A RISING film star from Inverclyde has landed a top role alongside comedy legend Steve Coogan.

Declan Laird is in New York for three months shooting scenes for ‘Hot Air’ with the Alan Partridge actor and A-list actress Neve Campbell, who rose to fame in the Scream movies and has recently been in huge hit TV series House of Cards.

The 23-year-old from Kilmacolm is making the most of his time in the Big Apple by working on another project at the same time.

In between shooting scenes with Coogan and co, Declan is taking on a role in new TV series ‘Big Dogs’ alongside a host of film and TV stars as well as the son of Taken actor Liam Neeson.

He has relocated from his home in Los Angeles for the filming.

Declan told the Tele: “I’ve been in New York since the end of July and will be here until mid-October with a few wee breaks back to Los Angeles in between.

“I’m working two project simultaneously out here. 

“One is with Steve Coogan called ‘Hot Air’ and it is due for release in the first quarter of next year.

“It’s directed by Frank Coraci — of The Wedding Singer, The Waterboy and Around the World in 80 Days — and the leads are Steve Coogan and Neve Campbell and upcoming star Taylor Russell. 

“I play the role of a young Russian playboy who is chatting up Taylor — Coogan’s character’s niece — throughout the movie, which causes Steve and I to have a very unsavoury relationship, to put it lightly.

“It was a lot of fun working with him.

“I always found him very funny and loved the Alan Partridge show, so, it was all pretty surreal.

“It’s cool to be filming on the streets of Manhattan.”

Declan has also been busy working on the TV series and will appear in six out of eight episodes in the first series.

He said: “It’s based upon best-selling crime thriller novels by Adam Dunn.

“It takes place in an alternate universe New York City which is financially collapsed and in ruin.

“I play the role of Prince William — nothing to do with the actual prince — who is a street and low level worker for the bad guys.

“My co-star and almost all of my scenes are with Micheal Neeson who is Liam’s son.

“It’s pretty cool.”