Colin
Farrell Feared Ruining New Movie
2/9/08
Irish actor Colin Farrell refused to star in new movie In Bruges
because he feared his bad boy reputation would ruin the film.
The Phone Booth star was approached to take the leading role by writer
and director Martin McDonagh and immediately loved the script, but he
insisted they cast someone else as he worried his Hollywood persona would
overshadow the movie.
Farrell tells the Hollywood Reporter, "I was chuffed (very happy)
to be part of it. It was just the best thing I ever read. But your public
persona, people bring that in. And I met (McDonagh) in New York at the
Hilton Hotel one afternoon and I tried to convince him he should cast an
unknown in the part ...
It was so good, I thought it would be good not to cast me."
But McDonagh was determined to sign the star to the project and
eventually convinced him to take the part, even changing the nationality
of Farrell's character to Irish, so he wouldn't have to adopt an English
accent.
Farrell stars alongside British actor Ralph Fiennes in the forthcoming
film which centers around a pair of hit men forced to hide out in Belgium
after a botched assassination attempt in London.