SINGAPORE: EWAN MACGREGOR'S LATEST FILM "ROGUE TRADER" FOLLOWS THE FORTUNES OF DISGRACED BANK TRADER NICK LEESON

Record ID: 692474

  • Title: SINGAPORE: EWAN MACGREGOR'S LATEST FILM "ROGUE TRADER" FOLLOWS THE FORTUNES OF DISGRACED BANK TRADER NICK LEESON
  • Date: 20th January 1998
  • Summary: SINGAPORE (JANUARY 20, 1998) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) DIRECTOR JAMES DEARDEN DESCRIBING LEESON, SAYING, "I THINK HE'S A COMPLEX MAN. THERE'S A LOT OF QUALITIES HE HAS WHICH ARE SYMPATHETIC AND OTHERS LESS SYMPATHETIC. PERSONALLY I FEEL KIND OF SORRY FOR HIM BECAUSE I DON'T THINK HE SET OUT WITH ANY EVIL INTENTION. HE'S NOT A VICTIM BUT HE CERTAINLY BECAME A VICTIM OF HIS OWN CIRCUMSTANCES AND HIS CIRCUMSTANCES WERE LARGELY CREATED BY HIMSELF. THAT DOESN'T LESSEN THE FACT YOU WATCH SOMEONE STRUGGLING TO GET OUT OF A VERY DEEP HOLE AND NOT SUCCEEDING AND THAT'S BOTH FASCINATING AND ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S HARD NOT TO FEEL SORRY FOR THAT PERSON...I IDENTIFY WITH HIM ON THAT LEVEL. I THINK WE'VE ALL BEEN IN SITUATIONS WHERE WE'VE BEEN IN OVER OUR HEADS, WE WERE NOT COMPETENT TO DEAL WITH WHATEVER IT WAS AND WHERE WE HAD TO LIE AND CON OUR WAY THROUGH IT AND SOMEHOW SURVIVED AND HE DIDN'T SURVIVE SO I THINK IN THAT SENSE IT'S A UNIVERSAL STORY. WE'VE ALL BEEN THERE IN SOME FORM OR ANOTHER." CREW PREPARING FOR SCENE MCGREGOR AND FRIEL REHEARSING SCENE IN CAR VARIOUS OF REHEARSAL MCGREGOR AND FRIEL IN CAR (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) MCGREGOR SAYING, "IT'S HIS STORY BEING TOLD NOW, OR HIS VERSION OF WHATEVER. I'D LOVE TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED, WHAT REALLY WENT ON...BUT IT ISN'T EASY. WE'RE ALL SWANNING AROUND AND EATING LUNCH AND FILMING, HAVING A GOOD TIME AND HE'S IN JAIL AROUND THE CORNER." LIGHTING CREW MCGREGOR AND FRIEL AROUND POOL CAMERA MCGREGOR AND FRIEL AROUND POOL LIGHTING MAN MCGREGOR RELAXING ON SET WIDE OF SET
  • Embargoed: 4th February 1998 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: SINGAPORE
  • Country: Singapore
  • Reuters ID: LVA797QMJXK8GNVVMF72Z95OW43H
  • Story Text: - The former whiz-kid futures trader Nick Leeson, who caused the sensational collapse of Britain's oldest merchant bank, is kicking up another storm in Singapore, even though he's languishing in jail.

    "Rogue Trader", the 12 million dollar film based on Leeson's autobiography of the same name, is currently being shot in Singapore after five weeks of filming in and around London and ten days in Malaysia.

    Neeson who continues to serve his 6-12 year jail term in Changi Prison in Singapore, wrote the book while awaiting extradition to Singapore in a Frankfurt jail where he was imprisoned in December 1995.

    The film "Rogue Trader" is being directed by James Dearden and stars British hearthrob Ewan McGregor. He plays Neeson in the film and stars alongside British soap star Anna Friel, who plays his wife, Lisa.

    The film tells the story of the tumultuous rise of Nick Leeson, from a working class background in a London suburb to becoming head of Baring's futures operations in Singapore. It follows his subsequent downfall because of huge losses incurred from risky deals.

    Leeson made world headlines in February 1995 when his billion-dollar futures trading losses in Singapore caused the collapse of Barings, one of Britain's oldest and most reputable banks. The flamboyant trader then 28 years old fled Singapore just before the losses became known. He was arrested in Frankurt, Germany, and extradited to Singpore, where he is currently serving 6.5 years for covering up his disastrous trading.

    To prepare for his role, McGregor said he watched video footage of Leeson, read books on him and also met up with three of the former banker's friends. McGregor was obviously thrilled to have landed the part of Neeson.

    "He's fascinating me," McGregor said. "I really like playing him. I'm having a great time...I'll certainly try to meet him when he comes out and I'll probably just think 'I got it all wrong'. But I didn't want to meet him before...I was scared that I thought he was a prick maybe," McGregor revealed.

    Friel said she found her character "a tremendous amount of fun".

    Friel has made her name in the UK for her portrayal of a young lesbian in a popular soap "Brookside".

    James Dearden, the film's director and scriptwriter described the film: "It is a film about a young person who is very ambitious and hungry for success. A lot of people can relate to that".

    Deardon visited Neeson in prison last year to discuss the movie and said he thought Neeson was a complex man.

    "There's a lot of qualities he has which are sympathetic and others less sympathetic. Personally I feel kind of sorry for him because I don't think he set out with any evil intention...he became a victim of his own circumstances", he said.

    News of the film deal last year prompted Barings' administrators and liquidators to start legal steps to ensure Leeson does not profit from the book or film.

    The real-life Lisa, 29, is reportedly seeking a divorce from her husband after reading about his exploits with other women in the book.

    "Rogue Trader is expected to be on general release in early 1999.
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