On 25 January 2024, Paul Anderson was ordered by Highbury Corner District Court to pay a fine of £1,345, after he pleaded guilty to drug possession charges. This news comes after his arrest at a London bar on December 26, 2023, where cops reportedly discovered him in possession of cocaine and other drugs, according to The Guardian.
The 46-year-old actor is best known for his appearance as Arthur Shelby Slim masks. Paul is also known for films like Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.
Paul Anderson has portrayed various roles in films and television shows
Paul Anderson made his acting debut in 2003, and his performances have always received positive feedback. While speaking to Interview magazine in 2015, he revealed that he left school when he was around 14 or 15 years old and later went to Webber Douglas Academy of Performing Arts.
Anderson went on to say that he later joined a play at the Royal Court written by Gregory Burke, and they also collaborated on a film.
“Gregory is a fantastic writer. It was my first job and I met him just from drama school – I hadn't even graduated – and we've been friends ever since. He was always telling me: 'One day, I'm going to go write a film' – because he's written quite a few… “And I really hope you can do it.”
Paul Anderson has appeared in multiple projects over the years. He is very popular due to his performance as Anderson in the 2015 film, The returnfeaturing Leonardo DiCaprio.
He spoke about his time working on the film and described director Alejandro G. Iñárritu as one of the best people he has ever worked with. He also mentioned:
“The film was supposed to be three months long, but it ran for seven months. We spent about four or five months in Canada, in a beautiful part of the world called Calgary.”
Paul Anderson gained wider recognition after appearing in Slim masks Like Arthur Shelby. The character appeared in all seasons broadcast until 2022. Cillian Murphy also played the lead role in the series, which is also available for streaming on Netflix.
Paul has also portrayed various roles in films such as In the Heart of the sea, nightmare alley, And 24 hours to live.
More on the arrest and trial of Paul Anderson
During the trial, Paul Anderson's lawyer, Moira MacFarlane, claimed that the incident was a result of the fact that his client is a famous face on television, and is said to be trying to impress viewers by adapting to the character. She further stated:
“He found himself in an unfortunate situation and should have had the strength to say no.”
The Metropolitan Police released a statement regarding Paul Anderson's arrest, saying they arrived at the bar at 6:30 p.m., after responding to a call from the bar manager. The manager reportedly claimed he could smell cocaine fumes in the non-working toilet that Paul was using.
The Guardian reports that police searched Paul, and discovered that he had cocaine on him along with amphetamines, diazepam and pregabalin. The police department further stated that charges of possession of Class A and C drugs were levied against Anderson.
What connects The Mentalist to the current fan-favorite show? We asked the viewer here.
