By Tim Masters Entertainment correspondent, BBC News

Dougray Scott has appeared in movies such as Enigma and Mission: Impossible II

The flesh-eating plants of John Wyndham's sci-fi classic The Day of the Triffids return this week in their first television outing for almost three decades.

"Imagine being blinded, and I'm going to throw you into a lake and in that lake are 50 crocodiles... and you've got to get to the other side."

That's how actor Dougray Scott describes what it's like for the human race in this new two-part production that co-stars Joely Richardson, Brian Cox, Vanessa Redgrave, Eddie Izzard and Jason Priestley.

The story is based on Wyndham's post-apocalyptic novel, published in 1951, but is set against the background of a global energy crisis.

In this version by Patrick Harbinson, the Triffids are cultivated as a source of alternative fuel called Triffoil. When a solar storm leaves most of the world's population blinded, millions of the man-eating plants begin to roam Britain.

Triffid attack: 1980s style

The last time TV tackled the Triffids was in a 1981 BBC production starring John Duttine as the hero Bill Masen.

Scott, who plays Dr Bill Masen in the new version, says the Triffids terrified him as a child.

"I do have a memory of the TV series - there was a lighthouse at the end and they killed them by pouring salt water over them."

He adds quickly: "It's not how we kill them!"

Tragic event

"I remember the novel more than anything," says Scott.

"It's a wonderful post-apocalyptic tale - an examination of how differently people deal with a tragic event, how some attempt very fascistic methods to rebuild society and some people have a more humane approach to it.

"The Triffids are secondary in some respects. To me it's a tale of two ordinary people coming together in extraordinary circumstances."

He is referring to the character of Jo (Joely Richardson), a woman who joins Masen in the fight against the Triffids.

Several central London locations were used

Scott says his scientist character is driven by a need to understand what makes Triffids different from other plants.

"Do they have brains? How do they communicate? When they do attack why do they go for the eyes?" he says.

The shoot lasted nearly 10 weeks and locations included the abbey of St Cross in Winchester and around the Cabinet War Rooms in London.

"There was a beautiful sequence on a deserted Westminster Bridge at 6.30 in the morning with police holding back the traffic. That was kind of surreal," recalls Scott.

The look of the Triffids is being kept secret - though we do know they are computer-generated, unlike their more rubbery cousins from 1981.

"I've done CGI and green screen before, but this was the most intense experience in that respect, having to imagine things there you've only seen pictures of. It's pretty exhausting to act to nothing," says Scott.

He adds: "It's geared towards the whole family, but it's hopefully going to be scary."

‘Father & Son’ Drama Premieres on RTÉ

Father & Son

The drama, which is set in Manchester and Dublin, was almost entirely shot in Dublin and Wicklow creating important revenue and employment for the Irish television industry. Produced by Left Bank Pictures (The Damned United) and co-produced by Ingenious Broadcasting and Octagon Films (RAW, Ondine), with the support of investment incentives for the Irish film industry provided by the Irish Government and the participation of Bord Scannan na hÉireann/Irish Film Board, this drama which has plenty of Irish influences has an award winning cast and promises viewers a taste of what can be expected from future partnerships between the two broadcasters.

Flora Montgomery & Dougray Scott

Director of the project was Brian Kirk (My Boy Jack, Middletown), whilst producer was Micheal Casey (My Boy Jack, Middletown), the script was written by Emmy award winning Irish writer Frank Deasy (Prime Suspect: The Final Act) and DOP wasRuairi O’Brien (Running Mate). These talents coupled with an all star cast including Dougray Scott (Mission Impossible II), Stephen Rea (The Crying Game), Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda), John Kavanagh (The Tudors) and Flora Montgomery (When Brendan Met Trudy) guarantees that audiences are in for a treat with this four part series.

