"The Transporter Refueled" is taking the big hit action franchise in a new direction. The biggest turn for the series? A new star to take over for Jason Statham.

Ed Skrein is now set to assume the iconic role of Frank Martin and add his stamp to the sequel of the action series. The British actor and rapper started his career in the movie business back in 2008 when he appeared in "Michelle" but things really got going in 2012 when he landed roles in three films. "Transporter" is arguably his biggest role yet but he has also landed parts in "Northmen: A Viking Saga," "Sword of Vengeance" and "Tiger House." Moreover, he is set to appear as Ajax in the hotly anticipated "Deadpool" movie.

Skrein recently took some time to talk to Latin Post about his experience working on the new film and his future aspirations as an actor.

Latin Post: How did you feel when you first landed the role?

Ed Skrein: I was making another film at the time and I was actually surprised that they were making a new one. I was aware of the franchise but had never seen any of the movies. So it was important for me to familiarize myself with what came before. From the beginning it seemed like a pair of shoes that I could slip into. I am very respectful of what came before but I wanted to find my way in the film.

LP: You are taking over the role from Jason Statham. Does that add extra pressure?

ES: Not in the slightest. I am a guy who is objective and I have a ferocious appetite to learn and grow as an actor. This is a fantastic role to do that and grow to number one on the cool sheet. I learned from so many people including Ray Stevenson and the visionary [Luc] Besson. I love a challenge and I don't shy away from it. I do my best.

LP: Did you draw any inspiration from his take on the character or are you coming at it fresh and putting your stamp on it?

ES: It's like athletics. You have to focus on your technique. I love to learn from people around me. I try to learn from every film I watch and actor I work with. Of course I learned from [Jason] in watching those movies, but when I was doing my thing it was important not to think of it even as a franchise. Just to take it as a single movie and to put everything into the character's experience in this one movie.

LP: What about the character do you want to do differently? What have you done to make it your own?

ES: I don't think there was one thing. I didn't think of it that way. I tried to be the best I could be every time. You could have 10 actors take on a role and each one would do it differently. There have to be parts of my personality in the role.

LP: What was your favorite sequence to shoot or most memorable experience on set?

ES: Working with Ray Stevenson was fantastic. It was great to learn from him and I love the chemistry we had on set. Working with the stunt team on set was also a joy. We created a strong bond and I really hold those guys close to my heart. When I went to work on "Deadpool" I thought about them and hoped that they saw that I was applying all the stuff I'd learned from them. They were family.

LP: Speaking of the stunt team, how much training did you do for stunts?

ES: I did almost all of my stunts. I did so much preparation, 12 weeks in London and then I went to Paris and did training in martial arts, which were long days. After all the work and preparation I really wanted to do the stuff on set.

LP: You've made a transition from rap to acting. When did you realize you wanted to be an actor and has the transition been a difficult one?

ES: Not really. I've always done so many things in my life. On paper all of the things I have done have always seemed disjointed, but I have always been able to juggle things. Yes it is difficult to step into the craft and I am fully aware that I need to improve and grow.

LP: What do you enjoy most about acting?

ES: It is wonderful to imagine yourself in different situations and take on different characters. While I did this role, I had to reimagine my life and rethink my past. This is what it would have been if I didn't have the supportive parents that I have or all the things in my life. So in a way it was therapeutic and allowed me to appreciate where I come from and what I have.

LP: You also worked on "Deadpool." What's it like to be in a comic book superhero movie?

ES: It's a dream come true. I am a comic book geek. I love to read that stuff, especially growing up. From the beginning it's been a dream to be in these movies.

That said, I don't just want to be in these kinds of big superhero films. There are other scripts that I've been reading that are far smaller in scale that I hope will allow me to explore different emotions and ideas. I would love to explore different characters in smaller arthouse European films.

LP: So do you prefer smaller arthouse films or the bigger budget ones?

ES: I love them both. I want to keep jumping from the bigger studio films and the smaller more intimate ones so that I can continue growing and expanding as an actor.