Homeland actor Rupert Friend gets game face on

Rupert Friend trained hard for his role in Hitman: Agent 47.

Star of popular TV series says he's enjoying keeping Hitman movie cast in dark on show's cliffhanger finale.

Homeland star Rupert Friend has revealed he was constantly pestered for spoilers about the hit show while filming his latest movie.

The British actor stars as CIA agent Quinn in the award-winning show and the final episode of the last season left audiences in suspense about whether he would survive an assassination mission in Iraq.

Friend, who stars in new film Hitman: Agent 47, said he refused to give anything away to his colleagues, despite incessant requests from co-star Hannah Ware.

"It was all she did, it was very tiring. I'm not allowed to say anything, but because it was Hannah asking I wouldn't have told her even if I had been allowed," he said.

"She really wants to know and it's a great joy to me to wind her up."

Hitman: Agent 47 is based on a successful series of video games but Friend, 33, admitted he took a while to get the hang of playing it. Speaking on the red carpet at a fan event for the movie in New York City, he said: "I played the hell out of it.

"In the beginning my character just stood in the corner and turned around aimlessly looking at the floor, and I couldn't work out how to get the gun out or anything, which is a bit like what it was like for me at the beginning of this film, but by the end you get a bit more proficient."

Friend, who is best known for his roles in British period films The Young Victoria and Pride And Prejudice, trained hard for the physical role.

"It was full on, I really wanted to do all-day, every-day immersive physical preparations so I studied Krav Maga here in New York and I studied with a boxing trainer and bits of Muay Thai," he said.

Movie preview

What: Hitman: Agent 47 starring Rupert Friend and Zachary Quinto
When: Opens at cinemas on Thursday.

- AAP