Russell Brand did `nosefuls of hard liquor` for Arthur role

The 35-year-old comedian was on sparkling form as he appeared on US television's Tonight Show with Jay Leno to promote his upcoming comedies Hop and the remake of the Dudley Moore classic, Arthur.

But the Brit, who is now sober after past troubles with drink and drugs, said it was actually difficult to play the title role.

'I haven't had a drink in eight years and he [Arthur] is drunk all the time,' he said. 'So in the scenes I would be carrying a bottle of booze with me - tequila, rum, brandy, one of the hardcore liquors. Oh, those were the days! And I would have a big noseful of that stuff.'

As he acted out the technique with an invisible bottle, he added, 'Just the smell like that then you would go into the scene head full of giddy memories of yesteryear. It works really well.'

But he said pretty soon co-stars Helen Mirren and Jennifer Garner were also taking up the technique

'It was an epidemic,' he joked.