Fassbender: 'Wearing Mask Was Liberating'

Hollywood stars including 12 Years A Slave actor Michael Fassbender have been attending the Sundance London film festival.

The three-day event, which began on Friday, showcases what it calls "top independent films" from the American Sundance festival that took place in Utah earlier this year.

Fassbender was at the O2 for the UK premiere of his new oddball comedy Frank.

The Irish-German star, 37, plays the eccentric frontman of a pop band who hides his identity behind a mask.

Frank Sidebottom was the comedy alter-ego of London musician and funnyman Chris Sievey, who performed wearing a large cartoon papier mache head.

Fassbender said: "It was definitely an opportunity to live out a fantasy. I like music a lot but my talent is pretty mediocre. I enjoy it, it's very much a part of my life."

He added: "Luckily enough, we had the luxury to rehearse for three to four weeks before filming so that was a great opportunity to jam together, learn the songs and gel together as a band."

The star went on: "Initially it was kind of claustrophobic in there. There's not much one can see from inside the head - it's very restricted in terms of what's going on outside - but it was great fun.

"It was very liberating and I felt quite mischievous whenever I put the head on so it actually lent to the character."

The film, which hits UK cinemas on May 9, also stars Domhnall Gleeson and Maggie Gyllenhaal and is directed by Irish film-maker Lenny Abrahamson.

Among the other stars expected at the London festival were Ryan Reynolds and Gemma Arterton who were due to attend the UK premiere of their new movie The Voices on Saturday.