EastEnders legend John Altman nominated for Best Performance in a UK Feature at Raindance Film Festival
'EastEnders' legend John Altman has been nominated for the Best Performance in a UK Feature at the Raindance Film Festival for his role in horror movie 'The Last Grail Hunter'.
John Altman has been nominated for for an award at the Raindance Film Festival.
The 'EastEnders' legend - who is famous for playing 'Nasty' Nick Cotton on-and-off for 30 years - is up for the Best Performance in a UK Feature for his role in horror movie 'The Last Grail Hunter'.
Altman stars as Johnny Calvi, a failed grail hunter battling with alcoholism who makes one last attempt to find the Holy Grail - the cup that Jesus drank from at the Last Supper.
The film - which was was directed by renowned ufologist and filmmaker Mark Christopher Lee - is set in the future where society has been rebuilt and controlled by a secret organisation called the Priory of Sion and The Last Grail Hunter is a popular game and Johnny Calvi is its hero. Could it be that Calvi is in fact being controlled by someone else and his quest is nothing more than a mission in a video game?
Speaking about his nomination, Altman said: "I'm extremely happy to have been nominated for Best Performance. I've worked with Mark before on music but he called me one day and said he had an idea for a film and I like things that are different.
"It was an enjoyable four days filming the entire movie on location in London and St Albans."
Altman previously revealed that he agreed to the role once he learned about the unique plot for 'The Last Grail Hunter'.
He also said yes to the project because he is a horror aficionado having had roles in fellow genre films 'Demons At Dawn' and 'Repentance' in recent years and 1981 classic 'An American Werewolf In London'.
Discussing the project with BANG Showbiz, he said: "I’ve been friends with Mark for a long time and I liked the idea of it.
"I like imaginative and original ideas for a film, this is.
"I love horror films. I like to be made to jump out of my skin, which a good horror should be able to do. I like it when the film controls you so that you’re totally relaxed and not expecting anything and that’s when you jump. I like that, the power of film."
In 'The Last Grail Hunter', Altman's alter ego Johnny visits various grail related places in London such as Notre Dame Church in Leicester Square, Temple Church and Watkins Books in Cecil Court - where he buys tarot cards.
John says the locations provide an education to London's secret spots, which you'd never know about unless someone told you or showed you.
He added: "We take in all these different locations.
"Watkins is a spiritual and mystical book shop just off Leicester Square, down a pedestrianised side street. The shop is full of tarot and astrology, like something out of 'Harry Potter'.
"There’s all these places tucked away that you wouldn’t ever know about unless somebody showed you or you read about it."
The film - which is available to stream - premieres on June 19, 2025 at Vue, Piccadilly, in London.
