For horror fans, Craig Conway made his first "impression" as the doomed camper in the opening of Neil Marshall's amazing film,"Dog Soldiers". But it wasn't until "The Descent" and Conway's performance as "Scar", the leader of the Crawlers, that people really started to pay attention (although he was practically unrecognizable under Paul Hyett's makeup design). Now, in Marshall's newest film, the post-apocalyptic "Doomsday", fans will really get to see the acting chops Conway has as he stars as Sol, the leader of the cannibalistic group known as The Marauders, who are fighting for their freedom beyond what was once quarantined Scotland. Bloody-Disgusting interviewed Conway recently about his working relationship with Marshall, what fans can expect from "Doomsday" and "The Crawler Dance".

BD: So, Craig, tell us a bit of The Craig Conway Story? Where are you from, where did you get your training, when did you realise you wanted to be an actor - all that sort of fascinating information. Oh, and congratulations on your recent marriage! Something in working with Neil seems to be bringing out "marriage fever".

CC: I think you're right, I'm so happy for Neil and Axelle, they make a top couple. I was married February 3rd, 2007 to my beautiful wife and then after ten days together, I flew out to South Africa until my return to her two months later - my god I'm glad she is also an actress and can understand! I was born in South Shields and lived near the coast with my family. I think if I'm honest, I always had a very active imagination as a child and would spend many hours of the day pretending to re-enact stories I made up with friends. I loved art and drawing with my mum and watching movies with nana, and by the time I was a teenager I was a member of all sorts of drama groups and getting together with like-minded youths to do sketches or shows anywhere we could. I wasn't too good academically, and left school with no real qualifications, however I did go to college and University - college for three years, and left with no qualification, and then University, leaving after one full term. This was due to the fact that I was already getting work as an actor before and whilst trying to study, so it seemed that the best education I could get was going for it. My first TV break was with the BBC TV series "OUR FRIENDS IN THE NORTH" and in Theatre I worked with Northern Stage doing T.I.E (Theatre In Education) until joining with the Ensemble under the Direction of Alan Lydiard, performing in many shows touring all over the North, the UK and later Europe. Whilst being there, I began also to develop my own work with young people and mainly youth at risk projects, writing, directing and producing small scale theatre and short film projects around the region. It was whilst doing this I was introduced to Neil Marshall at Imagine Post Prod Studios in Newcastle, who agreed to help me edit my first short. Whilst we worked on that, Neil invited me to be part of the cast in "COMBAT"where I met Les Simpson and most of the gang and was handed me a draft of "DOG SOLDIERS" which I couldn't help but get so excited about. I was down to play in the main cast, but foolishly signed to a theatre production which took me out of the casting but to which Les Simpson would take, and do a fantastic job of it too. So there was no losing out. Then midway through my rehearsals, Neil asked if I would fly out for the weekend to shoot the opening scene as the "camper/writer", to which I replied, "my bag's packed". That evening I finished rehearsals, flew out to them, shot the sequence, then flew back two days later ready to start back at rehearsals Monday morning, "Fuck me what a rush that was". Since then I have worked with Neil on each of his major productions, have played leading roles in many theatre productions with many various companies and have been fortunate enough to have taken roles in several other film productions. Now DOOMSDAY is really my first feature role in a movie and I hope it will continue on afterwards.

BD: Although unrecognizable in "The Descent", for those who watched the extras, you were truly memorable, especially when you did The Crawler Dance to open the blooper reel (you really should have gotten a BAFTA for that). Aside from having to shave every single hair from your body (among other indignities), how much fun was making "The Descent" for you? And I heard that you were also doing a play at the same time, when you had your accident on set and had to be taken to hospital. What play were you doing?

CC: Argh! The Crawler Dance! It's not often you get to dance in a thong to your friends on camera, so when the opportunity arose, I couldn't refuse. After all, one has to please one's Director! (JOKE). But yeah, working with Neil and Sam McCurdy is never dull, we like to have fun. Bring on the BAFTA! I loved doing "The Descent", the cast and crew were amazing to be with and Paul Hyatt, heading the special FX team, they were a force to reckoned with, they worked real magic, as did the whole production team. It was exhausting at times, PINEWOOD in February is cold, but more so when your shaven bald body is running around in nothing but a sock to keep your dignity and KY JELLY to give you a monsterous glimmer! Hmmm, how I miss it!

I was also performing around the country in a one-man show, DOORMAN/BOUNCER, as MALKY by writer Geoff Thompson so it was hard work but great fun until I fell through the set two days before the end, twisting and pulling the ligaments in my ankle, so for a while it was no more shaking my stuff for camera.

BD: Now, in "Doomsday", it looks as though Neil is allowing you to not only be reconizable but to release your "inner Crawler" as Sol. Tell us a bit about your character.

CC: Sol is the leader of the Marauders, a survivor of the virus and rebel son of Dr. Kane, fighting to free his followers to the promised land outside the boundary walls. It's a rock and roll world with a few cannibalistic traits for good measure and to be honest, my one and only chance to taste what it would be like to be in a rock band. I fucking loved it!

BD: Has it become sort of a "given" that you, Les, Sam McCurdy and Simon Bowles will be involved in any project Neil does? Describe the working relationship you have with these guys and why you think it works so well.

