ENGLAND: FORMER BOND GIRL MARYAM D'ABO LEADS AN ALL BRITISH CAST IN THE NEW ROMANTIC COMEDY "SEA CHANGE"

Record ID: 435036

  • Title: ENGLAND: FORMER BOND GIRL MARYAM D'ABO LEADS AN ALL BRITISH CAST IN THE NEW ROMANTIC COMEDY "SEA CHANGE"
  • Date: 15th July 1997
  • Summary: ACTORS, INCLUDING SEAN CHAPMAN WALKING ONTO SET SET BEING PREPARED FOR FILMING MARYAM D'ABO HAVING MAKE-UP APPLIED DIRECTOR MICHAEL BRAY DIRECTING ACTORS CHAPMAN SAYING, "RUPERT'S A KIND OF HIGHLY-DRAWN VERSION OF MOST OF THE GUYS I'VE MET IN MY LIFE, INCLUDING ME. HE'S FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE HAD A VERY AFFLUENT CAREER THROUGH HIS 20'S. HE WORKS IN THE CITY, HE'S A FUTURES TRADER AND HE WORKS IN AN INCREDIBLY FIERCE AND COMPETITIVE MALE ENVIRONMENT. RUPERT'S PROBLEM IS THAT HE CAN NEVER TURN THAT OFF. AT THE END OF THE DAY, HE'S STILL A MAN IN A SUIT OF ARMOUR, HE'S STILL A GUY LEADING THAT LIFE. THERE'S A CENTRAL ELEMENT OF THE FILM THAT POINTS OUT HE HAS A MAJOR PERSONAL INSECURITY DEEP IN HIS PAST FOR WHICH HE IS DESPERATELY OVERCOMPENSATING" (ENGLISH) BRAY SAYING (OF RUPERT), "IN HIS YOUTH HIS FATHER WAS A BIT OF A ROMANTIC DREAMER, LOST ALL THE FAMILY MONEY. SO HAVING KNOWN GREAT POVERTY, HE'S TERRIFIED OF IT SO HE BUILDS UP MONEY TO PROTECT HIMSELF TO USE IT AS A SHIELD AND SQUIRRELS IT AWAY AND THAT HAS CLOSED HIM OFF EMOTIONALLY. HE'S SPENT HIS LIFE DRIVING TO MAKE MONEY, NOW HE'S GOT TO FIT IN HIS PERSONAL LIFE BECAUSE HE'S MET THE GIRL OF HIS DREAMS...WHEN YOU'VE MET THE PERSON YOU WANT TO SPEND THE REST OF YOUR LIFE WITH, YOU WANT TO CHANGE BUT THE PROBLEM IS ADMITTING THAT YOU CAN CHANGE...THAT'S WHAT THE WHOLE FILM'S ABOUT, WILL A MAN CHANGE FOR A WOMAN? WILL A WOMAN ADAPT FOR A MAN? THE WHOLE 90'S THING ABOUT A WOMAN WITH A CAREER AND ALL THOSE GOALS AND AMBITIONS AND A MAN WITH HIS CAREER...HOW DO YOU JOIN THOSE TWO TOGETHER TO MAKE A PERSONAL LIFE WORK" (ENGLISH) ACTORS BEING MADE UP BRAY WALKING ONTO SET AS SCENE IS BEING SET UP D'ABO SAYING (OF ALISON) SPIRIT, "SHE'S GOT A GREAT SPIRIT. SHE'S FULL OF LIFE, INDEPENDENCE, INTELLIGENCE AND SHE'S INTERESTING BECAUSE SHE'S REALISED THAT SHE WANTS MORE OUT OF LIFE THAN IS SET. IT'S INTERESTING TO PLAY A CHARACTER THAT WANTS MORE OUT OF A RELATIONSHIP...AND SHE HAS DEPTH TO HER" (ENGLISH) D'ABO ON SET DISCUSSING SCENE WITH BRAY HIGH VIEW OF THE SET D'ABO SAYING (OF BEING BOND GIRL), "THERE'S ALWAYS THAT THING ABOUT BOND GIRLS, DO THEY MAKE IT AFTER? NOT A LOT HAVE. SOME WEREN'T ACTRESS OR HAD BAD LUCK BUT THEN YOU HAVE DIANA RIGG, GREAT STATE ACTRESS...IT'S A JOB. IT'S A GREAT JOB THAT I DID 10 YEARS AGO, GREAT CHAPTER OF MY LIFE. I DO NOT REGRET IT, STAYED FRIENDS WITH A LOT OF THE BOND PEOPLE AND HERE WE ARE FAST FOWARD 10 YEARS LATER WORKING ON ANOTHER JOB WHICH I'M THOROUGHLY ENJOYING" (ENGLISH) CLAPPER BOARD / DIRECTOR YELLS ACTION / SCENE BEING FILMED BRAY SAYING, "IT'S THE MOST ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE OF MY ADULT LIFE. I HAD A STRANGE EXPERIENCE THE FIRST DAY ON SET...SOMEONE CALLED TO ASK ME IF I FELT NERVOUS BUT I DIDN'T...I FELT PERFECTLY AT HOME. I HOPE THAT DOESN'T SOUND TOO ARROGANT SO I'M WORKING ON THIS CHARACTER RUPERT WHO IS THE MOST ARROGANT MAN IN THE WORLD AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FILM AND I THINK IT'S SEEPED INTO ME" (ENGLISH) HIGH VIEW OF SET BRAY SAYS ACTION AND SCENE BEING FILMED SCENE IN MONITOR HIGH VIEW OF SCENE VARIOUS OF SCENE BEING FILMED
  • Embargoed: 30th July 1997 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVADXBI19Q51IPDSX0RCR67SF93U
  • Story Text: Former Bond girl Maryam D'Abo leads an all British cast in the new romantic comedy "Sea Change".

