Rarely have I been so relieved to back on the set of project, but this week I find myself in Ireland shooting The Last Duel again. It is grand to be among friends again on this brilliant film. It's like coming back to school after the summer holidays and everyone asking what you did in the break. I feel like a kid again. I also realise I made some really good friends last time in France. Everyone seems to have survived lock-down in their own way, and most, thankfully, were safe and not caught in the horror. Most of the US contingent of course had so much more horror than the rest of us, and the Italian team who are in charge of hair and make up. But the Americans have also had to flee the Trump universe. And not the climate is having it's say before the elections. That west coast is being ravaged, and the south east now too. All the time having the orange haired twat denying any responsibility to anything. Arrgghhhhh.
We're here, we've done it. THE BEAST MUST DIE, is actually happening. Even up to last the very end, I couldn't believe it would happen. But it is. We are beginning shooting. Fabulous, Fantastic, Wonderful. ALL THE WORDS!!!!!!!
Ed Rubin has been a driving force, but his dedication and Marina Brackenbury's support and know how, have been remarkable. Everyone's hard work has been awe-inspiring to witness. I have learnt a lot. So much. How thrilling to have Cush Jumbo, Billy Howle, Geraldine James, Maeve Dermody, Mia Tomlinson, Barney Sayburn and of course me ol' mucker Jared Harris. That is an exciting cast.
Well, it's now in a press release, so I guess... IT'S OFFICIAL. We are making THE BEAST MUST DIE.
I can't tell you how much effort this has taken, no honestly I can't. I'd probably be breaking all sorts of protocols. But we are on our way. We have a production office on the Isle Of Wight up and running. I am so thrilled to be working with the people I am working with. Ed Rubin is heading the project for New Regency and Marina Brackenbury for Scott Free. Talk about playing in the big leagues! These are seriously talented people with huge credits. Dome Karukoski is directing. He's a terrific man to be at the helm. Really interesting ideas and his energy is infectious.
I just watched Joe Biden make his speech. What a relief. I have never understood why someone hasn't grasped the twin nettles that are unemployment and climate change together. If planned properly there could be global full employment. or near enough. The only way to move forward on this planet, for this beautiful planet to survive, is to plan for new ways of working and to clean up the past. What about that is difficult for leaders around the world to understand? You employ people to find new, cleaner ways to do EVERYTHING we do now, and, at the same time, employ people to clean up the awful mess that we have created.
This is often how my darling mum would start before she got to Nathaniel, or rather Nat, or even Natty. The first three are obviously my siblings, and Buster was our dog at the time, but PIGEON??? No idea where that came from. Mind you, I couldn't even spell Nathaniel until I was 9. (I didn't realise I was dyslexic, I just thought it the longest name in the world).
So it was with some joy that I read "Big Steve's" letter on the guest-book about how my parents found my name. I was told it meant "gift of God" which I thought meant my parents had studied the bible hard in anticipation of my birth, but hey, this is much more real. Thank you Steve, and I hope you had as lovely a lock-down birthday as I did.