The actor spent weeks scouring video websites looking for clues on his accent as spy Ilya Kuryakin in the upcoming blockbuster, but it was a former associate who really helped him grasp his Russian.

Hammer explains, "He's just this character and so I was like, 'He has such a beautiful, old Russian accent...' He's got all these videos, like massage videos - self massage and how to heal yourself."

The movie star offered up a clip from one of the therapist's self-help videos during an appearance on U.S. chat show Conan on Wednesday (05Aug15).

He also admitted that while he was happy with his Russian accent for the film, he was nervous about meeting eastern European film critics and reporters while promoting the new movie.

He added, "A Russian journalist walks in... and she says to me, 'So you play a Russian in this movie?' And I go, 'I try to, yeah'. And she goes, 'Not bad, not bad'. By Russian standards, I think that's the best compliment."