Brett Goldstein kept his surprise role in Thor: Love And Thunder a secret even from his parents.

The actor, known for playing Roy Kent on Ted Lasso, appeared in the first post-credits scene for Thor: Love And Thunder as Hercules alongside Russell Crowe’s Zeus.

• READ MORE: Thor: Love and Thunder review: Marvel’s most metal movie yet

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Goldstein explained that he kept his involvement in the Marvel Cinematic Universe a secret from everyone.

“I didn’t tell anyone,” Goldstein said. “I didn’t tell my family. They put a chip in me that would explode if I fucking spoke about it. It was terrifying.”

The actor kept it a surprise until the film was released, when he encouraged his parents to go see it in a cinema.

“I sent them a text saying, ‘I’ve just seen Thor! It’s really good! I think you’d enjoy it. You should go,’” Goldstein said. “They went, and my mum kept texting me during the film. I’ve always said to her, ‘Don’t fucking text during the film!’ She’s texting me, ‘This is funny!’ I’m like, ‘Stop texting and watch the fucking film!’”

He added: “It gets to the end, and like 10 seconds before I’m on, she’s texting me, ‘Russell Crowe’s back on, he’s funny!’ And I went, ‘Look up at the fucking screen!’ I’m like, if she misses this, she’s going to walk out and go, ‘Well, I enjoyed the film. I don’t know why you sent us.’”

After seeing his new role, Goldstein said his dad “keeps calling himself Zeus, so that’s an issue”.

In a four-star review of Thor: Love And Thunder, NME wrote: “Credit Waititi and co-writer Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, who ensure Love And Thunder builds to something more profound than simply another hero/villain showdown.

“Parenthood, relationships, responsibility, and mortality all come into play as Thor, well, grows up. Best of all, like Ragnarok before it, it’s tremendously entertaining. Welcome to the jungle, indeed.”