‘Father & Son’ focuses on ex-criminal Michael O’Connor (Dougray Scott) who returns to Manchester from a quiet life in Ireland with his pregnant girlfriend Anna (Flora Montgomery) in order to save his teenage son Sean from prison and to redeem his own troubled past.

IFTN caught up with the series producer Michael Casey to talk about the scale of the series, Dublin as a shooting location and the powerful combination of Irish and world class talent.

Can you tell us a bit about the partnership between ITV and RTÉ and how this came about?

The show was commissioned by ITV but the scripts that Frank delivered and which everyone wanted to realise were beyond the scope of a regular UK drama budget. In looking to the story for a solution to this we began to investigate the potential of bringing the production to Ireland where part of the drama was set, fortunately for us both RTÉ and the Irish Film Board responded to the material and were keen to get involved. The scripts allowed a very natural co-production to take place and this in turn enabled us to really make the show we wanted to.

Father & Son

Did the script/casting etc change with RTÉ coming in on the project?
 
No RTÉ were involved prior to the final scripts and casting so naturally they had views on both areas, which were very helpful as it happened, but we were never in a position where something was compromised in order to tick a box at either broadcaster.

This is your first television series project as a producer – did you find that much different to your other feature projects?

It’s certainly different in terms of scale. Whatever you make you tend to put every ounce of physical and emotional energy into it, so the bigger the project the greater the demands put on everyone.  Fortunately though, this also makes it more rewarding on every level. It’s definitely given me a taste for this kind of show and it’s an experience which I hope to repeat.

You had an amazing line up for the cast - how did you manage to get everyone on board, did it take long to find the perfect fit?

We were very lucky to get our first choices pretty much across the board. I think in the first instance an actor is attracted by the script and, in our case where all four scripts weren’t available when we did most of the casting, it’s also the potential promised by the writer. Frank is someone that actors really respond to, so that’s a great start. After that it’s really about the director and Brian is really the directing equivalent of Frank, actors who meet with Brian always want to work with him.

Dougray Scott & Stephen Rea

Where exactly did you shoot in Ireland? Why did you choose those locations?

We were based at offices in Crumlin and shot around the city, along the Quays and in Wicklow. We recce’d Manchester with our location manager Eoin Holohan and design director very early in the process and I think that helped a lot. They both did a great job in turning Dublin into Manchester. The variety of architecture in Dublin is a great strength; this with the fact that Section 481 is available for television in Ireland will continue to attract production from the UK, provided the exchange rate doesn’t shift even more.

It’s set in Manchester, were any scenes filmed there?

Yes we shot in Manchester for a couple of days, primarily some traveling sequences and city establishers.

What was the duration of the shoot?

52 days approximately most of it in Dublin.

What was the biggest challenge of this particular project?

It was really the sheer size and scale of it but as I say that also made it so much fun.

What facilities companies were used on this project?

As ever, Brian and I worked closely with Screen Scene and it was our first shoot using the Red One camera from the Production Depot, so it was a challenge for everyone. It was more than worth it though as the image quality which the Red One delivers is simply fantastic.
 
This is your fourth major project now working with Brian. Are you likely to team up again in the future?

Has your working relationship changed much since the early days of making the shorts?

Our relationship has certainly developed but it’s still based on the fact that we trust each other and have a great time working together.

What can audiences expect from ‘Father & Son’?

I think they can expect to go on a powerful, emotional and entertaining journey. We have really tried to tell a complex and rich story in as an exciting and engaging way as possible. I hope everyone likes it and I hope everyone watches it.

• ‘Father & Son’ RTÉ One Monday 29th June at 9.30pm

• Cameras: The Production Depot
  Lighting: Cine Electric
  Post Production: Screen Scene

By Michael MacLeod

DASHING Dougray Scott says he will never get Botox and is “shocked and appalled” at his fellow male actors who have.

The Scots-born Hollywood hunk’s chiselled good looks have seen him grace blockbusters across the globe, having starred in Mission Impossible II and Desperate Housewives.

