February 17, 2001
The Scotsman
The Exile Files

(Far away but not forgotten)

Name Stephen Scott. Sadly, Equity already had a Stephen Scott on their books, so the budding actor took his French grandmother's surname, Dougray. Why is anyone's guess - I mean, what's wrong with Fred or Bert?

Born 25 November, 1965, in lovely St Andrews, although he grew up in less lovely Glenrothes.

Adopted home London. Yawn.

Years away he left Scotland in 1986 for Wales to learn how to act.

And? Well, he's terribly good. And, by all accounts, he always has been - he won the Most Promising Drama Student Award when he was at the Welsh College of Music and Drama.

Get on with it.  Well, he made fleeting appearances in such gargantuan dramatic efforts as Soldier, Soldier and Highlander and starred in the wonderful TV adaptation of Iain Banks' The Crow Road. But it was only with the eruption of the truly profound Ever After, where he played Prince Charming (aahhh) opposite the delightful Drew Barrymore, that he went stratospheric.

And your point is? The point, since you ask, is that he is on course to be the next standard-bearer of Scottish film, darling. "The thinking woman's Ewan McGregor", as one crazed fan put it.

What else? Well, he was the bad guy in Mission Impossible 2 and proved a formidable opponent to Tom Cruise's secret agent Ethan Hunt. But not good enough, because he didn't get the girl.

What's next? Oh, he's fighting off producers with a stick by all accounts. Enigma with the lovely Kate Winslet is due at a cinema near you any day now.

Chances of him coming back? Not very good at the moment, although there is a rumour going round that he might be cast as Robert Burns soon.

Would we want him? How many mega-fabulous stars do you think Auchtermuchty High School has produced? Of course we'd gladly have him back.

Copyright 2001 The Scotsman Publications Ltd.

Thanks to my pals Marla of "Admiring Kate" and Missy for the find!