When you mention the actor’s name Colin Firth it brings films such as Bridget Jones’s Diary and Love Actually to mind, where he plays a stereotypical Englishman, his latest film sees him cast in a different role. Firth remains a proper Englishman but a closeted homosexual living in America, years before the Stonewall riots of 1969 and the start of the gay rights movement in the States.

Firth was cast as George, a British professor grieving over the loss of his gay lover in the 1960’s the film is based on the emotions George suffers when learns that his long time partner Jim has died suddenly in a car crash. George is not invited to his funeral because it's “family” only, despite them being together as a couple for 16 years. The reaction from Jim’s family which include taking the couple’s dog from George lead to him contemplating suicide.

A Single Man is directed by Tom Ford and based on the novel written in 1964 with the same name by Christopher Isherwood. Ford said that he chose Firth because of "his ability to telegraph what he's thinking through his eyes, almost without moving his face, and certainly without saying a line." When asked if he’d had any concerns about playing a gay man Firth said "No second thoughts at all. I never consciously played gay and George's homosexuality isn't his issue. It just happens to be one more thing one could say about a very complex man".

The film has received favourable reviews with nominations for a Golden Globe, Colin Firth has already been awarded best male actor for the role of George at the Venice Film Festival earlier in the year.

Watch the trailer for A Single Man.