But the 43-year-old star says he’ll never change his appearance just to progress his career.

He slammed the number of vain actors who have gone under the needle to try and look better.

And Scott, once tipped to become the next James Bond, says women are under “obscene” pressure to maintain their youth under any circumstance.

He told a weekend interview: “See the amount of actors who have had Boxtox, it’s unbelievable.
“I can’t understand how guys could do that.

“I can understand with women, who are almost expected to be beautiful to the day they die, which to me is obscene.

“But guys doing Botox? What the f*** is that about.

“Nothing moves, there’s no movement.”

Fiercely proud of his home nation, where he shot new credit crunch thriller New Town Killers – released last week – Scott is also too proud of his handsome looks to get any cosmetic surgery.

He added: “I think it’s a vanity choice. I’d be shocked and appalled if that was the case.”

Glenrothes-born Scott’s character Alastair Mackenzie goes on a killing frenzy in the Edinburgh-based flick, as he bribes a teenager into a sinister game of hide and seek.

As the boss of an “ethical finance” company, he turns into a trigger-happy debt collector, putting a housing estate mum through hell “just because.”

Set against the backdrop of the capital’s gloomiest streets, the heart in mouth thriller takes a stab at the credit culture which led to the downfall of banks like RBS.

And Scott, 43, said his love of the underdog fuelled his rage-filled performance on screen.

He said: “I wish we lived in a much more caring society but it’s a complicated world.

“My politics are obviously from perspective of the left, being born and brought up in Fife.

“It’s interesting to see what’s happened in the last ten years with Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and the way the downfall of the economy came about.

“But I think that’s the result of a cycle that happens worldwide, not just in our country.

“However my sympathies do lie with the underdog and I find myself being more and more drawn to being an independent when it comes to politics.”

Dougray Scott is from Glenrothes in Fife

Hollywood actor Dougray Scott attended the gala premiere of his latest film New Town Killers in Edinburgh.

The Fife star was joined by his actress wife Claire Forlani for the event at the Omni Vue Cinema in the city's Greenside Place.

Director Richard Jobson and actor James Anthony Pearson also attended.

In the film, a teenager from a housing estate agrees to play a sinister chase game, dreamt up by two private bankers, to help his debt-ridden sister.

After the showing, cast and crew were expected to attend a private launch party in the city.

Scots star Dougray Scott sets sights on Macbeth movie

Jun 7 2009 John Millar

MISSION: Impossible star Dougray Scott is ready to accept a mission improbable - playing Shakespeare's Macbeth opposite his real-life wife.

The 43-year-old Scots actor is keen to sign up for the new movie with his stunning partner Claire Forlani, 36, as black-hearted plotter Lady Macbeth.

Scott said: "Macbeth is a great character, a warrior and, of course, there is this wonderful story of the relationship between him and his wife.

"It's about immense love and paranoia and the lust for power.

"Our attitude to things like that is to be appalled but in those days those themes were normal." The movie is being planned by punk star turned director Richard Jobson and is inspired by big screen hits Sin City and Spartan epic 300.

Scheming Jobson said: "It is going to be like a graphic novel with Macbeth as a muscular, scarred barbarian of a man." Scott added: "I am excited about the idea of doing it but obviously there is a bit of wait-and-see-what-happens because it is a big project to embark upon.

"Richard's plans are very exciting and it would be great if we could do Macbeth together, that is our intention." The idea of casting Scott and his wife as Macbeth and his scheming spouse came about when they were working with Jobson on dark drama New Town Killers, shot in Edinburgh.

In the film Scott and Monarch Of The Glen star Alastair Mackenzie played highflying financiers who play a deadly 12-hour game of hide-and-seek with wild youngsters..

Scott's baddie banker was so utterly evil that he almost makes Macbeth seem lightweight.

The star reckons the banker is the most violent, despicable and psychopathic character he has ever played.

