May 25, 2000
Yahoo! Live Chat
Dougray Scott

	M:i-2 Star Dougray Scott It's one of the most talked about movies of the summer: M:I-2. The follow-up to the hugely successful Mission: Impossible opens this week and Yahoo! Chat welcomes Dougray Scott -- Tom Cruise's on-screen
adversary -- on Thursday, May 25th at 6:30pET/3:30pPT. Recently, the Scottish actor portrayed the Sultan in the ABC miniseries Arabian Nights. He also starred as Prince Henry, opposite Drew Barrymore, in Ever After. Currently, Scott is in Europe filming a new feature with Kate Winslet. Don't miss this chance to chat with Dougray Scott!

y_chat_diva: Welcome to Yahoo! and our chat with Dougray Scott! We've got Dougray here and he's ready to talk with you. So let's give a warm welcome to Dougray!

Dougray: Hello everybody. I'm very very pleased to be chatting with you from London. I hope you're all very well.!

spooks225 asks: how did it feel to work with tom cruise on the much anticipated mi2

Dougray: It was fantastic. I've known him for about 2 years now, since he and john woo asked me to do the film. I knew he was a lovely man and I was very excited to work with him. During the film, I just a wonderful time. He's a great actor, fantastic to work with, and a very good producer. Encouraging and made me feel very very welcome. He was as excited to work with me, as I with him. It was a wonderful experience.

catsteele_99 asks: How much of the motorcycle chase in MI2 did you actually do?

Dougray: I trained for....quite a few months. Obviously not as well as the stunt man, but we went to the racetrack in Sydney and trained with these top instructors. I was going around on the track for a couple months. Some of it you HAVE to do in rigs, but I did a lot of it. Not all of it, of course :) But it was great fun.

missmpenny2 asks: What are your fondest memories of working on MI2?

Dougray: Being in Sydney for 8 months was full of wonderful memories. Being involved in a film of that scale with John Woo and Tom....they're both extraordinary in their own right, and were kind and encouraging. It was a joy to do the scenes, even though it took a long time. I can't imagine another film that big again. But I think....standing on where we did the fight scene, sitting down and talking with Tom there....we got on really really well. What can I say?

antonyov asks: how was it to work with director john woo

Dougray: I'm a huge fan of his anyway...and I've seen a lot of his Hong Kong films. It was extraordinary to work with someone on a film that had so much violence, but I never thought the violence was so gratuitous. It fit the story. In person, he's shy, and humble and reserved. Incredibly nice and talented... He's such a gentle soul...and quite funny. Talking to him in between takes..."Get the gun, and kill five people in ten seconds...then move to the next one..." He said it so calm and quiet. He's such a non-violent man, but his scenes! Wow.

siobhan_irishgirl asks: Silly question - hope you do not mind terribly - is your eye color grey?

Dougray: Is my eye color gray? No...it's green :) When I can bear to look in the mirror, it's green.

p_r_chocolate17 asks: how long did it take to shoot the Mountian scene?

Dougray: I don't know. Maybe 2 weeks? Maybe a little over a week. I wasn't in the main part, but maybe a week. It's wonderful scene in the film. I've found every role is a difficulty. I think about them a long time before I start filming. So you try to go to some place where you can recreate what's required of the character In some ways, I make it hard on myself. I'm very meticulous. I try to push myself hard to carry each role perfectly meticulous.

bobbiosmit asks: You perform some awesome action sequences with Cruise in "M:I-2". Did John Woo choreograph them or how did you guys manage to make it look so great?

Dougray: yeah, they were choreographed. John has a very particular style, and he wanted it to be like a dance. Between me and Tom. We worked on it for weeks and weeks. Some came up that day, some before hand. But John storyboards everything, and has a very clear idea of what he wants. but it takes a long time to get it right, and it's very intricate. But in the end, it's wonderful cause the results are so spectacular.

Mouseman1212 asks: Dougray, My name is Ben Parks. My brother is Rick Parks who co-wrote Ever After. I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the movie and thought you did a wonderful job bringing my brother's vision to life. Look forward to more from you.

