|PIC1|Danny Boyle, the director of “Slumdog Millionaire”, the hit British movie which won eight Oscars last night, said that he had “seriously contemplated” becoming a Catholic priest when he was younger.

The hit British movie swept the field at last night's Oscars, bringing home eight awards, including Best Director for Boyle and Best Picture and Best Original Score.

Boyle was born in Radcliffe, Lancashire to an Irish Catholic family and even applied to a Catholic seminary at the age of 14, he reveals in an interview with The Telegraph.

However he left after a priest suggested that he may not be suited to the calling.

"Whether he was saving me from the priesthood or saving the priesthood from me, I don't know. But quite soon after, I started doing drama," he told the newspaper.

“Slumdog Millionaire” is set in Mumbai, India. It tells the story of a young man living in the city's slum who takes part in the Indian version of the game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” and arouses the suspicion of the police when he does unexpectedly well on the show.

Boyle is the director behind cult movies “Trainspotting” and “28 Days Later”.