He said: "His philosophy seems to be 'I can have whatever I want, because I can'.There appears to be no comeback for him." One of the banker's most extreme acts of violence comes when he hurls a scalding pot of tea over a pregnant girl.

It is all the more chilling because of the way he meticulously prepares the tea before throwing it.

Scott revealed it was a most unlikely source that inspired the monstrous act.

As he started to prepare for the scene he recalled memories of how an elderly auntie went through a very careful ceremony when she brewed herself a cuppa.

He said: "All it said in the script was that he asked the girl if she wanted some tea - and I remembered the way my great auntie in Glasgow made tea.

"She would put the water in the teapot, swirl it round and pour it out - then make the tea, close the lid and then wrap the teapot in a tea towel to keep it warm.

"I liked that ritual, so I used it. The girl has no idea what's going to happen after he makes tea.

"It was a nasty scene but very effective." Scott worried about the effect the scene might have on the young actress.

He said: "It is a vile moment and so before we did the scene I said to her to remember that this was all just pretend.

"I had this terrible vision of boiling water being accidentally left in the pot and throwing that over her." Scott, who left Glenrothes for Cardiff and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, always wanted to be an actor.

Since he first grabbed the limelight in hit ITV series Soldier, Soldier he has starred with Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible II, Drew Barrymore in Ever After, Kate Winslet in Enigma and John Malkovich in Ripley's Game.

He has been just as busy on TV with his roles stretching from Moses in The Ten Commandments to getting cosy with Teri Hatcher in Desperate Housewives.

He will soon be seen on TV gangland drama Father And Son.

Scott said: "I play a gangster facing up to the past and the mayhem he left behind." He quit Desperate Housewives even though US TV bosses were keen for the handsome Scot to stay.

"It was time to do other things. I loved doing Desperate Housewives but I need to have variety," he explained.

"I am a gypsy, moving all over the place. I realise I am never going to be in any one place for any length of time."

Luckily Scott has been at home in London with Claire for the past few months as he filmed the latest TV version of The Day Of The Triffids.

He said: "Before that I was in Dublin for three months and before that I was in Australia and before that I was in Edinburgh shooting New Town Killers and next I am off to Los Angeles." The major downside of globetrotting is that Scott, a die-hard Hibs fan and golf fanatic - he has a six handicap - has not had much time for sports.

He said: "I have not had the chance to play golf that much. And although Hibs are in a good position financially I was disappointed with what happened to us this season."

New Town Killers is out on Friday.

British Red Cross promotes Refugee Week with Dougray Scott film

 

The charity is asking people to pledge their support to help refugees by collectively 'changing their online status' across their social networks, instant messenger and email during Refugee Week (15-21 June). This is the first time that a charity has created an online movement to pledge support and tackle discrimination via online profiles.  

Refugees arriving in the UK are often labelled as a group, not seen as individuals. To highlight this issue, the British Red Cross asks consumers to sacrifice their online identities to change their status to ‘label'. The campaign was developed by LBi and kicks off with a teaser film presented by Desperate Housewives star Dougray Scott. 

The viral film broadcasts the stories of refugees who have been helped by the British Red Cross.  The film will be released on 26 May at www.lookbeyondthelabel.org. This will be run in conjunction with an email marketing campaign calling everyone to 'change your online status'. People can get involved in the campaign via Facebook, twitter, MSN, Yahoo!, bebo, blogs and email.

The campaign will be the first designed to leverage the online youth supporter programme, Red Recruits, developed earlier this year for the British Red Cross. The campaign will be supported with a poll of public attitudes towards refugees, seeking to debunk negative connotations around those who seek sanctuary in the UK, to be targeted at print media, and Refugee Week events at Red Cross centres around the country.   

 


 

'House of Usher' adaptation in the works

Claire Forlani, Dougray Scott, Rufus Sewell will star

By Steven Zeitchik

IN TRUE Redgrave style, Joely Richardson, returned to work yesterday, a week and a half after the death of her sister Natasha. Joely, pictured yesterday on a deserted Westminster Bridge with co-star Dougray Scott, is starring in the BBC's adaptation of John Wyndham's 1951 novel, The Day of the Triffids.