Dougray: :) That's very sweet. Rick's a lovely and wonderful man and he did a fantastic job on Ever After. I appreciate the comment very much!

slw_60004 asks: You were so convincing of a man going mad in "Arabian Nights"-how did you research the role?

Dougray: Oh....i read a lot of , studied a lot of middle eastern films before shooting the movie. Wanted to get a feel for the culture. Read various books on people's darker sides. Madness in all its forms and how it manifests itself. I tried to find out as many things about the characters life before filming, and hope that it worked.

yrbaker asks: Hello Dougray, this is Yolanda in Kansas, I just saw the movie - my question is how did you like playing the villain this time around?

Dougray: I loved playing the villain.  It's always great fun to play the bad guy, but what I liked about this one, is that he wasn't one dimensional He had a great rivalry from before the film stars with Ethan Hunt, and the love triangle with Ethan and Thandie Newton's character.... it was quite interesting from that standpoint. "Being bad is great fun."

harrystamper316 asks: did you like hitting tom?? jajajajaja

Dougray: LOL....the character did! but I like tom very mush. When you do fight scenes, you catch each other accidentally...and you worry you hurt them! "I'm absolutely fine!", and then you walk away...and are really sore.

AJArend asks: I heard that Andy Tennant is doing a film of a great book called "Replay" by Ken Grimwood. The story is unique and like nothing you have ever done before, and I think you'd be great in it! Would you consider working with Andy again?

Dougray: Yeah. Of course I would. I loved Andy. He was a wonderful director.

bobbiosmit asks: Did you get to meet Hannibal... I mean Anthony Hopkins while shooting "M:I-2"?

Dougray: Yes. I did. He's fascinating. I am a huge fan of Anthony Hopkins and we talked for quite a while one day.

tycase2 asks: Did you consider that this film might take you from actor to movie star?

Dougray: No, I didn't. Really? I kind of still feel like an actor. not a movie star. The attraction for me was working with John and Tom and doing an action film, and that was the big attraction for me.

missmpenny2 asks: What was is like working in Sydney?

Dougray: Sydney was terrific. I've been there quite a few times before, and I love it. The city is really lovely and very nice, the culture and the...outdoorsy kind of sporty culture with the beach and weather. It's fantastic. It's a happy place. Well, I'm doing a film as we speak...getting up in 5 hours to go to set. It's ENIGMA, based on the Robert Harris novel in the Second World War about code breakers. I play this character named Tom Jericho, who is a kind of mathematical genius. I'm trying to break this German code and get involved with two women, Saffron Burrows and Kate Winslet... One of them breaks his heart, and the other he chased. It's sort of a thriller romance... Michael Apted is directing. He did the last Bond film, and we've got another 5 weeks to go!

mcb_uk asks: Where in Scotland are you from?

Dougray: A place called Glenrothes In Fife, north of Edinburgh

smdurrell asks: Congratulations on your marriage!! best to you and Sara!! Have you ever looked at all the fan sites you have on the web??

Dougray: :) My computer was stolen in Australia, and I've never really looked at the Internet. I just kind of shy away...i don't want to know what people are saying about me! Who knows when you'll find something not very nice?

n1k1d asks: You were amazing in Arabian Nights. I loved the passion you showed for the role. What inspired such an Emmy Winning performance? (I have my fingers crossed for you!)?

Dougray: That's very sweet. I think....trying to find out what was underneath this character's madness...and why he was so angry and deranged and mistrustful. I was trying to find the reasons, and I guess...i have a passion to discover things about other people's lives. That can relate to what you saw, and if people liked it...then i'm grateful. Sometimes it works to get the character, sometimes not. I wouldn't do a character or a film if I wasn't passionate about it. :)

sylleeh asks: You've been receiving wonderful reviews from MI2. Do you read reviews about yourself?

Dougray: No! I don't. I am honest and hold my hand up and say I don't! when I first started in theater, you read a good one and are happy, then the next one isn't so nice. You start to worry about which reviewer is right. When people watch a film, it's an incredibly personal opinion. We don't like the same books, the same theater, the same food, the same people. It's all a matter of taste. What I get excitement from is the act of making the film. If you hear someone say something nice, then it's great. But....i appreciate it more from people in the industry.

jhwetzel asks: Seeing all of the excitement around the X-Men movie, are you sorry you missed the chance to play Wolverine?

