Scots Agents of Shield star Iain De Caestecker says he's more like Q than 007 

Scots Agents of Shield star Iain De Caestecker says he's more like Q than 007

THE talented Scot is one of the stars of global blockbuster series Marvel’s Agents of Shield, playing nerdy but passionate science whizz Fitz in the TV spin-off

HE is the Scottish star who plays a secret agent taking on super-villains and shadowy organisations.

But the last thing Iain De Caestecker wants to be compared to is 007 – because he says he is much more like Q.

The talented Scot is one of the stars of global blockbuster series Marvel’s Agents of Shield, playing nerdy but passionate science whizz Fitz in the TV spin-off from movies Avengers Assemble, Captain America and Iron Man.

As it gets ready to launch its second series on Channel 4 tomorrow, it’s already starting to grow out from under the shadow of its cinematic big brothers and has become a massive hit in its own right.

And Iain is delighted Fitz is at the heart of some cracking storylines.

He said: “The show has always been set in that Marvel world of superheroes and the dangers that come with that.

“But we focus on the ordinary people involved in that world – people who don’t have superpowers themselves but are fighting against these huge menaces and villains.

“It’s been great. Over the first season we got to know the characters and Fitz was getting out of his comfort zone going out in the field and coming up against the kind of things he would only previously have seen on a computer screen.

“But if we’re talking about James Bond, Fitz is a lot more like a Q character. We see him gaining more courage in the field but a lot of the show is how bravery can come in different shapes and sizes and if he doesn’t get out there, he can still be as brave as anybody in the field.

“It would be nice to see Fitz get the girl – although I don’t know if he’d have the time as there’s too much going on.”

The series launched last year as a follow-up to the $1billion smash-hit Avengers Assemble, the Marvel Studios movie, which saw their biggest superhero names brought together by Samuel L Jackson’s one-eyed hero Nick Fury, leader of spy agency Shield.

Led by Clark Gregg’s Agent Coulson, the show followed a small team’s missions around the world, fighting shadowy organisations such as the Nazi group Hydra.

After a slow start, the programme picked up steam and was winning rave reviews and high ratings by the time of a dramatic final episode that saw Iain’s Fitz almost killed trying to save his best pal and science partner Agent Simmons, played by English actress Elizabeth Henstridge.

Iain, 26, from Glasgow, said fans were in for a breakneck opening to the new series.

“We take off right from where the last season finished up and everyone is dealing with the aftermath and the repercussions of everything that happened. Fitz is in a process of recovery and we see that a lot has changed.

“Shield has gone underground and is much more cloak and dagger now.”

Iain’s career has taken off since he started acting 13 years ago in Coronation Street, playing Adam Barlow. As he got older, he began to win roles in series such as River City and Lip Service, and followed that with UK network hits including Young James Herriot and The Secret of Crickley Hall.

Soon he was appearing in indie films such as Not Another Happy Ending, which starred Karen Gillan, and he really hit the big time when Ryan Gosling hired him to play the lead in his directorial debut Lost River.

“Making our show is great but with TV, there are more boundaries and that’s just the nature of that, but doing indie films is a very different process but something I really enjoy, and I’d love to do more of that.

“Playing different characters is very appealing and being a part of good stuff you can be proud of. That’s all I look for.

“We do film the show for nine months of the year, though, so finding space for that can be difficult and we’re still filming for another five or six months.”

Although a hot young actor in Hollywood, Iain shuns most of the La-La lifestyle,saying: “I’ve made good friends out here and there is that side to it with parties but I try not to go to them as much any more.

“You realise pretty quickly that a lot of people are just at them to work, not have fun, so I stay away from them.”

As the Marvel universe continues to grow, with more movies on a bigger scale, he is just enjoying being part of it all.

“There’s definitely a family atmosphere and we get invited to the movie screenings so we know what’s happening.

“We are like a family, and we’ll go out as a cast for dinner and we won’t get that much attention unless it’s at a big event like Comic-Con – that was mad. It was great, but crazy and a lot of fun.

“Most people who come up to talk to us are really nice and just want to say how much they enjoy

Ask the expert - What you need to know about your employment rights

'I've had body-modification.. not a brain transplant': Boxing promoter Kellie Maloney is back in business

Royal baby latest: Live updates as the world waits for news Kate Middleton has given birth

Passenger plane bound for Edinburgh makes emergency landing in Aberdeen after engine is shut down

Annan Athletic praises veteran striker Peter Weatherson for his wonder strike and hat-trick against Elgin City

Aberdeen claim Under-20s title without kicking a ball as Celtic fail to beat Falkirk

Championship showdown Saturday: Hibs star Jason Cummings ready to make amends for his penalty nightmare

Rihanna shows off washboard abs and gets sporty for first Puma advert

Top Gear trio are back: Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond finally reunite to begin filming of live tour

Sam Faiers stuns in all-white as she launches her new book Secrets and Lies

Leonardo DiCaprio is almost unrecognisable with bushy beard and ponytail at 40th Armani show

Blur guitarist Graham Coxon discusses the downside of Britpop era as he looks ahead to band's latest album release

Fifty Shades Darker: Jamie Dornan's bondage-loving character seductively dons a mask in first look teaser

Lorraine Kelly wants to BAN Katie Hopkins from appearing on her show

Britney Spears suffers embarrassing tumble on stage in Las Vegas.. but assures fans she's OK

Amber Rose wakes up Instagram followers with a VERY racy morning selfie

Doctor Who star Peter Davison reveals he knew his daughter was going on dates with David Tennant before SHE did

Scunnered teen tells how he quit his job at Subway after string of David-Brent style texts from bungling boss

Video: TV presenter strips NAKED while reporting spicy story on Cristiano Ronaldo's relationship

Neil Lennon letter bomber's home raided by armed police over claims he has been making new threats

Rangers boss Stuart McCall certain SFA are just days away from passing Dave King as fit and proper

'I don't have a licence to kill either': Read hilarious letter sent to Licensing bosses by woman who hasn't owned a TV for 25 YEARS