Ray Winstone has joked that his co-star Ben Drew is so multi-talented it annoys him.

Ben - who is better known for his rapping alter-ego Plan B - stars in The Sweeney with Ray, but is making his directorial debut in short film The Defamation Of Strickland Banks, based on his album of the same name.

"Little Billy's great... Really intelligent boy, you know, terrific actor. Director and everything, you know, they're so smart today, these kids," Ray told Absolute Radio.

"It really p***** me off, yeah," he added.

Ray, who next appears in Snow White And The Huntsman and is in talks to play Julius Caesar in Cleo, heaped high praise on his younger co-star. Ben's previous acting roles included parts in Adulthood, Harry Brown and 4,3,2,1.

"He's terrific. That's the reason he did the film, because I watched him in Harry Brown, and Nick [Love, director] did as well," he continued.

"We just thought he not only looked like he could kick a door down, he probably looked like he could eat it as well, but he can act, you know? He was getting better and better on set all the time."

Ray revealed that The Sweeney is expected to be released around September.