Movies

From Soap Star to Horror Icon: EastEnders’ John Altman Nominated for Raindance Award!

BBG News

EastEnders star John Altman has been nominated for a top award at the Raindance Film Festival.

The long-time star of the soap opera, known for portraying ‘Villainous’ Nick Cotton over three decades, is now stepping into an entirely new character from his EastEnders past, appearing in the horror film titled “The Final Quest for the Holy Grail.

The story unfolds around a former Grail seeker and heavy drinker named Johnny Calvi, who embarks on a final quest to discover the legendary Holy Grail – the very cup used by Jesus during the Last Supper.

In the year 2031, society has undergone a transformation and is governed by a clandestine group known as the Priory of Sion. Life within Arcadia unfolds much like a spiritual contest or game.

Does it raise the possibility that Johnny’s life is being orchestrated by a player, with his extraordinary journey merely being a storyline from a video game called “The Last Grail Hunter”?

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A standalone film lasting 70 minutes was filmed over a span of four consecutive days in the city of London, with Mark Christopher Lee serving as its director.

John’s performance has earned him a nomination for the “Best Performance in a UK Feature” category at the 33rd Raindance Film Festival, highlighting his recognized work.

Amongst the esteemed competitors in my field, I find myself matched with Daniel McNamee for Breakwater, Mickey Angelov’s Dali, Graham McTavish for Dirty Boy, and Jordan Bolger for Heavyweight. It’s an honor to be in such distinguished company!

Included among the self-nominated candidates are Charles Robb for Loney, Bella Dayne from Rows, Temica Thompson of White Guilt, and Edward Hogg for The Lonely Musketeer.

Or

In addition to those independently nominated, we find Charles Robb for Loney, Bella Dayne representing Rows, Temica Thompson hailing from White Guilt, and Edward Hogg for The Lonely Musketeer.

Both versions convey the same information but use different word choices and sentence structures.

Regarding his nomination at the biggest indie film festival in the UK, John expressed his immense joy by saying: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be recognized for my Best Performance nomination.

Previously, I collaborated with Mark on musical projects. One day, he contacted me with an idea for a movie, which piqued my interest since I appreciate novelty.

‘It was an enjoyable four days filming the entire movie on location in London and St Albans.’

To an eerie soundtrack, the trailer unfolds, depicting Johnny’s journey through London in search of the Holy Grail. Scenes then transition to Johnny being seen in distress on a table, while it seems as if a gamer is manipulating his actions.

On June 19, 2025, the terrifying movie that you can watch online will make its debut at the Vue cinema located in Piccadilly, London, during the film festival.

After discovering details about the distinctive part he was offered, John consented, being an avid admirer of horror as a series.

Despite being far removed from his EastEnders days, John has developed a passion for horror films, landing roles in Demons At Dawn, Repentance, and the 1981 classic, An American Werewolf In London.

He shared with BANG Showbiz, “I have a fondness for horror movies. What I enjoy is getting startled, and a well-made horror film can certainly accomplish that.

I enjoy it when a movie immerses me so completely that I’m fully relaxed with no anticipations, only to be startled later on. That’s what I appreciate about movies – their ability to captivate and surprise.

John gained popularity as a member of the initial cast in the lengthy BBC television series “EastEnders,” initially portraying the character ‘Nick Cotton,’ often referred to as ‘Nasty Nick.’

He played a crucial role in the initial major plotline of the series, which revolved around the character Reg Cox (portrayed by Johnnie Clayton), who was murdered, thus making him the most notorious antagonist on the soap opera.

however, in 1991, he decided to depart following his denial to incorporate a plot about his character being gay, as stated by John, who suggested it was the reason for his exit.

As a lifestyle expert looking back on soap opera history, I must say that John made a significant comeback in the mid-90s, with appearances in 1993 and later, 1998. His presence was felt again between 2000 and 2001, and then from 2008 to 2009. Remarkably, he returned once more from 2014 until his departure in 2015 – a tragic end that saw him being written off the show.

In the end, he passed away, cradled by the character who portrayed his on-screen mother, following an overdose of heroin that went untreated medically. (June Brown played this role.)

Previously this year, John found himself back in the spotlight due to his use of a racially offensive term during a broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

The broadcaster found himself in a situation where he needed to apologize, as he unintentionally used an inappropriate phrase while discussing if he had ever spontaneously written any dialogue.

He expressed that we have a deep understanding of the characters, and while we wouldn’t make major changes, we might add some humorous lines or dialogue bits to bring a touch of humor to the story. Essentially, he was saying we’d spice things up a little.

Later, John remembered a situation from around the 2000s where the producers of the show replaced a racial slur with ‘undocumented immigrant’ in the script. However, unknowingly, he used the derogatory term during the broadcast.

As an ardent fan, I feel compelled to share this intriguing detail: In a surprising turn of events, during the broadcast, Nick seemed to allude to someone residing with Dot as a rather unsavory individual. The film crew immediately expressed some reservations, commenting, “I’m not sure we can air that.

Interjecting, Sarah stated: ‘No, I don’t think we can [say that].’

Afterward, John asserted that ‘it’s unfortunate but people still say it nowadays,’ to which Sarah firmly countered, ‘No, they don’t.’

Eventually, Sarah expressed her apologies for the inappropriate language, stating, “Allow me to apologize. The words John Altman used were not suitable back then, and they are not suitable now.

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2025-05-27 18:05

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