As well as the plot and a lot of very good characters, that was the part that interested me the most.'

As it happens he has lived in England for almost two decades and the world has passed him by.

'Where Hercule Poirot is in his life he is nearing the end of his life, he is quite forgotten. Speaking to the BBC he explained that it was the script itself that attracted him to the role despite all of its pressures. Yep, this is a whole new version of a classic. Guys, there isn't actually a Hastings at all. There are no funny quips about how OCD he is, nor witty banter with his pal Hastings. Malkovich's Poirot is an older, more solitary character with a great darkness about him. Playing the famous detective is a fairly high pressured task, considering that the role has been utterly owned by David Suchet, who played Poirot on the ITV series for a staggering 25 years. Bustle reached out to representatives of Malkovich, Agatha Christie Ltd, and production company Mammoth Screen for further comment, but did not receive a response at the point of publication. The ABC Murders is one story told over three parts, and is a miniseries, not scheduled for another season. And he is doing such a ruddy good job that people are wondering, will John Malkovich play Poirot again? And this time round it is an all new Poirot, in the shape of John Malkovich. The screen adaptation of Agatha Christie's book of the same name, sees the return of everyone's favourite Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot. JM: “None! I spoke with the director while I was on another job and he said, ‘I want you to look the way you look now.’ Every time it has been done the moustache has had a lead role.This Christmas, the BBC's big budget period drama has been The ABC Murders and woah nelly, has it been intense. TVSW: Poirot is famed for his spectacular moustache but you have a goatee, how much say did you have in his facial hair? JM: “There are lots of versions of Poirot already, all with different points of view and some seriously good actors have done it before but that can’t be a reference for me.

TVSW: Is it daunting playing a character who is so well known though? If we’re going by the book then I can’t do it – I’m not 5 feet 4 or Belgian!” But many years ago I stopped going back to source material. JM: “Agatha Christie was a gifted storyteller and observant about people’s peculiarities. Poirot (John Malkovich) faces a range of suspects in The ABC Murders (Image credit: BBC/Mammoth Screen/Agatha Christ)

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