Dougray: No, I'm not. I was disappointed at the time because of the scheduling problem. MI2 had overrun.... We all tried to make it work, and Fox waited 3 months for me...but it wasn't fair to make them wait longer. I'm excited for Bryan Singer and the cast and all involved. I wanted it to be a success even though I didn't get on it. I want it to do well. I could never imagine wanting someone NOT to succeed. It deserves to do well, and I'm happy it will be a success.

siobhan_irishgirl asks: I would also like to ask Mr. Scott about using different accents. Other than your native Scottish accent, do you have a particular favorite accent with which you are quite comfortable?

Dougray: I do English a lot. Right now I'm playing someone from Manchester. Sometimes it gives you a way into a character you might not normally have. Sometimes, with your own accent, you can't be objective. It can get in the way, cause you're NOT playing yourself. An accent can help to {play} a role. In MI2, I play a Scottish accent, which I'm very happy about. It worked. :) I felt very comfortable doing that.

sylleeh asks: I read in The Times recently where you were interested in playing Fairfax in Jenny Mayhew's epic about Cromwell. Is this a done deal?

Dougray: well, they asked me to do it, 4 or 5 months ago. But....it's not a done deal, but I am committed to it. More or less, yeah. She's a fantastic writer, and the director, Mike Barker, has a wonderful script. Nothing is done until it's done, but I think so. neither. I think of myself as an actor. what's it mean to be a star or a celebrity? I work a lot, and I don't have a very high profile private life, so I don't really know what that means. :)

charina_miranda asks: Mr. Scott I saw MI:2 last night and I was totally blown away by your performance. I wish you much success in your career.

Dougray: Thank you very much. Very sweet of you to say that.

n1k1d asks: I loved you as Terry in Twin Town! Do you prefer to play bad guys or good guys or do you have a preference?

Dougray: LOL It depends. I like playing different characters from film to film. Sometimes the bad guys are more interesting. I never look at them as bad or good, but even the bad guy in MI2 had some redeeming characters. In life, there's not always good and bad. If I had to make a choice...i don't know...someone with an Edge. yes.

missmpenny2 asks: Are you going to the bash on Tuesday at Fox Studios?

Dougray: No. I'm filming in London. I didn't know there was a bash. What's it for?

DJKidTwist99 asks: Were the sfx done like in the Matrix or were they done differently?

Dougray: There was a lot more in the Matrix. Most of ours were live action. There's a lit bit of the CGI, but the Matrix is an entirely different kind of special effect. They recreated an entirely new concept to look at. In MI2 it's slightly different. It's more realistic from a human sort of point of view. People can do the things that we did in MI2, so we used the harnesses and what not, but none of the fantastic or science fiction from the Matrix is used. It's a different kind of look. Feel. World.

alychan83 asks: Am going to study in Edinburgh next year...know any good pubs!!?? :)

Dougray: No, but I know a very good football team you can go see. Hibernian. They're my team!

carolbaby3 asks: What redeeming qualities did Sean Ambrose have in your opinion?

Dougray: I knew someone would ask me that! Desperately in love with Nya. She walked out on him and when he finds out why she came back, even though she is sure right away...he takes offense. Feels used. Abused. Betrayed. Has even more anger toward Ethan Hunt. He doesn't like him anyway, and now he feels justified in what he dies. In the beginning of the film, he feels like he's lived in the shadow of Ethan for a long time and take matters into his own hand. When he is heartbroken and hurt when he realizes his love has turned on him, it sends him over the edge. :)

mcb_uk asks: Hey Mr. Scott, sorry to upset you, but I'm a Hearts Fan :-)

Dougray: ;) You were very luck in the last game!

silvergirl49 asks: i loved you on ever after you were very cool how was it to work with Anjelica Huston and drew

Dougray: I've been very lucky with everyone I've worked with. I've loved 'em all. Angelica and Drew and I got along really well in France. We socialized a lot, and they're both fantastic actresses and were wonderful to work with on set.

two_r_two_j asks: will you be doing more action movies in the future

Dougray: I don't know. Possibly. Depends what comes along. If I like it, and after Enigma, I'm not sure what I'll do next I will probably do Cromwell and Fairfax but that's next year. I enjoyed MI2, and it was great fun, but I wouldn't rule out another Action. There's a strong possibly I'll do another one. :)

ar_borealis asks: Dougray, this is Aurora in Hawaii. I thought you did a fantastic job as Ambrose. Did you want to have more time to develop the "softer" side of Ambrose?

