Kiwi singer in Lady Gaga film
Kiwi musician Marlon Williams has scored a role alongside Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper in their latest Hollywood film, A Star Is Born.
He walked the red carpet alongside the film’s A-List stars at the film’s premiere in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Williams plays a young singer (called Marlon Williams) who makes waves with Cooper’s character in the remake of the 1954 Judy Garland film. He also performs a duet with American country musician Brandi Carlile.
‘‘I’ve got a couple of weird little scenes in this film. It’s a really strange, strange, out-ofleft-field thing that happens when you play in LA sometimes,’’ he told Stuff.
Williams was asked by Cooper, who directs and stars in A Star Is Born, to appear in the film after Cooper saw him perform at The Troubadour in Los Angeles.
‘‘The whole thing is so surreal,’’ Williams said. ‘‘I had a great time on set. It was really strange, and a new experience for me and I’m as curious as anyone else to see what it looks like.’’
The 27-year-old, who previously starred in an Australian mini-series, said acting in Hollywood was far more intense than recording an album.
‘‘It feels like the music world magnified, in terms of the pressures.
‘‘Being on a film set and doing a take – especially when I’m next to Lady Gaga – it’s like ‘I’m only going to get a couple of chances
‘‘I’ve got a couple of weird little scenes in this film. It’s a really strange, strange, outof-left-field thing that happens when you play in LA sometimes.’’
Marlon Williams
to nail this’,’’ he said.
The Party Boy singer played the role with his natural New Zealand accent – although that wasn’t planned.
‘‘I didn’t think about this until I’m literally sitting at the reading table and I’ve got Bradley Cooper on the left of me and Sam Elliott on my right and Lady Gaga down there and my lines come out and I’m like, ‘holy s… I haven’t even talked about who I am’,’’ he said.
Filming for A Star is Born took place early last year, and Williams said keeping his role a secret has been pretty easy – for the most part.
‘‘I have to be pretty drunk to bring it up. But when there’s a lull in the conversation, and I’m quite drunk…’’
The film has received positive reviews at various film festival screenings around the world and has been pegged as an early front-runner for next year’s Academy Awards.
Williams is also nominated for the 2018 Apra Silver Scroll Awards to be held in Auckland on October 4.
A Star is Born is released in New Zealand on October 17.