My second foray into film acting – working with a fantastic team of York University students.
Director Federica Brizzi kindly cast me in her final MA project “Dating Mr Darcy” as Rupert, a modern-day Mr Rochester in the story of a young woman searching for her real life Mr Darcy, and going through a sequence of terrible dates in the process:
Charlotte is an independent, career-driven, modern woman with a passion for the literary works of Jane Austen and the Brönte sisters. Their stories have shaped her ideal man on the likes of Mr. Darcy, Mr. Rochester and Heathcliff, and nothing less than that would do for her.
Persuaded by her best friend Alicia to get back into the dating game, she dates three men who turn out to be modern versions of her literary crushes. The dates are a total disaster, but Alex, the outgoing and charming bartender, comes to the rescue to put her experiences into perspective and to be the first man ever to make Charlotte laugh.
Is he, then, the One? Maybe not, as his fiancée and soon-to-be bride walks into the pub to sweep him away. With her though, is Alex’s brother Daniel, an awkward-looking but strangely attractive guy, very different from Charlotte’s ideal, but perhaps reality can surpass the dream.
The shoot was tremendous fun, including a night shoot in a pub. I learned a lot about the mechanics and technicalities of film acting, and met some lovely people in the process.
Film acting and stage acting are such different disciplines – I love them both, for different reasons.