Dougray: No, I think there's not much more time I could spend. As it was, a lot of the time was taken up by the action, he's sweet to Nya and tries to be romantic and make things work. But at the end of the day, he's a very volatile character and t hat's what's exciting for an audience.

gumbo_33 asks: Hi, will you be joining tom cruise for the Australian premier of MI:2 in Sydney

Dougray: They all very much wanted me to, but my schedule is tight now. I could barely manage the LA premier. I arrived the same day and left the next. I'm filming everyday until the end of June! But I'll do all the European Premiers with Tom; Germany, London, Italy, Amsterdam...

lusus_182 asks: do you get nervous before premieres?

Dougray: yes! Very. Although the LA one, I was so jetlagged.... I had to get the energy to walk thru the huge line of photographers and journalists...but I'm always daunted by it.

the_generic_superhero asks: Did it hurt to pull the voice tape off in MI2?

Dougray: Yes LOL

yrbaker asks: Things went so fast in the movie, but I did figure out that it was you playing Ethan outside the house with Nya. Good script, wasn't it?

Dougray: yes, it was. Thank you!

n1k1d asks: What kind of music do you like to listen to?

Dougray: all sorts really. Stereophonics...a Scottish band called the Blue Nail. Bruce, the Boss! Tom Waits....i love. I love Amy Mann who wrote the soundtrack for Magnolia. Wonderful. George Jackson. Radiohead. Lots and lots of classic. I love Mahler.

liquid_boarder_71 asks: What do you think of the soundtrak to the movie?

Dougray: I think it's cool! It's a great theme, they did a new kind of theme. I loved the first one, but this one is great guitar work. It works really well with the film I think.

annjones59 asks: Are there going to be action figures associated to M:I 2?

Dougray: I have no idea! I really don't know. :)

ilovelucy_85_93422 asks: what made u decide to take the role in m:i-2

Dougray: I guess, once in a life to be asked to work with John Woo and Tom Cruise in the same film...no reason not to! They were both wonderful craftsmen in their own right, director and actor...and there was all positive things about it. I was flattered to be asked, and jumped at the chance to work with both of them.

jacquieb62 asks: Do you have any plans to do more theater work?

Dougray: Not in the foreseeable future. It's just that for me, I like theater, but it's hard to do the same thing night after night. I haven't done theater in about 6 years, and it's tough for a really passionate play to pull me away from the films. Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams...someone like that or Pinter... But I haven't got any plans at the moment. Well....

skyeyes2001 asks: My parents grew up watching the series Mission Impossible and saw the first on and hated the movie. Do you think that this one will live up to the expectations of the Mission Impossible TV generation?

Dougray: I hope so. Mission the movie is diff from Mission the Series. This is more to the TV Series, I've been told by people. I hope very much they'll be happy, but I don't know. A movie has to be different from TV. It'll never be the same. But I do think it's a wonderful film.

lynsey_08 asks: Were there any pranks going on behind the scenes during the making of M:i-2?

Dougray: Most of the time we were too exhausted! We had to concentrate on the scenes, but I don't remember anything specific. We all got along really really well, and it was a joy to work with them.

bobbiosmit asks: How was it working with screen legend Morgan Freeman in "Deep Impact"?

Dougray: I never really met him. My stuff that was in the film was never with Morgan. I love him as an actor. I'm barely in the film as it is! I never worked with him at the time, but eventually, most of my scenes were cut out. I hear he's a lovely man. Most of my work in the film was with Tea Leoni.

tinabelle32 asks: Now that you have a family to consider, does this play into the roles you accept?

Dougray: I don't think I made exceptions before hand that would offend or jeopardize my family. I don't want to be away from them for too long, but I wont take anything that'll shoot in deepest South America that takes a week to get to, or anything like that. :)

lorrainesusan asks: You have a great sense of humor, have you thought about doing a comedy movie?

