USA: Russell Brand and Helen Mirren team up for the remake of "Arthur"

Record ID: 219160

  • Title: USA: Russell Brand and Helen Mirren team up for the remake of "Arthur"
  • Date: 7th April 2011
  • Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (APRIL 5, 2011) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) HELEN MIRREN, ACTRESS, SAYING: "You know it's really hard to explain. I think it partly comes from the fact that we actually come from a very, we come from 20 miles from each other. We both grew up, I mean, obviously he grew up much later than me, but we both grew up in the same part of England, it's what we call the Estuary, which is the East side of London. So we understand the same culture the same language the same food, the same environment, you know, we have that in common." HELEN MIRREN TALKING TO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) HELEN MIRREN, ACTRESS, SAYING: "I absolutely love him. And I feel protective towards him, and I support him and I applaud him."
  • Embargoed: 22nd April 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa, Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA6LH6K2HGHBIQO0Y31BXI2Q5FO
  • Story Text: British comedian Russell Brand puts his brand of humor into Dudley Moore's 1981 classic movie "Arthur."
    The actor, who portrays billionaire Arthur Bach, has teamed up with fellow Brit Helen Mirren, who plays his reliable nanny for a modern take on the film. The movie is so contemporary that Mirren's character was a male butler in the original. British actor John Gielgud won a best supporting actor Oscar for the role.
    Brand and Mirren's on-screen relationship mimics their real- life connection. The two formed a special bond when they filmed "The Tempest," and have been close ever sense. Brand gave Mirren a pair of yellow underpants after Mirren, according to Brand, panicked after seeing them in his dressing room. This time around he gifted her with a classier gift.
    "I gave her a diamond studded diaper pin because she was my punk sexy nanny," Brand told Reuters.
    Mirren said their special bond is partly geographical.
    "We both grew up in the same part of England, it's what we call the Estuary. Which is the East side of London. So we understand the same culture, the same language, the same food, the same environment, you know, we have that in common," explained Mirren.
    Arthur is a fun-loving, irresponsible charmer who relies on his money and his nanny to help guide him through life. He spends most of his time looking for ways to amuse himself with his fortune.
    But Arthur's care-free life suddenly changes when he is forced to either get married or lose his billion-dollar inheritance. Actress Jennifer Garner plays the determined corporate exec hoping to marry Arthur and who keeps him in line. However, Garner said on the set there was no controlling Brand.
    "He definitely kept all of us on our toes. I don't think that he was going for that, but that is what happened. We had to have our brains turned on and ready to go. Whenever he got this twinkle in his eye you knew something was going to happen."
    Brand first became a household name in the UK as a host for "Big Brother and "Big Brother's Big Mouth" in 2004. In 2008 MTV tapped the fairly unknown comedian to host the Video Music Awards. Reports say some of his jokes put him on the other end of several death threats, but that didn't stop MTV from having him host again in 2009.
    His so-called breakthrough role in the U.S. was in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and since then he has become a box office draw. When the 35-year-old actor arrived at the premiere he went straight over to greet fans waiting across the street.
    "I love America, I love your country; it's fantastic here. We are two countries that are very connected, we have the same language, we have the same basic objectives. I love it here. I'm very happy; we have the same sense of humor. We have a good relationship between UK and the United States and we always have now, hopefully always we do," he explained.
    "Arthur" opens in U.S. theaters April 8.
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