UNITED KINGDOM: British actor James McAvoy hits the blue carpet in London as Irvine Welsh's book 'Filth' makes it to the big screen

Record ID: 221154

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: British actor James McAvoy hits the blue carpet in London as Irvine Welsh's book 'Filth' makes it to the big screen
  • Date: 30th September 2013
  • Summary: (LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM) (SEPTEMBER 30, 2013) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR JON S BAIRD, SAYING: ''I think if we get a decent start here then it's got a better chance of playing well around the world, but I think it will you know, it's a story about, it's not a story about Scotland at all, it's a story about a guy, it's a tragic love story and that's
  • Embargoed: 15th October 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA7V45A3GL945PSAN9OXLL9VK2S
  • Story Text: 'Trainspotting' author, Irvine Welsh initially thought James McAvoy was too young to take on the role of bitter 40-year-old Bruce Robertson in the big screen adaptation of his novel 'Filth'.
    The 1998 hit book has been made into a film and despite initial doubts it's McAvoy who takes on the part of the sex-obsessed police officer struggling to cope with his wife leaving him.
    At the film's London premiere on Monday (September 30), 34-year-old McAvoy said he can relate to his troubled alter ego: ''The only difference between me and Bruce is that I am in control of my fear and he's not in control of his and I suppose that's the difference between sanity and insanity isn't it?'' The dark comedy follows Robertson as he visits brothels, takes drugs and competes for a promotion.
    McAvoy leads the piece but is supported by a stellar cast, including actors Emun Elliott and Eddie Marsan.
    Speaking on the blue carpet in Leicester Square McAvoy revealed that they had fun while making the film: ''We were a little naughty, I sort of behaved when I was in Britain, when we went to Belgium and then to Sweden and Hamburg to film we were with a particularly debauched bunch of Glaswegians and 'Edinburgers' in our crew and there was a lot of filthy goings on and it was awesome.'' Dressed in a traditional Scottish kilt, book author, Irvine Welsh joined his cast at the event. He was on board as one of the movie's producers and said when casting they were wrong to initially think McAvoy might be too young: ''He roughs up really well and he morphs into this kind of bitter 40-year-old divorcee so well,'' he said. Adding, jokingly: ''His wife should be a bit worried, like you know seven years down the line this is what you've got to look forward to.'' As well as finding fame with Channel 4 show 'Shameless', McAvoy met his future wife, his then co-star Anne-Marie Duff, the couple married in 2006 and they have one son together.
    Welsh heaped praise on McAvoy's performance, explaining it's harder to shock an audience now than it was in 1996, when his novel 'Trainspotting' was turned into a movie. ''You can't shock in the same way - by showing things, when you showed things in 'Trainspotting' - like people shooting up smack - which was kind of quite shocking to watch at the time which would be passe now,'' he said.
    ''So you can't actually shock people by showing them things that are shocking, what you can do is get an actor that gives a fantastic, emotionally charged performance and you can actually shock people by the intensity of that performance and the transitions in that performance from different emotional states.'' As well as seeing his dark side the audience are also allowed a softer glimpse of Robertson as he gets close to actress Joanne Froggatt's character Mary.
    While it was director Danny Boyle who turned Welsh's 'Trainspotting' into a cult classic movie, directing duties on 'Filth' went to Scottish filmmaker Jon S Baird.
    ''I think if you try and top 'Trainspotting' you're on a hiding to nothing, you've got to make your own film,'' Baird said at the screening.
    Adding: '''Trainspotting' and 'Filth' are different books, you know you've got to be your own person, you've got to be your own film and you've got to try and put everything that's gone before out of your mind.'' ''I think if we get a decent start here then it's got a better chance of playing well around the world, it's not a story about Scotland at all, it's a story about a guy, it's a tragic love story and that's universal,'' said Baird.
    'Filth' has already opened in Scotland and is due to hit the rest of the UK on October 4th.
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