The production will also faeture her mother Vanessa Redgrave. Last week Vanessa accepted a part in Ridley Scott's Robin Hood biopic, her first major film role since Atonement. Friends pointed out that the family are likely to turn to their work as a means of coping with the tragedy.
 

Exclusive: It was great to be working in Scotland, says Dougray Scott

Feb 16 2009 By Rick Fulton

FILMING in his native Scotland for the first time in almost a decade had a very soothing effect on Dougray Scott.

The Hollywood star says he slept like a log when he came back to shoot his new movie last year.

The Fifer now splits his time between London where his twins from his first marriage live and Los Angeles where his second wife, the actress Claire Forlani, has a home.

Since leaving Scotland as an 18-year-old the Glenrothes-born actor has been around the world filming movies such as Mission: Impossible II, Ripley's Game and Hitman as well as TV shows like Desperate Housewives as Teri Hatcher's boyfriend Iain Hainsworth or the short-lived Heist.

But last year he was back in Scotland filming the movie New Town Killers in Edinburgh. And he admitted: "I sleep very, very well in Scotland. The air, being home - it's a combination of everything.

"While I was back in October last year I played golf in the Dunhill Links championship and it was good to be back in Fife. It was amazing to live and work in Scotland.

"The last time I worked in Scotland was when I did Enigma seven or eight years ago.

"When I was 18 and left Scotland I was glad to get away from it because I wanted to see somewhere else and experience another culture.

"A lot of people do, but now I love going back to Scotland.

"Edinburgh is one of my favourite places in the world: the heartbeat of the city fits very well with me."

New Town Killers will be shown for the first time in Scotland tonight as part of the Glasgow Film Festival.

Dougray was due to be there but can't because he's filming new BBC One remake of The Day of the Triffids.

We'll see him a lot on British TV this year. As well as the Beeb's take on the Triffids he'll also be starring on ITV1 in a new four-part Manchester gangster drama Father & Son.

But first it's New Town Killers. Dougray is about to go on set for Triffids but wanted to chat about the film, written and directed by fellow Fifer Richard Jobson.

The former singer with The Skids turned film maker with deubt 16 Years of Alcohol, based on his own autobiographical 1987 novel which was followed by the less successful sci-fi martial arts movie The Purifiers and arty A Woman in Winter.

New Town Killers is Jobson back on track. The movie, which will get a cinema release in June, is a high octane, violent and bloody movie which is exactly the shot in the arm the Scottish movie industry needs.

It's been a long time since another low-budget movie, Trainspotting, put Scotland, and Edinburgh back on the movie-making map.

Made for only £1million, it's a small movie, but has perfect timing.

Already dubbed the first credit-crunch movie it sees Dougray as a cold-hearted hedge fund banker who turns killer for kicks.

His character Alistair Raskolnikov and Jamie Stewart, played by Monarch of the Glen star Alastair Mackenzie, are private bankers who get their kicks from playing a 12-hour game of hunt, hide and seek with underprivileged people.

Their next target is James Anthony Pearson, last seen as Joy Division guitarist Bernard Sumner in Control, who plays Sean Macdonald, a parentless teenager who lives with his sister Alice, played by Life On Mars actress Liz White, on a housing estate. She is in debt and Sean agrees to play the banker's game for cash.

Dougray said: "The fact that Jobson wrote this before all the banking collapses is incredible.

"Alastair's character at one point in the game says it's going too far and my character says 'why do you think that?' "He says 'because it's wrong, I care.' "And my character says: 'No you don't. You just think you care.'

"And in the same way bankers claim they care about the economy.

"They don't, they just care about themselves.

"The reason we are in this mess in a worldwide scale is because of greed.

