Bridget: Hello, I’m here at the set of, uh, The Peacebroker to
interview Colin Firth, heart-throb to millions and the star of the
brilliant ‘90s BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.
Colin: Yeah, among other things,
that was, that was ten years ago.
Bridget: But it was particularly
brilliant when you came out of the water and everything. (giggles)
Anyway, nice to meet you.
Colin: Very nice to meet you, too.
Bridget: We’re here to get to know
the real Colin Firth, the complex man behind the wet shirt. (Colin
bites lip) You know, when you were in Pride and Prejudice and you had
to dive into the lake?
Colin: Yes.
Bridget: Well, when they wanted to
do another take, would you take off the wet shirt and put a dry one on?
Colin: I think I probably did. Yeah.
And in this film actually, in the Peacebroker...
Bridget: So, how many takes did you
do? Diving into the actual lake?
Colin: Well, all my bits were done
in a tank in Ealing. The airborne bit that you see was done by a
stuntman.
Bridget: Well it looked just like Mr
Darcy.
Colin: Yes, because he had stuck on
sideburns
Bridget: So did you have a stunt
double when you had to jump into the lake in Love Actually?
Colin: No, the actual lake is only
three feet deep. I had to do my scene sitting down.
Bridget: So it was you in the water?
Colin: Well, yes, obviously. All you
can see is my face.
Bridget: Was the actress
sitting as well? The nice Italian one?
Colin: Yes, we were both
sitting down.
Bridget: But isn’t she much
shorter than you?
Colin: Yeah, well,
perhaps, she was kneeling. I don’t know. (as an aside, quietly) And
she’s Portuguese.
Bridget: You’d never be
able to tell. Do you think that the writer-director of Love Actually,
Richard Curtis, has spored his own gender of multi-narrative comedy?
Colin: (blank look) I’m
sorry.
Bridget: Do you think he
has spored his own gender?
Colin: (baffled) Sorry,
I’m not sure I understand what you mean.
Bridget: (said much more
emphatically) I mean, spored his own gender.
Colin: (gives up trying
to discern meaning) Well, I think the film’s very funny in places.
Apart from Hugh Grant. Interestingly enough, in the Peacebroker, where
I play a UN aid worker working in Rwanda...
Bridget: (interrupting)
Sorry, is it true that, in the script for Pride and Prejudice, it had
stage notes: “Imagine that Mark Darcy has an erection”?
Colin: Yes, it is.
Bridget: Was that very easy
to, you know, act? (giggling)
Colin: The erection?
(Bridget
pretends to look embarrassed and gestures agreement)
Colin: Well, luckily, it
was a headshot.
Bridget: Oh. Is that
something you do a lot?
Colin: No, fortunately,
it’s the only time I’ve ever had to simulate an erection.
Bridget: Well, I don’t
suppose you fall into a pond in your new film, do you?
Colin: No, as you know,
it’s set in a very famous drought and ...
Bridget: (interrupting
again) Can I just clear this up? You know, when you were in the wet
shirt after the bit in the lake, did they have to keep spraying you
with a squirter full of water?
Colin: I don’t remember.
I don’t know. Probably yes. They did, yes. They did.
Bridget: Thank you, Colin.
We wish you the best of luck in your new film. This is Bridget Jones
with Mr Darcy. (laughs) Sorry, Colin Firth on the set of Peacemaker.
Colin: Broker.
Bridget: Peacebroker. Thank
you.
[Interview
ends and Colin starts unhooking himself from the microphone.]
Bridget: Well, that was
great. Thank you. I’m sorry we didn’t get on to talking about your new
film very much (shakes hands), but it was lovely to meet you at last.
Can I just ask you, you know, when you were in the wet shirt and
everything?
Colin: Yeah.
Bridget: Did you realize
your nipples were showing through?
Colin: Lovely to meet
you. (can’t get out of there fast enough)
Bridget: Bye. (incredulous;
can’t believe she’s talked with him;then sniffs hand that touched him)
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