THE next generation of the Postlethwaite family are taking on Hollywood.

Matthew and Jeff Postlethwaite have appeared together in the likes of Peaky Blinders.

Now the identical twin brothers, who are related to the late Warrington acting legend Pete Postlethwaite on their dad Ian’s side, are tipped to become stars with their lead roles in The White King.

The dystopian story, which was selected for the Edinburgh International Film Festival, follows a 12-year-old boy coming to terms with his father’s imprisonment by a totalitarian state.

Matthew and Jeff play Remus and Romulus Frunza, two cruel brothers who capitalise on the fascist regime.

They shot the film, based on the award-winning novel by György Dragomán, in Budapest.

“There’s something about reading a script – you know instantly if you want to be involved,” said Matthew.

“It’s an adaptation from a book that’s done incredibly well. I liked the way it was written and the darkness that it had.

“There’s certain parallels that you can draw, especially with what has happened with Donald Trump and Brexit.

The film is the second time Matthew and Jeff have appeared together on screen.

They have also recently had meetings with the likes of HBO, Netflix and Sony Pictures to pitch a TV show that they are producing and starring in.

So what is it like to work with your twin brother?

“I love it,” added the 25-year-old.

“There is a healthy competition between us but it’s great to be working with someone who knows you inside out.

“We work really well together too. There’s a certain dynamic when you work together as twins.”

Steven Knight, the creator of the 1920s Birmingham crime drama Peaky Blinders, saw that in them from an early age.

They played accountants in the Shelby gang, led by Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy).

Matthew, whose goal is to get an Oscar within 10 years, said: “That was a great experience for us. It has a phenomenal cast. We learnt a hell of a lot from that show.

It was a real pleasure to be around that cast. Helen McCrory was fascinating and such a great actress. The best thing I learnt from her is that you can say a lot in a scene without saying a word.

“Cillian Murphy, Sam Neill, Paul Anderson and Jordan Bolger became like this big family.

“I don’t think I’ll get an experience like that again anytime soon. Although the show is still going and we’ve not been killed off so there’s still the possibility of us coming back.”

Matthew told Weekend he had a sense that Peaky Blinders was going to be successful but it also exceeded everyone’s expectations.

He added: “Each episode was shot like a film. The attention to detail was so acute and there was a buzz on set. So we kind of felt something but I was still pleasantly surprised about by how well it did and now it’s being picked up in America.

“Jeff and I had our 21st birthday on set and we had a cake while all the cast sang happy birthday which was really sweet.

“It was also the first time I realised acting was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

Matthew now splits his time between the Lake District, where he grew up, and Beverly Hills.

As you can probably imagine, it was a bit of a culture shock at first.

“It was a big jump and nerve wracking but I think if I’m a little bit scared I must be moving in the right direction,” said Matthew, who also appears in Shooting Clerks, a biographical drama about how Kevin Smith maxed out all his credit cards to break into the movie industry with his debut film.

“It is very clichéd but there is something about the Hollywood sign.

“It’s interesting to think that pretty much everyone who has been in a film has seen the same sign and been inspired by it in different ways.

“At the same time I love coming back to the Lake District. I love the calmness that it has.

“Sometimes LA is quite a crazy place and to be able to come back and be surrounded by your family and best friends is really nice

“It’s the best of both worlds.”

Now Matthew and Jeff are playing the waiting game as they pitch the pilot episode of a TV series that they are producing.

The working title is Those Who Rule and if it is commissioned the brothers will work on it both behind the scenes and in front of the camera.

Matthew, who was inspired by James Dean and wants to work with Woody Allen, added: “We’re meeting with these big networks to get it off the ground.

“It makes you question the current state of the world and the direction we could be going in.

“It’s like a cross between House of Cards and Game of Thrones”

Acting may be in the Postlethwaite blood but it was after plotting out a completely different course for his life that Matthew realised that.

He said: “I got to a point where I’d just left university. I had a first class honours degree in business and I thought: ‘What makes me happy?

“If I had 500 stores and was a multimillionaire would that make me happy? The answer was no.

“I realised that what does make me happy is being creative and since then I’ve had this idea of where I want to go...”