| "There's not a single shot fired in the book"
Jonny Lee Millers novel approach.
Do you think regeneration was fairly treated when it came
out?
I was disappointed with the distribution. The bottom line
was that it didn't get shown. It did really well where it
was showing, it just wasn't on enough screens.
Was it intimidating working from such a successful novel?
For me it was very useful. When you've got something there
that's so rich in character, most of your homework is already
done for you I mean, there's not a single shot fired in the
book, but it's so evocative.
Are you pleased with Alan Rudolphs Afterglow?
I'm pleased it's coming out. If Julie Christie hadn't got
an Oscar nomination, it might have just sat on a shelf somewhere.
I was really unsure about my own performance because I'm playing
someone I hate. In regeneration Billy Priors cool - he's got
problems, but they're interesting problems. Whereas in Afterglow,
Jeffrey's just got problems because he's an arse. I was worried
I'd look like I had a poker up my bum. But I wasn't going
to say no to Alan Rudolph or Robert Altman.
You do a mean Canadian accent
I was just working from a tape of this Canadian guy talking
about his mother. The rest of it was ripped off the crew in
Montreal - you know "I'm oot and aboot in the moontains" I'm
using my own accent in Plunkett & Macleane. It's finished
bar a few action scenes. I think its a really good idea, an
action-adventure set in the 18th century. It's not highbrow,
but it's not carry on Dick. Jake Scott's fantastic. He's handled
his mantle with aplomb. Course the selling point is Mr Carlyle.
After getting his Best Actor BAFTA he said it should have
gone to ray winstone.
It should have been one of those two. Then there's Jude Law
and Ewan McGregor. Yeah, I know they're my mates but I'm just
being honest.
What's happening to Natural Nylon, the production company
you set up with McGregor, law and Sean pertwee?
We're producing Nora, bout James Joyce, which Ewans starring
in. And a co-production of eXistenZ, the new David Cronenberg
film with Jude Law and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Natural Nylons
about taking charge or our careers. At the moment, the British
film industry's doing well, but a lot of stuff getting made
is pretty dubious. I read a lot of scripts and and about 80%
of them are not good. There's still a lot "oh, it's trainspotting,
but set in Scunthorpe"
Seen hackers lately?
A lot of good things came out of that for me. There's some
cringey moments which just make me shit, but I know a lot
of little kids loved it. So it entertained someone.
Danny Leigh.
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