Ray Winstone is known for his ‘hard man’ image playing gangsters in films like The Departed, Sexy Beast and Scum.
But the 65-year-old Hollywood actor looked like he was auditioning for a role as Santa in his latest holiday snaps, according to fans.
Revealing he had let his white beard grow out, the A-lister posted a rare snap on Instagram of his sunshine break in Portugal.
Wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, the told his 122,000 followers: “Got two days off graft. So we’re hanging about “Vallado Winery” in the mountains of Portugal.”
As he topped up his tan round the pool, Ray declared he loved the hot weather saying: “Hot, Too Hot! Not for me, I love it, you could fry an egg on my stomach.”
Get all the biggest showbiz news straight to your inbox. Sign up for the free Mirror Showbiz newsletter.
He added: “If you ever find yourselves down this way, stay here. It’s the absolute business.”
His celebrity pals were quick to comment on the post, which received thousands of likes in just the first hour.
Actor Max Beesley wrote: “Looks like a right s**t hole,” to which Ray clapped back: “Trust you.”
While fans compared Ray’s new look to Father Christmas and Uncle Albert from Only Fools and Horses.
One commented: “Father Christmas sun bathing,” which Ray replied to with a series of laughing face emojis.
Another simply wrote: “Uncle Albert.”
A third said he looked the spitting image of his character in Sexy Beast, posting: “Living like Gal Dove!”
“I hope you've packed your Sexy Beast trunks, just for old times’ sake!” a fourth joked.
Playing along with it, Ray replied: “Do you know I actually have…straight.”
Sharing more snaps of his Portuguese break, Ray showed off his infinity pool surrounded by mountain views.
He revealed he had also been tucking into the local cuisine and bottles of red wine.
Ray recently shared he had completely overhauled his life – embracing a healthier way of living so he can be around to see his grandchildren grow up.
He became a grandad in 2016 when daughter Jaime, 37, welcomed her son Ray, who is now six.
After his good pal Gary Pettit was diagnosed with prostate cancer at the age of 51, Ray said: “It dawned on me when I had a grandchild that I want to see him grow up."
He explained: “All of a sudden we’ve got this little man come along and I want to be there.
“I want to see him in his teens, have a family of his own if possible. That made me think about it more than anything else.
“Now I get tested for prostate cancer once a year, and if I go for a job and there’s a medical, I’ll ask them to check it.”
Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at webcelebs@trinitymirror.com or call us direct 0207 29 33033.
