VINNIE JONES RECALLS REUNION WITH GUY RITCHIE

Vinnie Jones has said he and director Guy Ritchie had a tearful reunion on the set of Netflix’s The Gentlemen after years without speaking. Jones linked their estrangement to his drinking and a telephone conversation about Ritchie’s 2008 film RocknRolla. Speaking on The Louis Theroux Podcast, he said: “We drifted apart through the booze.” Ritchie later cast Jones as gamekeeper Geoff Seacombe in The Gentlemen, bringing them back together for the crime comedy.

Jones said he was drunk when Ritchie called about RocknRolla and made demands about the proposed role. He recalled telling Ritchie, “No, I want this, I want that,” before losing contact with him for a long time. RocknRolla starred Gerard Butler and Tom Wilkinson, but Jones turned down a part in the film. When Louis Theroux suggested Ritchie might have thought Jones had become too demanding, Jones replied: “Yeah, exactly.” Jones said he missed out on a lot of work during their separation and is now sober.

Jones said he may have been sober for about 10 years when Ritchie contacted him again. He said they have never discussed the earlier rift, so he does not know why Ritchie decided to call. Their reunion took place as filming began on a funeral scene, the first scene shot for The Gentlemen. Jones said he avoided going to Ritchie’s trailer beforehand because he felt apprehensive, and described having “butterflies” as Ritchie came on set.