Dev Patel on Slumdog Millionaire, Bruce Lee, and His First Kiss on Skins | Screen Tests | W Magazine

In this Screen Tests interview, Dev Patel, who landed his first on-screen role in the cult British teen drama 'Skins' recalls his first major red carpet — at the Toronto International Film Festival, where the then-17-year-old actor premiered 'Slumdog Millionaire'. That was the moment he went from high street to high fashion, à la Julia Roberts in 'Pretty Woman'. Get to know Patel — and his cinematic crushes, from Rooney Mara to Bruce Lee — in his screen test. Transcript So first TV show I ever auditioned for, my mum saw an advert in the back of this newspaper called the Metro, which is a free newspaper on all the trains in London. She tore it out and dragged me to this open casting. I was years old, and I was very reluctant. I was in my school uniform, with my mum. We waited outside the National Youth Theatre in London, and it was for this TV show called Skins. I did get it, yes, so it was a success. I played this character called Anwar. I was wildly hyperactive, and he's kind of like that little chihuahua that keeps humping your leg. Very sexually charged, and was trying to do anything to lose his virginity. I did Slumdog when I was . Yeah, the film festival in Toronto was insane. I remember rocking up in my school shoes, and I had this terrible suit that I'd found on the High Street with my mum. My co-star, Freida's beautiful, very glamorous, kinds of well-styled young lady. We can't have this kid walking down the carpet w