Andrew Scott Takes on Unsung Hero Role in WWII Thriller 'Pressure

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Entertainment Desk

In Short: Actor Andrew Scott discusses his portrayal of Group Captain James Stagg, the unsung meteorological adviser who played a crucial role in the D-Day invasion.

Andrew Scott, known for his roles in theater and film, has taken on the challenging role of Group Captain James Stagg in the new WWII thriller 'Pressure.' 'He appeared to me to be an extraordinarily interesting cinematic character, as well as an unsung hero from history,' Scott tells the BBC, highlighting Stagg's pivotal role in advising General Eisenhower during the D-Day invasion.

Scott, who has been acting since the '90s, including his acclaimed turn as Hamlet, relished the opportunity to play a character who was 'not particularly garrulous' and 'an unlikely hero.' 'Stagg isn't a traditional war hero, something I clearly relished sinking my acting teeth into,' Scott says.

The film, which focuses on the high-stakes decisions made during the D-Day invasion, also marks Scott's first produced film, 'Elsinore.' 'It took a huge amount of encouragement and support and vision from so many people' to bring the project to fruition, he says, adding that it was a very personal project for him, given his own experiences as an openly gay actor.

Scott's career has been marked by memorable performances, including his role as the 'Hot Priest' which helped ease some of his anxieties about audience acceptance. 'When I was a kid, I had a speech impediment—so I had to go to elocution lessons at seven or eight,' he shared, explaining how acting became his passion.

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The talk began with Bennie asking Scott, 49, who was sporting a striking purple jumper, about the internet’s obsession with him.
“If you had got a script that said, ‘The Hot Priest,’ you’d be like, ‘This is dodgy,’” joked Scott.
“It’s about how we use our time, and he was enormously fun, attractive, beautiful, amazingly gifted actor,” Scott said of playing Charleson.
Scott is himself a celebrated London Hamlet, here playing a man whose Hamlet was his last act of defiance.
12, Scott took the stage at the Royal Alexandra Theatre to roaring applause as part of TIFF’s “In Conversation” series to discuss his much-heralded turn in “Elsinore” and his storied career.
“It was just called ‘The Priest’ and then the internet took over.” Scott, however, was immensely proud of “The Hot Priest” craze in the sense that it helped ease some of his own anxieties about whether the audience would accept a gay actor in a role as a woman’s love interest.
“It’s about life or death,” said Scott, who had to be ready with the odd soliloquy at a moment’s notice.
“The governments refused to do anything to help these people,” said Scott.

Sources

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