| him advice on his steps.
The Scottish actor is playing the part of Dylan Thomas in a new
film about his tempestuous marriage to Caitlin.
Although filming is not due to
start on The Map of Love until later this year, Scott has just
spent two days in Thomas's birthplace Swansea to prepare himself
for the role.
Dylan Thomas expert Jeff Towns
took him on a tour of a number of landmarks, including the house
where the poet was born - 5 Cwmdonkin Drive.
He also introduced Scott to one
of the few surviving people who knew Thomas - Gwen Watkins, the
widow of his close friend Vernon.
"Dougray wanted to know how
Dylan walked and Gwen gave him a description," said Mr Towns.
"She said that as he put on
weight he walked like a sailor with a rolling gait.
"Dougray got up and tried to
walk like that.
"They also spoke about Dylan's
voice. Dougray wanted to know what it was like in every day
conversation compared to the voice we know from recordings.
"He is very good at accents and
on one occasion he was sitting next to me in the car doing a
virtuoso performance of different Welsh accents."
The film is being made by Mick
Jagger's production company Jagged Films and producer Victoria
Pearman contacted Mr Towns to say Scott was interested in visiting
Swansea.
The actor is not a stranger to
Wales having studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music and
Drama. He also starred in the black comedy Twin Town, which was
filmed in Swansea.
"Although Swansea was not a
mystery to him, he wanted to meet as many people as he could who
could help him with this film and begin to get himself into
character," said Mr Towns, who runs Dylan's Bookstore.
One of the first things Scott
did after arriving in Swansea was buy a pile of books about the
writer.
"He had already read a good few
biographies and knew a lot of stuff but he bought himself two
carrier bags full of books to do with Dylan, Caitlin and their
life together.
"Dougray is very pleased that
the script contains a lot of Dylan's work - he has got to learn
four complete poems and huge chunks of Under Milk Wood."
Mr Towns took Scott to the house
where Thomas was born in Uplands and he said the actor found it an
emotional experience.
"The interesting thing about the
house is that not much has changed since Thomas lived there.
"Dougray was suitably moved and
all of the time he was asking me questions about him and his
parents."
The actor, who has starred in
Enigma and Mission: Impossible II , also enjoyed a trip to
Laugharne, the village which influenced Thomas as he penned his
works.
While there, they visited the
Boat House where the poet once lived.
"We explored the house and he
went outside to take in the views. Dougray was deeply disappointed
that Thomas's writing shed was not there as it was away being
restored."
Scott received plenty of
attention from fans during his two days in Wales.
"He is a very pleasant and open
man - there is no pretension with him and he is not in any way
starry.
"People do a double take when
they see him."
So does the Scottish star, who
is much taller and slimmer than Thomas, have what it takes to play
the famous writer?
"I am absolutely convinced he is
going to do a good job, mainly because he is absolutely driven to
do it," said Mr Thomas.
"In terms of looking and
sounding like him, he will really get that right.
"But Chris Monger, the director,
is not too concerned with that.
"Here in Wales, everyone knows
what Dylan Thomas looked like and sounded like but this movie is
being made for the whole world and not too many people in America
were hugely aware of what he looked like - it's more about getting
the spirit of Dylan Thomas and the character of the man."
©2003 Trinity Mirror Pic |
