DYLAN THOMAS experts have been left bemused by news that Wales's great poet is set to be portrayed by a Scotsman in a new film.

But they say they are pleased that a fellow Celt - Dougray Scott - looks likely to land the role.

Mick Jagger's company, Jagged Films, is making Map of Love, which focuses on Thomas's tempestuous life.

And the company is in talks with Enigma and Twin Town actor Scott to play the lead.

The drama, named after a collection of Thomas's poems, follows his marriage to the long-suffering Caitlin in 1937 until his death in 1953 at the age of 39.

Scott is reported to have told visitors to the Venice Film Festival this week that he will play the Under Milk Wood writer.

But no contract has yet been signed between the actor and film company.

Sean Keir, cultural development officer at the Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea, has been in close contact with Jagged Films.

"I happen to know Dougray Scott studied acting in Cardiff and he was in Twin Town," said Mr Keir. "He does Welsh accents extremely well, Wales is in his heart and he is a fellow Celt.

"I am just delighted the film is going ahead. I know they have struggled to cast Dylan Thomas."

Map of Love co-producer Paul Sarony said they had been having talks with Scott.

"That's as much as I can say as no contract has been signed yet," he said.

He said they had spoken to a number of Welsh actors about the role but

he could not reveal their names.

"We will be doing a lot of casting in Wales and most of the crew will be Welsh as well."

Sarony denied reports that Oscar-nominated actress Emily Watson has been cast as Thomas's Irish wife Caitlin. "We are in discussion with a number of leading actresses," he said.

Cardiff-born Chris Monger, who directed Hugh Grant in The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain, has written the script for Map of Love and will direct the £10m film.

Jagged Films is due to announce the cast of Map of Love in late October.

Shooting will start in January, using the Boathouse, where Thomas lived in Laugharne, and the house where he was born in Swansea - 5 Cwmdonkin Drive, Uplands.

Thomas's favourite drinking haunts are also likely to be included. Among them will be Brown's Hotel in Laugh-arne, the Uplands Tavern in Swansea and seafront bars in Mumbles. Scenes will also be filmed in Cardiff and New York, the city where Thomas died.

Jagger has already worked with Scott - he produced him in Enigma, the film about wartime codebreaking. Scott played the leading role of mathematics genius Tom Jericho.

Scott, who also appeared with Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible II, was in Venice this week to promote Ripley's Game, based on the novel by Patricia Highsmith. He plays a picture framer who is persuaded to commit a murder.

© Trinity Mirror Plc 2002