I am actually feeling pretty disgusted by a lot of this hatred. I am very, very sad to see it. It sound like the sort of intolerant opinion I did not expect from this place. The man is entitled to his opinion and being in the film does not change that.
In any case, Ewan does like Star Wars. All he doesn't like so far is TPM (which to be fair a LOT of fans didn't like, people like Queeq included) and the title of Ep. II (ditto).
I cant speak for the other board members, but I in no way feel any hatred towards Ewan. I just find his actions disrespectful and tacky. There are tons of actors out there that would kill to have Ewan's role, and he is just blatantly acting like a spoiled ungrateful prick. He is a very good actor, I'm not questioning that, but being disrespectful to SW in general is not going to go over well with the fans, and sour fan reaction towards Ewan shouldn't be shocking or unexpected, given the situation.
I guess so. And he IS crass, and has a big mouth.
Personally, the only SW related thing about him that annoys me is that he said in interview that it was set in the future. Duh... However, in the same interview he talked about what he liked about Star Wars, which was quite a bit, actually. More recently he has said that he liked the Ep. ii script and that going on this film was much better than the last. He DID say it was no fun to make, but that's probbaly fair enough. He said the same about Trainspotting anyway.
i saw an interview with rubbie wax once where he said that making sw's was the most fun he had ever had in his life, there is a possibility of course that his comments were not supposed to be taken seriously, he is after all known as a bit of a joker and i don't think his comments should be taken seriously. all this fuss over a loud mouthed thespian. have we got nothing better to write about?
I;ve already screamed at a number of Yoda-fighting comments in other threads... not because of what was suggested, but simply because it reminds me that it looks like Yoda will fight and that strikes me as, potentially, the worst thing ever...
But, not to get too much off-topic...
Does anyone have C. Lee's reaction to the title? I guess it would remind him of old times...
Getting back on topic with Ewan, I have just been trawling through the old editorials at TF.N and found this one all about Mr. McGregor.
http://www.theforce.net/jedicouncil/editorials/110797.shtml
Have a read, it's amazing how spot on Scott was with this one.
Frankly, I hope Ewan keeps this up. I like it when he's like that, not totally sucked in by the butt-kissing comments all filmmakers display nowadays. For you guys who collect or watch DVD's and see all the Making Of-s, isn't it striking that EVERYONE who appears is so superpositive about the entire process? You have a large crew of people working very close for two-three months and everything is supposed to be SUPER FANTASTIC. Yeah right....
I suggest you rent or buy 12 Monkeys to see a very good Making Of. Terry Gilliam invited two filmmakers to follow the entire process, saying that "this time I'll have witnessess." 😂
It shows what making a film is really about. There are frustrating moments, people make wrong decisions, people don't always get along. Yet it seems worth the while. It's a great Making Of, and Gilliam is also one of these people that loathe the "system" and political correctness. It's much cooler to watch such a doc, it's much more real, much more exciting. This "Making of" list high up on my lists, right next to Hearts of Darkness (making of Apocalypse Now).
So Ewan, keep it up, man. I love it!
First of all, the way Harrison Ford talks about Star Wars and the way Ewan does it are completley different. Harrison Ford can slate Lucas writing all he wants because he is a freind. He's not being disrespectful or insulting. He's joking and Lucas knows that is what he's like. Francis Ford Coppola and Stanley Kubrick have been quoted a few times joking about Lucas and Star Wars. That's fine.
Then you have Ewan. All sweetness and light when on set, talks about how much he enjoys making the films in the documentries. But the minute he is in someone elses company he slags it for all it's worth. Ush, telling a reporter not to bother going to see it isn't being honest. It's being hypocritical.
GL and Ewan clearly do not get on
Next, Denis Lawson clearly told Ewan NOT to do Star Wars because he said it was a dreadful career move.
Chris Lee:
it is so clear that he has little respect for Styar Wars
Are you serious? You say he is too polite to say he doesn't like Star Wars but somehow it's clear that he doesn't? Do you know the man? Tell us one thing that makes you think he's "lukewarm" on the subject. You'll see on his official site the enthusiasm he has for making this film.
And it's not politeness. You say he is laid back and doesn't care for the films he has made but that is rubbish. Like you said, the guy is a proffesional. He could easily retire like a lot of his peers but he doesn't because he loves working and the types of roles he is offered now. Including SW.
What the hell does he care about whether he likes it or not?
I think that incredibly insulting. You're basically saying that actors will do any film because they can't get enough money or they want to stay in the public eye. Maybe up and coming or jobbing actors would take a film they didn't like because of the money or the recognition, but someone the stature of Christopher Lee simply doesn't have to. In the U.K magazine he said he is turning down more work now than ever. That means he is choosing what he wants to do.
Ush you seem to think that Ewan McGregor is some kind of film rebel. Speaking his mind and causing a fuss. And he is.....sometimes. There's nothing I like more than seeing him slag Independance Day or Pearl Harbour or Hollywood and the studios.That's fine because he's not involved in that.
But as someone said "he is biting the hand that feeds him" by slating SW. Especially as the film hasn't been released yet. That is something Harrison Ford would NEVER do. In twenty years time if he looks back with embarrasment at some of the lines he had or some of the things he had to do then fine.
But don't drag a film and everyone involved in it down to get another step up the Hollywood ladder. It stinks.
Ok, Ewan McGregor said in interview that Denis Lawson told him not to do the film because he would become too associated with it; that is indisputable.
C. Lee is one of those who complained at the commercial change Star Wars had made to films. Also, he WILL appear in any old film. He prides himself on being able to do these parts. Why the heck SHOULD he care? He can if he wants, or he doesn't want to... you find it insulting? He wouldn't.
