Michael Sheen: ‘I’ve essentially turned myself into a not-for-profit actor’

Hollywood star Michael Sheen has said he’s turned himself into a “not-for-profit actor”.

The Welshman, from Port Talbot, sold his houses to make sure the 2019 Homeless World Cup was able to go ahead in Cardiff.

He has described how he stepped in to bankroll the £2m project when funding for the when funding fell through at the last moment.

The actor told the The Big Issue magazine that he “put all my money into keeping it going”, which was “scary and incredibly stressful”.

But he added that there was “something quite liberating” about the experience.

He has pledged to carry on using the money he earns from acting to fund more projects in the future.

Speaking to The Big Issue, Sheen said: “The other big thing that changed my thinking was the Homeless World Cup in Cardiff in 2019. I had committed to helping to organise that and then suddenly, with not long to go, there was no money.

“I had to make a decision – I could walk away from it, and it wouldn’t happen. And all those people from all around the world who were banking on coming to have this extraordinary experience, maybe a life-changing experience, wouldn’t have it. I thought, I’m not going to let that happen.

“So I put all my money into keeping it going. I had a house in America and a house here and I put those up and just did whatever it took. It was scary and incredibly stressful. And I’ll be paying for it for a long time.

“But when I came out the other side I realised I could do this kind of thing and, if I can keep earning money it’s not going to ruin me. There was something quite liberating about going, alright, I’ll put large amounts of money into this or that, because I’ll be able to earn it back again. I’ve essentially turned myself into a social enterprise, a not-for-profit actor.”

‘So many people helped me’ 

He added: “I’ve realised in the last few years that I want to be one of those people who help other people the way so many people helped me. I don’t want to just be someone who enjoys the fruits of what other people have done and then pull the drawbridge up and go, well I’m alright Jack, I’ve had a nice time.

“I’m at the stage of my life and career where I have a window of opportunity that will probably never be this good again. I’m able to get people in a room, I can open doors. I don’t want to look back and think, I could have done something with that platform. I could have done something with that money.