CC: I think Neil will always work with Simon and Sam. Les and I, I'm sure, will always want to work with him, but as a respected director, only if I am right for the role. After all, my friendship with Neil is there regardless of work. We both work with many others and will continue to do so, but yeah, when there is an opportunity to work together, I would be there for him anytime. After all, it's a great team to work with and Sam and Simon, like Neil, are exceptionally talented, so to keep all things working we will be together only when the project is right for everyone.

BD: Tell us a bit about "Doomsday". There are already people complaining that it's just another "28 Days Later" or "Mad Max" or "Aliens" but it really isn't. Neil is famous for inserting homages to his favourite films in his works. What would you say to people already griping about "Doomsday"?

CC: Neil Marshall is a unique writer/director, with a talent for creating new and exciting films his way. Of course, there are homages to movies he grew up with and he is not afraid to acknowledge and embrace that, but he is developing his own style of communicating that fact through his work, which is original, fresh, exciting and inspiring! Anyone who thinks it's old work re-hashed or a blatant re-make of material, to be honest, is so wrong they should contract the Reaper virus and be left to rot behind a big wall!

BD: How was it working with Bob Hoskins and Malcolm McDowell, who plays your character's father?

CC: What can I say! Truly inspiring, they both come with an experience and talent which is displayed in all of their work. I feel very priviledged to have met them and work with them on this project and it's very cool to have McDowell as your dad!

BD: Neil said that Paul Hyett told him that more blood was used in "Doomsday" than in "The Descent". For the hardcore gorehounds reading this, just how "down and dirty" will "Doomsday" be? Certainly it will get an 18 cert in the UK, which would be a hard "R" here in the States?

CC: It's dirtier than a wild boar's ass! If Hyett and Neil are on the job, there's no way you get to play ball and go home with no stains on your pants! God bless 'em.

BD: You have a great scene in front of over 700 extras which Neil said was the most fun he had during the shoot - watching you perform as Sol and then watching the crowd reacting to you. What do you remember about doing that scene and were you the least bit nervous, with ALL of those extras?

CC: That was my first day on set. I was shitting bricks but Sean Pertee was with me and kept me calm. I remember Neil saying we're just gonna go for this, and yep, we certainly did, it was such a rush walking onto stage and greeting your army for the first time, the chanting, the dancing, the stage dive and of course the gorgeous pole dancers soon took away all the nerves and got the blood pumping in all the right places! Thank you Neil!

BD: In "Doomsday", you are reunited with some of your "The Descent" castmates: Les Simpson, Nora-Jane Noone and MyAnna Buring. How much fun was that and did you have many scenes with them?

CC: I had no scenes really with Nora and Les, although most of the cast would visit and be around to support each other on set. MyAnna plays my sister and so in a way that's exactly how our relationship was, even now I call her "Sis". It's always great to be with those you know and respect and for those I was meeting for the first time out there, I have made some true friends which again I am so grateful for. Nice one Neil.

BD: Most of the film was shot in and around Cape Town, South Africa. Compared to "The Descent", which was almost completely shot at Pinewood Studios, how did this shoot go for you and everyone else?

CC: It was such a huge project for me, the scale of the production is one of the biggest I have been part of so far and to be in South Africa was fantastic, a beautiful country with beautiful places and people, but as you calm to it, when you're working in front of the camera on set, it becomes something familiar and therefore it feels safe to be working there. The shoot was such good fun.

BD: What are some of your favourite horror movies?

CC: My favourite horror is "An American Werewolf in London", followed by "Basket Case", "The Fog", "Salem's Lot" and then pretty much all of the old Hammer productions. I have one ambition in horror though, and that's to play a vampire, those sexy blood-sucking, never-dying fiends are everything we want to be but are too scared to admit!

BD: Do you have any feeling about the recent backlash about remakes and PG-13 horror?

CC: There are always going to be complaints, backlash or remarks about such things. I'm an actor, I have to make choices whenever I can to invest my time and talent into a project I believe in. It's the same with audiences, they invest into what they believe will be worthwhile. As long as there is a choice out there, we can at least decide to be a part of it or not, see the movie...or NOT!

BD: What is up next for Craig Conway?

CC: I hope to keep working in film and keep learning about my craft and an industry I truly love being part of. I have just released a half-hour short, ROMANS 1220, directed by The Shamasion Bros (Therapy Films) here in the UK. The story is written by BAFTA award-winning writer Geoff Thompson and is a tale of revenge and redemption, so hopefully that will screen well in some of the world festivals. Along with that, there is THE TOURNAMENT, directed by Scott Mann, in which I play assassin Steve Tomko, which is to be released in September 2008. But first, I'm to wait and see DOOMSDAY and after that, a short theatre tour in England with Peter Flannery's original stage version of OUR FRIENDS IN THE NORTH. Then I will fly out to L.A to visit friends and meet the world of movies which I've heard so much about. Plus my wife and I are to have our first child in May this year so at the moment I have a lot to do and a life to live which I feel has been truly blessed.

BD: Is there anything you would like to add that I haven't asked you?

CC: No, just thanks for talking to me.

BD: What is one thing no one knows about Craig Conway that you think they should?

CC: As you can probably tell, I can't spell very well, but apart from that I suppose if they DO find out what it is that no one else knows about me, then let me know. I'll be your friend for life!