Dougray: I did a film last year, two called, "This Year's Love', and one called "Gregory's Two Girls". I've done comedy, I just don't think it's been released in the states yet. I love comedy. I'd do them again.

AJArend asks: Heard a rumor you may be considered to play Keith Moon of the Who in a film. How would you like to play a member of The Who?

Dougray: LOL I love the Who, and I've heard this from many journalists. I have no idea where it came from Someone told me I could play him, and I said, "Really?" And I haven't even read a script about it yet, but people ask me often!

broken_images asks: whats was most challenging thing for you in making this movie ????

Dougray: The physical aspect of it. Retaining the concentration of the character, and the physical fitness level for that long was tight. I had to be very fit. It took a long time, working for months and months before hand . 7 or 8 months. And then during the film, and when I was going to do XMen, I was getting even more fit. I ran for hours on Santa Monica beach, weight trained...it's really hard to do all that when filming. However, it's great to be fit. It's just a lot of work. The hardest part was probably maintaining the discipline during the length of the film.

siobhan_irishgirl asks: I would like to ask Mr. Scott if there are any particular directors and actors/actresses with whom he would like to work in the future.

Dougray: There's loads.... The ones I'll leave out will get offended! Actors, directors,..... too many to mention. But my biggest influence growing up, Scorsese.

cxu17 asks: What is your favorite Arthur Miller play?

Dougray: Death of a Salesman. That was a comedy!

plss55 asks: How could you stand keeping your hair dirty in this year's love?

Dougray: It was the character. I love playing other people. It was an excuse not to wash for 3 months. :)

mapg1r1 asks: Have you ever gotten recognized in the mall or anything? What is your weirdest experience with a fan?

Dougray: Well... I had a stalker. That was weird. a couple of them actually. Airports and train stations you get recognized. Mostly, people don't recognize me from the character... or haven't seen the film.

Aeo_cate asks: Is there more in store for the Mission Impossible saga?

Dougray: I don't know. Ask the people that know! I just acted in it. :)

whiteshadow33 asks: Is there any truth to the rumors that you will be in the next Star Wars movie?

Dougray: Nooooo....no truth at all. A good friend of mine will be in it, Ewan. But not me. Not hugely fast. Not as fast as the track, where we were over 100. Well over a hundred. I don't know. It looks much faster on camera than in real life. ;)

ar_borealis asks: How has it been working with Kate Winslet?

Dougray: Terrific. She's a wonderful actress and very sweet. A joy.

mhreber asks: Will you sneak into a theater to watch MI2?

Dougray: I've seen it like 4 times. I watched it with an audience in LA and that was great, even though it was an industry audience. But they're a good indication. I would hate to have someone turn around and ask me why I'm watching my own film in the theater!

carolbaby3 asks: Are you prepared for what's going to happen to your "star status" now that MI2 is out?

Dougray: I don't really think of that. I'm just concentrating on this film getting right. The one I'm on now. I hope it'll do really well. I'm sure it will. But I don't think a lot about me as far as that goes. It'd be lovely if it's huge though. A long time. 9 months.

genex_dude asks: Isn't it like past midnight in London right now? Are you an insomniac?

Dougray: No. I'm here talking to you! I WANT to go to bed. :) That's why I'm up. I've got to be on set tomorrow at 5 am!

big_p719 asks: When I saw M-I:2 last nite I thought it was awesome what did you think of the final product?

Dougray: I thought it was extraordinary. I've very proud of it, for everyone who was involved. I think it's a wonderful film, and it really is...something that ...when I watch films it's hard for me to watch one I'm in, but I've seen this one 4 times. It's a huge huge film, and I'm delighted for everyone. Tom, Paula, John Woo... the rest of the cast and crew. It think it's terrific, and I'm really really happy about it.!

y_chat_diva: Thank you so much Dougray for chatting with us -- at this very late hour in London!

Dougray: Can I go to bed now? Thank you all, and thanks for logging on.!

y_chat_diva: Thank you everyone for joining our chat today with Dougray!

harrystamper316 asks: i love your accent man! great wishes for you and your family, and may we see a lot of other kick @$ performances like this one