Andrew Scott Brings the House Down at London Film Festival Opening
The BFI London Film Festival launched its 70th edition with a deeply emotional premiere. Variety reports that the European debut of "Elsinore" at the Royal Festival Hall left much of the audience in tears by the end of the film.
The mood shifted dramatically when star Andrew Scott took the stage, receiving a standing ovation. Director Simon Stone, who introduced "the great Andrew Scott," helms the film in which Scott plays Ian Charleson, the Scottish actor famed for "Chariots of Fire."
Per the outlet, the drama centers on Charleson stepping into the role of Hamlet at London's National Theatre in 1989 after Daniel Day-Lewis abruptly quit. Charleson was critically acclaimed in the part but died from AIDS-related complications just weeks after his final performance.
After the screening, Scott brought real-life figures from the story on stage, including the actors who portrayed them. The loudest cheers were for a doctor played by Olivia Colman, whom Scott hailed as a heroic figure in the fight against HIV and AIDS.
Scott capped the night by playing a track from "The Ethel Merman Disco Album," a song featured in the movie to honor Charleson's vibrant spirit. He told the crowd the tune was for an artist who loved show business and went out while performing, encouraging attendees to dance as they exited.
