UNITED KINGDOM: Formula One stars have joined actor Chris Hemsworth at the world premiere of "Rush", the latest feature from American director Ron Howard

Record ID: 221145

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: Formula One stars have joined actor Chris Hemsworth at the world premiere of "Rush", the latest feature from American director Ron Howard
  • Date: 2nd September 2013
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (SEPTEMBER 2, 2013) (REUTERS) FORMULA ONE DRIVER JENSON BUTTON DRIVING INTO LEICESTER SQUARE IN 1974 MCLAREN FORMULA ONE CAR POSTER FOR "RUSH" ACTOR CHRIS HEMSWORTH BEING PHOTOGRAPHED (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR CHRIS HEMSWORTH, SAYING: "I think the absolute honesty this guy (James Hunt) lived with, 'I'm not hiding anything, this is it, thi
  • Embargoed: 17th September 2013 13:00
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  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVA4B8PJY1ZHUGYSA7KFQFABR5Y9
  • Story Text: Chris Hemsworth has admitted he got a taste for speed during the filming of "Rush", the new feature he stars in.
    The world premiere for the film, which is directed by Ron Howard, was held in London's Leicester Square on Monday (September 2).
    Rush is the story of the fierce rivalry between racing drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda as they battled for the 1976 Formula One World Championship.
    Hemsworth plays Hunt, a charming and hard-partying British playboy whose attitude to the sport is in stark contrast to Lauda's serious and scientific approach.
    The role required Hemsworth to drive powerful race cars, a task he enjoyed.

    "It probably leads to a little over confidence which is dangerous," he said.

    "It's every young bloke's dream to jump in one of these things and whip 'round the track, it was cool."
    Hemsworth said he appreciated the honesty of Hunt, who died aged 45 in 1993.

    "I think you've got to appreciate the commitment to not conform to anyone else's standard or other peoples' opinion, it was do it his way," he said.
    German actor Daniel Bruhl plays Lauda, a no-nonsense Austrian whose fiery crash during that 1976 season saw him so badly burnt he was given the last rites by a priest and left permanently disfigured.

    "I will never forgot the first conversation (with Lauda) was hilarious," said Bruhl.

    "He said (putting on Lauda's accent): 'Well I guess we have to meet now.' And he said: 'Well just bring hand luggage to Vienna, in case we don't like each other you can piss off right away.' So it made me a bit nervous!"
    Niki Lauda was at the premiere, and said seeing the film depiction of himself in "Rush" stirred emotions he'd not felt at the time of his accident.

    "It is different because when I was fighting for my life I was busy," he said.

    "Sometimes I got upset because (people) always looked at how I look and I shocked them in a way. But when I saw the movie the first time they were right. I really looked a bit funny after the accident."

    "Rush" is director Ron Howard's latest film based on real events from the 1970s.
    He won plaudits for Apollo 13, his 1995 film on the doomed moon mission.
    His latest project features a similar commitment to historical accuracy, with many of the Formula One race cars which raced during the legendary 1976 season being used for filming.

    "It's rich with character," said Howard. "It's got emotion, relationships, twists, turns humour. But it also demands to be seen on the big screen because of this visceral, cool thing, Formula One, and we tried to be as realistic about that as we could be as well."
    Peter Morgan, who wrote the screenplay for Howard's 2008 hit Frost/Nixon, also penned "Rush".
    Fans in Leicester Square covered their ears as 2009 Formula One World Champion Jenson Button arrived at the premiere in a 1974 McLaren race car.
    Button said he'd been impressed by Howard's approach.

    "It's always very difficult with a racing film or motorsport film for them to get it right and for it to be realistic but this film is and it's very exciting. I think Ron (Howard) has done a great job in understanding the sport, really getting involved in the sport. Spending a lot of time with the drivers, the engineers, the mechanics. So it does feel very realistic."

    "Rush" opens in UK cinemas on September 13.
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