shot of Alan watching me rushing at him," he says.

"I should have cut 'boom, boom, boom' because the look on Alan's face was brilliant. No idea what was coming!"

Cox hopes to mark his 80th birthday in June with a party in the UK, but fears his US commitments might make that tricky.

His wife, the actress and producer Nicole Ansari Cox has a cameo in the film and also directed the film's picturesque drone sequences. They'll celebrate their silver wedding anniversary at the end of this month and frequently collaborate on projects.

"It's not something that I ever expected, you know, because I've always been a sort of singular animal," Cox admits.

And having found himself making his directorial debut in his 80th year - would he do it again?

"I think I would," he muses. "Especially after this onslaught. I don't know how I'm going to survive the next few months.

"I may have bitten off more than I can chew but if I get through that, I think I would be ready to direct another film."

Glenrothan is in cinemas from 17 April.