UNITED KINGDOM: Oscar buzz surrounds "Atonement" as the film's stars Keira Knightley and James McAvoy prepare for its North American release

Record ID: 745678

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: Oscar buzz surrounds "Atonement" as the film's stars Keira Knightley and James McAvoy prepare for its North American release
  • Date: 21st November 2007
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (NOVEMBER 16, 2007) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOE WRIGHT, DIRECTOR, ON SHOOTING A SEX SCENE, SAYING: "The first time we went for a take, I'd explained, the kind of routine. And I called 'action' and it was over in ten seconds. So we went and did it again, this time, I kind of talked them through it and kind of slowed them down a little bit. We were playing music at the same time so I had to talk quite loudly. And unfortunately the music cut just at the moment when I said 'wank him off Keira' and that was quite embarrassing and we had a right old laugh about that."
  • Embargoed: 6th December 2007 12:00
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  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVA9UC4E3C56JTCZ2DMYY6IVZFPY
  • Story Text: Despite early predictions that the period film is bound for Oscar glory, the stars of "Atonement" Keira Knightley and James McAvoy remained quiet about their hopes of a golden statuette.
    Ian McEwan's best-selling novel of love thwarted by juvenile fantasy is a favourite amongst awards watchers.
    Knightley and McAvoy give compelling, charismatic performances as the lovers and a stunning contribution from Romola Garai as their remorseful nemesis.
    Knightley said McAvoy wasn't the first actor she and director Joe Wright had in mind when filling the role. However, the young Scot soon proved he was more than capable of playing the working-class hero.

    "I think he (James McAvoy) is a once-in-a-generation type of actor. I think that he could do anything. I think that the subtly and the beauty and the grace that he plays (the role of) Robbie Turner with... It was weird because physically, Joe (Wright, director) had a very picture in his head of the physical type that he wanted for Robbie and it wasn't necessarily James. But James comes in and he completely morphs into the character you give him, I mean totally morph, to the point where you go, none of us thought in our heads, when I heard James was coming to read for it, I didn't go 'Oh that makes sense'. I thought 'ok fine' but couldn't automatically see it. And he just manages to transforms, which is what actors are supposed to do but it doesn't always happen," said Knightley.
    McAvoy plays Robbie Turner, whose mother is the housekeeper at the upper-middle-class family estate of Cecilia, played by Knightley, and her younger sister Briony.
    McAvoy said his own working class upbringing mirrored the experiences of his character.

    "I think more than just my background, the fact that I've had access to a certain way of life that most people, nevermind working class people, most middle class and upper class people don't get allowed, I live the life of an actor and as such I get to do things and go places that nobody gets to do, I'm very privileged. And that is in a weird way is quite similar to Robbie, he gets to come out of his class, he gets to transcend his class that nobody would be be able to do in his class," said McAvoy.
    Like "The English Patient," which won nine Oscars in 1997, "Atonement" deals with lovers parted by pitiless fate and promising to come back to each other in a time of war. It captures impeccably three periods of English life -- before, during and after World War II -- in its parallel stories of aching romance and deepest regret.
    Director Joe Wright and screenwriter Christopher Hampton keep the structure of McEwan's novel so that the story's revelations are well hidden though foreshadowed and revisited cinematically in very clever ways.
    In only his second full-length feature, the young director has received accolades for the film, including being the youngest director to open the Venice Film Festival. He worked with Knightley in his debut feature "Pride and Prejudice" where the young actress was nominated for an Academy Award. She is heavily favoured to given another Oscar nod in "Atonement".
    Though she admits a penchant for period pieces, she said she wouldn't be opposed to exploring other genres.

    "I go for the story as opposed to when it's set. And so far, the only scripts that have landed on my table have been the period pieces that have moved me more. It's not necessarily that I'm going 'Ok, I only want to do period films', definitely, I'd love to sci-fi, but only if the sci-fi is good.
    I'd love to do a modern-day piece, and I've done many modern days pieces but again I want them to be good, I want them to be interesting. So far, I've just found the ones that have been set in the past tense to be more interesting."
    Wright recalled a funny incident during the filming of the sex scene in "Atonement" : "The first time we went for a take, I'd explained, the kind of routine. And I called 'action' and it was over in ten seconds. So we went and did it again, this time, I kind of talked them through it and kind of slowed them down a little bit. We were playing music at the same time so I had to talk quite loudly. And unfortunately the music cut just at the moment when I said 'wank him off Keira' and that was quite embarrassing and we had a right old laugh about that."
    When asked about how he was coping with the pressures of the Oscar race, he said he and the stars of the film tried to remain indifferent: "I've started work on another film so I've used that, so I don't have to think about it," said Wright, who was currently filming "The Soloist" with Robert Downey Jr . and Jamie Foxx in Los Angeles.
    Like his much in-demand co-star, McAvoy's star is on the rise. The versatile actor played opposite Forest Whitaker in the "Last King of Scotland" and will appear alongside Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman in the graphic novel-turned-movie "The Wanted", set to be released in April 2008.
    In spite of his success, the young Scot remained down-to-earth. When asked about the trend of Scotsmen taking on more lead roles, McAvoy said jokingly:
    "I have no idea to tell you the truth. We're cheaper, I know that. We work for food. And... I do my own make-up and wardrobe and stuff and things like that. Erm, and I do my own catering. In fact you just give me the food and I cook it. I'm used to being dominated for the last 500 years, do you know I mean, we've been oppressed for that long. People can tell me what to do and I just do it."

    "Atonement" opens across North America on December 7.
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