August 2000
Film Review Special # 32
Patriot Names: Dougray Scott
By John Millar

First off, he's much thinner, almost to the point of being gaunt.  Then there's the old-fashioned short, back and sides hair-cut.  The finishing touch is his outfit, brown corduroy trousers supported by a pair of bracers, a rather unfashionable shirt and tie and a pair of brogues.

This new look is entirely down to Scott's role in upcoming thriller, Enigma.  The film - in which he stars opposite Kate Winslet - casts him as a Bletchley Park boffin who is desperately battling against time to break the Nazi's secret code.  His character is supposed to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown - it's tense stuff trying to find the answers to the Enigma code when you know that failure could mean losing the war - hence the lean look.

"I must have lost about 22 pounds or so, because I was muscled up for M:I-2 because of all the working out I did for that movie," he says. "And my hair is the shortest it has been in a while."

Like John Hannah, Dougray Scott took the TV route to the movies, marching into success with small-screen drama series Soldier Soldier  before launching himself on a film career.

After an impressive turn as a foul-mouthed corrupt cop in Twin Town, Hollywood came calling and Scott was cast in the end of the world romp, Deep Impact, but most of his scenes finished on the cutting-room floor.  That nightmare had a fairy-tale ending though when he was Drew Barrymore's Prince Charming in Cinderella Story, Ever After.  Since then he's been a loveable rogue in the ensemble success, This Year's Love and then, of course, came  M:I-2 when he played second lead to Tom's Cruise.  Now he calls the American superstar a friend and "one of the most down-to-earth actors I have ever worked with."

Next up looks like being the English Civil War drama, Cromwell and Fairfax, with Scott cast in the latter role and, for the first time, taking on the duties of co-producer.  "It is a small picture within an epic time and place.  The story takes place at the end of the Civil War and, after Enigma, I'll start doing some research," he says.  "The co-producer role is interesting because that'll be something different for me.  I haven't really stopped for a couple of years but I'm enjoying myself," says Scott who stresses that he has tried not to get carried away by the box office bonanza of M:I-2.

"Of course I am aware of the hugeness of it all and how much my profile has risen in America, but I just try to concentrate on what I'm doing," says Scott.  "But because M:I-2 has been so successful and I have had such wonderful reviews it means more scripts come in and I get more film offers.  I don't know what I'll do next, it might be a big film or a small film.  I'll do whatever interests me."

© 2000 Film Review

Thanks to Krysha for sending this!