08/07/2006
Gay for Pay: Ewan McGregor on Hampstead Heath
Ewan McGregor has taken a major pay cut to play gay again, according to the London Evening Standard. In Scenes of a Sexual Nature, which "follows seven couples discussing their love lives on a hot August afternoon," McGregor plays one half of a gay couple who are thinking about adopting a child. His onscreen partner is Douglas Hodge who co-starred with McGregor in the London stage production of Guys and Dolls. McGregor is reportedly being paid minimum wage for the role, which he took because the script was so good.
McGregor (who has also locked lips with Jonathan Rhys-Meyers in Velvet Goldmine) told Britain's Daily Express:"I've never been a soldier but I've played a soldier. My character Billy is a human being - if he is gay or straight, it doesn't make any difference."
He also joked that he enjoyed practicing for the kiss with co-star Hodge: "We would run it a few times between shows."
First-time feature director Edward Blum describes the film as being as much about the relationships as it is about Hampstead Heath itself: "This city has beautiful parks but it is such a wonderful place. People talk about their lives, relationships and emotions on Hampstead Heath. You can see all of the major sights of the capital there and the film gives a wonderful idea of London."
Hampstead Heath has also made the papers recently, as it's where George Michael played out a few "scenes of a sexual nature" himself. I'm not sure if that aspect of the park will make it into this film, however.
Posted 3:30 PM EST by Andy Towle in Ewan McGregor, Film, Great Britain, London | Permalink
Like it?
Subscribe to FREE Towleroad daily headlines with our RSS feed!
RECENT STORIES:
Comments
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
I love Ewan McGregor! Everything he's done from "The Pillow Book" to young Obi Wan, just a marvelous actor in everything he does!
And he's cute as a dickens, too!
Posted by: Rad | Aug 7, 2006 3:48:22 PM
The pay cut has Nothing to do with THE ISLAND totaly flopping?
Anway; sounds like a cool role.
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Aug 7, 2006 4:43:13 PM
I love Ewan; I love Ewan's movies; I even loved The Island (Ewan's post Obi-Wan pecs! yum!). I'm glad he still isn't afraid to do risky roles, lower-budget roles, etc., as earlier in his career.
Posted by: friedrich von und zu detten | Aug 7, 2006 5:29:48 PM
Since when is playing Gay these days risky? Except maybe for many gay actors, who are the ones who tend to shy away from these roles in the first place. Those guys are too busy starring in futuristic action thrillers (ahem).
Posted by: Mark | Aug 7, 2006 6:22:20 PM
Ewan has enough money that he doesn't need to act for money. Good for him.
Posted by: Tiger | Aug 8, 2006 2:32:22 PM
eh. They could have gotten a cuter actor. Just my opinion, girls.
Posted by: soulbrotha | Oct 31, 2006 3:25:19 PM
McGregor has always been willing to play gay. As far back as 1994 he took a gay roll in Shallow Grave. After his same-sex interactions in Pillow Book and Velvet Goldmine it should come as no surprise that he is far more interested in the development than in the orientation of the character.
Posted by: Timothy | May 15, 2007 3:20:32 PM