Firth played gay professor in 'A Single Man' to go nude before 50

Colin Firth says he decided to step into the shoes of a gay professor for his Bafta award winning role because he wanted to go nude before turning 50.

Firth's role in A Single Man has not only won him much critical acclaim and a best actor Bafta but also got him a nod for the 82nd Academy Awards.

"I pick up the script and it says, 'Naked man lies on bed.' And then a few pages in, 'Naked man jumps in ocean'...'Well,' I thought. 'It's time. One more push against gravity before I turn 50 and it's all downhill'," the News of the World quoted Firth, as saying.

Taking about his Oscar nomination, he adds: "I'm not very hopeful, I'm afraid. "It's just nice to get the nomination, frankly."