Manchester United legend Eric Cantona showed his “incredible” personality and “charisma” away from a football pitch after his involvement in one film.
Eric Cantona had a sensational impact at Old Trafford during the 1990s after Sir Alex Ferguson snapped him up from Leeds United in 1992 for a £1m transfer fee.
A larger-than-life figure on and off the field, the 58-year-old Frenchman was a key figure for Sir Alex Ferguson and played a pivotal role in Manchester United’s success.
Cantona lifted four Premier League titles and two FA Cups during his legendary spell at Old Trafford, with the United legend making 184 appearances for the club.
One of United’s famed – and beloved – No 7s, the former France international stunned the world with his sudden retirement in 1997 at the age of 30.
Man Utd legend Cantona off-camera
Eric Cantona pursued several other avenues after his professional playing career ended, including an active singing career and his line of work in acting.
The Manchester United legend famously linked up with British film director Ken Loach for Looking for Eric and featured in the 2009 film.
Cantona plays himself in the acclaimed film, which follows the story of a football-loving middle-aged postman called Eric Bishop, who wants to turn his life around.
Justin Moorhouse, who famously played Young Kenny in Peter Kay’s hit TV show Phoenix Nights, played the character Spleen in Ken Loach’s Looking for Eric.
The former Phoenix Nights star has opened up on what it was like working with Cantona off-camera and how he was charmed by the legendary United No 7.
“Before shooting started, Ken asked me and John Henshaw to spend some time with Eric, improvising,” he told FourFourTwo magazine.
“He was incredible – charisma personified. We were having a cup of tea, Eric pushed a plate of biscuits over and, in his French accent, asked, ‘Would you like… a Jammie Dodger?’ I said, ‘No thank you, Eric.’”
Moorhouse on Cantona and Looking for Eric
Justin Moorhouse admitted that revered filmmaker Ken Loach had kept tight-lipped on Cantona’s involvement in the project, but he told him about the “secret” planned.
The Looking for Eric actor revealed that Steve Evets, who plays Eric Bishop in the film, had no idea that Cantona was in the film until the cameras were rolling.
“I was so excited to be in it, then Ken [Loach] phoned me one day and said he needed me to keep a secret,” Moorhouse said.
“I thought he was going to tell me he was a Tory or something!
“He said, ‘We’ve got Eric Cantona in the film, but nobody knows he’s in it yet – not even the lead actor, Steve Evets.’
“Steve didn’t know Eric was in the film until he met him on camera. There’s a point in the film where he goes, ‘What the f**k are you doing here?’ – that was real!”
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