Cheeky nine-year-old Peter McNicholl knew exactly how to provoke a reaction from football hardman Vinnie Jones .
The youngster was desperate to play the son of Vinnie’s gangster character Big Chris in cult movie Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels .
So he decided to make an impact at his audition in front of the sportsman-turned-actor, and director Guy Ritchie.
Knowing Vinnie had played for Wimbledon, Peter wore his Arsenal kit.
He recalled: “I needed to do something to stand out so I had the idea of wearing my Ian Wright No8 Arsenal shirt under my coat.
“My mum begged me, ‘Don’t you dare. You will upset him.’ But I was fearless then and felt I had to support my team Arsenal in front of Vinnie.
“I walked in the room and casually took my coat off and Vinnie’s eyes popped out of his head.
“He shouted, ‘Who is this cocky little b*gger?’ Everyone laughed and it just meant that Vinnie liked me.
“I read my lines including swear words without a blink. It went perfectly. That moment got me the part. Guy and Vinnie saw I was brave, cheeky and funny.
“Afterwards Vinnie admitted that he and Guy loved me because ‘I was a cocky little sh**.’”
Peter, now 31, was speaking 20 years after the low-budget comedy crime flick became a surprise international hit.
It made household names of director Ritchie, and stars Jason Statham and Nick Moran.
But Jones was the life and soul on set, said Peter, who had a unique insight into the making of the hit as its youngest actor.
In the film, Peter’s foul-mouthed character Little Chris follows his dad around London as he collects debts and causes carnage on behalf of his underworld boss.
Peter said: “You would never have believed that this was Vinnie’s debut role. “He was always so calm and assured, before then becoming the menacing Big Chris as soon as the cameras started to roll.
“Back then it was seen by some as a joke that he was cast. But Guy got it. And it’s no surprise that his career has blossomed in Hollywood.”
His first scene on set was when Vinnie’s character Big Chris smashes the lid of a sunbed into a debtor’s face.
Peter said: “I was absolutely a nervous wreck and so worried about fluffing the lines.
“But Vinnie was the most calming influence on the set. You’d think he would’ve been the nervy one, given that pressure. But he was always talking to me about football, just relaxing me.
“Vinnie stood up for me always, patting me on the back and saying, ‘You are doing well.’ Everyone knew he was a hard nut but he had a soft centre.
“Vinnie was so authentic playing Chris it scared me at times. I actually thought he was going to punch that guy in the sunbed for real at first as he was so intense.
“And in the scene where he is smashing the car door on the robber’s head, it was pretty terrifying.
“It still gives me chills watching that power and aggression on screen.”
As well as being taken under Vinnie’s wing, Peter reveals how real-life gangster and bare-knuckle boxer Lenny McLean treated him like a son.
Lenny, who played enforcer Barry The Baptist in the film, used to invite Peter and his mum into his motor home to watch Emmerdale between takes.
Peter said: “At first I was thinking, ‘That geezer is enormous and very scary looking.’ In our scene I said, ‘P*** off you nonce.’
“Afterwards he pulled me aside and said in that low powerful voice, ‘You are the only person who has said that to me and lived to tell the tale.’
“I didn’t have a clue what it meant at the time but he just took me under his wing after that.
“I had no idea of his history or reputation. He was the only actor allowed a TV in his Winnebago on set and he allowed only us to watch it on breaks. My mum Christine was an avid Emmerdale fan so it must have looked odd, the three of us squeezed on a sofa, which just fit him.
“He would make us a cup of tea and hand out sweets and biscuits. He must have felt really at home with us.”
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McLean’s critically acclaimed performance was his last. He died of lung and brain cancer aged 49 weeks before the premiere. “I didn’t have an inkling he was ill or unwell,” said Peter. “He never showed any signs of issues.
“Lenny would have ended up in Hollywood after that role.
“It was a massive loss to everyone. Guy dedicated the film to him.”
Lock, Stock was made for less than £1million but took more than £20million at the box office.
Peter earned £6,000 but was not allowed to attend the premiere because of its 18 certificate.
He said: “Guy knew how big this film would be. At the audition he said, ‘This is going to massive.’
“Even though it was low budget, he treated it like a blockbuster.
“They offered me £6,000 or a small cut of sales as payment. My agent said take the money because you don’t know what will happen.
“It paid for my first car and a laptop. My brother and I worked it out and it could have been over £50,000. But it was never about the money. That exposure it helped me get a scholarship at the Sylvia Young Theatre School.
“The movie came out just as I joined Brentwood County High, where pupils thought I was cool because I was connected to Hollywood.”
Now working as an estate agent, Peter loves the fact that he still gets recognised by strangers as Little Chris.
After Lock, Stock he made several films and worked in TV before becoming a DJ.
He added: “It just ended up quite naturally that my DJ career became my focus.
"In 2013 I became a dad so I needed to change my lifestyle to work around raising my daughter Beau, so I fell into estate agency.
“That was great but I’ve just suddenly rekindled my love for acting.
“I have joined Nic Knight Management. He has known me for a long time and is sending me auditions again.
"There is no real agenda. I haven’t got dreams of becoming massively successful. I am doing it because I love it. In life you get drawn back to the things you love. I never thought I would return. People always asked me why I wasn’t still in it given how they liked the role, but that has helped my confidence.
“I would be happy with a chunky part in a BBC drama or something like EastEnders , which would be natural fit.
"I would love to work with Guy, Jason or Vinnie again."
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