    Currently being filmed in London, "Sea Change" is a 2 million pound British/Spanish co-production that will be filmed in both countries.

    Written, produced and directed by newcomers Michael Bray and Billy Hurman, it has taken more than four years from when "Sea Change" was conceived in a two-bedroom flat in Shepherds Bush, West London, to the start of filming.

    The film revolves around Rupert (played by Sean Chapman), a successful city businessman and his relationship with his girlfriend, Alison (Maryam D'Abo).

    Reuters visited the set during the filming of the scene before Rupert proposes to Alison.

    Rupert is ambitious and driven -- characteristics which evolved from the fact his father almost ruined the family financially because of his lack of business sense.

    Rupert thinks all he needs to complete his successful "life package" of prosperous career, designer flat and luxury car, is a wife.

    "Rupert's a kind of highly-drawn version of most of the guys I've met in my life, including me," Chapman explained.

    Presuming marriage will be yet another successful negotiation, he tells his secretary to buy a wedding ring, find a window in his hectic diary for 45 minutes maximum and book a stylish restaurant.

    Rupert takes Alison, a bright career woman, out to lunch and confidently proposes.

    She responds by telling him she will consider it -- only if he changes.

    The gauntlet is thrown down and the first part of the changing process is that Rupert attend a dinner with Alison and her friends, people he usually avoids.

    He then leaves for Lisbon to embark on another business deal but on his return, his plane is re-directed to Madrid.

    In Spain he meets Chas, played by Ray Winstone, a chance meeting that changes Rupert's outlook on life forever.

    Rupert is a different man by the time he makes it back to London. But he now must convince Alison that he has really changed.

    D'Abo's former film credits include "Living Daylights", "Out of Africa" and "The Browning Vision".

    But it is her Bond role for which she is most remembered and the one she is still asked about.

    "It's a job," she said of her Bond days. "It's a great job that I did 10 years ago and a great chapter of my life." Chapman has previously appeared in "The Fourth Protocol", "For Queen and Country" and "Hell Raiser".

    Ray Winstone most recently was seen in Gary Oldman's latest production "Nil By Mouth".

    The film co-stars Andree Bernard who has appeared in "The Crying Game", "Chaplin" and "Absolute Beginners".

    For a first time director, Bray said he felt completely at home directing his first feature.

    "It's the most enjoyable experience of my adult life," he said.

    "I felt perfectly at home. I hope that doesn't sound too arrogant as I'm working on this character Rupert who is the most arrogant man in the world at the beginning of the film and I think it's seeped into me." Filming will move to Spain in August.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register