14 DAY TRIAL // Ewan McGregor was never what one may call a regular actor: aside from being incredibly talented, he also knows exactly what parts to choose to make the most of it. This happens, as he explains in a recent interview with Out magazine, because he is never afraid of a good challenge, even if it implies things other actors would refuse to do, like share a kiss with a male co-star.
As fans would know, Ewan recently starred with Jim Carrey in “I Love You Phillip Morris,” a film that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2009 and that tells the story of two inmates that fall in love with each other and decide to attempt to break their way out of the prison. Speaking of this part, but not only, McGregor says acting means for him choosing parts that force him to give it his best, that take him to places he’s never been before – otherwise, there’s no way to evolve.
“At Sundance everyone assumed [‘I Love You Phillip Morris’] would be snapped up, but it wasn’t. Perhaps one reason is that the central character is an unlovable (or uneasily loved) sociopathic scammer. […] But I like kissing boys on screen. As a straight guy, it’s quite an interesting proposition. Anything on a film set that takes you by surprise like that, that gets your blood up, is good,” the actor says, explaining why he’s the first one to say yes to a movie part that other actors turn down.
“When it gets to the top end, they’re really reluctant to step out of any box, which is why the movies become very bland. When people come up to talk about a movie like Velvet Goldmine, it’s much more interesting than talking about, for instance, Angels & Demons. I’m always interested in playing different people, in different situations. It doesn’t matter to me whether someone is in love with a man or a woman. I find the idea of love and romance interesting. I’m a sucker for it. I like playing someone who’s falling in love because I like the sensation of it. People do extraordinary things when they’re falling in love,” the actor says.
Because of all this, Ewan McGregor is certain that, even if he fails with one of his films, at least no one will be able to accuse him of not thinking outside the box. As Out magazine also describes him, this one Scottish actor is gorgeous, dirty (in the photospread accompanying the interview) and not afraid to kiss boys on film and then tell. For more on this, see here.