On class divide, all-male banter

By Solarina Ho

Max Irons may come from an illustrious acting family and has already had a taste of Hollywood, but he is very conscious of the empty and fleeting nature of fame and fortune. That awareness helped the British actor with his gritty role in new film The Riot Club, out now in UK theatres. The film explores the violent excesses of an elite university society, inspired in part by Oxford University’s Bullingdon Club.

Irons, 28, a relative newcomer to film and television, is the son of Academy Award-winning English actor Jeremy Irons, and Irish actress Sinead Cusack. The cast got along well, but unlike his easy-going character, Irons confessed to being “terrified” at first.  “I thought, what if we’re all competitive and trying to out-do each other?” Irons said. “I’ve never been good at all-male banter. I sort of clam up and go spend a lot of time going to the bathroom, standing outside smoking cigarettes, anything to get away from it.”

While attending Toronto International Film Festival for The Riot Club premiere, Irons spoke about Britain’s class struggles and working on the film.

What drew you to

When I first read the script I actually didn’t like it, because I just found it so unpleasant. And I know a couple of people like that and I find them unpleasant.

Why did you ask to play the role of Miles?

I understood his problem, which was being seduced by being invited to the top table and everything that would mean for the trajectory of the rest of his life. It was only upon being inside it that you realised it wasn’t fulfilling. That in fact, it’s quite dark and corrupt.

What is it about class and privilege that makes it such an enduring theme in cinema?

The divide we have in society seems to be getting wider and wider ... I think people need to start thinking about that.

Even though this is a fictitious take ... the fact that Prime Minister (David Cameron), Mayor of London (Boris Johnson), and Chancellor of the Exchequer (George Osborne) were all in this club ... I want to know about that. I do. They weren’t young, they were at a fairly discerning age at 22, 23. (The film is) a non-judgmental look into a room that exists. Now, if they don’t like what is inside that room, then they shouldn’t be doing it. We’re just opening the door, as film often does, as literature often does, as art often does.

Why is the film’s ending important?

I think it’s incredibly important to show how it really unfortunately is. We had the riots in London ... I think they have cause for grievance. Opportunities are few and far between. Yet, when they smash a shop window, they get three years in prison, to be made an example of. If what we hear is true about the Bullingdon Club and what they get up to, they’re doing the same thing, at a more discerning age, after being given every advantage known to man, but yet, they can just pay it.

What was it like working with director Lone Scherfig?

She’s amazing — to have a woman like her on set. She has such a keen understanding of the class system, the class struggle. But also, she was so capable of controlling 10 energetic actors ... It could’ve been a nightmare.

You did a lot of theatre work before film. Would you go back to the stage?

I want to do a play every year. It’s very important. It’s how I trained ... (Theatre is) terrifying; it’s thrilling. It’s the most exciting thing that you can do. It’s live and there’s no room for error. You have to do it. You can’t turn up to set two hours late. No retakes. Just do it, so it keeps you on your toes. – Reuters

Zeta-Jones set to play drug kingpin

Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones is set to play a female drug lord in an upcoming biopic called The Godmother. The Legend of Zorro actress has been tapped to play Griselda Blanco, the first and only woman to rise to the high ranks of Colombia’s Medellin drug cartel, reports contactmusic.com. Blanco became a menacing figure during the drug wars in Miami, Florida in the 1970s and 1980s, and earned the nickname La Madrina (Black Widow). She was suspected to have ordered hundreds of assassinations to keep her money and power. Norwegian director Eva Sorhaug is set to helm the project and shooting for the film will begin early next year. — IANS

Twilight is set to return in the form of five short films that will be broadcast exclusively on social-networking site Facebook. It’s been revealed five female directors will be selected to make their own short film based on the iconic characters for The Storytellers — New Creative Voices of The Twilight Saga.

The directors will be mentored by a group of experts that includes Twilight actress Kristen Stewart, and series author Stephenie Meyer, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

“The female voice is something that has become more and more important to me as I’ve worked in the film industry,” said Meyer. Lionsgate announced it will run the scheme in conjunction with its production partners and the Women in Film organisation. “I’m honoured to be working with Women in Film, Lionsgate and Facebook on a project dedicated to giving more women a chance to be heard creatively,” said Meyer.

Cathy Schulman, president Women In Film president said: “Accessing Hollywood is a momentous challenge, especially for aspiring female filmmakers, so I’m thrilled that Women In Film has been invited to join Stephenie Meyer, Lionsgate and Facebook to empower new storytellers with diverse voices.”

Fans of the popular film franchise are being encouraged to get involved with the project, which will begin next year. — IANS