And I see no difference between Ewan's attitude to Star Wars and people like Ford. None at all. And his attitude is far superior to Alec Guiness's, who never missed an opportunity to slagh Star Wars and everything it stood for, yet Ewan, who LIKES Star Wars, get slated. What a crappy deal.
You hadn't noticed that Ewan and GL don;t get on? HUH??! It;s been on a thosuand cast and set rumours and Ewan often comments about how difficult GL is to work with (which caused them to ask the same question (was he difficult?) to C. Lee, who said he wasn't, of course, in the most polite and completely non-descript way like most actors do when asked with that question).
Even if he had somehow known that he wasn't going to like him, Lycas WOULD have cast someone he didn't like if he thought he was good for the part. That is by far the primary consideration. He thought Ewan was best for the role and that was the end of it.
KJ, you really, really need to get to know people like C. Lee better. Lukewarm is a perfct descriptiuon for what he thinks of Star Wars. It;s a fair project at a fair price, and Star Wars is a good notch in anyone's hat, but it is not exactly his thing. Aside from the new title, of course.
Another thing, you se to suggest that veteran actors are always picky about their films. That is total and utter rubbish. People like Robert Mitchum and Richard Brton did endless interviews saying how much the whole deal was a piece of crap and they continued to star in films they hated simpyl becxause they needed to- and it;s not just the money, Remember, being an actor isn't just what you do, it is whhat you ARE. Alec Guniess never needed to do another film again yet he did another two SW films even though he hated it. He was even enthusiastic about it. See? THAT is professionalism. He did the part perfectly even though he hated it. Professionalism is NOT staying quiet about a film you dislike; being gagged simply because you are in it.
Biting the hand that feeds you? He was paid to ACT in the film, not be nice about it. He did that. Then he has the right to free speech. The way you would prefer him to be, continually nice about it, is nearly censorship and I deplore it.
Glad you like Ewan as well, Queeg. We need more people like him.
Heck, I don't care if they have problems with it afterwards. Why would you guys. I think Ewan's a great actor and he's not afraid to speak his mind. Yet, he comes back to the set, does his work well and goes home. So what?
Guinness even somewhat liked the story when he first read it, that's why he joined. He didn't like working for it, he certainly didn't like the attention for him just because of SW while he did much better and more memorable things, yet he came back, did his thing and did it well. Same with Ewan.
So what, they don't always have to agree. As long as they do their job. I remember that with ANH a lot of lines were actually dropped during shooting because Ford thought it was total nonsense. the "nava-computer" line stayed there, but I really loved Ford's comment: "You can write this shit, George, but you certainly can't say it." LOL
I doubt many lines change these days, so Ewan needs to let off steam somehow. I say: let him!
I do like Ewan. Just not his attitude.
And Ush you are wrong about a lot of things here.
I don't have a clue what the C.Lee thing is about. I think we have our wires crossed because I don't know what you are getting at.
NO actor will do "any old film". To suggest that IS insulting. Chris Lee gets enough good offers just now that he can pick his films. You're suggesting that he just does whatever is offered. Wrong. He's already said that he immeadiatley said yes to SW because of the chance to play this kind of part in a film as big as this, because of the chance to work with Natalie and Sam Jackson and because he's going to become a part of this film series. There was an exact quote where he said this and I'll try and find it.
Why the heck SHOULD he care?
KJ, you really, really need to get to know people like C. Lee better
So Chris Lee was asked "How did you find working with Lucas?". He replied "He's very appreciative of an actors work and helps you a lot. He's a real technical wizard and has a mastery of the technical side of these movies that puts everyone at ease. It could have been daunting but I like the atmosphere he creates on set". That is a quote I got from Alderanet. I'll try and find the exact quote from him.
Somehow you read that and thought. "This guy doesn't like working with Lucas and doesn't care about this movie". You are the only one.
This isn't about Chris Lee anyway. It's about Ewan. Bringing other actors into it to make Ewans comments sound better doesn't work.
Yes, Alec Guiness slated the films. But not while he was making them. Not while George Lucas was paying him and not a few weeks after filming.
If Ewan and Harrison Fords attitudes are so similar then why does nobody get upset when Harrison says something. I like seeing him talk about SW even if it's with a hint of emaressment. They are very, very different.
Ewan often comments about how difficult GL is to work with
As for their relationship I've never heard any rumours that the didn't get on. But if you want to beleive that then fine.
I'll stick with the facts which are - Lucas praising him every opportunity he gets. Lucas buying him a motorbike. Lucas and McCallum re-aranging EP2 pick ups so that they could give Ewan some time off.
you se to suggest that veteran actors are always picky about their films
way you would prefer him to be, continually nice about it
But what really gets to me is how he changes his mind depending on who he is talking to. He's basically stabbing people in the back to get further up the Hollywood ladder and THAT is deplorable. Especially as he was so anti-Hollywood. I go back to the time I saw him on Barry Norman and he was laughing and joking with Ridley Scott.
Ewans attitude was "Star Wars ha, I'm better than that." And it does stink. Especially as I don't even think he means it.
It's two faced and every time he does it I lose more respect for him. Slating Pearl Harbour and Independance Day is one thing (I've already said I love that, so I don't like you're censorship argument) but slating something you're involved with is another.
I don't know if you've ever been involved in making a film but it's a team effort. When a member of that team starts saying he had a terrible time and didn't enjoy himself it's a slur against the whole team. And when he tells the press not to bother seeing it, it is stabbing people in the back which ever way you look at it.