"People are losing their homes. It's the people in the lower end of society are baring the brunt of it. These people who have lost millions will be fine, they'll be back."

The actor, who has 10-year-old twins by his first marriage to casting director Sarah Trevis, adds that his character has no morality, no right and wrong.

He says: "The game is about killing and he does it because he can."

Jobson showcases Edinburgh's beautiful New Town Georgian architecture with the rundown estates on the capital's edge. Even the soundtrack has a punky attitude with Edinburgh band Isa & the Filthy Tongues recording the theme song to the film using Jobson's lyrics.

Clearly Dougray loved working on the movie with a man who came from the same background. With his quiet rumble of a voice the actor is also in a happy place with new wife Claire.

Long gone are the days of headlines about his first wife's alleged affair with a therapist.

Dougray seemed to balk at being in the public eye and still laughs when I say "Hollywood star".

Even missing out on playing Wolverine in the X-Men movies doesn't faze him. He was meant to be doing the part but had to quit as Mission: Impossible II with Tom Cruise had over-run.

Hugh Jackman took on the role and became an A-list star. Wolverine will take centre stage with his own movie this year.

When I ask Dougray about it, it doesn't even register and I have to remind him it could have been him.

He laughed: "No, no, no. I don't think like that at all. I'm quite happy with the stuff I've done."

He could also have stayed on in Desperate Housewives after doing 18 episodes when he was only hired for five. He could have done more but felt he "wanted to do other things".

While he's never been against doing television, 2009 will see him back on British screens almost constantly.

For many starring in a new adaptation of the sci-fi classic The Day of the Triffids, is huge. Dougray will play the heroic Dr Bill Masen in the adaptation of John Wyndham's novel.

It also stars Joely Richardson, Vanessa Redgrave, Eddie Izzard, Jason Priestley and Brian Cox as Dougray's dad, Dennis.

The flesh eating Triffids, cultivated for their fuel but who go on the rampage after a solar storm, will be CGI.

Dougray joked: "The Day of the Triffids will do for the countryside what Jaws did for the sea."

He and Brian will play their characters as Scottish. "There's no reason not to," he pointed out, "we get everywhere, don't we?"


Source: Daily Record
 

Dougray heads cast for BBC's Day of the Triffids

10/02/2009 - 16:28

Chases, Gunplay and Terrorism, Without the Familiar Landmarks

A mystery can sustain suspense because the plot is clever, or because its provenance is mysterious.

Steve Brack/Ion TV

Dougray Scott in “The Diplomat,” a new mini-series on Ion.

Dougray Scott launches Glasgow Film Festival

Jan 22 2009 Beverley Lyons and Laura Sutherland

DOUGRAY Scott helped launch the Glasgow Film Festival last night with his new movie New Town Killers.

The edgy thriller, which stars the Fife-born Hollywood actor - is the latest project of former Skids musician Richard Jobson and was filmed in Edinburgh.

But its screening is just one highlight of the 10-day event.

The fifth festival will kick off on February 12 with the European premiere of The Loop, the big-screen version of Glasgow director Armando Iannucci's award-winning TV political satire The Thick Of It.

Peter Capaldi reprises his iconic role as foul-mouthed spin doctor Malcolm Tucker, while big-name stars James Gandolfini, Tom Hollander and Gina McKee join as the tale takes on Middle Eastern diplomacy.

The GFF's co-director, Allison Gardner, said: "We are extremely pleased Armando and members of the cast will visit for the premiere."

The closing gala on February 22 is the UK premiere of Last Chance Harvey, a romantic comedy starring Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman.

Other titles include the box-office sensation Marley & Me with Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson plus Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino.

This year's festival also sess Fright Fest extended to two days.

Tickets sell online from midnight on January 21.


Source: Daily Record
 

DOUGRAY SCOTT - SCOTT FREAKED OUT BY TAKING COFFIN SHOT OF WIFE FORLANI