Simon Pegg has said he is happiest when pushing himself out of his comfort zone and so would like to take more dramatic roles.

The Shaun Of The Dead star plays Hector in Hector And The Search For Happiness, a comedy about a psychiatrist who travels the world to step outside of his comfort zone and find out what makes people happy.

He said: "I'm at a place in my life now where I'm more aware of myself than Hector is, I'm more at ease with myself than Hector is, because I've done what Hector did which is to get out of my comfort zone and realise where I'm happiest.

"This film is more dramatic than anything I've done before and that was really nice to get my teeth into, moments of sheer terror and anguish which you don't normally see in a comedy."

Simon, who also had a role in Star Trek Into Darkness, admitted: "I'd love to do more dramatic roles. I love doing comedy and that's where my comfort zone is, so I would like to do more dramatic roles because I don't feel as comfortable.

"You hear dramatic actors say comedy is so hard. Personally I feel like comedy is where I'm happiest. But I love seeing actors who can just pin emotions. I want to do that, I think that looks like fun."

He also said that he relished pushing himself to do more than he was comfortable with: " That's where life is. That's Hector's problem, that he lives in the very heart of his comfort zone and as a result he's unhappy.

"It isn't until you get out of that you start to understand what makes you happy or makes you sad or makes you scared or makes you in love.

"That's the best place to experience life, it starts at the very edge of where you are most comfortable. Comfort doesn't necessarily mean happiness."

Hector And The Search For Happiness is released in cinemas on August 15.