Dyslexic Sir Tom Jones Struggles To Learn Lines For New Role In 'King Of The Teds'

WENN  |  Posted: Updated: 23/04/2012 13:47   WENN

Welsh singer Sir Tom Jones struggled to learn lines for his small screen acting debut because his dyslexia makes memorising scripts incredibly hard.

The veteran crooner enjoyed a small cameo appearance in Tim Burton's 1996 comedy Mars Attacks! playing himself, but he is putting his acting skills to the test with a starring role in a new British TV drama called King of the Teds.

Jones, who appears alongside Alison Steadman and Brenda Blethyn in the film, admits he has been enjoying the work, but he finds acting a lot harder than he thought it would be.

He tells The Sunday Telegraph, "I have always wanted to try to act, but nothing ever came my way. And anyway, singing has always been the most important thing, so I've never really gone after a role...

"I was definitely out of my comfort zone. I learn songs - they come to me easily because songs rhyme; but scripts don't. With songs, you have to have a picture - and I see things in pictures, anyway, because I'm dyslexic...

"I thought acting was going to be more about getting the idea in my head, like I do with songs, and embellish on that. But (King of The Teds writer) Jim Cartwright said it needs to be word for word because certain words trigger certain things, and if that word is similar but not exactly the same, it doesn't have the same flow. I didn't realise it was so important before I actually did it - I thought in acting, they ad libbed."

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Welsh singer Sir Tom Jones struggled to learn lines for his small screen acting debut because his dyslexia makes memorising scripts incredibly hard. The veteran crooner enjoyed a small cameo appear...
Welsh singer Sir Tom Jones struggled to learn lines for his small screen acting debut because his dyslexia makes memorising scripts incredibly hard. The veteran crooner enjoyed a small cameo appear...
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03:53 AM on 04/25/2012
Sir Jones,
I, myself, am dyslexic and ADHD. For the past 7 years I've been helping children, teens and adults in overcoming the effects of Dyslexia, ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorders. With the strategies for reading, spelling and memorization that we have developed specifically for dyslexics, we can have you remembering your lines in less than one day. It would be an honor to be of assistance. Sincerely, Gerry Hughes, Director, Neuro-Linguistic Learning Center, swish4fish
03:25 AM on 04/25/2012
Sir Jones. I am Dyslexic and ADHD, myself. For that past 7 years I have been helping children, teens and adults overcome the effects of Dyslexia, ADHD and Autism. Give me one day and I'll have you memorizing your lines like a pro. It would be an honor. http://www.atutoringplace.com. Sincerely, Gerald Hughes, Neuro-Linguistic Learning Center
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Barbara Hammons Davis
11:36 AM on 04/24/2012
I've seen Mr. Jones perform more than once over the years. He put on a fantastic show.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Barbara Hammons Davis
11:35 AM on 04/24/2012
That's a hard affliction. One of my brothers had that. Because of this he was diagnosed as retarded. It affected him his entire life. He was super smart...he just couldn't read like you and I.
01:50 AM on 04/24/2012
Why Tom Jones states that he's never acted and knows nothing about it, i can not understand. i saw him years ago acting in some American production, in which in my opinion he just did not have it.
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gimmeanamethen
saying it like it is
01:01 AM on 04/24/2012
makes you wonder how he managed to read and remember all his song lyrics over the years.
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racerx577
08:34 PM on 04/23/2012
Have not commented in a while...Honestly to the Huff,,, sorry to say, I'm just not into you anymore
07:16 PM on 04/23/2012
Dont worry Tom, you can still belt out a good song and we love you for this talent you have. Its "not unusual" to find a top singer who does not aspire to acting. Stick to what you are good at and continue to entertain us in your special way.
06:20 PM on 04/23/2012
I'm astonished that anyone, least of all someone of Tom Jones' age and experience in show business, would actually think that acting was all about ad libbing, not learning a script.
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WRPrintz
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06:53 PM on 04/23/2012
If he wanted it "Improve" he should have gone with Woody Allen...
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
WRPrintz
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06:54 PM on 04/23/2012
Errr....Improv.....sorry about that E.